SpaceX is all set to launch its massive Starship on Sunday from its Starbase site in southeast Texas. This will mark the fifth flight in the Starship development program, and it comes earlier than expected as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved the launch for tomorrow.
The Starship, standing at nearly 400 feet tall, is a crucial part of SpaceX’s goal to enable human life on other planets. This upcoming test flight will focus on two main objectives: attempting to catch the Super Heavy booster at the launch site and ensuring a successful reentry and splashdown of the Starship in the Indian Ocean.
The most unique aspect of this launch is the plan to catch the booster using a pair of oversized “chopsticks” attached to the launch tower. While SpaceX has successfully controlled the reentry and splashdown of the Starship upper stage in the past, catching the booster in mid-air will be a groundbreaking achievement in rocketry history.
In order for the catch attempt to happen, thousands of criteria must be met to ensure the systems are functioning properly. The mission’s Flight Director will issue a manual command to the booster before a trajectory-adjusting maneuver, and if everything goes according to plan, the booster will be caught and held up by the chopsticks. However, if any issues arise, the booster will default to a soft splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico.
The entire process from launch to catching the booster and returning the Starship to the landing site is expected to take just 7 minutes. SpaceX engineers have been working tirelessly to prepare for this test flight, conducting tests on the launch tower, replacing the thermal protection system, updating software, and testing the launch pad’s water deluge system.
While the focus of this test flight is on the booster catch, SpaceX also plans to bring back the Starship upper stage to the landing site in future launches. Each flight is a learning experience for SpaceX, allowing them to make improvements in hardware and operations to achieve a fully and rapidly reusable design for the Starship.
By pushing the boundaries of space travel and conducting frequent test flights, SpaceX aims to revolutionize humanity’s access to space. The live webcast of the test will be available on SpaceX’s website, giving viewers a front-row seat to this historic moment in rocketry.
