NEW DELHI: SpaceX is gearing up for another launch of Starship, a powerful rocket crucial to Nasa’s lunar landing plans and Elon Musk’s Mars colonization vision. The upcoming launch follows two previous attempts that ended in explosions, contributing to SpaceX’s rapid development approach.
The Federal Aviation Administration has approved the launch, scheduled at 7:00 am local time in Texas, with a webcast available on SpaceX’s website. The Starship rocket, towering at 397 feet, surpasses the Statue of Liberty in height and boasts a Super Heavy Booster generating 16.7 million pounds of thrust, nearly double that of Nasa’s Space Launch System.
The upcoming test flight aims to reach new milestones by testing payload delivery capabilities and in-orbit refueling potential. The trajectory includes achieving orbit and a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean.
SpaceX’s journey with Starship began in 2018, progressing from short hops to integrated tests. The recent tests faced challenges, including a failed separation and explosions, prompting corrective actions by SpaceX. Despite setbacks, SpaceX’s iterative development strategy has proven successful with Falcon 9 rockets, Dragon capsules, and Starlink satellite constellation.
With Nasa’s Moon mission deadline approaching in 2026, SpaceX must demonstrate Starship’s safety and capability for lunar missions. The company aims to use Starship as a lander vehicle, requiring successful launches and multiple in-orbit refueling operations.
