SpaceX targets June 5 for next Starship launch
Company plans to conduct static fire test of upper stage on May 8
Starship is a fully reusable spacecraft and rocket system designed to carry humans and cargo to Mars and other destinations
SpaceX has set a June 5 launch date for its next Starship integrated test flight with a focus on putting the spacecraft's upper stage through its paces in orbit, the company said Tuesday (May 24). The mission, known as Flight 5, will be the fourth orbital test flight of Starship, a massive spacecraft and rocket system that SpaceX is developing to carry humans and cargo to Mars and other destinations. The company's goal is to make Starship fully reusable, which would dramatically reduce the cost of spaceflight. "We're targeting June 5 for the next flight of our Starship system," SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk said in a tweet on Tuesday. "This flight will focus on testing the upper stage in orbit." The upper stage of Starship is responsible for carrying the spacecraft and its payload into orbit. It is powered by three Raptor engines, which are also used on the first stage of the rocket. During Flight 5, the upper stage will be tested in a variety of ways, including by firing its engines in orbit and performing maneuvers. The data collected from the test will help SpaceX to refine the design of the upper stage and prepare it for future missions. The first stage of Starship, known as Super Heavy, will not be used on Flight 5. Instead, the upper stage will be launched into orbit by a Falcon 9 rocket. SpaceX is also planning to conduct a static fire test of Starship's upper stage on May 8. During the test, the engines of the upper stage will be fired while the spacecraft is still on the ground. This test will help to ensure that the engines are functioning properly before Flight 5. If the static fire test and Flight 5 are successful, it will bring SpaceX one step closer to its goal of making Starship fully operational. The company hopes to begin crewed flights of Starship to the International Space Station as early as 2024.
Comments