SpaceX is gearing up for the fifth launch of its massive Starship rocket, following four increasingly successful tests. What is the company hoping for, and what can we expect?
SpaceX is making final preparations for the fifth and most ambitious Starship test flight yet. While the four previous flights have all aimed for a splashdown in the sea, this test will be the first attempt to land back on the launch pad.It is the heaviest and most powerful rocket that has ever flown. SpaceX aims to develop it into a rapidly reusable launch vehicle that can take large payloads to space, land back at the launch pad and be ready for another mission within days or even hours.
NASA has contracted SpaceX to supply a special lunar lander variant of Starship to take astronauts to the moon’s surface some time after late 2026. The ultimate ambition of SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is for Starship is to put humans onFlight five is likely to be the first attempt at catching Starship’s Super Heavy booster – the first stage of the rocket – on the launch pad.
Test flight 2 on 18 November of the same year got further, gaining enough altitude that the first and second stages separated as planned. But as the first stage rotated to begin its slowdown and landing procedure, it exploded. The second stage successfully continued to an altitude of about 149 kilometres, passing thethat marks the beginning of space. However, a safeguard feature destroyed it when it stopped sending data, before it had a chance to complete an orbit or make its way back to Earth.
Test flight 3 on 14 March of this year was at least a partial success as it reached space, carried out fuel transfer tests and travelled further and faster than ever before. But the craft failed to make its scheduled soft landing after losing attitude control mid-flight.on 6 June of this year was the most successful so far, with Starship reaching orbit at an altitude of over 200 kilometres and travelling at more than 27,000 kilometres per hour.
Still, the company’s bold strategy to catch the booster on the launch pad will put not only the craft but also ground hardware at risk. That means the fifth test flight is perhaps the riskiest to date.
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