Starship completed its first full flight-like wet dress rehearsal at Starbase on January 24.
The SpaceX Starship Super Heavy rocket launch has now slipped to the third week of this month, the Elon Musk-led company said in a release. The first orbital flight of the much-awaited, Elon Musk-owned company was last week reported for lift-off on April 10, with April 11 and April 12 as other backup dates.
“The first integrated flight test of Starship is trending towards the third week of April, pending regulatory approval,” SpaceX said. “A live webcast of the flight test will begin ~45 minutes before liftoff. As is the case with all developmental testing, this schedule is dynamic and likely to change, so be sure to stay tuned to our social media channels for updates.”
Meanwhile, according to a revised planning notice issued by the Federal Aviation Administration, the Starship rocket launch could now happen on April 17 from Boca Chica, Texas. However, no backup dates have been mentioned.
Starship, which collectively refers to a SpaceX spacecraft and super heavy rocket, represents a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry crew and cargo to the Earth’s orbit, the Moon, and Mars. The American company has to date completed multiple sub-orbital flight tests of Starship’s upper stage from Starbase. In addition to this, the SpaceX team has conducted numerous tests of the Super Heavy rocket, including “the increasingly complex static fires that led to a full-duration 31 Raptor engine test – the largest number of simultaneous rocket engine ignitions in history.”
At 146 meters, or nearly 500 feet tall, the launch and catch tower that is claimed to be the world’s tallest is designed to support vehicle integration, launch, and catch of the Super Heavy rocket booster. The company said that its team will not attempt a vertical landing of Starship or a catch of the Super Heavy booster for its first flight test.
Meanwhile, it is noteworthy that the American aerospace company has been looking to launch its reusable transportation system since last year. Worries over the delay in the launch of the first Starship orbital flight since May 5, 2021 surfaced primarily due to a delay in SpaceX getting a launch license from the FAA. Starship completed its first full flight-like wet dress rehearsal at Starbase on January 24.
