SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has announced that the fifth test of the Starship mega-rocket will take place in four weeks. This means the rocket could take off again as early as August. Once Starship is fully tested and approved, it will have the potential to transport crew and cargo to the Moon and even Mars.
Starship Mega Rocket to be ready for testing in August
Elon Musk’s long-term goal is to build a self-sufficient city on Mars. SpaceX’s Starship rocket is a key tool to achieve this goal. “SpaceX will colonize Mars,” Musk said in a post on social media, adding: “The key question is whether Earth civilization will be able to sustain its level of technology long enough for the colony to grow on its own, even if no resupply ships arrive.”
Much work remains to be done to fully develop Starship. The 120-meter-high rocket first flew in April last year, but exploded a few minutes later. Three additional test flights since then have shown significant improvements in the rocket’s capabilities.
The next test will include an attempt to capture Starship’s first stage after it has put the upper stage spacecraft into orbit. While SpaceX’s Falcon 9 lands on the ground using landing legs, Starship does not have landing legs and will therefore need to be captured by large mechanical arms attached to the launch tower. This mechanism will allow SpaceX to reuse the rocket, significantly reducing launch costs and helping it increase flight frequency with reusable boosters.
SpaceX will need permission from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the next Starship flight. As with all Starship flights so far, the fifth launch will take place from the SpaceX Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas. When the exact launch date is announced, we will share it with you.
Elon Musk and SpaceX continue to prepare for the fifth Starship test. This test, scheduled for August, will be an important step for Starship’s future missions. The successful completion of the “Starship test” process will take the goal of establishing a permanent base on Mars one step further.
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