SpaceX has announced its plans to launch the next-generation Starship rocket on April 20, marking the second attempt at the groundbreaking flight after a pressurization issue disrupted the company’s initial test.
Pressurization issue forces launch delay
Elon Musk’s private company revealed the new launch date in a tweet on Monday, only hours after postponing the planned inaugural test flight for the fully assembled vehicle. Minutes before the scheduled liftoff, SpaceX canceled the flight due to a “pressurization issue.” Officials stated that they would need at least 48 hours before trying again.
Musk had identified a “frozen” pressure valve as a potential issue that could delay the launch in an earlier tweet. However, SpaceX did not mention the problem in its statement regarding the new target date for Starship’s launch.
The new launch window is set to open at 8:28 a.m. local time in Boca Chica, Texas, where the launch pad is situated, and will close one hour and two minutes later, according to SpaceX.
A critical step for deep space exploration
The uncrewed mission represents a crucial phase in SpaceX’s plan to send humans into deep space. The company, formally known as Space Exploration Technologies Corp., intends to launch the colossal rocket in a partial orbit of Earth for the first time, paving the way for future missions to the moon and Mars.
Delays, whether due to weather, technical issues, or other factors, are common in space launches. The latest postponement adds to a timeline that has already spanned almost two decades. As early as 2005, Musk hinted at plans for a giant rocket codenamed “BFR.” More recently, the company has been testing components of the rocket system in preparation for this launch, its first attempt to reach space.
Coincidental timing and Starship’s capabilities
The timing of the second attempt on April 20 appears to be a coincidence, although Musk is no stranger to the number “420,” which is associated with marijuana. He famously claimed to have “funding secured” to take Tesla Inc. private at $420 a share.
Starship was designed to transport people including NASA astronauts—and cargo such as satellites into Earth’s orbit and beyond. The rocket is more powerful than any previous crewed spacecraft and taller than the Saturn V. The launch vehicle system has also been engineered to be fully reusable, which SpaceX claims will reduce costs.
Once the launch attempt takes place, the Super Heavy booster rocket is expected to separate from Starship after an initial climb to space and perform a controlled dive into the Gulf of Mexico. If all goes according to plan, the Starship spacecraft will continue onward, completing almost a full lap around Earth before landing in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Hawaii.
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