SpaceX Aims to launch Very heavy missile and the Starship spacecraft, known collectively as… Starshipon Friday after obtaining clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
This will be the spacecraft’s second unmanned test flight after an attempt in April failed to reach orbit. On that flight, a malfunction occurred several minutes after liftoff, forcing mission controllers to destroy the rocket in mid-air.
This time, SpaceX engineers hope they have done enough to ensure the spacecraft reaches orbit for the first time.
The Starship flight system could one day be used for manned spaceflights moon, Mars And other celestial bodies in deep space. But first, SpaceX needs to prove it can reach orbit.
what are you expecting
Using its 33 Raptor engines, the Starship will have a whopping 17 million pounds of thrust at launch, more than twice the thrust achieved by the Saturn V rocket, which generated about 7.6 million pounds of thrust during the launches that sent Apollo astronauts toward the moon before Five decades. , and nearly twice the length of NASA’s new SLS lunar rocket. This creates about 8.8 million pounds of thrust when it takes off.
All eyes will be on whether the Starship spacecraft is able to successfully separate from Super Heavy, a crucial maneuver it was unable to complete during the flight in April. If that happens, the spacecraft will continue in orbit while the super-heavy rocket will fall into the Gulf of Mexico.
At the end of its orbital journey, Starship will land in Hawaiian waters, although future flights will aim to land the rocket and spacecraft so they can be used for multiple missions.
How do you see it?
SpaceX will launch the Starship vehicle from its Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas, on Friday, November 17.
The two-hour takeoff window opens at 8 a.m. ET (5 a.m. PT). You can watch the launch of the spacecraft Via the SpaceX website also On your account X (formerly Twitter).
Make sure to check SpaceX social networks Before launch for any late changes to the schedule.
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