SpaceX prepares for a second Starship launch attemptthe largest rocket in the world.
Its takeoff It is scheduled for next Friday, November 17 and will last approximately three and a half hours from the start of the event, but its confirmation still requires approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The company founded by Elon Musk announced the date through their social networks and official website.
There they detailed that the mission will seek to replicate the previous flight, so the ship will separate into two stages and then make a tour around the Earth.
This is how the Starship works
With a height of 120 metersthe Starship consists of two sections: the Super Heavy propulsion stage with 33 engines and the spacecraft itself.
Both sections are completely reusable and are designed to greatly reduce the costs of the space program by returning them.
Thus, the propellant is designed to perform a safe landing in the Gulf of Mexicoas part of a test for future independent landings on the launch pad.
The Ship 25, meanwhile, will end its journey somewhere in the Ocean Pacific, near the island of Kauai in Hawaii.
What happened after the first Starship attempt?
The previous test, carried out on April 20 from the Boca Chica base in Texasit didn’t go as planned.
faced problems in the separation of both stages and failures in some enginesleading to the execution of his self-destruct after only three minutes of flight.
Musk mentioned in a press conference in October that the separation of the two sections It is precisely the most challenging part of the second attempt and it is hoped that it has been improved.
Legal problems after the first takeoff
After the previous release, the FAA launched a safety investigation that concluded in late October.
Yes, one environmental research is still ongoingdue to the generation of a dust cloud during the first takeoff that caused damage to the launch pad.
It is for this reason that SpaceX announced 63 corrections for the second attempt, including hardware and platform redesigns, as well as the implementation of a water “deluge” system to attenuate acoustic waves and limit launch vibrations.
It is worth mentioning that the NASA is closely monitoring the development of the Starshipsince it will be part of the Artemis Program for the return of astronauts to the Moon, so its successful launch could change the course of the space race.