Summary
SpaceX is set to conduct its 10th test launch of the Starship rocket from Texas. This test aims to check the rocket's booster and upper stage performance over the Gulf of Mexico. The Starship program is key for future NASA moon missions and Elon Musk's Mars plans.
Key Facts
- SpaceX plans to launch the Starship rocket from its site in Texas during a one-hour window starting at 7:30 pm ET.
- The launch will involve a live webcast starting about 30 minutes before the scheduled takeoff.
- The test will include the rocket's booster performing a series of burns and hovering over the Gulf of Mexico before splashing down.
- The upper section of the rocket will go on a short suborbital flight, attempting to release simulated satellites.
- Previous test flights of Starship this year have faced issues, including a loss of rocket control in May and an explosion during a preflight test in June.
- NASA plans to use the Starship rocket for its moon mission, targeting 2027 for the first moon landing since 1972.
- Elon Musk's goal is to use Starship for Mars colonization and Starlink satellite deployments.
- Despite challenges with Starship, SpaceX continues routine missions, such as sending supplies to the International Space Station.
