The calendar has been revised for an important stage in the Starship project, which is the most powerful rocket in the history of aviation and space. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk announced that the attempt to capture the upper stage spacecraft (“Ship”) with the launch tower, which was planned to be carried out in the test flight previously planned for the end of August, was postponed until a few months later.
Making a statement on the X platform, Musk noted that the development process is progressing positively, but this historical maneuver needs a little more time.
CRITICAL STAGE FOR REUSABILITY GOAL
The Starship system consists of a massive booster lower stage called “Super Heavy” and an upper stage spacecraft called “Ship”. Aiming to make both parts quickly and completely reusable, the company aims to catch the rockets suspended in the air via mechanical arms located on the launch tower.
Although SpaceX has managed to capture the lower booster stage in the tests it has carried out so far, the upper stage, which returns from the atmosphere at much higher speeds and altitudes, has not yet been captured by the tower.
REGULATORY APPROVALS AND UPCOMING ORBIT TESTING
It is stated that in addition to technical preparations, the security approval processes of official institutions such as the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) were decisive in postponing the capture attempt of the upper stage vehicle. Although the date has been postponed, the next test flight (“Flight 14”) will be a critical first.
Elon Musk emphasized that in the next attempt, Starship will perform a full orbital flight for the first time in its history and that the rocket’s relaunch will be at the end of the year or the beginning of next year.
