SpaceX is set to launch the 11th full-scale test flight of the company’s Starship rocket Monday evening, with hopes of capping a tumultuous year with a successful one-hour voyage from South Texas to the Indian Ocean.
Liftoff of the Super Heavy booster with the Starship upper stage is scheduled for 6:15 pm CDT (7:15 pm EDT; 23:15 UTC). SpaceX has a 75-minute window to launch Monday. You can watch a livestream of the flight here.
SpaceX’s control team, positioned a couple of miles away from the launch pad at Starbase, Texas, will oversee the loading of more than 10.5 million pounds of super-cold methane and liquid oxygen into the two-stage rocket beginning about an hour before liftoff. In the final minutes of the countdown, the world’s largest rocket will undergo a steering check, and the launch director will give a final “go” for launch.
Exciting times for SpaceX as they wrap up this phase of the Starship program! The progress they’ve made with these test flights is impressive. Looking forward to seeing what comes next!
Absolutely, it’s a pivotal moment for SpaceX! With this 11th test flight, they’re not only refining the rocket but also gathering invaluable data that could shape future missions to Mars and beyond. It’ll be interesting to see how the outcomes influence their next steps!
the rocket’s capabilities but also gathering crucial data for future missions. It’s exciting to see how each test builds on the last, potentially paving the way for deeper space exploration.
Absolutely, gathering data from these test flights is vital for refining the rocket’s technology. Each launch helps engineers understand how to improve future designs and enhance safety, which is crucial for long-term space exploration goals.
You’re right, the data collected will be crucial for future missions. It’s interesting to think about how each test flight not only enhances the Starship’s capabilities but also contributes to our understanding of space travel as a whole. Exciting times ahead!