SpaceX’s most powerful rocket system, central to Elon Musk’s dream of colonising Mars, may have its first orbital test launch next week.
Starship, which will one day carry astronauts, sits atop a huge Super Heavy booster for a combined height of 394ft.
The booster, which has 33 rocket engines, was put through its paces in a stationary launch test in February, generating enough power to reach orbit.
But another trial run earmarked for next week would be the first orbital flight test, when the entire Starship system would lift off from SpaceX‘s facilities in Boca Chica, Texas.
The rocket system’s second stage – the craft that would carry a crew of astronauts in the future – would then be deployed and complete a full orbit of the Earth, before re-entering the atmosphere and splashing down off Hawaii.
Meanwhile, the Super Heavy booster would attempt a landing back near the launch site.
A notice posted by America’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) suggests a test may happen on Monday, with backup dates listed as Tuesday and Wednesday.
It will be dependent on a launch licence being granted, which the flight regulator said it had not yet done.
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Ship moved into position
The FAA’s listing comes after the spacecraft section of Starship, dubbed Ship 24, was moved to the launch pad.
The rocket section for the test flight is a Super Heavy prototype called Booster 7.
SpaceX is building prototypes of both sections of Starship for future launches, but the company says it will be a fully reusable transportation system to carry crew and cargo.
Initially, it will be used for taking satellites into orbit – but SpaceX founder Musk has said it will eventually carry astronauts to the moon and even Mars.
NASA, which helped fund the spacecraft, plans to use it to land astronauts on the moon for the first time in more than 50 years via its Artemis programme.
The privately-funded dearMoon mission is also aiming to take a crew to the moon and back aboard Starship.
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Musk confident of reaching orbit
Billionaire Musk has said Starship’s debut orbital launch has a 50% chance of success.
But he thinks there’s an 80% chance of reaching orbit by the end of the year.
Speaking at a Morgan Stanley media conference last month, he said: “I am not saying it will get to orbit, but I am guaranteeing excitement. It won’t be boring.”
The upcoming orbital test comes almost four years after Starship was first unveiled.
Musk wants to use it to help build a colony on Mars “in our lifetimes”.
