It’s time, right? then SpaceX returns to the launch pad on Thursday, March 14, for a third test of its Starship rocket, after a semi-failed previous test flight in November. Takeoff for this new test flight, which was first scheduled at 1 pm, was postponed to 2:25 pm from the Boca Chica base (Texas).
The rocket is composed of two stages: the super heavy propulsion stage, and above it the starship, which by extension gives the entire rocket its name. Thanks to its reusable elements, the XXL launcher chosen by NASA for its Artemis program could finally make it possible to drastically reduce launch costs and open new horizons for conquering space. Follow this third takeoff live.
Two goals in one. SpaceX, billionaire Elon Musk’s company, is banking on Starship to achieve its stated goal: establishing an autonomous colony on Mars to make humanity a multi-planetary species. Its development is also very important for NASA, which is counting on this spacecraft to land its astronauts on the Moon during its Artemis 3 mission, planned for 2026.
Improvements since the last test. The last exam was held four months ago. The two rocket stages successfully separated in flight for the first time, but then both exploded. However, the ship crossed the edge of space and reached an altitude of about 150 km. Since then, 17 “Corrective Actions” were put in place.
A huge rocket. At 120 meters tall, Starship is the world’s largest rocket. She is also the most powerful. Apart from its disproportionate size, the real innovation of the starship is that it must ultimately be completely reusable. Currently, only the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket returns to the ground for reuse after each launch.
