Starship’s Sixth Test Flight is scheduled for today, November 19, 2024, with a launch window opening at 4:00 p.m. CT. All systems and weather conditions are favorable for the launch from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Texas.
Test Objectives:
- Booster Catch: A repeat attempt to catch the Super Heavy booster with the launch tower’s “chopstick” arms, demonstrating the feasibility of booster reuse.
- In-Space Engine Relight: First attempt at an in-space burn of a Raptor engine, showcasing the ability for deorbit maneuvers.
- Thermal Protection System Experiments: Testing new materials for heat protection and studying areas for future catch hardware installation.
- Reentry and Landing: The spacecraft will reenter at a steeper angle, testing control flap limits, with a targeted splashdown in the Indian Ocean.
Where to Watch Online:
- SpaceX’s Live Stream: You can watch the live webcast on SpaceX’s official profile on X (formerly Twitter) @SpaceX, which will start approximately 30 minutes before the launch window opens.
- Spaceflight Now and LabPadre will offer live coverage on YouTube starting at 3:30 pm EST (2030 UTC). LabPadre provides various camera angles around the Starbase.
Rocket Specifications:
- Vehicle Name: Starship (comprising Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy booster)
- Height: Approximately 122 meters (400 feet) when stacked.
- Diameter: 9 meters (30 feet).
- Propulsion:
- Super Heavy Booster: Powered by 33 Raptor engines, producing up to 17 million pounds of thrust, making it the most powerful booster ever built.
- Starship (Upper Stage): Equipped with 6 Raptor engines for vacuum and sea-level conditions.
- Fuel: Liquid methane (CH4) and liquid oxygen (LOX), known as methalox.
- Payload Capacity:
- Fully Reusable: Up to 150 metric tonnes to low Earth orbit (LEO).
- Expendable Configuration: Up to 250 metric tonnes to LEO.
- Reusability: Both stages are designed to be fully reusable, with the Super Heavy intended to return to the launch site for a catch by the launch tower, and Starship planned for vertical landings or splashdowns for recovery.
- Future Use: Starship is pivotal for SpaceX’s plans for Mars colonization, lunar landings under NASA’s Artemis program, and potentially point-to-point transportation on Earth.
This test flight is not just a step towards technical validation of the rocket’s capabilities but also symbolizes progress in humanity’s quest for space exploration and multi-planetary existence.
