Elon Musk‘s rocket manufacturing company SpaceX said on Wednesday that it could launch its Starship for the third time this March 14. However, regulatory approval is still due.
What Happened: For the third flight, SpaceX aims to get Starship to space while achieving several technical objectives en route. The spacecraft will then re-enter Earth with a splashdown expected in the Indian Ocean.
SpaceX launched the Starship twice before- the first time in April and then in November. In the latest flight attempt, the spacecraft reached space, making it the first starship to do so. The vehicle was destroyed after it lost contact with SpaceX base.
“Each of these flight tests continue to be just that: a test. They aren't occurring in a lab or on a test stand, but are putting flight hardware in a flight environment to maximize learning,” SpaceX said on its website. The company is reportedly eyeing launching Starship “at least” nine times this year.
Why It Matters: The rocket-making company touts the Starship as the world’s most powerful launch vehicle ever developed, capable of carrying both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, Moon, and Mars. It can supposedly carry up to 100 people on long-duration interplanetary flights.
NASA is currently relying on the success of Starship to land humans back on the moon. The agency expects to land two astronauts on the Moon no earlier than September 2026 with the Artemis III mission.
The last time humans set foot on the Moon was in 1972 with Apollo 17. Since then, no crew has traveled beyond low-Earth orbit.
Photo by Dimitris Barletis on Shutterstock
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