SpaceX is working towards creating technologically advanced spacecraft that will enable humans to become a multiplanetary species. “You want to wake up in the morning and think the future is going to be great - and that’s what being a spacefaring civilization is all about. It’s about believing in the future and thinking that the future will be better than the past. And I can’t think of anything more exciting than going out there and being among the stars,” says SpaceX founder Elon Musk.
The company is developing Starship at Boca Chica Beach situated in the southernmost tip of Texas. It will be the most powerful launch vehicle ever developed, capable of transporting 100 passengers and/or 100 metric tonnes of cargo during long-duration voyages to Mars. Starship is a two-stage launch vehicle comprised of a spacecraft and a Super Heavy rocket booster that will be used to propel Starship to orbit. Engineers aim to make a fully reusable duo, capable of conducting multiple flights like airplanes. "SpaceX is developing rockets needed to make life multiplanetary — full & rapid reusability at large scale. Even if SpaceX fails in that goal, the rockets will still be most advanced on Earth," Musk said last week.
SpaceX expects to have a Starship launch vehicle ready for spaceflight before the year 2023. They plan to conduct the first orbital flight test this summer by July 1st. Teams in south Texas already started to build the first prototype of Super Heavy. Musk predicts the first crewed mission to Mars could take place by 2026. The company is on track to accomplish that timeline with three high-altitude flight tests completed and the latest flight ending with a successful landing. Now, the next prototype in the series – Starship SN11 – is set to take flight next week, after completing a static-fire test of its Raptor engine trio on Friday. After igniting the engines, engineers planned to perform a high-altitude flight test but the launch attempt was scrubbed to conduct ‘additional checkups,’ “Doing our best to land and fully recover,” Musk stated. He announced on Sunday morning that SpaceX could launch Starship SN11 as soon as Monday, “Possible Starship flight tomorrow afternoon,” Musk wrote via Twitter. UPDATE: Musk announced, "FAA inspector unable to reach Starbase in time for launch today. Postponed to no earlier than tomorrow [March 30]."
Possible Starship flight tomorrow afternoon
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 28, 2021
However, weather is unstable at Boca Chica Beach, extreme fog and rainy conditions have rolled into the region. These conditions are set to continue until Monday night. According to Cameron County Boca Chica Beach road closure announcements, SpaceX is scheduled to perform Starship SN11’s 10-kilometer flight test on Monday, March 29 from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Time [date is subject to change]. You can watch SpaceX Starship Launch Pad operations Live 24/7 in the video below, courtesy of Lab Padre via YouTube.
Featured Image Source: SpaceX
About the Author
Evelyn Arevalo
Evelyn J. Arevalo joined Tesmanian in 2019 to cover news as a Space Journalist and SpaceX Starbase Texas Correspondent. Evelyn is specialized in rocketry and space exploration. The main topics she covers are SpaceX and NASA.
