By Vassia Barba
SpaceX has begun the highly anticipated third orbital test of its Starship rocket, dubbed the world's most powerful rocket.
The launch took place today, with a 110-minute test window opening at 7.00am CT (12pm UK) with the spacecraft launching at around 7.03am CT (12.03pm UK). The company began streaming the event at 7.30am EDT (11.30am GMT) for viewers to follow along.
Despite an initial target time for launch of 7.30am CT, SpaceX confirmed the launch has been delayed. In a post on X, they wrote: "new liftoff time is 8.02am CT, team is clearing a few boats from the keep out area in the Gulf of Mexico."
Standing tall at over 400 feet (122 meters), the Starship rocket is a marvel of engineering, comprising a stainless steel, reusable upper stage, aptly named "Starship," and a Super Heavy first-stage booster. With ambitions reaching beyond Earth's orbit, Starship aims to boost space exploration efforts, with plans to ferry astronauts to the moon and, eventually, Mars, potentially paving the way for human settlements on distant worlds.
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Elon Musk, founder, and CEO of SpaceX, said in a post on X ( Twitter ): " Weather is 70% favorable for today’s third integrated flight test of Starship." SpaceX has said that among the objectives set for this mission are milestones such as the successful ascent burn of both stages, operation of Starship's payload door, and a demonstration of propellant transfer during the upper stage's coast phase.
This launch will mark the first-ever re-light of a Raptor engine while in space, showcasing SpaceX's pioneering spirit and commitment to pushing the boundaries of space exploration. Furthermore, SpaceX has charted a new trajectory for this mission, with Starship slated to splash down in the Indian Ocean upon completion of its objectives.
The launch follows two previous test flights that SpaceX said provided insights for SpaceX engineers. SpaceX's first Starship test flight launched on April 20, 2023, but was intentionally destroyed after its two stages failed to separate.
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A second test flight on November 18 did manage to reach space, but not its target altitude. The Super Heavy booster separated successfully from the Starship upper stage, but both vehicles eventually were destroyed shortly after stage separation.
Leading up to today's launch, SpaceX said it conducted a critical fueling test at its Starbase facility near Boca Chica, Texas, where over 10 million pounds of liquid methane and liquid oxygen were loaded onto the rocket.
SpaceX writes in a Flight 3 mission description: "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."
The company also warned: "As is the case with all developmental testing, the schedule is dynamic and likely to change, so be sure to stay tuned to our X account for updates."
