- SpaceX receives regulatory approval for its third Starship orbital test flight on Thursday morning.
- SpaceX has implemented upgrades and aims to demonstrate new capabilities.
- The success of this flight is crucial for SpaceX’s plans and NASA’s Artemis program.
FAA clears the way
SpaceX has received approval from U.S. regulators to conduct the third orbital test flight of its massive Starship rocket.
The company aims to launch within a 110-minute window that opens at 7:00 a.m. CT on Thursday morning from its Starbase campus near Boca Chica, Texas.
The launch will be livestreamed on SpaceX’s website and the social media site X starting at 6:30 a.m. CT.
Iterative design and new capabilities
The previous two Starship test flights ended in the destruction of the vehicles, which are considered anomalies in the industry.
Following investigations into these events, SpaceX implemented hardware changes and upgrades. This third test raises the stakes by demonstrating new capabilities, including a fuel transfer demonstration, payload door operations, and relighting a Raptor engine in space for the first time.
The upper stage will also follow a new flight trajectory, splashing down in the Indian Ocean.
Starship plays a crucial role in both SpaceX’s business plans and NASA’s ambitious Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the moon by the end of the decade.
The success of this third orbital test flight will be a significant milestone for the company and the future of space exploration.
