SpaceX plans to launch fourth Starship test flight in about two weeks

Elon Musk, chief executive of SpaceX, said on social media after the test: "Starship Flight 4 in about 2 weeks. Primary goal is getting through max reentry heating. The Starship upper stage will attempt to land back at the launch site

"The highly anticipated test flight—the fourth in a program to bring Starship to operational readiness and make progress toward its eventual reuse—will seek to demonstrate the vehicle's ability to perform a full-scale launch, orbit the Earth, and then return to Earth for a powered landing.

SpaceX has been developing Starship for several years, and the company hopes that the vehicle will eventually be used to transport humans and cargo to Mars. The company has already conducted several successful test flights of Starship, and the upcoming flight will be the most ambitious yet.

If the test flight is successful, it will be a major milestone for SpaceX and will bring the company closer to its goal of making Starship operational. The flight will also provide valuable data that will help SpaceX to improve the design of the vehicle.

SpaceX is expected to launch the fourth Starship test flight from its launch site in Boca Chica, Texas. The launch window is expected to open on May 21, 2024.

Written by Adrian Beil April 28, 2024