SpaceX cleared for Starship test flight Sunday

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Axios

12 hours ago


The Federal Aviation Administration gave SpaceX a green light on Saturday for its fifth Starship test launch.

Why it matters: The approval means Elon Musk's SpaceX can launch its megarocket on Sunday, much earlier than initially seemed possible due to regulatory hurdles.

The latest: "The FAA determined SpaceX met all safety, environmental and other licensing requirements for the suborbital test flight," the FAA said in a statement to Axios.

"The Flight 5 mission profile involves launch of the combined Starship/Super Heavy vehicle from Boca Chica, Texas, a return to the launch site of the Super Heavy booster rocket for a catch attempt by the launch tower, and a water landing of the Starship vehicle in the Indian Ocean west of Australia."

The launch is set for 7am CT and will be live-streamed on the SpaceX website and on X.

What they're saying: "This the largest & most powerful flying object ever made at more than double the thrust of the Saturn V Moon rocket," Musk posted on X Friday.

Read more: https://www.axios.com/2024/10/12/spacex-starship-5-test-flight-sunday

[GreenWave]

1. Hop aboard Elon. You can do it.

[EX500rider]

2. Wow, double the thrust of the Saturn?

The Saturn burned 16 tons of fuel a second on takeoff!

[OnlinePoker]

3. OMFG - Caught it on the first attempt.

Last edited Sun Oct 13, 2024, 10:11 AM - Edit history (1)

Absolutely incredible.

On edit: Then stuck the landing of the Starship on target in the Indian Ocean. This was a triumph of engineering by the whole SpaceX team.

[BumRushDaShow]

4. "OMFG - Caught it on the first attempt."

Pretty impressive, especially given it's a "super heavy".

[BumRushDaShow]

5. But then it had one of those "rapid disassemblys" while bobbing in the water

"Chopstick capture"