SpaceX is getting ready to launch its eighth test flight of the Starship rocket on Thursday, March 6. This massive rocket is the largest and most powerful ever built. The launch will take place at SpaceX’s Starbase in South Texas, with liftoff set for 6:30 p.m. EST (5:30 p.m. local time).
The launch had to be delayed a few days from its original date of March 3 due to issues with the rocket. SpaceX later announced a shift to March 5 but decided to push it back again to ensure everything is in order.
You can watch the launch live on Space.com or directly through SpaceX’s website. Coverage will start about 40 minutes before the rocket takes off.
Once launched, the Super Heavy booster is expected to return to Starbase and be caught by the launch tower’s “chopstick” arms about seven minutes after it lifts off. Meanwhile, the upper stage of Starship will release four dummy Starlink satellites before splashing down in the Indian Ocean about 66 minutes post-launch. This mission’s goal includes testing the booster recovery system and deploying satellites.
In its last flight on January 16, SpaceX managed to catch the Super Heavy booster, but the upper stage experienced a propellant leak and exploded before deploying its satellites. In that instance, there were ten Starlink models on board.
Starship is an essential part of SpaceX’s plans to help establish human presence on the Moon and Mars. NASA is also depending on Starship as it has been chosen to land astronauts during its Artemis program, which aims for moon landings in the coming years.
The current Starship is an impressive 123 meters (403.5 feet) tall, but Elon Musk has hinted that future models will be even larger.
Check out this related article: Stunning Discovery: NASA’s Ingenuity Unveils Surprising Mars Wreckage in Spectacular New Image
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