SpaceX can try to test the fire – and then launch – its latest prototype Starship rocket at the company’s South Texas facility on Friday (March 26).
Officials in Cameron County, Texas, which houses the SpaceX Starship test site near Boca Chica Village, approved the closure of roads before an engine test and the launch of the Starship SN11 vehicle on Friday. SpaceX has not stated that it will actually try
an SN11 launch, but its test window opens at 8 am EDT (7 am local time, 1200 GMT) and runs for more than 12 hours, according to Cameron County officials.
“I ordered the closest one to Praia de Boca Chica and Hwy 4 with the objective of protecting Public Health and Safety during the SpaceX engine tests and 10 km flight, in the time period between 7:00 am CST and 7:30 pm CST, on the same day “Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino Jr. said in a statement.” If the public wants to see the flight, do it from a safe distance and away from Boca Chica beach. “
Related: NASA astronauts take a close look at the SpaceX SN11 spacecraft (photo)
SpaceX’s Starship SN11 rocket is the latest prototype of a fully reusable spacecraft capable of missions to the Moon and beyond. The company is developing the 50-meter-high rocket and a massive booster called Super Heavy to take astronauts and other equipment to the Moon and Mars. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk unveiled the first prototype Super Heavy, a test version that will not fly, last week.
As its name suggests, the SN11 rocket is SpaceX’s 11th starship prototype. The private space flight company has launched three other prototypes so far – SN8, SN9 and SN10 – from its facilities near Boca Chia beach, although none have survived.
The Starship SN10 prototype was the first to actually land, but it exploded a few minutes after the touch. SpaceX has refined the Starship design with each launch to improve its performance.
On Monday (March 26), SpaceX tested its Starship SN11 rocket, preparing the ground for an upcoming test flight. Like its recent predecessors, SN11 is powered by three of SpaceX’s Raptor engines. It is expected to launch at an altitude of 6.2 miles (10 kilometers), then turn for a descent back to Earth and turn again for a controlled landing using your engines.
SpaceX has already lined up customers for its Starship vehicle, even as the company continues to refine the design of the spacecraft and its Super Heavy booster.
Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa signed up for a trip around the moon aboard a starship for him and eight others. This mission, called “dearMoon”, is due to launch in 2023. NASA also selected Starship as one of three candidates to land astronauts and payloads on the moon as part of the space agency’s Artemis program.
Send an email to Tariq Malik at [email protected] or follow him @tariqjmalik. Follow us on @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Instagram.