Starship: SpaceX may attempt a new launch of its powerful spacecraft on this date

Now that NASANASA It has been made clear that the Artemis III mission may be “different”, i.e. reflecting the reality that SpaceX’s Lunar Starship will likely not be operational until late 2025 to allow an American crew to land on the Moon, SpaceX is now faced with the need for a rapid response. In this context of uncertainty, NASA will, subject to conditions, consider postponing the return of Americans to the Moon by several years, perhaps during an Artemis V or IV mission, thereby transitioning to an Artemis III mission. Manned mission to lunar orbit.

Will the FAA allow Starship to fly back?

Currently, reports are circulating that SpaceX is planning to conduct a second test flight of Starship starting on August 31. The news comes as a surprise, as Starship has yet to receive flight clearance from the FAA (the federal aviation agency that regulates private launches in the United States), following a partial failure during the maiden flight on April 20. After that it was stopped. LauncherLauncher SpaceX giant caused an explosion in flight SeparationSeparation The incident also caused extensive damage to the starbase, creating a crater beneath the launch structure and scattering debris around it, causing extensive damage.

Furthermore, just days earlier SpaceX submitted its final report on this partial failure to the FAA to determine what exactly happened on April 20 and what measures should be taken to increase the chances of a more successful outcome in the future. Needed

Before Starship can resume flights, the FAA must not only approve this comprehensive report, but SpaceX must also establish a list of corrective measures. SpaceX has already taken some steps, including installing a deluge system. This system, which turns on under the engines when they start, aims to reduce temperatures that reach several hundred degrees, but above all to control engine jolts.acoustic waveacoustic wave Take-off, which we saw during the first flight, can cause very significant damage around the launch pad. The system appears to have been successfully tested on August 6 during a static test of the Super Heavy, the first core stage of Starship.

Don’t Ignore the Environmental Data

Additionally, the FAA is facing legal action from a coalition of environmental groups and environmental activists. climateclimate The Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe of Texas accused the agency of failing to properly assess environmental impacts and risks to local populations during this Starship test flight.