Will Starship, the world’s most powerful launch vehicle, lift off on Friday?

More than six months after the first flight of Starship, whose fate is known, a second launch seems imminent. at the starbase spacexspacexso rocketrocket The giant will take off, we are ready to ignite the launcher’s powerful engines. Only flight authorization is missing. We will explain this to you.

Environmental review findings awaited

According to different sites InternetInternet In the United States, the regulatory challenges associated with Starship flight now focus primarily on finalizing the environmental review, which is currently the responsibility of the Aquatic Life Conservation and Conservation Service. the wildlifethe wildlife (FWS). The agency evaluates modifications to the rocket, infrastructure, and ground part of Starship. Last week, the FAA, which oversees private launches in the United States, announced it had completed a safety review of Super Heavy and Starship, but it still had to review the FWS report before making a decision on authorization of Starship’s return. Is waiting for. flight.

many endangered or threatened species

To understand the position of the service in charge of protecting life in the aquatic environment and wildlife, which has a wrongful role in delaying the flight of the giant rocket, you should know that the SpaceX launch base, Starbase, is surrounded by Virgin Places that serve as habitat and refuge for endangered animals such as the red knot jaguarondijaguarondipopulation ofocelotsocelots And this sea ​​turtlessea ​​turtlesincluding the Kemp’s Ridley, which nests on the beaches of Boca Chica, one of the world’s most endangered sea turtles. One of these accommodations has even been designated as essential for a speciesspecies D’BirdBird Endangered, Piping Plover.

Yet Starship launch is a risky test flight

The Starship which is about to fly has undergone changes compared to its first test flight. In related equipment and elements, Elon MuskElon Musk Emphasized that the system of separationseparation represents the giant rocket” The most dangerous part of flying “and postponed” Don’t expect too much from this second flight », adopting a less optimistic tone than usual.

As per the plan, the mission flight plan will remain the same as the first partially failed attempt. After separation, Starship will make a brief pass through “space” at an altitude of about 250 kilometers, after almost a complete orbit around the Earth. Finally, he will enter theAtmosphereAtmosphere To make a controlled water landing in the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii.

SpaceX: Second Starship launch attempt could happen in December

Article by Remi Decorte, published on 10/30/2023

Just five months after Starship’s mid-flight explosion, SpaceX says it’s ready to fly its giant rocket again. While waiting for the FAA, the US government’s civil aviation agency, to authorize Starship’s return to flight, the company is preparing for a second attempt that could take place in December.

A few days ago, SpaceX representatives,AmazonAmazon And Blue Origin met with several political figures and members of the Senate Space and Science Subcommittee and alerted them to the procedures. authenticationauthentication and flight authorization from the FAA, the federal aviation agency that regulates private launches in the United States, the duration of which slows down their space operations. These companies clearly do not want to escape the FAA’s regulatory control, but are seeking greater efficiency in the process of issuing launch licenses. Today, flight authorization requests can take up to 135 days!

Flight authorization granted within a few weeks

Apparently his views were listened to. Shortly after this meeting, the FAA said it was committed to issuing an opinion on authorizing a second integrated flight of Starship, sooner than the 135 days allowed by its certification process.

So in this regulatory context it makes more sense now that SpaceX is readying its giant rocket for a second demonstration flight, only five months after the first partially failed attempt. You should know that this launcher has been ready since mid-September.

Multiple Starship flights in 2023 and 2024

Knowing that the goal of a US crew on the Moon in 2025 is out of reach, the company SpaceX has announced plans to carry out at least two Starship flights this year – which sounds difficult to us – and several more flights during the year 2024. Although he was careful not to specify the number of missions targeted in 2024, we know he is planning a big demonstration transfer classtransfer class The amount of fuel between a starship in the manned version (but which will be uninhabited at the moment) and a starship in cargo mode.

Artemis III in sight

Whereas NASANASA While Artemis II is being prepared, whose launch is scheduled for the end of 2024, the next mission, Artemis III, is the one that will allow two Americans to land on the Moon on SpaceX’s Lunar Starship. But, LisaLisa Watson-Morgan, Program Manager manned landing system (HLS) said it is concerned about SpaceX’s Starship development program, which could delay the return of Americans to the Moon by several years!