According to the American "Space" news network 5**, Musk, the founder of the American Space Exploration Technology Corporation (SpaceX), posted on social platforms that the company's "Starship" heavy rocket may soon have its third test flight.
According to the report, SpaceX shared the news on the social platform X on the 4th local time about the propellant test work for the "Starship" rocket test flight, and Musk then ** the post and said in the accompanying text that the "Starship" is preparing for the third test flight.
The report mentioned that Musk also said in a previous interview that the "Starship" may conduct a third test flight in March 2024. However, it was reported that for this test flight, SpaceX has not yet received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration.
According to the report, in November 2023, the "Starship" super-heavy rocket conducted its second test flight, but this test flight did not complete all the scheduled plans, and it happened shortly after the rocket launch**. Federal Aviation Administration staff concluded their investigation into the test flight last week, believing that SpaceX should take a number of improvement measures before Starship's third test flight.
According to a number of previous reports by CNN and many others, on April 20, 2023, the "Starship" rocket and spacecraft integrated system conducted a test flight, but the rocket was launched shortly after**. According to AFP, the rocket engine failed, and the first stage booster did not separate from the spacecraft above. On November 18 of the same year, SpaceX launched the "Starship" rocket again, and the rocket successfully achieved the separation of the first and second stages less than three minutes after liftoff, but after that, the mission control center lost contact with the "Starship" spacecraft and was forced to activate the self-destruction system. CNN described the second test flight of the Starship as going further than it did when it was tried in April 2023.
According to SpaceX**, the new generation of heavy-lift launch vehicle "Starship" is the world's largest and most powerful launch vehicle to date, with a total height of about 120 meters and a diameter of about 9 meters. The rocket consists of two parts, at the bottom is the "Super Heavy" booster, about 69 meters high, equipped with several "Raptor" engines; At the top is the spacecraft, about 50 meters high, reusable.