SpaceX is gearing up for an exciting milestone as the company’s president, Gwynne Shotwell, revealed at the Satellite 2024 Conference that the fourth test flight of the Starship rocket could take place in just six weeks. Elon Musk, SpaceX’s CEO, added that the launch could potentially happen “if everything goes right.”
However, the timeline of the test flight could be impacted by the Federal Aviation Administration’s licensing process. SpaceX is aiming to recover both the Super Heavy booster and the Starship spacecraft by the end of the year. To achieve this goal, they need to address challenges such as maintaining control of Starship in space and successfully splashing down Super Heavy just above the water’s surface.
During the third Integrated Flight Test (IFT-3), SpaceX encountered a setback when Ship 25 had trouble orienting itself correctly during atmospheric re-entry. The company’s rapid iteration process means that potential fixes, whether software or hardware, are likely being implemented to overcome this issue.
In response to SpaceX’s ambitious launch goals, the FAA is considering adjusting the licensing process to approve a range of launches. This move could facilitate SpaceX’s aim of conducting 6 to 9 Starship launches by the end of the year. Exciting developments are on the horizon as SpaceX continues to push the boundaries of space exploration with its innovative technology.
