On November 19, SpaceX will perform the sixth test of the Starship super-heavy rocket. We tell you about the main goals of the upcoming flight and where you can watch its live broadcast.
Main tasks of the sixth Starship flight
In general, the objectives of the upcoming Starship test can be described as “repeating and consolidating the lessons learned”. According to the company, the sixth flight should push the limits of the superheavy system’s capabilities and bring it closer to reuse.
As in the previous test, the super-heavy rocket will be launched from the Starbase test facility in Texas. After separation, the Super Heavy booster should return to the launch site where it will be picked up by the Mechazilla tower.
As for Starship, its flight will follow a similar suborbital profile as before. The spacecraft will fly across Africa before landing in the Indian Ocean. One key difference from the previous flight is that engineers plan to re-ignite one of the Raptor’s engines in orbit. This should demonstrate the possibility of descending from orbit in future missions. SpaceX originally planned to conduct such a test back in March, but it had to be abandoned due to technical problems.
SpaceX also plans to test changes to Starship’s heat shielding system. These include both the testing of new heat shielding materials and the removal of protective tiles on both sides of the spacecraft in areas being studied for the installation of equipment to catch it by the Mechazilla tower. During reentry, Starship will enter the atmosphere at a greater angle than last time. This will test the control limits of its wings and provide data on future landing profiles.
Another change is related to the launch time. Previously, Starship was launched in the morning and splashed down in the Indian Ocean when it was already dark. Now SpaceX has decided to move the launch time to a later date. The 30-minute window for Starship launch will open on November 19 at 5:00 p.m. EST (2200 GMT). This will allow the spacecraft to enter the atmosphere over the Indian Ocean in daylight, providing better conditions for visual observations of its return and landing.
Live broadcast of the Starship launch
As usual, the Starship launch will be broadcast live by SpaceX on the X social network (formerly Twitter). The 30-minute window for the Starship launch will open on November 19 at 5:00 p.m. EST (2200 GMT).
Watch Starship’s sixth flight test → https://t.co/oIFc3u9laE https://t.co/acpdO2brbP
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) November 16, 2024
In addition to the official broadcast, various space bloggers and communities will be broadcasting Starship’s flight on YouTube.
The upcoming flight will be the closing test of the current version of Starship. Next time, we will see an updated version of Starship V2, which will have many differences from its predecessor. This is how SpaceX intends to work out the following key milestones necessary to begin regular operation of the system: entry into orbit, orbital refueling, and the return of not only the booster, but also the spacecraft itself.
