SpaceX set to launch Starship on 14th test flight, eyes first orbital mission

SpaceX plans to launch Starship on its 14th test flight, targeting its first orbital mission. The flight will deploy 26 Starlink V3 satellites, test re-entry and splashdown procedures, and evaluate upgraded engines and heat-shield technology following issues during Flight 13 

New Delhi: Elon Musk-backed SpaceX is set to launch its Starship rocket on its 14th test flight as early as Monday with the mission set to mark the spacecraft’s first attempt at an orbital flight. Taking to social media platform X, the company said that the 75-minute launch window was scheduled to open at 7:15 am, subject to regulatory approval.

SpaceX plans to livestream the launch on its official website with coverage expected to begin about 30 minutes before liftoff. The mission is designed to take Starship to an altitude of about 275 km, complete roughly six orbits and last nearly 10 hours before a targeted splashdown in the Pacific Ocean west of Chile.

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Following stage separation, Starship’s upper stage is expected to deploy 26 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites. Moreover, the satellites are designed to add about 26 terabits per second of capacity to SpaceX’s constellation, roughly 10 times the capacity of a standard Falcon 9 launch.

After deploying the satellites, Starship is scheduled to perform an in-space deorbit burn using a single Raptor engine before attempting a controlled re-entry and splashdown. The mission will also test key phases of the Super Heavy booster, including liftoff, stage separation and the final landing burn ahead of a planned offshore splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico.

The flight follows hardware and software upgrades aimed at addressing ice-related engine failures that cut short the boostback maneuver during Flight 13.

In addition, SpaceX is also testing changes to Starship’s heat shield, including sturdier tile mountings, curved tile designs and improved plasma shielding, as per reports. Ship 41 will additionally fly with two recycled heat-shield tiles from Ship 40 which is an early test of reusable thermal protection for Starship.