SpaceX is targeting Wednesday, June 5, for the fourth test flight of its Starship rocket, the most powerful ever built. The launch, which will take place from the company’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas, is dependent upon receiving a launch license from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). If approved, the mission team aims to launch the rocket at 7 a.m. CT (8 a.m. ET) on June 5.
The 120-meter-tall Starship comprises the Super Heavy booster and the upper-stage Starship spacecraft. The maiden test flight took place last year but ended within minutes after an anomaly occurred shortly after liftoff. The second flight achieved stage separation, while the third test met many of its mission goals and was the most successful of the three efforts.
SpaceX is working towards making the Starship a fully reusable system. Currently, the company only recovers the first-stage of its Falcon 9 rocket, but the plan is to land and reuse both stages of the Starship. Once fully certified, the rocket will be used for crew and cargo missions to the moon and possibly Mars. SpaceX has also said that the spacecraft could one day be used for high-speed transportation, making any destination on Earth reachable “in one hour or less.”
The launch will be streamed live on SpaceX’s website and social media channels. Multiple camera angles will capture the various stages of the mission, including the launch, stage separation, and the insertion of the Starship spacecraft into orbit. If there are any changes to the schedule, SpaceX will provide updates on its social media channels.
