SpaceX’s ambitious Starship program is gearing up for its fifth flight test, with the rocket stacked and ready for launch. While the initial target date was July, licensing issues with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have pushed the launch back by several months.
SpaceX announced the Starship was stacked, meaning the Starship spacecraft is perched atop the Super Heavy Booster, in a post this week accompanied by images. The company wrote on X, “Starship stacked for Flight 5 and ready for launch, pending regulatory approval.” Despite the delays, SpaceX has continued to express its desire to move forward, even taking subtle jabs at the FAA in recent posts.
The FAA will not grant a license for another launch until it completes a licensing determination, which is expected in late November, following the Starship’s previous Flight 4. In that flight, the Starship successfully reached orbit and reentered the atmosphere, landing near its target. While the vehicle sustained some damage during reentry, the lack of an explosion meant no FAA mishap investigation was required.
However, the Starship has raised environmental concerns, including the release of pollutants near open water. This resulted in a fine from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). SpaceX has since modified its plans for Flight 5, requiring further review by the FAA.
For Flight 5, SpaceX aims to launch the Starship into orbit and then attempt to land it back at the Starbase site in Texas. The company intends to utilize a novel “chopstick” system attached to the launch tower to catch the Starship in midair during landing, helping stabilize it. “This will be a singularly novel operation in the history of rocketry,” SpaceX explained in a blog post. “SpaceX engineers have spent years preparing and months testing for the booster catch attempt, with technicians pouring tens of thousands of hours into building the infrastructure to maximize our chances for success. Every test comes with risk, especially those seeking to do something for the first time. SpaceX goes to the maximum extent possible on every flight to ensure that while we are accepting risk to our own hardware, we accept no compromises when it comes to ensuring public safety.”
In a separate development, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk recently outlined an audacious timeline, aiming to launch up to five uncrewed Starship missions to Mars within the next two years. However, Musk is known for setting ambitious timelines that don’t always pan out, so it remains to be seen if this target will be met.
