SpaceX is preparing for the sixth flight test of its Starship rocket on Tuesday, November 19. The company said that the launch window will open up at 4:00 p.m. CT.
If you had seen the news about the fifth flight test, you would have probably heard of the Super Heavy booster being caught by "chopstick" arms after launch. The upper stage of the rocket also did a controlled entry and "high accuracy splashdown at the target area in the Indian Ocean."
In the sixth flight test, SpaceX will try to catch the booster again with the chopsticks, reignite a Raptor engine while in space, and test heatshield experiments and maneuvering changes for reentry and descent over the Indian Ocean.
For the upcoming flight, SpaceX has introduced some hardware upgrades that add redundancy to booster propulsion systems and increase structural strength in key areas. It will also be able to offload propellants from the booster quicker following a successful catch. SpaceX also revealed that its mission designers updated the software controls and commit criteria for the booster's launch and return.
Commenting on improvements coming to the seventh test flight and beyond, SpaceX said:
"Future ships, starting with the vehicle planned for the seventh flight test, will fly with significant upgrades including redesigned forward flaps, larger propellant tanks, and the latest generation tiles and secondary thermal protection layers as we continue to iterate towards a fully reusable heat shield. Learnings from this and subsequent flight tests will continue to make the entire Starship system more reliable as we close in on full and rapid reusability."
For SpaceX, getting Starship ready fairly soon is important because it's the bedrock of the company's plans for getting to Mars, and some of the technology will be used by NASA's Artemis missions to the Moon this decade.
SpaceX plans to start a live webcast 30 minutes before liftoff on SpaceX.com and X @SpaceX. You can also tune in on TV with the new X TV app. As a test flight, the schedule could change, so keep this in mind to avoid disappointment.
Source: SpaceX
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