Science

SpaceX’s Starship megarocket is the world’s biggest and most powerful rocket, and the giant booster that will send off the moon lander for NASA’s Artemis 3 mission that plans to land space explorers on the moon by 2026.

The following Starship send off by SpaceX will be Starship Flight 5, a test flight that is right now booked to take off no sooner than Sunday, Oct. 13, at 8 a.m. EDT (1200 GMT), pending last FAA approvals. Starship Flight 5 will attempt SpaceX’s first return to launch site and capture of the super Heavy Booster.

SpaceX’s Flight 5 Starship and Really Weighty rocket are fully stacked and one day from send off, and CEO Elon Musk says the organization is excited to attempt is first-ever booster catch.

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“Appears as though Starship would fly on Sunday! This the biggest and most powerful flying object made at over two times the push of the Saturn V Moon rocket,” Musk wrote on X late Friday. “We will try to catch it upon return to launch site using the Mechazilla arms like giant chopsticks (like Karate Kid)!

Looks like Starship might fly on Sunday!This the largest & most powerful flying object ever made at more than double the thrust of the Saturn V Moon rocket. We will try to catch it upon return to launch site using the Mechazilla arms like giant chopsticks (like Karate Kid)! 

While SpaceX desires to attempt to get the Super Heavy booster, the organization might pick to “soft-land” it in the Gulf of Mexico if anything looks off for the flight.

“SpaceX engineers have spent years planning and months testing for the booster catch attempt, with experts pouring tens of thousands of hours into building the framework to maximize our opportunities for progress. We accept no compromises when it comes to ensuring the security of public and our group, and the return may be attempted if conditions are correct,” SpaceX wrote in a mission outline.

“Thousands of distinct vehicle and pad criteria must be met prior to a return and catch attempt of the Super Heavy booster, which will require healthy systems on the booster and tower and a manual command from the mission’s Flight Director,” SpaceX added. “If this command is not sent prior to the completion of the boostback burn, or if automated health checks show unacceptable conditions with Super Heavy or the tower, the booster will default to a trajectory that takes it to a landing burn and soft splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico.”

SpaceX and Cameron County officials have given a sonic boom waring to the residents living in the general area around the organization’s Starbase facility so they can expect the loud blasts of the Super Heavy’s return.