Thirteenth Flight Test of SpaceX's Starship Rocket
· Telemundo McAllen (KTLM)
On Thursday, July 16, SpaceX's Starship rocket is expected to conduct its thirteenth flight test from Starbase in Cameron County. The test aims to successfully execute the launch, ascent, stage separation, boostback burn, and landing burn on a maritime platform in the Gulf. The scheduled window for the test is 90 minutes, opening at 5:45 p.m. CT. This new mission follows Flight 12 on May 22, which marked the debut of Version 3 (V3) vehicles. In that test, the Starship reached space and successfully splashed down in the Indian Ocean; however, the Super Heavy booster experienced engine failures due to extreme thermal effects, resulting in a high-speed impact in the Gulf of Mexico. After resolving these software and hardware issues and receiving FAA approval on July 13, SpaceX is seeking redemption today with an optimized booster and the first real deployment of its Starlink V3 satellites. SpaceX stated in a release: 'Residents of Cameron County and nearby areas may hear a loud noise caused by the ignition of the rocket's 33 Raptor engines during the ignition and launch of the vehicle into space; however, what each person experiences will depend on weather conditions and other factors.'
AI summary · Source: Telemundo McAllen (KTLM) →