Final stretch to prepare for the sixth Starship test flight. SpaceX is finalizing the assembly of its rocket, before takeoff, scheduled for November 18, 2024.
Final preparations are underway for the Starship's sixth test flight. Barring any drama, it will be during the day of November 18, 2024 that SpaceX's giant rocket will take off with the ambition of reproducing exactly the same flight pattern as the previous shot. This was marked by the capture in the air of the first stage with the launch tower.
On social media, SpaceX reported movement around the launch pad. The two segments of the Starship (the upper stage, also called Starship, and the lower Super Heavy stage) were moved to the launch area to be assembled there. Everything happens at “Starbase”, the SpaceX test site located in Texas, facing the Gulf of Mexico.
A sign of the imminence of D-Day, Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, spoke several times on X (formerly Twitter) to remind people that this 6th flight is coming soon. He also used a video shared by Internet users, which gives an overview of what is expected: catching the Super Heavy in the air, just before it hits the ground.
A test which will take place if all the lights are green
As usual, SpaceX shared a graphic on its website that shows the theoretical flight that its rocket should make on November 18, if all goes well. The visual, in English, highlights the major expected stages. It should be noted, however, that the decision to proceed with the recovery of the first floor by the tower will be taken at the last moment.
If weather conditions are unfavorable or if the trajectory or behavior of the launcher is not nominal, SpaceX will change its plans and drop the Super Heavy into the ocean, off the coast of Florida. This is a scenario already experienced during the fourth flight, when it was not yet time to attempt the famous maneuver.
Beyond this test, the development of the Starship, which is continuing, will be marked by two major moments in 2025. First, a capture test, which this time will concern the upper stage. Then, an experiment in orbit around the Earth, which will aim to transfer fuel between two SpaceX vessels.
