The date for the 7th test flight of the giant Starship rocket is finally set

The schedule for the next flight of the giant Starship rocket is being refined. Expected around mid-January, this seventh test of the launcher should take place on Friday January 10. This date was brought forward by Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, the company behind the Starship, to the very end of 2024, in a tweet shared on December 30.

New attempt to capture the first floor

This new Starship test should be an opportunity for the company to attempt a new capture of the first stage of the rocket, just before it hits the ground. In short, it will be a question of repeating the feat observed with the 5th test, when the Super Heavy stage ended up in the mechanical arms of the Mechazilla launch tower.

This attempt aborted during the 6th test, organized shortly after the re-election of Donald Trump – SpaceX had warned that such a test remains very difficult to carry out and that the decision to conduct it is decided at the very last moment. However, the company had been able to accumulate a lot of useful data, and it had made progress on other aspects of the rocket.

For the first time, the Starship will implement a new version of its second stage, named after the rocket, with a “Starship Block 2”. Before the launch, several checks of the engine took place, regarding the propulsion of the first stage and the second. All that remains is to bring everything to the firing point.

SpaceX has finally obtained the green light from the American authorities responsible for regulating airspace to launch its rocket. If all goes well, the company wants to organize the capture of the upper stage with the 8th test, under the same conditions as the Super Heavy. Subsequently, SpaceX has in mind to attempt a fuel transfer between two Starships in space.