SpaceX Starship's 7th test flight delayed to 'sometime next week'
What's the story
SpaceX's CEO Elon Musk has announced a delay in the seventh test flight of the company's ambitious Starship launch vehicle.
Previously scheduled for January 10, the test is now expected to take place next week.
"Starship flight 7, it looks like it's pushed by three or four days. So probably sometime next week," Musk stated during a live stream on his social media platform X.
Delay details
Reasons behind the delay unclear
The reason behind this delay remains undisclosed by Musk.
The initial test date coincided with Blue Origin's planned launch of its New Glenn rocket into orbit for the first time. However, it is unclear if SpaceX's rescheduling was influenced by these events.
The upcoming Starship test will mark a significant milestone in SpaceX's journey toward space exploration and satellite deployment capabilities.
Test objectives
Starship's 7th flight to carry 10 Starlink simulators
The seventh test flight of the Starship vehicle will launch from SpaceX's Texas-based facility, Starbase.
It will carry 10 Starlink simulators, mimicking the size and weight of SpaceX's next-generation satellites. This mission will demonstrate the company's capabilities in satellite deployment.
Notably, plans are also in place for a two-stage booster recovery at the launch pad with metallic arms on the launch tower.
Recovery strategy
Booster recovery and splashdown plans
For the next test flight, SpaceX hopes to recover the two-stage vehicle's booster at the launch pad with metallic arms on the launch tower. This was successfully done during its fifth test flight in October.
However, if safety concerns arise, the alternative plan is to splash it down in the Gulf of Mexico.
The spacecraft itself will splash down in the Indian Ocean after this test flight.
Space ambitions
Starship's role in future space exploration
The Starship vehicle is integral to SpaceX's future space exploration plans.
NASA plans to use a custom version of the Starship for its Artemis program, hoping to return humans to the Moon after over 50 years.
The last manned lunar landing was Apollo 17 in 1972, creating a huge gap in human presence on the moon's surface.
Musk also hopes to use this vehicle for manned missions to Mars.
Vehicle enhancements
Upgrades and improvements to Starship
The next Starship has received a number of upgrades. Its upper stage flaps have been downsized and moved closer to the tip of the vehicle, reducing heat exposure and making protective tiling easier.
The redesign of the propulsion system has increased propellant volume by 25%.
"The ship's heat shield will also use the latest generation tiles and includes a backup layer to protect from missing or damaged tiles," SpaceX revealed in a statement.