Starship 6th flight test launch date & time seem to have been updated
The targeted launch date and time for SpaceX’s sixth flight test of Starship — SpaceX’s fully reusable spacecraft designed for missions to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond, capable of carrying both crew and cargo — appear to have been updated. Initially scheduled for Tuesday, November 19, with a 30-minute launch window opening at 4:00 PM CT, the launch now seems to be set for Wednesday, November 20, with the live webcast starting at 2:15 AM.
The SpaceX website says on the Starship Sixth Flight Test page, “The sixth flight test of Starship is targeted to launch Tuesday, November 19. The 30-minute launch window will open at 4:00 p.m. CT. A live webcast of the flight test will begin about 40 minutes before liftoff.”
The SpaceX’s X profile says the live webcast will be “Starting Nov 20, 2:15 AM.”
US and Global News reached out to SpaceX on X and inquired about the date and time difference over an hour ago at the time of this writing, also tagging SpaceX owner Elon Musk, but did not receive a response.
We also reached out to Musk on X with the query, but did not receive a response from him as well.
The sixth flight test of Starship is aimed at expanding the capabilities of the spacecraft and the Super Heavy booster, which is a reusable rocket stage designed by SpaceX to provide the initial thrust needed to lift the Starship spacecraft into orbit. Key objectives for this test include having the booster return to the launch site for a catch, reigniting a Raptor engine while in space and testing heatshield experiments along with maneuvering changes during the ship’s reentry and descent over the Indian Ocean.
The fifth flight test of Starship marked a significant milestone, with the booster successfully returning to the launch site and being caught by the chopstick arms of the launch and catch tower at Starbase, SpaceX’s private launch site and rocket production facility located in Boca Chica, Texas, designed for the development and testing of Starship rockets. The upper stage of the spacecraft exhibited several enhancements that resulted in a controlled reentry and a high-precision splashdown in the Indian Ocean.
For this test, SpaceX has implemented hardware upgrades that will allow for additional redundancy in the booster propulsion systems, increased structural strength and improvements to the propellant offloading process following a successful catch. Additionally, software controls and commit criteria for the booster’s launch and return have been updated.
The schedule for the launch remains subject to change, so it is advised to check the SpaceX website and their X account for the latest updates.
US and Global News will continue to monitor developments and provide updates on this evolving story.
Featured image was extracted from a photo by Steve Jurvetson. The original and the extracted both versions of the photo are licensed under CC BY 2.0.
