Hey, everybody. Welcome back to the Elon Musk
Podcast. This is a show where we discuss
the critical crossroads that shape SpaceX, Tesla X, The
Boring Company, and Neuralink. I'm your host, Will Walden.
SpaceX is seeking permission from the Federal Aviation
Administration to launch another Starship rocket from Starbase,
Texas. While an investigation into the
previous test flight, Flight 3, remains ongoing.
This request is part of Spacex's efforts to continue its schedule
for Flight 4 in June, possibly on June 1st.
The FAA is currently investigating Spacex's third
Starship test flight. Similar to the probes initiated
after the first two tests, Spacex's request involves a
public safety determination from the FAA to proceed with another
launch while ensuring public safety is not compromised.
According to an FAA statement, SpaceX submitted this request on
April 5th. If the FAA finds no public
safety concerns associated with the previous mishap, SpaceX may
proceed with its next launch, assuming all other licensing
conditions are satisfied. This process includes the FA as
assessment of critical safety systems, consequences of the
mishap, adequacy of flight analysis, performance of the
safety organization, and environmental factors.
The FAA emphasized that safety and data will guide their
decision making. Spacex's star based general
manager indicated last week that the company aims to launch the
4th Starship after Memorial Day weekend.
The third Starship test, conducted on March 14th,
achieved stage separation and reached orbit but was lost
during re entry. While our team reviews the data
collected from this flight, Starship and Super Heavy
vehicles are preparing for upcoming flights as we seek to
increase our launch cadence throughout the year, stated
SpaceX. Starship comprises 2 reusable
stages, the Super Heavy booster and the 165 foot tall spacecraft
known simply as SHIP. Together they form the tallest
and most powerful rocket ever built, standing about 400 feet
tall and generating approximately £16.7 million of
thrust at lift off. This immense thrust is provided
by Super Heavy's 33 Raptor engines, while the ship is
powered by 6 Raptors. These engines use liquid oxygen
and liquid methane fuels that can potentially be sourced from
Mars. Starship has flown three times,
in April 2023, November 2023 and March 14th 2024.
The first flight ended with a failed stage separation and a
controlled explosion. The second flight achieved stage
separation but was short lived. The third flight reached orbit
but disintegrated upon re entry. Musk noted that the primary
objective for the 4th flight is to endure the intense re entry
heating. SpaceX hopes to launch this
flight in about two weeks, though the exact timing depends
on FAA approval. Spacex's latest request involves
a modification to its existing Starship launch license, which
is under FAA review. The FAA is also investigating
the causes of the previous flight's failure, particularly
the booster explosion and subsequent vehicle loss upon re
entry. SpaceX is targeting June 1st for
the 4th Starship launch based on a beach and road closure notice
issued by Cameron County for flight testing activities.
This closure aligns with the potential launch dates Musk
mentioned. Rd. closures from Cameron County
suggest a launch window from midnight to 2:00 PM on June 1st,
with alternative windows on June 2nd and June 3rd.
These plans support Musk and Leader's previous statements
regarding the launch timeline. SpaceX completed a static fire
testing in May and hoped for FAA licensing to proceed with the
launch shortly after Memorial Day.
Must detailed on the way social media that to say so primary
goal is to handle maximum re entry heating.
This objective is critical as SpaceX continues to refine
Starship for future missions involving human spaceflight.
The FA as investigation into the third flight's mishaps includes
both the Super Heavy booster and the Starship vehicle.
The March 14 test saw Starship reach orbit but fail during re
entry, necessitating further analysis to understand and
rectify the issues encountered. SpaceX recently completed a wet
dress rehearsal for the 4th flight, filling both stages of
Starship with liquid oxygen and liquid methane at its South
Texas site. The wet dress rehearsal, deemed
a success by SpaceX, is one of the final steps before the
actual flight. The company shared images of the
process, highlighting its readiness for the next phase of
testing. Spacex's development of Starship
will support lunar exploration and human settlement on Mars.
NASA has selected Starship as the first crude Lander for its
Artemis program, and it will land on the moon surface for
Artemis 3, which is scheduled for around 2028 to 2030.
But timelines will likely slip as SpaceX awaits FAA approval
for the 4th launch. The company remains focused on
its goal of achieving a successful re entry.
The outcome of this test will be crucial for the future of
Starship. If they are successful with this
mission, Flight 5 will build on the data that they gather and
each launch will be more successful than the last.
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