SpaceX sets date for third test of rocket

SpaceX sets next week as its launch date for third test flight of Starship, the world's most powerful rocket. Contingent on Federal Aviation Administration, the rocket may launch “as soon as March 14."

SpaceX announced the date on social media while launching a dedicated page for 'launches' section on its website. The Elon Musk- company will livestream the spectacular launch on its website and platform X, 30 minutes before launch.

120 metres tall and 17 million pounds of thrust at launch, the Starship is double that of NASA’s most powerful rocket, the new Space Launch System. The first two test flights of the Starship failed, exploding before reaching orbit in the first test.

“Starship’s second flight test achieved a number of major milestones and provided invaluable data to continue rapidly developing Starship,” SpaceX said on its website. “Each of these flight tests continue to be just that: a test. They aren’t occurring in a lab or on a test stand, but are putting flight hardware in a flight environment to maximize learning.”

Building up on their past failures, SpaceX said that, “while attempting a number of ambitious objectives, including the successful ascent burn of both stages, opening and closing Starship’s payload door, a propellant transfer demonstration during the upper stage’s coast phase, the first ever re-light of a Raptor engine while in space, and a controlled reentry of Starship.”

SpaceX aims to create a spaceflight system capable of carrying both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the moon, and Mars. NASA has already signed a deal with the company to use a modified version of the Starship spacecraft to land two astronauts on the moon in the upcoming mission set for 2026.