By 
April 16th, 2023
Image credit: SpaceX
SpaceX is targeting as soon as Monday, April 17 for the first flight test of a fully integrated Starship and Super Heavy rocket from Starbase in Texas.
The 150-minute test window will open at 8:00 a.m. Central Time.
From SpaceX: “Teams are completing final checkouts and reviews ahead of Starship’s first flight test attempt; weather is looking pretty good for tomorrow morning but we’re keeping an eye on wind shear.”
Image credit: SpaceX
SpaceX Starship/Super Heavy missions would include human and cargo missions to the Moon, satellite payload missions, and future human flight to Mars.
FAA evaluations
After completing an evaluation of all applicable Vehicle Operator License requirements, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a commercial Vehicle Operator License to SpaceX for launches of the Starship/Super Heavy Launch Vehicle Program in Cameron County, Texas.
Image credit: FAA
“The affected environment and environmental impacts of Starship/Super Heavy operations at the Boca Chica Launch Site had been analyzed in the 2022 Final Programmatic Environmental Assessment for the SpaceX Starship/Super Heavy Launch Vehicle Program,” according to the FAA SpaceX Boca Chica Project Team.
Image credit: FAA
Since the 2022 Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA), SpaceX provided the FAA with additional information regarding Starship’s planned landing, Super Heavy’s planned soft water landing, and the Launch Pad Detonation Suppression System, adds the project team.
“Based on the Written Re-Evaluation, the FAA concluded that the issuance of a vehicle operator license for Starship/Super Heavy operations conforms to the prior environmental documentation, that the data contained in the 2022 PEA remains substantially valid, that there are no significant environmental changes, and all pertinent conditions and requirements of the prior approval have been met or will be met in the current action. Therefore, preparation of a supplemental or new environmental document is not necessary to support the Proposed Action,” states the project team.
Image credit: SpaceX
Future flights
According to FAA documents, SpaceX is proposing to conduct up to five Starship/Super Heavy orbital launches annually.
Each launch may include a landing of Starship and/or Super Heavy.
From the Boca Chica Launch Site, orbital launches would primarily be to low inclinations with flight trajectories north or south of Cuba that minimize land overflight. Future launches from the site may be to higher, 70‐degree inclination with limited overflight of remotely populated portions of Mexico.
Resources
NewSpaceGlobal’s report, “SpaceX Starship: Design, Development and Commercial Prospects” reviews the progress made so far, existing and new markets that operational Starships can serve, and the many challenges ahead.
For more information on this informative report, go to:
https://starshipreport.com/product/spacex-starship-report/
To view the FAA’s Final Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) Executive Summary for Starship/Super Heavy, go to:
https://www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/2022-06/Final_PEA_Executive_Summary.pdf
To watch the test flight, go to this live SpaceX link at:
https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-test
Posted in Space News
