the gigantic vehicle starship was able to successfully complete the wet dress rehearsal scheduled by SpaceX. To Elon Musk, It is one more step towards the first attempt to launch the rocket into orbit.
The test with the 120 meter tall vehicle took place this week, with few details revealed by SpaceX.
“Starship completed its first flight-like wet dress rehearsal at Starbase,” Elon Musk’s company published, explaining that it was loaded with more than 450 thousand kilograms of propellant.
Starship completed its first full flight-like wet dress rehearsal at Starbase today. This was the first time an integrated Ship and Booster were fully loaded with more than 10 million pounds of propellant pic.twitter.com/btprGNGZ1G
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 24, 2023
The wet dress rehearsal simulates a countdown without starting the vehicle’s engines. It was filled with methane and liquid oxygen propellants.
With Starship, SpaceX seeks to reach the Moon, Mars and beyond. It consists of a Super Heavy propellant called Booster 7 and an upper stage called Ship 24.
“The test will help verify a full launch countdown sequence, as well as the performance of Starship and the orbital platform for operations similar to those of a flight, ”said Musk’s company.
When could the first orbital flight of Starship, the SpaceX vehicle, take place? This is what Elon Musk said
In early January, Elon Musk indicated that Starship it could launch in late February or March.
However, what follows is a static fire test of the 33 Raptor engines in the Super Heavy booster, something SpaceX has yet to attempt. He did ignite the six Raptor engines of Ship 24, in September 2022.
We have a real shot at late February. March launch attempt appears highly likely.
— Mr. Tweet (@elonmusk) January 8, 2023
NASA selected Starship to be the first manned lander of its Artemis Program, with the aim of not only taking the first woman to the Moon, but also establishing a permanent and sustainable presence on the natural satellite.
It is possible that the flight to the Moon happen by 2025.