SSpaceX has canceled the first launch attempt of the giant rocket Starship scheduled for Monday. According to the company, the reason was a technical problem with the pressure of the fuel in the first stage. The countdown ran until 10 seconds before a possible start and then stopped. SpaceX used the entire procedure as a “wet dress rehearsal” in which the processes are played through until shortly before a launch.
According to SpaceX, the next launch attempt can be made after 48 hours at the earliest. This deadline expires on Wednesday afternoon (CEST), but so far it is unclear when SpaceX will actually make a new attempt. As on Monday, Elon Musk’s space company is likely to broadcast the next attempt again in a live stream – heise online will then report live. During the first orbital flight of the largest rocket ever built, the spacecraft is to take off from Texas, circle the earth almost once and “wash gently” off the coast of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean.
development within a few years
The Starship is approximately 120 m high when fully assembled. The current moon rocket SLS (Space Launch System) from NASA is only around 100 m high, the Saturn V of the Apollo program came to 110 m. Elon Musk presented the first prototype of the Starship in September 2019. After two hops of the prototype SN5 and SN6 at an altitude of about 150 meters, the first real test flight took place in December 2020. SN8 flew less than seven minutes at the time. But then it shattered on landing. In February 2021, the SN9 prototype crashed on landing. SN10 was tilted after landing in early March 2021, but then exploded spectacularly. The next explosion happened at SN11 at the end of March 2021, which was followed by improvements to the design. In May 2021, the prototype SN15 actually managed a “nominal landing”.
Elon Musk announced the first orbital flight of a Starship for the second half of 2021. When the date had passed, dates for January and July 2022 followed, and most recently March 2023 was mentioned. Before the launch attempt, SpaceX activated 31 – of a total of 33 – rocket engines for the first time ever. Even if two hadn’t ignited, Musk said at the time, that was “enough for orbit”. In addition, his space company has built the highest launch and receiving tower for a rocket. The 146 meter high structure is supposed to grip Starship spaceships that land in the future. So they should be able to be made ready for use again quickly. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued approval for the current launch attempt just a few days ago after extensive testing. The license is valid for five years.
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