SpaceX: Third Starship to launch as early as next Thursday

BOCA CHICA, Texas (ValleyCentral) — SpaceX announced the third test flight for Starship could launch as soon as March 14, pending approval from the Federal Aviation Administration.

This comes just weeks after the FAA finished reviewing an investigation into Starship's second flight test in November 2023.

On Nov. 28, 2023, Starship successfully lifted off and made it through stage separation.

At that stage, the booster suffered a mishap resulting in a mid-air explosion.

In the last week of February, the FAA documented 17 corrective action that needed to be addressed before the next flight attempt.

Seven corrective actions were identified for the Super Heavy Booster, including redesigns, updated control system modelling and other changes.

Another 10 corrective actions were identified for the Starship vehicle itself including hardware redesigns, flammability analysis updates and installation of more fire protection.

This undated photo provided by SpaceX shows the company's Starship rocket at the launch site in Boca Chica, Texas. (SpaceX via AP)

“Upgrades derived from the flight test will debut on the next Starship and Super Heavy vehicles to launch from Starbase on Flight 3,” SpaceX stated in an X post on Feb. 26.

Despite the investigation, SpaceX is coining the second launch of Starship as a successful learning experience.

"Starship’s second flight test achieved a number of major milestones and provided invaluable data to continue rapidly developing Starship. 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," SpaceX stated on its website.

The third flight test aims to accomplish 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 re-entry of Starship.

A new flight path will also be introduced in part three of the assent from Boca Chica Beach.

SpaceX states the new trajectory is targeted to splashdown in the Indian Ocean.

"This new flight path enables us to attempt new techniques like in-space engine burns while maximizing public safety," SpaceX stated on its website.

The work being done at Boca Chica is just a part of Musk's plan to accomplish interplanetary habitation.

Musk is working to build a fully reusable transportation system capable of carrying both crew and cargo to Earth's orbit, help humanity return to the Moon and ultimately travel to Mars and beyond.