SpaceX aims to launch fourth Starship in early May

BOCA CHICA, Texas (ValleyCentral) — SpaceX is aiming to launch its fourth Starship in early May, the company's president said.

Gwynne Shotwell, president and chief operating officer of SpaceX, said at the Satellite 2024 conference on Tuesday that SpaceX is aiming to launch its fourth Starship "in about six weeks," at the beginning of May.

Shotwell added that she doesn't believe that satellites will be deployed on the next flight, and that the focus will be on reentry.

This would be the quickest turnaround for a Starship launch, with there being a gap of 212 days from the first launch and second launch and a 117-day gap between the second and third launches.

SpaceX launched its third test of the most powerful rocket ever built from Boca Chica Beach on March 14. The rocket made it past stage separation and into Earth's orbit, before it was lost during reentry.

The Super Heavy booster completed its first ever landing burn, according to SpaceX, before it exploded. The booster had a targeted splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico.

"While our team reviews the data collected from this flight, Starship and Super Heavy vehicles are preparing for upcoming flights as we seek to increase our launch cadence throughout the year," SpaceX stated.

ValleyCentral will provide updates as more information on future launches becomes available.