Starship launch - as it happened: Lift off for world’s biggest rocket in huge test for Mars-bound craft
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SpaceX has successfully launched its Starship rocket in a huge test of Elon Musk’s ambitions to send humans to Mars.
The third test flight of the world’s biggest rocket saw it lift off from a launchpad at SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas, on Thursday morning.
Two previous attempts to fly the uncrewed rocket from Texas to Hawaii both ended in high-altitude explosions. The third launch will see a different route attempted, with a splashdown site in the Indian Ocean.
“Each of these flight tests continue to be just that: a test,” SpaceX said ahead of the Starship launch attempt. “They aren’t occurring in a lab or on a test stand, but are putting flight hardware in a flight environment to maximise learning.”
You can follow all the latest news, analysis and updates - as well as watch a live stream of the Starship launch - in our live coverage below.
Starship is looking good on the launchpad, with SpaceX saying all technical aspects of the countdown procedure are going to plan.
The main issue that could potentially prevent a launch today is the wind, which could force SpaceX to abort the test.
If today’s launch is postponed, we could see another attempt in just 24-48 hours, depending on how far through the countdown they get
Starship launch live: SpaceX does not plan to recover rocket
SpaceX has said it does not expect to recover either part of its Starship rocket today. The primary aim is to reach orbit and test certain procedures in order to gather data for future tests.
Elon Musk has given a 70-80 per cent chance Starship reaching orbit - more than the <50 per cent he gave for the last test flight.
The official flight plan for today does not specify what will happen to the two rocket stages once they’ve completed their missions, stating only that there will be an “exciting landing”.
Starship launch live: Fuelling begins!
Fuelling for Starship is finally underway, suggesting we’re still on track for the updated 8.25 am CT (12.25 pm GMT) that SpaceX has given.
Starship launch live: Lift off pushed back again
Some good news and some bad news. The good news is that SpaceX has just announced it will soon begin propellent loading for the Starship fuel tanks. This is one of the last major steps before a lift off.
The bad news is that the launch attempt has been pushed back again, this time to 8.25 am local time (1.25 pm GMT).
This is right towards the end of the original 110 minute launch window, which opened at 7 am local time. Hopefully no more delays from here.
Starship launch live: Boats delay lift off
SpaceX says the reason for the latest delay is boats in the Keep Out zone in Gulf of Mexico.
There’s no word on how many boats there are in the no-go zone, though we’re assured that they are currently being cleared out.
All being well, lift off will be in exactly one hour.
Starship launch live: SpaceX pushes back launch attempt
We’re into the launch window now, but SpaceX has pushed back the launch attempt by another 40 minutes. That means we should see lift off at 8.10 am local time (1.05 pm GMT).
Starship launch live: T-minus 45 minutes
We’re 45 minutes away from SpaceX’s stated launch attempt time.
That means we should be getting a live stream in around 15 minutes.
It’s currently looking pretty dark and foggy out there in Boca Chica, Texas, but fog alone is not enough to stop a Starship launch, as previous attempts have shown.
The launch window will last another 80 minutes from SpaceX’s scheduled time, so a few delays won’t necessarily prevent a launch today.
Starship launch live: Why SpaceX’s rocket is ‘revolutionary'
It is not just the size of Starship that is extraordinary, it is the rocket’s potential capabilities. Elon Musk imagines fleets of Starships shooting across the Solar System, ferrying people and cargo to permanent colonies on the Moon and Mars.
The SpaceX boss believes this vision can be realised by 2050. We’ve heard from Chad Anderson, a managing partner of SpaceX investor Space Capital, who tells us why he believes Starship is a “revolutionary” space craft.
“Starship’s potential goes far beyond just ferrying cargo to orbit and back like the Space Shuttle. Starship’s landing craft could one day serve as our first permanent base on the Lunar surface. The vehicle may even bring the first human visitors to Mars,” he tells The Independent.
“Starship could also serve as a space station in Earth’s orbit for high-end tourism. It could also create the first orbital manufacturing platforms.
“The value of SpaceX today is primarily driven by Starlink. We believe the potential value of Starship is at least as big: the company already has contracts in the $billions for Starship, plus the ability to use it as a space station and manufacturing facility, point to point travel and delivery, deeper space missions, etc. This means SpaceX’s valuation could more than double with Starship, making it more valuable than all three of the largest U.S. defense contractors combined.”
Starship launch live: SpaceX pushes back liftoff attempt by 30 minutes
SpaceX has shared the latest update on Starship, revealing the weather is 70 per cent favourable for today’s launch attempt.
The launch time also appears to have been pushed back by half an hour, with it now scheduled for 7.30 am local time (12.30 pm GMT). That means we’re just over an hour and a quarter away from a potential launch.
Preparations are already well underway, with third-party images showing propellent about to be loaded into Starship’s fuel tanks.
Starship launch live: How big is SpaceX’s mega rocket?
Measuring roughly 120 metres tall when its two parts are stacked on top of each other, Starship is the biggest rocket ever built. For reference, the tower of Big Ben in London is only 96 metres tall.
With its 33 Raptor engines on the Super Heavy Booster, and a further six engines on the upper stage, Starhip is also the world’s most powerful rocket.
Here’s how it compares to other rockets thoughout history, including SpaceX’s own Falcon Heavy:
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