SpaceX May Try First Catch of Starship Super Heavy Rocket Sunday
NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, left, and Haley Esparza, ride horseback as they visit SpaceX’s Starship as it is readied for launch at Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, Wednesday, April 19, 2023.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – SpaceX hopes to make its first-ever attempt to catch Starship’s Super Heavy rocket with the launch tower’s retractable arms as soon as Sunday in Texas, the company said in a statement. “Starship’s fifth flight test could launch as soon as October 13, pending regulatory approval,” SpaceX said. “The primary objectives will be attempting the first ever return to the launch site and catch of the Super Heavy booster and another Starship reentry and landing burn, aiming for an on-target splashdown of Starship in the Indian Ocean.” SpaceX is designing the Starship spacecraft and its Super Heavy booster rocket to be reusable for multi-planetary missions to the moon and Mars. The company noted that the catch attempt will only be possible if conditions are right. “Thousands of distinct vehicle and pad criteria must be met prior to a return and catch attempt of the Super Heavy booster, which will require healthy systems on the booster and tower and a manual command from the mission’s Flight Director,” SpaceX said. 
Beyond PoliticsUS Agency Clears SpaceX to Launch Hera Asteroid Mission Despite Ongoing Mishap Probe6 October, 22:56 GMTIf SpaceX aborts the catch attempt at the launch tower, the Super Heavy booster will simulate a landing attempt in the Gulf of Mexico. SpaceX said it still needs approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to attempt the fifth fight test of the fully stacked Starship Super Heavy rocket. SpaceX founder Elon Musk previously noted that the FAA delayed the fifth test flight until November, but a spokesperson with the US aviation agency told Sputnik on Tuesday that the company submitted new information in mid-August for its proposed fifth test flight. The FAA is continuing to review this information and will make a licensing determination once SpaceX has met all licensing requirements, the spokesperson added.
