Despite setbacks, SpaceX set to relaunch Starship

SpaceX perseveres and underlines the fact that setbacks cannot deter its ambitious Starship project. While the world hopes to see the biggest rocket take flight into orbit in the coming days, it's not yet certain whether this will be possible.

In an unexpected disclosure, SpaceX informed its observers that the Starship is scheduled to launch from the Starbase test site in Texas, on November 17, 2023.

SpaceX stated that the Starship spaceship is primed for launch. Its second attempt at orbital flight is earmarked for the forthcoming Friday, November 17.

"Assuming regulatory approval"

- were the clarifying words added by Elon Musk.

Starship, a two-stage rocket, is touted as the most formidable rocket ever constructed by Humans. SpaceX envisions it as a multi-functional heavy-duty launch pad and a means for crewed missions. It is slated to ferry astronauts from the Artemis 3 mission from the transfer terminal to the moon's surface.

That said, the Starship must successfully clear orbital tests before these plans can take shape. As of now, it has yet to cross the Kármán line and only boasts of successful self-destruction and an unfortunate aeronautical incident.

The catastrophic event transpired on April 20 during the Starship's first attempt at orbital flight. Trouble brewed at launch as the Raptor engines of the lower stage (the Super Heavy booster) wreaked havoc on the launch pad, with quite a few falling off during the initial flight phase.

The situation steadily worsened with altitude. When navigational controls should have commenced stage separations, the separator malfunctioned. Freed from the booster, the Starship veered off its flight path, and the mission took a grave turn.

Despite following the ground crew's instructions, albeit with unexpected delays, the vehicle had to be detonated over the Gulf of Mexico to minimize the disaster. Nonetheless, there were casualties in the form of damaged buildings and a cratered launch pad but thankfully, no loss of life.

This complete mishap was classified as an air disaster and the management of Starship was taken over by the FAA (Federal Aviation Agency). Their ensuing investigation identified numerous irregularities, mainly due to hastiness by SpaceX in their efforts to fast-track the test.

Rescheduling the second orbital flight attempt of Starship for November 17 has stirred considerable controversy. SpaceX has launched a website for the public to follow the event, which is set to begin approximately 30 minutes before the launch.

Officially, however, the Starship remains grounded. During the investigation into the first disaster, SpaceX made significant modifications to the Starship and Super Heavy launch system. Although these changes were communicated to the FAA, other regulatory approvals are equally crucial.

For instance, SpaceX is required to comply with environmental standards related to the water flooding system installed on the launch pad. This was installed to mitigate damage from the powerful Raptor engines and is under the scrutiny of the American organization Fish and Wildlife.

Worryingly, until these criteria are met, SpaceX cannot receive approval from the FAA. The issue is further compounded by the FAA's unwillingness to disclose if these are the only stipulations pending compliance. Regardless of SpaceX's readiness, the possibility of a postponed launch cannot be ruled out.