NASA chief says SpaceX require 2 months to rebuild launch pad

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
27 Apr 2023 22:16

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson says reconstruction of the launch pad and preparation of another Starship will require about two months.

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. (AP)

After SpaceX's launch failed last week, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson revealed on Thursday that the company will require two months to reconstruct its launch pad in Starbase, Texas, as well as prepare another Starship and Super Heavy rocket for a second flight test.

SpaceX's Starship exploded as it conducted its first test launch on Thursday, April 20, after its Super Heavy rocket system successfully left the launch pad in Starbase, Texas.

"Yeah, actually not good. Team is assessing damage," #Musk tweeted shortly after the early evening explosion of the Super Heavy Booster 7 prototype, which was livestreamed by #NASA Spaceflight.#SpaceX pic.twitter.com/7Mt83dxJr3
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) July 12, 2022

According to the company, the spacecraft reached about 39km above the Gulf of Mexico when multiple engines failed forcing the company to blow the spacecraft.

"As of today, SpaceX is still saying that they think it will take at least about two months to rebuild the launch pad and concurrently about two months to have their second vehicle to launch," Nelson said.

The explosion of the first Starship rocket was not a major setback in the way SpaceX operates since the business is hardware wealthy and has a large number of rockets ready to go for additional testing when repairs are made, according to Nelson.

Furthermore, the NASA administrator stated that he anticipates additional Starship launches in Boca Chica, Texas.

For the first time since the Apollo program ended in 1972, NASA has chosen the Starship spacecraft to ferry astronauts to the Moon in late 2025 (a mission known as Artemis III).

Starship includes a 50-meter tall spacecraft crafted to carry crew and cargo that sits atop a 230-foot tall first-stage Super Heavy booster rocket. The spaceship and the Super Heavy rocket, collectively known as Starship, have never taken off together, despite the spacecraft's several sub-orbital test flights on its own.