Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Araghchi to Grossi: These parties will bear responsibility for the consequences of their actions
Araghchi to Grossi: Iran will respond to any unlawful action by European countries or parties attempting to turn the Agency into a tool for achieving their objectives
Araghchi to Grossi: We urge the Agency to warn against the consequences of any political move against Iran
Araghchi to Grossi: We call on the Agency to highlight Iran’s full cooperation during the upcoming Board of Governors meeting next week
Araghchi to Grossi: We demand that the Agency reflect the facts in a manner that prevents certain parties from exploiting it to advance their political agendas
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi holds a phone call with IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi
Trump envoy Witkoff has sent 'detailed and acceptable proposal' to Iran for nuclear deal; it's in their best interest to accept it: White House Press Secretary Leavitt
Hamas official says Witkoff's position toward group was 'unfair' and shows 'complete bias' to 'Israel'
Hamas official says it has considered Witkoff's proposal acceptable for negotiations, says 'Israel's' response was incompatible with what the group agreed on
Hamas official says group has not rejected Wikoff's proposal for Gaza ceasefire

SpaceX to make second bid to launch Starship

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 20 Apr 2023 08:13
3 Min Read

SpaceX takes another shot at launching Starship, which aims to take astronauts to the moon.

  • x
  • Visitors look on as SpaceX's Starship, the world's biggest and most powerful rocket, as it stands ready for a scheduled launch from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, Wednesday, April 19, 2023. (AP)
    Visitors look on as SpaceX's Starship, the world's biggest and most powerful rocket,  stands ready for a scheduled launch from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, Wednesday, April 19, 2023. (AP)

SpaceX plans to attempt for a second time on Thursday to carry out the first test flight of Starship, which is described as the most powerful rocket built, and was manufactured to send astronauts to outer space to the moon and beyond.

A planned liftoff was aborted on Monday, less than 10 minutes ahead of the scheduled launch, because of a pressurization issue in the first-stage booster.

SpaceX announced that the new window for liftoff from Starbase, the SpaceX spaceport in Boca Chica, Texas, opens on Thursday at 8:28 am Central Time (13:28 GMT) and lasts for about an hour.

Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, has sought to downplay expectations for the risky inaugural test flight, casting some doubt on whether the launch will take place on Thursday.

He tweeted late Tuesday that "the team is working around the clock on many issues," Musk tweeted late Tuesday. "Maybe 4/20, maybe not."

Related News

Gulf investments quietly boosted Elon Musk and family fortunes

Trump admin. to halt space pollution research, to Musk's advantage

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.

The 33 massive Raptor engines on the first-stage booster were successfully tested by SpaceX in February, and the integrated test flight will evaluate their combined performance.

The launch on Monday was canceled due to a frozen pressure valve on the Super Heavy booster, and SpaceX had to postpone for another attempt in order to recycle the liquid methane and liquid oxygen that powers the rocket.

Read next: NASA to launch year long experiment to simulate life on Mars

Musk had warned ahead of the launch that delays and technical issues were likely. "It's a very risky flight," he said. "It's the first launch of a very complicated, gigantic rocket. 

"There's a million ways this rocket could fail," Musk said. "We're going to be very careful and if we see anything that gives us concern, we'll postpone."

  • SpaceX
  • Starship
  • Outer space
  • Elon Musk

Most Read

President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrive to a news conference in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025, in Washington (AP)

Rift widens: Trump, Netanyahu clash in heated phone call over Iran

  • Politics
  • 26 May 2025
US judges quietly consider private security amid Trump tensions

US judges quietly consider private security amid Trump pressures

  • US & Canada
  • 25 May 2025
An Israeli army vehicle moves in the Gaza Strip as seen from southern occupied Palestine, Thursday, May 29, 2025 (AP)

Hamas rejects Witkoff ceasefire plan, says alters terms

  • Politics
  • 29 May 2025
Spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, announces a new operation against Ben Gurion Airport on May 29, 2025 (Yemeni Military Media)

Yemen announces successful hypersonic missile strike on Ben Gurion

  • Politics
  • 30 May 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
MIT bans class president who gave pro-Palestine speech
US & Canada

MIT bans class president over pro-Palestine speech

Arab ministers condemn Israel 'ban' on planned West Bank visit
Politics

Arab ministers condemn Israeli ban on planned West Bank visit

Major General Hu Gangfeng, Vice President, National Defense University, People's Liberation Army, China, leaves after a panel discussion during the 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue summit in Singapore, Saturday, May 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
Politics

China blasts Hegseth, calls US top 'troublemaker' in Asia-Pacific

US activists demand shutdown of Musk's 'dirty' supercomputer: Reports
Technology

US activists demand shutdown of Musk's 'dirty' supercomputer: NBC News

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS