Hey, everybody. Welcome back to the Elon Musk Podcast. This is a show where we discuss the critical crossroads that shape SpaceX, Tesla X, The Boring Company, and Neuralink. I'm your host, Will Walden. SpaceX is seeking permission from the Federal Aviation Administration to launch another Starship rocket from Starbase, Texas. While an investigation into the previous test flight, Flight 3, remains ongoing.
This request is part of Spacex's efforts to continue its schedule for Flight 4 in June, possibly on June 1st. The FAA is currently investigating Spacex's third Starship test flight. Similar to the probes initiated after the first two tests, Spacex's request involves a public safety determination from the FAA to proceed with another launch while ensuring public safety is not compromised. According to an FAA statement, SpaceX submitted this request on
April 5th. If the FAA finds no public safety concerns associated with the previous mishap, SpaceX may proceed with its next launch, assuming all other licensing conditions are satisfied. This process includes the FA as assessment of critical safety systems, consequences of the mishap, adequacy of flight analysis, performance of the safety organization, and environmental factors. The FAA emphasized that safety and data will guide their
decision making. Spacex's star based general manager indicated last week that the company aims to launch the 4th Starship after Memorial Day weekend. The third Starship test, conducted on March 14th, achieved stage separation and reached orbit but was lost
during re entry. While our team reviews the data collected from this flight, Starship and Super Heavy vehicles are preparing for upcoming flights as we seek to increase our launch cadence throughout the year, stated SpaceX. Starship comprises 2 reusable stages, the Super Heavy booster and the 165 foot tall spacecraft known simply as SHIP. Together they form the tallest and most powerful rocket ever built, standing about 400 feet tall and generating approximately £16.7 million of
thrust at lift off. This immense thrust is provided by Super Heavy's 33 Raptor engines, while the ship is powered by 6 Raptors. These engines use liquid oxygen and liquid methane fuels that can potentially be sourced from Mars. Starship has flown three times, in April 2023, November 2023 and March 14th 2024. The first flight ended with a failed stage separation and a controlled explosion. The second flight achieved stage separation but was short lived. The third flight reached orbit
but disintegrated upon re entry. Musk noted that the primary objective for the 4th flight is to endure the intense re entry heating. SpaceX hopes to launch this flight in about two weeks, though the exact timing depends on FAA approval. Spacex's latest request involves a modification to its existing Starship launch license, which
is under FAA review. The FAA is also investigating the causes of the previous flight's failure, particularly the booster explosion and subsequent vehicle loss upon re entry. SpaceX is targeting June 1st for the 4th Starship launch based on a beach and road closure notice issued by Cameron County for flight testing activities. This closure aligns with the potential launch dates Musk
mentioned. Rd. closures from Cameron County suggest a launch window from midnight to 2:00 PM on June 1st, with alternative windows on June 2nd and June 3rd. These plans support Musk and Leader's previous statements regarding the launch timeline. SpaceX completed a static fire testing in May and hoped for FAA licensing to proceed with the launch shortly after Memorial Day. Must detailed on the way social media that to say so primary goal is to handle maximum re entry heating.
This objective is critical as SpaceX continues to refine Starship for future missions involving human spaceflight. The FA as investigation into the third flight's mishaps includes both the Super Heavy booster and the Starship vehicle. The March 14 test saw Starship reach orbit but fail during re entry, necessitating further analysis to understand and
rectify the issues encountered. SpaceX recently completed a wet dress rehearsal for the 4th flight, filling both stages of Starship with liquid oxygen and liquid methane at its South Texas site. The wet dress rehearsal, deemed a success by SpaceX, is one of the final steps before the actual flight. The company shared images of the process, highlighting its readiness for the next phase of
testing. Spacex's development of Starship will support lunar exploration and human settlement on Mars. NASA has selected Starship as the first crude Lander for its Artemis program, and it will land on the moon surface for Artemis 3, which is scheduled for around 2028 to 2030. But timelines will likely slip as SpaceX awaits FAA approval for the 4th launch. The company remains focused on its goal of achieving a successful re entry.
The outcome of this test will be crucial for the future of Starship. If they are successful with this mission, Flight 5 will build on the data that they gather and each launch will be more successful than the last. Hey, thank you so much for listening today. I really do appreciate your support. If you could take a second and hit this subscribe or the follow button on whatever podcast platform that you're listening on right now, I greatly appreciate it.
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