SpaceX’s Starship Flight 5 Is Delayed To August Says Musk

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SpaceX is aiming to fly its full stack Starship rocket for the fifth time in early August, according to fresh details revealed by Elon Musk. 2024 has seen the firm gradually increase the risks with its tests as it expands its tests to fine tune all aspects of Starship's launch and landing profile. Starship's fourth test flight took place last month, and it was the first time that the rocket's first stage booster successfully splashed down in the ocean. At the same time, the second stage Starship also completed its atmospheric reentry for the first time, and true to form, SpaceX appears to be ready to try an all important tower catch with the next test.

SpaceX's Starship Flight 5 In Four Weeks, Says Musk

Ahead of the fifth test flight, SpaceX kicked off testing with its tower catch arms early last month to prepare for its tower catch attempt. Starship's landing profile requires the rocket to return to the launch pad in order to enable rapid re usability. To do this, SpaceX will catch the 232 feet tall booster with the tower arms which also place the second stage ship on the booster ahead of a launch.

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A tower catch attempt will be the first of its kind in the industry, and so far, it appears that SpaceX is moving ahead with the crucial test. A video recap of the fourth flight that the firm shared earlier this week hinted that a catch attempt would take place with flight 5. However, based on comments by SpaceX's Starbase manager, Kathy Leuders, the decision to fly the rocket to the pad might be made at the last moment only after SpaceX is certain that all systems are in working order.

Footage from Starbase also shows that SpaceX is preparing for the fifth test flight by building a second launch tower. Trying to catch a rocket is one of the