{"id":89277,"date":"2025-01-15T22:54:24","date_gmt":"2025-01-15T22:54:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/spacex-readies-landmark-starship-test-flight-for-jan-16-the-express-tribune\/"},"modified":"2025-01-15T22:54:24","modified_gmt":"2025-01-15T22:54:24","slug":"spacex-readies-landmark-starship-test-flight-for-jan-16-the-express-tribune","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/spacex-readies-landmark-starship-test-flight-for-jan-16-the-express-tribune\/","title":{"rendered":"SpaceX readies landmark Starship test flight for Jan 16 | The Express Tribune"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"\">\n<figure class=\"flex items-center text-center\"><figcaption class=\"text-3 font-sans uppercase mr-3 whitespace-no-wrap\"><span class=\"ls-art\">Listen\u00a0to\u00a0article<\/span><\/figcaption><audio class=\"h-5 w-60 sm:w-80 rounded-none\" preload=\"metadata\" controlslist=\"noplaybackrate nodownload\" id=\"tts\" controls=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/i.tribune.com.pk\/attachments\/speech_20250115184848557-xCX9b.mp3\"\/><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>SpaceX is preparing for the seventh test flight of its Starship system, the world\u2019s most powerful rocket, designed to advance human space exploration.<\/p>\n<p>The nearly 400-foot (121-metre) rocket is set to launch from SpaceX\u2019s Starbase in Texas no earlier than 5 pm\u00a0ET on Thursday.<\/p>\n<p>The flight, delayed by weather, aims to test key upgrades, including enhanced reusability and satellite deployment capabilities. NASA has contracted SpaceX to use Starship as a lunar lander for missions slated to begin in 2027, contributing nearly $3 billion for its development.<\/p>\n<p>This mission will showcase an upgraded propulsion system, increasing the propellant volume by 25% to support longer engine burns. SpaceX will also test satellite deployment, using simulators resembling its next-generation Starlink satellites.<\/p>\n<p>The Starship spacecraft, designed for reuse, is expected to splash down in the Indian Ocean after completing its objectives. The Super Heavy booster will attempt a precision landing using the \u201cMechazilla\u201d system, massive tower arms designed to catch and recycle the booster.<\/p>\n<p>For the first time, a Raptor engine from a prior mission will be reused, marking a significant step in SpaceX\u2019s strategy to reduce costs and minimise turnaround times between missions. \u201cTesting the ability to fly Raptor engines multiple times is a key milestone,\u201d SpaceX said in a statement.<\/p>\n<p>Enhanced protections have also been added to Mechazilla following a failed landing attempt last November, when damaged sensors led to the booster splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico.<\/p>\n<p>Elon Musk, SpaceX\u2019s CEO, has positioned Starship as the centrepiece of his vision to send humans to Mars. The company plans to conduct hundreds of test flights and perfect in-orbit refuelling before undertaking a crewed mission.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cStarship will stay in space for long-duration missions to the Moon or Mars, or serve as tankers for refuelling,\u201d SpaceX engineer Jessie Anderson said. The accompanying Super Heavy boosters will return for rapid reuse.<\/p>\n<p>Since the programme\u2019s inception in April 2023, SpaceX has refined Starship\u2019s capabilities, moving from explosive test flights to controlled landings. However, critical milestones, such as achieving orbit and demonstrating vehicle rendezvous for refuelling, remain.<\/p>\n<p>Construction is underway on a \u201cStarfactory\u201d at Starbase, intended to mass-produce hundreds of Starship vehicles annually. \u201cIt might sound crazy, and that\u2019s because it is,\u201d SpaceX engineer Kate Tice said.<\/p>\n<p>As SpaceX pushes the boundaries of technology, this test flight will provide crucial data for its ambitious goals, including returning humans to the Moon and eventually reaching Mars. The launch will be livestreamed on SpaceX\u2019s website and social media platforms.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Listen\u00a0to\u00a0article SpaceX is preparing for the seventh test flight of its Starship system, the world\u2019s most powerful rocket, designed to advance human space exploration. The nearly 400-foot (121-metre) rocket is set to launch from SpaceX\u2019s Starbase in Texas no earlier than 5 pm\u00a0ET on Thursday. The flight, delayed by weather, aims to test key upgrades, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":89278,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/i.tribune.com.pk\/media\/images\/spce1736967916-0\/spce1736967916-0.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-89277","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89277","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=89277"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89277\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/89278"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=89277"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=89277"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=89277"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}