The largest and most powerful rocket ever built is heading into space today with the debut launch of the SpaceX spacecraft.
Elon Musk, owner of an American aerospace company, downplayed expectations ahead of the launch, warning that “success is not something to be expected.”
A two-stage Starship rocket 400 feet tall, taller than the Statue of Liberty, will be launched from a SpaceX facility in Boca Chica, Texas.
You can follow the launch live below:
When will the spacecraft launch today?
The spacecraft is set to launch at 2:20 pm Moscow time (8:20 am CT) on Monday, April 17, SpaceX confirmed.
A two-hour launch window was previously listed starting at 8:00 AM ET (13:00 Moscow time), although there was some doubt that the launch would even take place.
On Sunday evening, Musk said it was “more likely” to have the flight delayed rather than continue on Monday, with backup windows at the same time on Tuesday and Wednesday.
What to expect from the launch of SpaceX?
Expectations for today’s launch should be low, Mr Musk said.
He told a private audience on Twitter Sunday night that “success is not something to be expected,” adding: “Tomorrow there probably won’t be success. It’s just very difficult.”
The SpaceX owner said that, at best, important data would be obtained about how the spacecraft would ascend into space and how it would return to Earth.
Whether or not the goals are fully met, Monday’s launch of Starship will be a major milestone in the company’s quest to send humans back to the Moon and eventually Mars.
Both the lower stage Super Heavy booster and the upper stage Starship cruise ship that will launch them into space are designed as reusable components that can fly back to Earth for a soft landing. This maneuver has become routine for the smaller SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
However, none of the stages will be restored for the first space test flight, which is expected to last no more than 90 minutes.
Prototypes of the Starship cruise ship have made five subspace flights up to 10 km above Earth over the past few years, but the Super Heavy launch vehicle has never left the ground.
SpaceX tested the launcher in February, firing 31 of 33 Raptor engines for about 10 seconds while the rocket was vertically attached to the platform.
Source: I News
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