Starship Flight 5 Preparations Suggest Tower Catch Attempt in the Works
Tech & AI | June 27, 2024, 3:04 p.m.
The Starship program is making significant progress towards achieving a possible tower catch on the upcoming fifth flight. Booster 14.1 has been rolled out to the orbital launch pad, laying the groundwork for this ambitious goal. Communication from Elon Musk hints at a catch attempt, with a new test article, B14.1, being installed on the launch pad for testing. SpaceX is also constructing a second orbital launch pad at Starbase, incorporating lessons learned from the first pad.
The company is actively testing and preparing for potential catch operations, with closures scheduled for testing activities. The weather has impacted work at the site, but progress continues towards developing launch infrastructure. The next flight, expected in late July but likely to be delayed, promises excitement, especially if a tower catch is attempted. SpaceX is pushing boundaries and gearing up for a dynamic future of space exploration.