SpaceX may finally launch its newest Starship rocket prototype Tuesday afternoon. With any luck, it won't explode.

Morgan McFall-Johnsen
elon musk sn8 launch test flight
Left: Elon Musk at a press briefing on March 2, 2019. Right: SpaceX's Starship SN8 rocketship prototype launches in Boca Chica, Texas, on December 9, 2020. Dave Mosher/Insider; SpaceX

SpaceX is preparing to rocket the latest prototype of its Starship spaceship thousands of feet into the air then land it gently back on the ground.

The company hopes to pull off this tricky maneuver on Tuesday - it involves reigniting the rocket's engines as it plummets toward Earth, just in time to turn it upright and slow its fall, so that it touches down on a landing pad. If successful, it will be the first time a Starship vehicle has ventured so high and returned in one piece.

Elon Musk, who founded SpaceX in 2002, wants the final Starship-Super Heavy launch system to be fully reusable. If that plan succeeds, Starship may slash the cost of reaching space 1,000-fold, power round-the-world hypersonic travel on Earth, and fly astronauts to the moon. Musk has said that his ultimate plan is to build 1,000 Starships to carry enough people and cargo to Mars to build an independent, self-sustaining city there.

SpaceX first launched a Starship prototype of this kind in early December. Called Starship serial No. 8, or SN8, it roared tens of thousands of feet above the company's facilities in Boca Chica, Texas. As SN8 neared the ground in a belly-flop-like freefall, it re-fired its engines to flip upright and slow its descent, but low pressure in a propellant tank caused the spaceship to fall too fast. It slammed into its landing pad and exploded.

SpaceX considered the seven-minute test flight a success, though, because it was an experiment - and the vehicle still flew higher than ever before and performed unprecedented maneuvers like sequential engine shutdowns and aerial flips. Previous test flights had been "hops" of a few hundred feet.

SpaceX's upcoming test flight, however, could stick the landing. Like its predecessor, the new prototype, called SN9, is 16 stories tall and powered by three Raptor engines.

In preparation for launch, SpaceX test-fired the SN9 engines three times on January 13 - a record static-fire rate for the Starship program. After that, though, two of the engines needed repairs. The company conducted more static fires last week.

Now SpaceX is ready to launch on Tuesday afternoon, pending approval from the Federal Aviation Administration, according to Musk.

starship sn9 prototype spacex boca chica texas
The SN9 during static-fire testing in Boca Chica, Texas, on January 13, 2021. @SpacePadreIsle on Twitter

However, the FAA has issued an airspace closure notice for a rocket launch from Boca Chica between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. CST. A judge in Cameron County, Texas, also issued a road-closure notice for Boca Chica- another necessary prerequisite for a launch attempt - from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST.

A similar FAA notice and road closure are in place for Wednesday - a back-up date in case weather or glitches cause SpaceX to delay the test flight.

The FAA and the Cameron County judge have issued such notices on and off over the last two weeks, but SpaceX didn't take those launch opportunities; it's unclear why.

Watch SN9's launch attempt live

SpaceX may broadcast the launch attempt live on YouTube. If so, we will embed the live feed here. In the meantime, fans of the company are on the ground and streaming their own live video of the launch site. As of Tuesday morning, thick fog obscured their views of the launchpad. The fog may dissipate later, so keep an eye on these livestreams.

We recommend starting with NASASpaceflight's video stream, given the broadcasters' knowledge and multiple quality camera views. We will embed their feed below once it begins.

LabPadre also offers live commentary, along with six unique views of the Starship launch site. Below is the channel's main 4K-resolution feed.

Once the fog clears, for a more distant view of the launch site - broadcast from the top of a hotel resort in South Padre Island about 6 miles away - check out SPadre's 24-hour live feed.

A series of events typically precedes a Starship prototype launch. A couple of hours beforehand, SpaceX will clear the launch site of personnel. Roughly an hour ahead of the flight, storage tanks at the launch site will begin venting gases as SpaceX prepares to fuel Starship with cryogenic fuels. That fueling later causes Starship to vent gases out of its top, a signal that launch could occur within minutes.

However, poor weather, a technical glitch, or a boat that gets within the launch's danger zone - a new challenge for Starship - could lead to further delays.

This post has been updated with new information. It was originally published on January 15, 2021.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Latest Stories

  • Biden did not, in fact, remove Trump's 'Diet Coke button' from the Resolute Desk, White House clarifies

    The new Biden administration has yet not disclosed the secrets of Area 51 or explained what the Air Force really knows about UFOs, but it did clarify, at least, the mystery of the vanished "Diet Coke button" former President Donald Trump would use to summon refreshments in the Oval Office. The usher button, as it is formally known, is not gone, even if it is no longer used to summon Diet Cokes, a White House official tells Politico.The White House official "unfortunately wouldn't say what Biden will use the button for," Politico's Daniel Lippman writes, suggesting Biden might summon Orange Gatorade and not the obvious answer, ice cream — or, let's get real, coffee. What's more, there are evidently two usher buttons in the Oval Office, one at the Resolute Desk and the other next to the chair by the fireplace, a former White House official told Politico, adding that Trump didn't actually use the Diet Coke button all that much because "he would usually just verbally ask the valets, who were around all day, for what he needed."In any case, it is not the placement of the button that matters, of course, but how you use it. And Biden will presumably know better than to order ice cream treats during a top-secret national security briefing.More stories from theweek.com Democrats are getting Chuck Grassleyed Sarah Huckabee Sanders' shameless campaign for governor Trump himself suggested a former president can be impeached

  • As filibuster clash paralyzes Senate, Democratic frustration over how to proceed grows

    The fate of top Democratic priorities like $1,400 checks and immigration overhaul could hang in the balance.

  • Asia's 'El Chapo' Who Allegedly Made Over $17 Billion a Year is Arrested in Amsterdam

    A Chinese-born Canadian known as Asia’s “El Chapo” has been arrested in Amsterdam on Friday. Tse Chi Lop, 57, reportedly made up to $17.7 billion a year as the alleged leader of Asia’s biggest crime syndicate in history, referred to by its members as “The Company” and by law enforcers as "Sam Gor"  Tse allegedly conducted Sam Gor’s operations in Hong Kong, Macau and Southeast Asia. It turns out Tse was responsible for 70% of the drugs that reach Australia.

  • Indonesia detains Iranian, Chinese crews of seized tankers

    Indonesian authorities have detained the Iranian and Chinese crewmembers of two tankers that were seized for illegally transferring oil in Indonesian waters, an official said Tuesday. “MT Freya did the oil spilling,” Pramandita said.

  • MSNBC's Rachel Maddow says McConnell 'caved' on his filibuster demand during her Schumer interview

    In an interview with MSNBC's Rachel Maddow on Monday afternoon, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said his caucus won't allow Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to dictate the agenda in the Democratic-led 50-50 Senate or demand an end to the legislative filibuster as a precondition for a power-sharing pact. "We've told McConnell no on the organizing resolution, and that's that. So there's no negotiations on that," Schumer said, suggesting he had a secret plan. "There are ways to deal with him."Maddow included an update when she broadcast the interview Monday night. "While we were airing that right now, and you were watching it, Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell just put out a statement that he is folding on this" and willl "agree to go forward with what Sen. Schumer told him he must," she said. "Sen. Mitch McConnell has caved and Sen. Schumer has won that fight. That was quick. Let's see what else we can do."> No sooner has the portion of Rachel Maddow's interview with Senator Majority Leader Chuck Schumer aired than Mitch McConnell has put out a statement that he is folding, ending the stand-off. pic.twitter.com/9qR1jpKXkf> > -- Maddow Blog (@MaddowBlog) January 26, 2021McConnell said he would allow the Senate to move forward because two Democrats had reiterated their opposition to ending the filibuster, effectively taking that option off the table. Maddow asked Schumer about that, too, and he didn't answer directly."The caucus is united with the belief that I have: We must get big, strong, bold things done," Schumer said. The Democratic caucus is also "totally united" that "we will not let Mitch McConnell dictate to us what we will do and not do," and "we have tools that we can use," notably the budget reconciliation process," he added. "We will come together as a caucus and figure it out."> "We will not let Mitch McConnell dictate to us what we will do and not do." Here's Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer earlier in his interview with Rachel Maddow, talking about the filibuster specifically, and getting things done. pic.twitter.com/xOAKWfe2Fu> > -- Maddow Blog (@MaddowBlog) January 26, 2021Schumer also suggested he is not interested in playing cat-and-mouse with McConnell's Republicans again. Watch below. > "We will not repeat that mistake." Senate Majority Leader Schumer cites Obama era lessons in prioritizing legislation over bad faith Republican 'bipartisanship.' pic.twitter.com/gpc1kBP45w> > -- Maddow Blog (@MaddowBlog) January 26, 2021More stories from theweek.com Democrats are getting Chuck Grassleyed Sarah Huckabee Sanders' shameless campaign for governor Biden did not, in fact, remove Trump's 'Diet Coke button' from the Resolute Desk, White House clarifies

  • Joe Biden stops motorcade on return from church to buy bagels from trendy bakery

    First family orders sesame bagels with cream cheese

  • Trump opens Florida office to push his former administration's agenda

    Donald Trump opened an office in Florida on Monday that will handle his duties as a former U.S. president and seek to further his administration's agenda. "The Office will be responsible for managing President Trump's correspondence, public statements, appearances, and official activities to advance the interests of the United States and to carry on the agenda of the Trump Administration through advocacy, organizing, and public activism," a statement said. The announcement came on the same day the House of Representatives delivered to the Senate an impeachment article charging Trump with inciting insurrection in a speech to supporters before the deadly attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6.

  • Black family handcuffed at gunpoint by police sues Aurora, Colorado

    Brittney Gilliam had taken her family for a "Sunday funday" when officers with guns drawn ordered her and the four underage girls with her to exit the car.

  • Chuck Schumer tried to unseat Susan Collins, and now it's personal

    Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) will have his work cut out for him as he tries to maneuver through the 50-50 upper chamber. To pass most legislation, he'll need to work with Republicans to get things done, but that won't be easy, especially after he rigorously campaigned against a few of them in recent election cycles, CNN reports.Take, for example, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who ultimately won a hard fought re-election campaign last year against Democratic challenger Sara Gideon. Despite the victory, Collins appears to have taken Schumer's efforts to unseat her personally. "What this campaign taught me about Chuck Schumer is that he will say or do anything in order to win," she told CNN. "It was a deceitful, despicable campaign that he ran."Collins is generally considered one of the more bipartisan voices in the Senate and has crossed the aisle not infrequently throughout her tenure, but those words don't make her sound like someone who's excited to help hand Schumer easy wins. Read more at CNN. > Susan Collins doesn't sound like she's keen on cutting lots of deals https://t.co/YHgj2ydgN6> > -- Jonathan Chait (@jonathanchait) January 26, 2021> The only way governing with the filibuster can ever work is if Republicans are willing to engage in good faith negotiations. Even SUSAN COLLINS is explicitly stating she's a partisan who has no interest in working with Democrats.> > -- Matt McDermott (@mattmfm) January 26, 2021More stories from theweek.com Democrats are getting Chuck Grassleyed Sarah Huckabee Sanders' shameless campaign for governor Biden did not, in fact, remove Trump's 'Diet Coke button' from the Resolute Desk, White House clarifies

  • Biden's new climate orders to include pause on federal oil and gas leasing - sources

    The Biden administration is expected to announce a temporary suspension of new oil and gas leasing on U.S. federal lands and waters on Wednesday, and to order that nearly a third of federally run acreage is conserved over the next decade, three sources familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. President Joe Biden will make the announcement as part of a second batch of executive orders aimed at combating climate change, a key policy effort of the newly sworn-in president that marks an about-face from his predecessor Donald Trump who sought to maximize the country's oil, gas and coal output. Biden had vowed to ban new federal oil and gas permitting during his campaign for the White House, and his Interior Department last week issued a 60-day suspension of routine drilling approvals pending a review of the program in what was widely viewed as a precursor to a more permanent ban.

  • Teen held in Indiana killings of 5, including pregnant woman

    Indianapolis police arrested a 17-year-old boy Monday in the killings of five people, including a pregnant woman, who were shot to death inside a home in what the city's mayor called a “devastating act of violence.” The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said in a statement that the name of the suspect in Sunday's killings was “not being released at this time since the suspect is a juvenile." As officers were investigating, police received information about 4:40 a.m. that led them to a nearby home, where they found multiple adults dead inside from apparent gunshot wounds, Sgt. Shane Foley said Sunday.

  • Possibility of Iran conflict spurred U.S. military to try to expand access in Saudi Arabia

    The possibility of conflict with Iran prompted the U.S. military to begin using several extra ports and bases in Saudi Arabia for the first time over the course of the last year, The Wall Street Journal reports.The decision appears geared toward expanding the ability to operate militarily and complicating Iran's options in Saudi Arabia should tensions with Tehran, which is at odds with both Washington and Riyadh, boil over in the future. "What it does is to give us options, and options are always a good thing for a commander to have," Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, the head of U.S. Central Command, told the Journal.McKenzie explained that the U.S. and Saudi Arabia are negotiating infrastructure plans for the coastal port of Yanbu as well as two air bases to make them more usable for the U.S. military. He said additional sites that have not been revealed are under consideration.As the Journal notes, the Biden administration has promised to take a tougher stance on human rights issues within Saudi Arabia, but the military base expansion effort — which began under the Trump administration — suggests Washington will continue to count Saudi Arabia as a key ally. Read more at The Wall Street Journal.More stories from theweek.com Democrats are getting Chuck Grassleyed Sarah Huckabee Sanders' shameless campaign for governor Biden did not, in fact, remove Trump's 'Diet Coke button' from the Resolute Desk, White House clarifies

  • Sean Spicer has application to White House Correspondents’ Association cancelled

    Newsmax said it already had enough correspondents at White House

  • Woman wanted on 74 charges of child sex abuse extradited to Australia

    Israeli authorities on Monday extradited a former teacher accused of sexually abusing her former students in Australia, capping a six-year legal battle that had strained relations between the two governments and antagonized Australia's Jewish community.

  • Amazon delivery driver rescues infant allegedly abandoned after carjacking

    He said he spotted a carseat on the curb while delivering package, but at first did not realize there was a baby in it.

  • Jill Biden signals she'll be more active as first lady

    Five days into her new role, Jill Biden signaled Monday that she'll be a more active first lady, with a trio of virtual appearances before governors' spouses, young Latinos and library officials. Jill Biden's early moves seemed designed to signal that she intends to be more active than her predecessor, Melania Trump. Mrs. Trump often allowed weeks to pass between her public appearances.

  • Editorial: Is Gov. Newsom 'following the science' on COVID reopening, or following the politics?

    Gov. Newsom needs to do a better job communicating California's statewide COVID restrictions with the public, and with other state officials.

  • Trump's press secretary Kayleigh McEnany to head to Fox News

    Former White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany spent her time as the president's mouthpiece spinning his words, attacking his enemies, and attempting to undermine the credibility of reporters who questioned his actions. Now, with her days at the White House behind her, Ms McEnany will step into a new role where she can once again use the skill set she cultivated during her time with the president; she'll be joining Fox News. Government watchdog organisation CREW obtained a financial disclosure report that showed Ms McEnany and Fox News entered into an employment agreement on 1 January.

  • 9 Houston officers charged, including 1 with murder, in probe of deadly 2019 raid

    The eight other current and former police officers were indicted in what authorities described as a long-term scheme to steal overtime money.

  • Biden signs 'Buy American' order, pledges to renew U.S. manufacturing

    President Joe Biden vowed on Monday to leverage the purchasing power of the U.S. government, the world's biggest single buyer of goods and services, to strengthen domestic manufacturing and create markets for new technologies. The Democratic president signed an executive order aimed at closing loopholes in existing "Buy American" provisions, which apply to about a third of the $600 billion in goods and services the federal government buys each year. The order will make any waivers more transparent and create a senior White House role to oversee the process.