Elon Musk states that SpaceX will be attempting an orbital test of Starship in March.

According to Elon Musk, SpaceX may attempt to complete Starship’s long-awaited orbital flight test flight next month. Musk responded to a question by one of his Twitter followers on Saturday, saying that the private space company is planning to launch a rocket in March. Musk wrote that if all tests are successful, Starship launches will be attempted next month.
We will launch a Starship next month if all tests are successful.

Elon Musk (@elonmusk), February 4, 2023. Although the date for Starship’s orbital flight test flight has been in flux for the past year and half, there are reasons to believe that the rocket could finally fly next month. Starship completed its first ever stacked fueling test in January. SpaceX loaded both the vehicles with more than 10,000,000 pounds of liquid oxygen fuel and methane fuel during the “wet rehearsal”. The company also went through the countdown procedures that it will have to follow on launch day.

SpaceX has many tests to complete, but the most important is the static firing of all 33 Raptor engines on the Super Heavy stage. SpaceX has not yet ignited more than fourteen engines simultaneously. SpaceX will have to change this if it wants to receive the Federal Aviation Administration’s approval for an orbital test flight. SpaceX had indicated that it was ready to conduct the static test fire by the end of January. This could have been as early as February 1. This didn’t happen. Musk’s comments would suggest that SpaceX will try the test sooner than expected.

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By: Igor Bonifacic
Title: SpaceX will attempt Starship orbital test in March, says Elon Musk
Sourced From: www.engadget.com/spacex-will-attempt-starship-orbital-test-in-march-says-elon-musk-195410384.html

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