SpaceX has announced plans for the 10th test launch of its Starship mega-rocket, which is set for an hour-long flight on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. ET (1:30 a.m. Moscow time).
Details of the upcoming launch
The unmanned Starship prototype will follow a trajectory similar to the previous three missions, aiming to complete test tasks that were not accomplished in previous failed attempts.
The live broadcast of the event will begin approximately half an hour before the start.
History of failures
- First launch: Rocket exploded twice over populated islands east of Florida.
- The final test flight in May saw the craft lose control while approaching its landing site in the Indian Ocean.
- June: Starship, mounted on an engine test stand at SpaceX's South Texas facility, exploded unexpectedly.
Criticism and concern
The failures have drawn criticism of SpaceX and attracted new opponents, including the Mexican and British governments.
Former NASA astronaut and SpaceX consultant Garrett Reisman believes that it is very difficult to predict the outcome of this project: "The result could be either a complete failure or a revolution in our future space endeavors, geopolitics".
Next step
Despite criticism and concerns, SpaceX continues to work to improve the technology.
The success of this project is not guaranteed, but the company is taking steps to improve the safety and efficiency of its developments.
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