SpaceX could launch its giant Starship rocket in May, says Elon Musk

SpaceX’s massive Starship rocket, destined to take humanity to the Moon and then Mars, could be sent into orbit for the first time in just two months if all goes according to plan.

As SpaceX assembles satellite launches and missions for the International Space Station, all eyes remain focused on orbiting the new Starship rocket that will one day take humans to Mars. After clarifying how the first space flight for the Starship will take place, Elon Musk revealed a launch window.

Asked about Starship on Twitter, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk announced that the company plans to manufacture nearly 40 “flight-capable” Raptor 2 engines by next month. Then you must” another month to integrate them, then hopefully May for orbital flight test “. If everything goes as plannedSpaceX therefore hopes to launch its Starship rocket in Mayand this first flight was to be followed by a dozen launches in 2022.

Starship, the giant rocket that will take humanity to other planets

SpaceX has a lot of ambitions for its Starship rocket since it is with it that the company intends to colonize other planets, starting with the moon in a few years. As a reminder, NASA had awarded SpaceX a $2.9 billion contract to use Starship to bring astronauts to the lunar surface from Gateway, an agency outpost that would orbit the moon, or from NASA’s Orion spacecraft.

Elon Musk then plans to deploy a fleet of Starships to create a city on Mars and transport equipment and people there within 10 years. For now, though SpaceX is busy getting its Starship rocket ready for its first orbital flight, this one may be delayed for administrative reasons. Indeed, the orbital test flight still needs to be approved by the authorities before it takes place. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not yet disclosed the results of its environmental assessment before giving SpaceX the green light.