SpaceX targets mid-Nov launch for second fully integrated Starship flight test

SpaceX is targeting mid-November for the launch of the second flight test of a fully integrated Starship - a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond - pending regulatory approval.

The Starship comprises a Starship spacecraft and a Super Heavy rocket, which is fully reusable and will re-enter Earth's atmosphere to land back at the launch site. The first flight test of the fully integrated Starship and Super Heavy rocket took place in April 2023, but unfortunately, the vehicle experienced multiple engines out, lost altitude, and began to tumble, minutes after lift-off from Starbase in Texas.

As is the case with all developmental testing, the schedule of the second flight test is likely to change, SpaceX said in a statement. A live webcast of the upcoming flight test will begin about 30 minutes before liftoff on X @SpaceX and the company's official website.

The second flight test of a fully integrated Starship could launch as soon as mid-November, pending regulatory approval → https://t.co/pxgvgUeIFF pic.twitter.com/P40vOCaFaZ

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) November 3, 2023

According to SpaceX's official statement, the second flight test will debut a hot-stage separation system and a new electronic Thrust Vector Control (TVC) system for Super Heavy Raptor engines, in addition to reinforcements to the pad foundation and a water-cooled steel flame deflector, among many other enhancements.