SpaceX will attempt to catch both stages of its Starship rocket with launch tower arms during its fifteenth test flight on Friday, November 13, geekweek.interia.pl reported.
The 75-minute launch window opens at 23:45 Polish time, with a webcast starting roughly 30 minutes prior on the platform X, according to geekweek.interia.pl. The mission plan schedules a 22-hour orbital flight for the second stage, which will deploy 26 Starlink V3 satellites, Wiadomości Onet reported. Three of those satellites carry specialized cameras to monitor the thermal protection shield during atmospheric reentry, according to infoludek.pl. If successful, the flight will be the first time SpaceX retrieves both the Super Heavy booster and the Starship spacecraft from orbit, Antyweb reported. The Super Heavy booster will return to the Starbase launch tower minutes after liftoff, while the upper stage will attempt its catch nearly a day later, Wiadomości Onet reported.
“If this operation is successful, it will be the first case of a full recovery of an orbital launch system,” SpaceX said, as quoted by infoludek.pl. „Będzie to także przełomowy moment na drodze do stworzenia niezawodnej rakiety Starship, którą będzie można szybko przygotowywać do ponownego lotu” – podkreśliła firma, a plany dotyczące ładunku Starlink V3 wskazują, że każdy taki satelita zapewni przepustowość jednego terabita na sekundę, co odpowiada łącznie dziesięciu misjom rakiety Falcon 9 z satelitami Starlink V2 Mini.
NeoTeo detailed the scheduled timeline, placing the Super Heavy catch at six minutes and 35 seconds after launch, and the Starship catch at 22 hours, 32 minutes, and 34 seconds after launch.
Frequently Asked Questions About Flight 15
Where can viewers watch the Starship launch?
SpaceX will host a live webcast on the platform X, beginning approximately 30 minutes before the 23:45 Polish time launch window opens, geekweek.interia.pl reported.
What is the primary payload for this mission?
The upper stage will carry 26 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites into orbit, where three units will use onboard cameras to scan the vehicle’s thermal protection shield, according to Antyweb and infoludek.pl.
How long will the upper stage remain in space?
The Starship spacecraft will spend more than 22 hours on orbit, completing roughly 14 loops around the Earth before initiating a controlled descent, infoludek.pl reported.
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