SpaceX's fifth Starship test flight will most likely take place in September, according to fresh comments from CEO Elon Musk. Starship last flew in June as IFT-4, which marked the first successful soft splashdowns of the booster and the second stage ship. Since then, SpaceX has been busy developing its rockets for Flight 5, and as part of these preparations, it has tested the second stage's engines and the launch tower for the highly anticipated and risky tower catch.
This catch is the likely reason for the delay since it deviates from previous launches' flight profiles, and previous statements made by the company have shared that it is ready to fly the world's largest rocket for the fifth time as soon as it secures the FAA's approval.
SpaceX Starship Flight 5 In "About 3 Weeks," Says Musk
After a considerable lull, SpaceX's latest Starship update came late last week when it shared on X that the rocket was ready to fly for the fifth time pending the FAA's approval. As it waits for the agency to evaluate the highly complex tower catch plan, SpaceX plans to test the rocket recovery operation further and continue vehicle development for Flight 6.
The FAA's approval might take the rest of August if Elon Musk's latest statement bears fruit. Musk shared on X yesterday that Starship Flight 5 would take place in "[a]bout 3 weeks," which implies that the test will most likely be delayed to September.
Earlier statements from him have speculated that a test could take place this month, but the risky nature of the tower catch appears to have extended the FAA's scrutiny after the agency had shared earlier that it could expedite Starship approvals if SpaceX chose to stick to its launch and recovery operations along with the flight path.
Along with the tower catch, another key test that SpaceX might run during Starship Flight 5 is an in space engine reignition. Footage from local media in Boca Chica, Texas, suggests that SpaceX has tested a Raptor vacuum engine on the second stage as part of preparations that could indicate an in space engine reignition.
The second stage also saw SpaceX completely swap out the thousands of heat shield tiles after Flight 4. While this flight was the first time the second stage completed a soft splashdown, it also saw the rocket's forward (top) flap catch fire due to improper tile application - an event that Elon Musk had predicted.
While it waits for the FAA, SpaceX is already developing the hardware for its future Starship rockets. August has seen the firm test out the rocket's biggest upgrade, its engine, in the form of the Raptor 3's first test run. This engine is a vastly simplified design over its predecessor through upgrades that focus on key areas responsible for previous fires, increase its thrust and reduce more than a ton of weight.
Between now and August, while a booster static fire is unlikely, SpaceX might test the ship one more time and even take the rocket out for a pre launch spin as part of a wet dress rehearsal. It is also building a second launch tower at the Boca Chica site after having finished a new engine test area as part of plans to revamp the area to support as many as 25 Starship launches in a year.
About the author: Ramish is a seasoned technology writer and editor with more than a decade of experience. He specializes in semiconductor fabrication and market analysis. With a background in finance and supply chain management - via his bachelors in Finance and a micromasters in supply chain management from MIT - Ramish combines financial rigor with deep industry insight to deliver accurate and authoritative coverage.
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