Elon Musk's SpaceX readies Starship for third test flight — will it explode like ones before?

Elon Musk’s SpaceX's next-generation mega rocket is scheduled to take off on a critical test flight on Thursday with the goal of showcasing new technologies and procedures that will be essential for upcoming moon and beyond missions.

According to SpaceX, the forthcoming launch will be the rocket's third and most ambitious test flight. The launch is highly anticipated since Starship, the roughly 400-foot-tall launcher, is anticipated to be a key component of Nasa's return-to-the-moon programme.

Starship is set to launch from SpaceX's Starbase test site in Boca Chica, Texas. The estimated time of liftoff is 8:30am ET, however it is subject to vary depending on the rocket's condition and the local weather.

Early on Thursday, SpaceX said that 70% of the weather was suitable for the test launch, according to NBC.

Starting at approximately 8am ET, SpaceX's website will broadcast the launch live.

SpaceX aims to show on this trip that Starship is capable of a controlled re-entry into Earth's atmosphere, ending with a splashdown in the Indian Ocean.

Prior to it, the test comprises a number of distinct goals from the rocket's first two missions. This time, SpaceX aims to open and close the vehicle's payload door, activate one of Starship's Raptor engines while in orbit, and move propellant between two of Starship's tanks.

Numerous of these methods could support SpaceX in executing upcoming satellite deployment missions and pave the way for moon landings as part of Nasa's Artemis programme.

Nasa chose Starship to be the spacecraft that would transport humans to the moon for the future Artemis III mission, which is scheduled to launch in 2026.

Last April, Starship made a disastrous first flight that ended with the rocket exploding a few minutes after takeoff. Multiple firsts were accomplished with a second Starship launch in November, including the separation of the upper-stage Starship spaceship and the first-stage rocket known as Super Heavy.

However, in the end, communication between the vehicle and the firm was lost.