All articles tagged with #launch rehearsal
NASA's Artemis II crew and teams conducted a comprehensive countdown demonstration test at Kennedy Space Center, practicing launch procedures and emergency protocols ahead of their upcoming Moon mission, marking a significant step in NASA's Artemis program for future lunar and Mars exploration.
NASA's Artemis 2 crew conducted a countdown demonstration test at Kennedy Space Center, practicing key launch procedures for their upcoming mission, which is scheduled for between February and April 2026, after delays and rescheduling.
SpaceX has stacked its latest Starship prototype, Ship 25, atop the Booster 9 first stage at its Starbase facility in South Texas, as part of preparations for the rocket's second test flight. The company is currently working with the FAA to obtain a launch license. The fully stacked Starship stands nearly 400 feet tall and is the largest and most powerful rocket ever built. SpaceX aims to make both stages of the Starship fully reusable, which could make Mars settlement economically feasible.
SpaceX has stacked its latest Starship prototype at its facility in South Texas as part of preparations for the rocket's second-ever test flight. The company is currently working with the FAA to obtain a launch license. The previous test flight in April encountered issues, resulting in the intentional destruction of the vehicle. Elon Musk has stated that the latest Starship is technically ready for launch, with successful test-firings of the Raptor engines. Standing at nearly 400 feet tall, Starship is the largest and most powerful rocket ever built, designed for full reusability and Mars settlement.
The European Space Agency (ESA) has been slow in sharing updates on the testing of its Ariane 6 rocket, which is being funded with 3.8 billion euros. During a recent 26-hour test campaign, the launch team successfully loaded cryogenic liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen into the rocket but failed to ignite the main engine for a brief four-second ignition. ESA described the test as "very satisfactory" despite this setback. The agency is considering whether to conduct another countdown rehearsal or proceed directly to a longer engine firing in September. However, ESA has decided not to provide live video coverage of the tests, in contrast to other publicly funded ventures like NASA's Space Launch System and SpaceX's Super Heavy booster.
SpaceX plans to conduct a launch rehearsal of Starship next week and its first test flight possibly the following week, pending regulatory approval. The massive Starship rocket is designed to send astronauts to the Moon and beyond. SpaceX will need approval from the Federal Aviation Administration before carrying out the orbital test launch.