We’ve been waiting on confirmation from SpaceX on if they will fly Starship SN15 and we finally got an update on the website that it will fly today.
According to SpaceX, SN15 has improvements across structures, avionics and software, and the engines for an overall better vehicle. After two scrubs due to unknown reasons, SpaceX has readied the vehicle and pad for a flight as soon as today.
Local streamers have been tracking the rocket all day today, the pad has been cleared, the residents have been evacuated, and now gasses are venting from the tank farm next to the rocket. Starship SN15 will be SpaceX’s 5th high altitude flight and will be similar to others.
Flight profile
Starship SN15 will light all 3 Raptor engines and as it climbs to about 10 km it will shut them down one at a time. Once it hits its highest point of the flight, it will shut off the final engine and do what is called a “belly flop” descent. The four flaps will make sure it stays stable before re-lighting its engines and flipping vertical to attempt to land.
It’s unsure if it will land successfully but SpaceX CEO Elon Musk seems confident the improvements will. Watch the flight on SpaceX’s stream below.
Updates
May 5th, 5:13 PM: Tri-venting has begun, T-0 is expected at 5:25 PM CDT.
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