SpaceX has delayed the highly anticipated second launch of the world’s largest, most powerful rocket ever, Starship, due to technical issues, the CEO of the US company, Elon Musk, announced on Thursday.
“The launch is now postponed to Saturday,” Musk said. It has previously been announced for Friday.
This second test flight will be closely monitored by NASA, which plans to use the spacecraft for its return missions to the Moon, following a first attempt that ended in a massive explosion in the spring.
Musk stated on X (formerly Twitter) that a component critical to adjusting and stabilising the two stages of the rocket during its descent phase needed to be replaced for it to land accurately and be reutilised.
On 20 April, Starship took off for the first time in its complete configuration. However, several engines failed to function, and SpaceX intentionally detonated the rocket after four minutes.
The rocket disintegrated into a fireball and crashed into the Gulf of Mexico, creating a dust cloud over a city several kilometres away.
In seven months, the launch site has been rebuilt, and a water deluge system has been installed and tested.
In the long run, SpaceX plans to use Starship to reach Mars.
Prior to that, NASA aims to obtain a modified version of the rocket from SpaceX to enable lunar landings for its Artemis missions.
