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SpaceX’s huge Starship rocket that will one day take man to Mars is set for first 500ft test flight this week
Jul 13, 2020
AN enormous rocket that will one day carry astronauts to Mars is set for its first major test flight this week, according to reports.
If all goes to plan, the "Starship" spacecraft, built by rocket firm SpaceX, will soar 500ft into the sky from a launchpad in Texas on Thursday.
That’s according to recent road closure filings around the company’s testing facilities in the Texan town of Boca Chica, Teslerati reports .
The unmanned mission is dependent on a successful static test of one of the prototype craft's Raptor engines at 4pm BST (11am ET) on Monday, July 13.
Static tests involve strapping a rocket engine to the ground and firing it up in order to assess thrust and other important measures.
If Monday's static fire goes ahead, SpaceX has applied for road closures on Thursday to clear the way for a test flight, according to Teslerati.
"Surely too soon?" NasaSpaceFlight reporter Michael Baylor wrote on Twitter .
SpaceX engineers have been working on Starship for years.
The machine is still in its early stages, but promises to be the world's most powerful rocket if SpaceX ever gets it off the ground.
Standing 290 feet (120 metres) tall and boasting three of SpaceX's huge "Raptor" engines, the rocket will hit speeds of 15,000mph (25,000kph).
Gateway to Mars — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 7, 2020
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