SpaceX's Starship achieved its third flight test from Southern Texas on March 14, 2024, marking another significant milestone in the program's development. The flight, which was cleared by the Federal Aviation Administration amidst challenging weather conditions, saw the world's tallest rocket currently in operation launch at 8:25 a.m. CT. This mission showcased a new flight path, with the Ship 28 upper stage targeting a splashdown in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar, a deviation from the previous two missions' Pacific Ocean splashdown goal. Although SpaceX lost contact with Ship 28 nearly an hour after liftoff, before its intended splashdown, and the Super Heavy Booster 10 first stage also didn't achieve its full splashdown profile, the mission demonstrated the shortest interval between the second and third flights for a commercial, orbital rocket. SpaceX is ramping up Starship flights, crucial not only for the company's ambitions but also for NASA, as Starship is set to play a pivotal role in landing astronauts on the Moon during the Artemis 3 mission. The mission also included a propellant transfer demonstration within the Ship 28 upper stage and aimed to demonstrate other capabilities, although some were skipped. As SpaceX explores expanding its infrastructure, including acquiring Space Launch Complex-37 at Cape Canaveral, the Department of the Air Force is overseeing the process, with environmental impact assessments expected by September 2025.
2024년 3월 14일, 스페이스X의 스타쉽이 텍사스 상공에서 세 번째 비행 시험을 성공적으로 실시했다. 이번 임무는 기존 두 번의 임무와는 달리 인도양으로의 착수를 목표로 하며, 상업용 궤도 로켓 역사상 가장 빠른 재발사 기록을 세웠다. 스타쉽의 비행 빈도를 높이는 것은 스페이스X의 목표 달성뿐만 아니라, 2026년 예정된 아르테미스3 달 착륙 임무에서 나사의 우주비행사를 달 표면에 착륙시키기 위한 핵심 요소이다.스페이스X는 2024년에 최소 6회 이상의 추가 발사를 목표로 하고 있다.
