In the next few days, we hear that a Starship orbital test flight is about to land near our tiny home, Kauai. We’ve seen various prospective dates between April 12 and April 17.
This is on SpaceX’s plan to develop Starships carrying people and cargo to the moon, Mars, and beyond. The major reusable rocket’s first stage, SuperHeavy, will end up in the Pacific Ocean, not far from here.
Last month SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said the flight starting in Texas could launch sometime in mid-April. But recently, we’ve seen the date get pushed forward.
The preparations are in place, at least in Texas. We’re not so sure about here on Kauai. NASA is said to have readied the use of a high-altitude WB-57 aircraft to observe the test flight.
The Starship vehicle is intended as the lunar lander for future moon-bound Artemis.
The test flight will circle the globe before zoning in on Kauai.
Upon launch from Texas, the nearly 400-foot tall Ship24 vehicle will circle the globe once before its intended splashdown in the Pacific about 60 miles north of Kauai. Elon Musk said that he believes there is a 50% success chance on this first try. He added, “So I think we’ve got, hopefully, about an 80% chance of reaching orbit this year.
Mariners off Kauai are being notified to avoid the area during the period of the possible rocket launch.
Prior tests didn’t go as planned, so…
In 2021 Starship was able to land successfully following a number of failed attempts that ended badly.
What is Starship?
According to the manufacturer, “SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket – collectively called Starship – represent a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond. Starship will be the world’s most powerful launch vehicle ever developed, capable of carrying up to 150 metric tonnes fully reusable and 250 metric tonnes expendable.”
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This article is misrrepresenting the facts. Starship isn’t ‘splash landing’ is going to explode on impact with the destructive power of a ton of TNT that blew up the Oklahoma Edward Murrow building. If the flight is off by a few degrees the crash could hit Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. The debris is going to sink or pollute the area. What if it his Kauai? Why is the FAA allowing SpaceX to make Hawaii a sacrifice zone to test a rocket. Musk is reckless and Hawaii should protect itself from his hubris and meglomania. We are all expendable collateral damage.
Come on. SpaceX is working to provide global Internet coverage, drastically lower cost access to space, and to build a human colony on Mars. This area is unpopulated and there’s zero chance that it “veres off course”. Physics should tell you that an object with that kind of mass continues flying in the direction it’s headed, it doesn’t take scenic detours.
You’re reporting that “previous Starship attempts ended badly”, but it is not correct. I would even say previous attempts were successful. This is how space is – you develop, build, then you test. The goal is not to land on Mars on the first attempt! The goal is to see what happens and record the data, and advance the current build and technology. So that is why the previous attempts were successful. The public just sees a random crash and thinks it is a failure, but it is quite the opposite – this is how the impossible becomes possible.
Native Hawaiians did love navigating by the stars…
Why should we the people have to avoid a huge swath of the planet in order to accommodate Elon and his private company. Unless he’s paying an exorbitant fee for that right we should all bring boats to the area, hope he hits one of them and collect on a billion dollar lawsuit. Amazing how we coddle billionaires.
The federal government is in partnership with this and similar efforts with the private sector. What’s your real beef?
I highly doubt that Musk will be held liable for you parking your boat in an area that the whole world knows the Starship is splashing down in; especially since you have been notified over a month in advance and the actual event will be broadcast live, the recovery will be supervised by Navy and USCG. The “wide swath” will narrow dramatically the day of the event, and it will all be over about 90 minutes from de-orbit burn to recovery.
The Starship will be recovered, the big ships will leave and Kauai will be none the worse for it.
false false false.
the starship is Not going to be recovered it is going to blow up on impact.
Check the facts before postings like this.
Hawaii will likely impose the 18% rental tax to any Starship that comes close to Kauai.
Dearest Beat of Hawaii,
I cannot believe my eyes. Are you sure this isn’t an April Fools joke?
All while we worry about visitors trying to touch a humpback whale.
(Don’t do it people!)
I think that’s the worst idea Elon has ever had.
Again, Mahalo Nui Loa
Hi Pam.
Thank you! Not joke. This may happen as soon as tomorrow. Due to land in the water 60 miles north off Hanalei Bay.
Aloha.
This is a boon for Hawaii, No complaints! Hawaii could and should be a starport/spaceport/launch center. It makes a ton of real-world sense.
Instead of spending billions of dollars trying to go the moon maybe we should be spending that kind of money fixing the problems we have here at home on this planet.
There is a good chance that with recent advancements in superconductors will actually finally open up the real possibility of fusion reactors and with that we will be wanting the Helium-3 on the lunar surface to power these reactors. Near limitless energy will help us reduce/remove green house gases and raise the quality of life on this planet. Or we can just keep doing what we are doing.
hoping that fusion is going to save us is doing what we’ve been doing business as usual fusion is hyped as endless energy but tritium is rare and expensive. don’t drink the fusion kookaide.