[Startrek (Martin)]

Over the past couple of months Space X have been trying to satisfy the FAA’s requirements to gain a launch licence for their next integrated test flight of Starship , ITF5 which will be the most ambitious test flight to date.
This next test flight will see Space X attempt to catch the returning booster in gigantic chopsticks on the Mechazilla tower. If successful this IMO will be one of the greatest feats of space flight engineering since landing on the moon in 1969.
Space X have a set of strict Go No Go parameters which must be met before committing the descending booster to a “catch” and with less than a minute or two to decide , otherwise the booster may fall aimlessly to crash into the Mechazilla tower or surrounding area which would be catastrophic.

Starship itself will complete a planned sub orbital flight ( at near orbital velocity) , a controlled re entry and soft landing in the Indian Ocean off the west coast of Australia , similar to ITF4.

At this stage ITF5 is scheduled for the 13th October , time TBC ( local ) pending FAA approval of launch licence. After reading some recent news items on this proposed flight , NASA is supposedly putting pressure on the FAA to get their act together and approve the licence.

Can’t wait to see this flight and attempt something that has never been done before in the history of space flight.

Good luck Space X , your gonna need it !