Her latest book, 'Why Am I Taller?', is co-written with astronaut Dave Williams. Elizabeth's reporting includes multiple exclusives with the White House and Office of the Vice-President of the United States, an exclusive conversation with aspiring space tourist (and NSYNC bassist) Lance Bass, speaking several times with the International Space Station, witnessing five human spaceflight launches on two continents, working inside a spacesuit, and participating in a simulated Mars mission. She was contributing writer for (opens in new tab) for 10 years before joining full-time, freelancing since 2012. Starship will boost itself to orbit, circle Earth once and return over the Pacific Ocean, near the Hawaiian island of Kauai, about 90 minutes after launch.įollow Elizabeth Howell on Twitter Follow us on Twitter and on Facebook.Įlizabeth Howell (she/her), Ph.D., is a staff writer in the spaceflight channel since 2022 covering diversity, education and gaming as well.

The orbital flight plan submitted to the FAA suggests the Super Heavy Booster 4, after hefting its first Starship prototype to orbit, will splash down in the Gulf of Mexico roughly 20 miles (32 kilometers) offshore. SpaceX has tested several prototypes in flight, but this will be the first orbital attempt for the Starship program. Those items are final heat shield tiles for Starship, thermal protection for Super Heavy's engines, more ground system propellant storage tanks, and a quick-disconnect arm for Starship, which will likely be attached to the pad's gantry tower. On Twitter, Musk also wrote that Starship and its Super Heavy booster need at least '4 significant items' before they'd be ready to fly. SpaceX is also waiting on a Starship launch operations environmental review from the Federal Aviation Administration, which has an unclear completion date. Both the Super Heavy and Starship SN20 are expected to undergo separate static fire tests.

The spacecraft and its rocket must undergo numerous technical examinations before getting clearance to lift off from the launch pad near the village of Boca Chica, Texas. Together they stand 395 feet tall (120 m), taller than any other rocket including NASA's famous Saturn V moon rocket, which was 363 feet tall (110 m).īut when the duo will blast off for the first-ever Starship orbital flight attempt is unknown. Super Heavy alone stands 230 feet (70 meters) tall and the Starship craft adds another 165 feet (50 m) of height.

Pictures of a rocketship