Elon Musk says SpaceX will attempt Starship's debut orbital launch next month

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on Saturday (local time) announced that they might attempt to launch the Starship rocket system for the first time in March. The billionaire said that if the remaining tests "go well" SpaceX will attempt a Starship launch next month.

Responding to a query on SpaceX's Starship on Twitter, Elon Musk on Saturday said, "If remaining tests go well, we will attempt a Starship launch next month." Notably, since the last year, Musk's company has been trying to launch the crucial test flight for its next-generation deep-space transportation system as it aims to send NASA astronauts to the moon.

If remaining tests go well, we will attempt a Starship launch next month

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk)

Earlier in January, Musk had said there was a "real shot" at launching Starship in late February, adding that a Starship launch in March appears highly likely.

SpaceX's Starship

Starship (measuring 400 feet tall) is SpaceX’s rocket that is composed of two components – the Super Heavy Booster (1st stage) and the Starship (2nd stage). It has been at the forefront of launch vehicle candidates that are capable of carrying heavy cargo and crew to low-Earth orbit (LEO), to the Moon, and even Mars.

The upcoming test flight will lift from Starbase, Texas. According to the mission profile, the Super Heavy Booster, which boasts a thrust capacity of 17.5 million pounds, will launch to orbit and land in the Gulf of Mexico. The second stage S24, on the other hand, will travel along a ballistic trajectory and re-enter Earth's atmosphere for a controlled landing about 100 km off the coast of Kauai in Hawaii.

It is worth noting that unlike the Falcon 9 rocket, which only has its first-stage reusable booster, Starship is a fully reusable launch vehicle. Although Starship's launch is highly awaited, many fear that the rocket would significantly impact its surrounding when it lifts off with such powerful force.