For the second time this week, SpaceX is preparing for the maiden test flight of Starship, the company’s most ambitious rocket to date and the most powerful rocket ever built. If successful, Starship could become the vehicle of choice to take astronauts back to the moon or perhaps even take humanity on its first-ever journey to Mars.
Starship is poised for liftoff as early as Thursday during a one-hour launch window starting at 8:28 a.m. CT (9:28 a.m. ET). The rocket will be launching from Starbase, SpaceX’s private spaceport at the southernmost point of Texas. Similar to other missions, the Starship test flight will be livestreamed on SpaceX’s website about 45 minutes before the scheduled liftoff.
This will be Starship’s second attempt at a test flight. The rocket was initially set for its maiden flight on Monday, but the launch was halted due to a valve issue. The SpaceX team ended up treating the rest of the launch attempt as a “wet dress rehearsal,” with the private space company going through Starship’s launch steps except for the rocket’s actual liftoff.
The Test Flight
Starship is a very imposing rocket and is comprised of two sections. At its bottom lies the Super Heavy booster, a 230-foot-tall (69 meters) cylinder equipped with 33 engines, and sitting atop it is the 164-foot-tall (50 meters) Starship spacecraft.
Upon ignition, the booster is expected to propel the spacecraft over the Gulf of Mexico toward space. At around two and a half minutes after takeoff, the Super Heavy rocket booster is expected to separate from the Starship spacecraft and descend into the ocean. The Starship spacecraft will then utilize its engines for over six minutes to reach almost orbital speeds.
Starship is expected to complete nearly a full orbit of Earth before re-entering the atmosphere near Hawaii. Provided that everything goes according to plan, Starship would be splashing down in the Pacific Ocean about an hour and a half after it takes off from Texas, as noted in a CNN report.
Elon Musk Sets Expectations
While there is much humor to be inspired by Starship’s possible 4/20 maiden flight, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has tempered expectations about the upcoming rocket launch. Musk has noted that “success is not what should be expected… That would be insane,” when it comes to the test flight. Musk would know, considering his vast experience with rocket-building that began way back during Falcon 1’s days from 2006 to 2008.
Starship development has taken place at SpaceX’s Texas spaceport. Early testing of Starship started with “hop tests” of several prototypes, which progressed from short flights a few dozen feet off the ground to high-altitude flights. And while many of the tests ended in massive explosions, one suborbital flight test in May 2021 proved successful. Footage from the test looked like something from a sci-fi movie.
Musk’s tempered expectations for Starship’s maiden test flight should come as no surprise. Back when SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket made its first launch in 2018, Musk estimated only a 50-50 chance of success. At the time, Musk even joked that people came from all over the world to witness either an amazing rocket launch or the best fireworks display they had ever seen. Fortunately, the Falcon Heavy launch was successful, and it provided some of the most iconic images of modern spaceflight in the form of Starman and his red Tesla Roadster floating in space.
SpaceX’s livestream for Starship’s second test flight attempt can be viewed below.
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Starlink gets its latest airline adoptee for stable and reliable internet access
The company said it plans to “rapidly integrate Starlink into its fleet,” and that the first Starlink-equipped aircraft will enter service this Summer.
SpaceX’s Starlink, the satellite internet program launched by Elon Musk’s company, has gotten its latest airline adoptee, offering stable and reliable internet to passengers.
Southwest Airlines announced on Wednesday that it would enable Starlink on its aircraft, a new strategy that will expand to more than 300 planes by the end of the year.
The company said it plans to “rapidly integrate Starlink into its fleet,” and that the first Starlink-equipped aircraft will enter service this Summer.
Tony Roach, Executive Vice President, Chief Customer and Brand Officer for the airline, said:
“Free WiFi has been a huge hit with our Rapid Rewards Members, and we know our Customers expect seamless connectivity across all their devices when they travel. Starlink delivers that at-home experience in the air, giving Customers the ability to stream their favorite shows from any platform, watch live sports, download music, play games, work, and connect with loved ones from takeoff to landing.”
Southwest also said that this is just one of the latest upgrades it is making to provide a more well-rounded experience to its aircraft. In addition to Starlink, it is updating cabin designs, offering more legroom, and installing in-seat power to all passengers.
Southwest became one of several airlines to cross over to Starlink, as reviews for the internet provider have raved about reliability and speed. Over the past year, Hawaiian Airlines, United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, airBaltic, Air France, JSX, Emirates, British Airways, and others have all decided to install Starlink on their planes.
This has been a major move away from unpredictable and commonly unreliable WiFi offerings on planes. Starlink has been more reliable and has provided more stable connections for those using their travel time for leisure or business.
Jason Fritch, VP of Starlink Enterprise Sales at SpaceX, said:
“We’re thrilled to deliver a connectivity experience to Southwest Airlines and its Customers that really is similar, if not better, than what you can experience in your own home. Starlink is the future of connected travel, making every journey faster, smoother, and infinitely more enjoyable.”
Starlink recently crossed a massive milestone of over 10 million subscribers.
Elon Musk
Tesla nears closure of Full Self-Driving purchasing option
The move to bring FSD to this type of purchasing program comes after CEO Elon Musk noted in January that Tesla would move away from the outright purchase option.
Tesla is nearing the closure of its Full Self-Driving outright purchasing option, which will be removed on February 14, meaning Saturday will be the last time it can be bought as a non-subscription.
Tesla is aiming to move its Full Self-Driving suite to a subscription-only platform, a move that will enable people to only pay monthly for the semi-autonomous driving functionality.
The move to bring FSD to this type of purchasing program comes after CEO Elon Musk noted in January that Tesla would move away from the outright purchase option.
It is currently priced at $8,000 for the outright option to use Full Self-Driving, a substantial decrease compared to the $15,000 it was priced at one time. For the monthly subscription, it is just $99 per month, but that price will change, likely increasing as things get more advanced.
Tesla is overhauling its Full Self-Driving subscription for easier access
We say it will likely increase because there is no indication of how Tesla will price FSD. There has been some speculation that Tesla could utilize a tiered system to price FSD, which would potentially allow owners to pick and choose a set of features that would be most ideal for them.
This would potentially introduce an even more affordable option for FSD use, but this is unconfirmed. The reason many say this could be an option for Tesla is the fact that if the price goes up further, the take rate, which is currently around 12 percent at its most recent estimate, could be lower.
Musk needs 10 million active Full Self-Driving subscriptions to unlock one of the tranches of his newest compensation package.
The move to a subscription-only platform has its positives and negatives, and owners have been more than vocal about these since Musk confirmed the move.
Positives
- Lower barrier to entry and higher potential adoption
- Financially better for many users
- Easier transfers and brand loyalty
- Predictable recurring revenue for Tesla
- Access to the latest features
Negatives
- Higher long-term cost for loyal/long-term owners
- No true “ownership” or permanence
- Risk of future price hikes or even deactivation
- Perceived as of less value
- Impact on resale and used market
Overall, there is a split among the Tesla community in terms of what they see as the “right” way to handle this. Tesla is likely to shed more details on what its plans for the subscription-only platform will be, including pricing, in the coming weeks.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk’s Boring Company selected for Universal Orlando tunnel project
The underground transport tunnel is designed to address the persistent gridlock surrounding International Drive.
Elon Musk’s The Boring Company has been selected for a proposed underground transit system connecting Universal Orlando Resort and the newly opened Universal Epic Universe.
The underground transport tunnel is designed to address the persistent gridlock surrounding International Drive.
As noted in a blooloop report, Universal’s Shingle Creek Transit and Utility Community Development District approved a resolution showing its intent to designate The Boring Company as the contractor for the project.
The agreement covers the full scope of the project, from the tunnel’s design, construction, and maintenance. The project has also been described in public documents as a “point-to-point innovative transportation” initiative with a 25-year agreement.
The proposed Boring Company tunnels would directly link Universal’s existing parks with Epic Universe, which sits roughly three miles away from Universal Orlando Resort. Today, buses are the only direct connection between the two destinations.
Project requirements were quite stringent. Bidders were required to demonstrate at least $75 million in bonding capacity, have a minimum of seven years of operational experience, and show prior delivery of a comparable project valued at $25 million or more within the past 15 years. The Boring Company, thanks in no small part to the Vegas Loop, meets these requirements.
The Orlando selection adds to The Boring Company’s growing portfolio of Loop-style systems. In Las Vegas, the Las Vegas Convention Center Loop has transported more than two million passengers in Tesla vehicles through underground tunnels since 2021. The greater Vegas Loop system is also under construction.
For now, residents in the area seem enthusiastic about the upcoming project. In a comment to Fox35, residents noted that the tunnels could improve traffic in the area.
“We are very congested at certain times and certain hours and that would certainly help with people not having to budget their time,” Mary Walters-Clark, a resident, stated. Another resident, Scott Heinz, echoed similar sentiments. “I think it would be a new opportunity to lessen traffic load and good for visitors as well,” he said.
The tunneling startup has started bringing its Loop projects to international locations. It recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority to explore the development of a 17-kilometer underground Loop network beneath Dubai.
Starlink gets its latest airline adoptee for stable and reliable internet access
Tesla nears closure of Full Self-Driving purchasing option
