SpaceX’s massive Starship vehicle, meant to pave the way for astronauts to visit the Moon and Mars, is preparing to launch for the first time. The flight would make Starship the most powerful rocket ever to leave Earth’s surface. No people will be on board for the first full test, which had been scheduled for 17 April but has now been delayed for at least 48 hours due to a frozen pressure valve.
Scientists say that as well as ferrying astronauts into deep space, Starship could enable new types of astrophysics and planetary science — because it can launch heavier science payloads, such as telescopes and interplanetary spacecraft, than other space vehicles can. SpaceX got approval to launch Starship on 14 April from the US Federal Aviation Administration.
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