SpaceX's Unexpected Launch Date for Starship Flight 12 Revealed! Later than We thought, But…

Please tell me you haven't booked your trip to Starbase yet. Many people probably have planned to do so, fueled by the kind of optimism I usually reserve for thinking I will actually use my gym membership this month. But hold on just a second, perhaps we should wait a little longer as many unexpected developments have occurred and will continue to occur, prompting you to readjust your schedule like me trying to find a weekend where none of my friends have a destination wedding. Similarly, the ERS-34 mission has also been postponed, proving that even multi-million dollar space missions have I-can't-even days when the weather doesn't cooperate. Meanwhile, NASA's Psyche spacecraft is about to fly by Mars, which is basically the celestial equivalent of a high-speed drive-by to use someone's Wi-Fi. Let's find out more on today's episode of GreatSpaceX, the only place where we track rockets more closely than we track our own pizza deliveries. We just witnessed an incredible and impressive full wet dress rehearsal as a highlight of Starship's robust testing campaign, and it was honestly more satisfying to watch than a perfectly organized spreadsheet. Following the test, S-39 was destacked from B-19 and we all collectively expected some simple pad checks and a smooth countdown to launch on May 15th. But surprisingly, there were some major changes that came out of left field, much like an unexpected bill for a subscription service you forgot you signed up for 3 years ago. Firstly, regarding the launch date. After much anticipation, SpaceX finally released a spicy update on X. Starship's 12th flight test will debut the next generation Starship and Super Heavy vehicles, powered by the next evolution of the Raptor engine, and launching from a newly designed pad at Starbase. The launch is targeted as early as Tuesday, May 19th. In the web update, they further indicated a launch time of 5.30pm central, which is perfectly timed for those of us who want to ignore our evening chores. Additionally, the launch procedure and flight upgrades were also mentioned in the update, but we'll discuss that in a later episode because my brain can only handle so much technical brilliance all at once. Musk also emphasized the timeline with a classic succinct tweet, Starship launch next week. In fact, the launch date has been revealed slightly earlier in an update related to the Flight Hazard Warning, which is the adult version of a Do Not Enter sign on a bedroom door. It showed that the launch date had been postponed on the 19th, with backup dates extending from the 20th to the 22nd, and the 26th to the 28th. The update also included a map clearly outlining the hazardous operation area with the previously published new route, which looks like a very intense version of a Google Maps detour. That means the launch dates from the 15th to the 18th are now omitted, and my most recent prediction was wrong, which hurts my pride almost as much as seeing my screen time report on a Monday morning. The launch schedule will be delayed by at least 4 days. As I said, it's not too long of a wait, but it will still require you to rearrange your schedule, especially since this event will fall in the middle of the week. That may be quite inconvenient for many people who have things like jobs and responsibilities to attend to, which honestly feels as if I'm getting personally attacked at this point. Of course, May 19th will still only be the primary launch date, and we all know how primary dates like to play hard to get. The backup dates will still be spread out until the end of the month, so you can still make predictions about the launch date, even though SpaceX has provided an official update. The question we're all asking is, why the delay? So, it's possible that SpaceX just needs more time to check everything thoroughly, which is the Aerospace version of measure twice, cut once. The week from the test completion until May 19th will allow SpaceX to roll the hardware, which is a logistical ballet involving giant machines and nerves of steel. Initially, I thought the roll wouldn't happen, but the reality once again shattered my predictions, much like my smartphone when I dropped it face down. The schedule for the roll was announced, and on the morning of the 12th, S39 moved back to Megabay 2 to get some TLC. As for B19, that same afternoon, it was lifted away from the pad with the kind of precision that makes me jealous. Immediately afterward, it was rolled back to Megabay 1. With these movements, the stages will be thoroughly checked with the support of the high-tech systems inside the bays. These checks can be divided into several main parts to ensure we don't have any mid-air whoopsies. First will be the engines and fuel tank, which are the parts directly involved in the latest testing effort and are essentially the heart and lungs of the beast. They must ensure stability to ensure a successful launch because nobody wants a rocket that decides to take an unscheduled break halfway to orbit. Parts not directly involved in testing include the payload, the heat shield on the ship, the navigation systems, and the hot staging on the booster. Spending time on such thorough checks will ensure that the systems will function smoothly, just as they did during the rehearsals. Besides the vehicle, this checking time is also dedicated to the launch pad, which takes a literal beating every time those engines fire up. During the recent testing campaign, problems appeared in many locations, which is expected when you're playing with fire on this scale. For example, we saw issues with sensors in the flame trench pipe, the venting tube on the tower, and even debris flying out from the pad, damaging the gas generator. The launch pad needs to be closely monitored for the remainder of the mission to ensure success in those crucial first few seconds of flight. After the checks are finished, the final installations will proceed. These include the payload on the ship and the FTS, or flight termination system, on both stages, which is the self-destruct button we hope never gets pushed. So what happens next? Will both stages return to the pad for launch immediately? Currently, it's quite difficult to predict as SpaceX likes to keep us on our toes more than a fitness instructor. Along with the movements, a temporary flight restriction notice was issued for operations from the 12th to the 15th, indicating coverage of Starbase, including the launch site. Such coverage could signal a major test, such as a static fire, which is always a crowd pleaser. And if it's the Massey's area, it can only be for the ship, which is the star of the show. At this point, there are two possibilities, either for S40 or S39. If it's S40, everything is normal as it follows the usual procedure after this ship completed its cryogenic testing earlier this month. But if it's for S39, that would be a genuine surprise, like finding an extra chicken nugget in your 10-piece box. Because S39 has been tested before and even went to the pad for the wet dress rehearsal, another test would be an extra layer of caution. Of course, the chances of testing the S39 again are quite low because testing and moving it would take a lot of time. SpaceX has already scheduled a launch for May 19th and they aren't exactly known for wanting to sit around and wait. However, if SpaceX is determined to test the S39, they could do so and then postpone the launch as the launch window seems to be open until the 28th. SpaceX also stated on its website, as is the case with all developmental testing, the schedule is dynamic and likely to change. So hopefully, you will continue to follow and support SpaceX during this crucial final preparation period. Please let me know within, I'm still waiting in the comment section so I know I'm not the only one refreshing my feed every 5 minutes. Then, don't forget to continue liking this video and subscribe to our channel to continue following SpaceX's development journey with Flight 12 being the next massive highlight. And on behalf of the great SpaceX team, I want to send big thanks to all the viewers for your support. You crazy people have helped us reach our dream milestone of 200k subscribers. We jokingly call it our second YouTube silver play button because one just isn't enough for our growing space family. This is definitely a significant milestone for the channel after many years and we are fortunate to have so many loyal viewers who have followed us through every scrub and every landing. Of course, we're not going to stop there as our next goal is more than double this one that we just achieved. We're going for 500k, half a million and eventually, who knows, a million subscribers? Sounds like a lot of people but hey, space is pretty big so why not? To achieve that, we have to improve and upgrade many things like the Starship E3. But your support will certainly be a deciding factor in our mission success. A simple subscribe click will bring us closer to those goals while you'll be among the first in the world to receive the latest updates on SpaceX and the aerospace industry. So, what are you waiting for? Join our community now! Alright, now let's move on to other industry news because SpaceX isn't the only one trying to leave the planet. Firstly, we'll talk about the CRS-34 mission which we discussed in the previous episode. Originally, SpaceX aimed for a launch on the 12th but as we mentioned, life happened. The launch has been postponed and SpaceX announced on X due to unfavorable weather now targeting tomorrow, the 13th, for Falcon 9's launch of the CRS-34 mission to the space station. The launch time is set at 6.50 PM Eastern which is prime, watching a rocket while eating dinner time. This was actually predictable as in the first update, SpaceX indicated the weather on May 12th was only 35% favorable and I know some of you gals out there don't like those odds for your hair, let alone a rocket. So, if all goes well, this spacecraft will get to the International Space Station on the 14th around 7.35 AM Eastern Daylight Savings Time. That is when the Dragon capsule docks autonomously to the forward port of the Harmony module which is basically a very high-speed, high-stakes parallel parking job. The capsule will stay attached to the ISS for just a month, returning to Earth in mid-June to tell all its friends about the trip. In any case, safety is a top priority for an ISS resupply mission which takes place months apart and keeps the astronauts from having to forage for snacks. So, let's wait and see how the mission progresses and hope the weather decides to be a team player. And now, let's talk about the journey of the NASA's Psyche probe as it passes near Mars which is a huge deal for anyone who likes shiny rocks. On the 15th of May, NASA's Psyche spacecraft will pass within 2,800 miles of Mars to gain a gravity assist. This boost helps the craft reach 12,333 miles per hour as it heads toward 16 Psyche, a 173-mile-wide asteroid in the solar system's bad neighborhood. Arriving in 2029, the mission will study an exposed planetary core which is like getting to see the engine of a car without having to take the whole thing apart. To save on xenon propellant and calibrate its multispectral imager, the craft will capture thousands of observations of the red planet. This work has already begun as the spacecraft is currently squinting at its target to prepare for the journey ahead. Sarah Baristow, Psyche's mission planning lead at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said in a NASA statement, We are now exactly on target for the flyby, and we've programmed the flight computer with everything the spacecraft will do throughout May. This is our first opportunity in flight to calibrate Psyche's imager with something bigger than a few pixels, and we'll also make observations with the mission's science instruments. This flyby offers a chance to capture high-resolution photos that impressively showcase the spacecraft's journey, like taking a selfie at a rest stop on a long road trip, but with much higher resolution. These observations will provide further insights into Mars before humans actually reach the planet in a few years. Stay tuned for updates on what is sure to be a wild ride through the gravity well. And that brings us to the end of today's episode. I'm already looking forward to the next one, are you? Thank you so much for tuning in and spending your valuable time with me. As always, this has been Kevin from Great SpaceX, signing off. Until next time, keep looking up, and keep dreaming big.