Spacex and Blue Origin to launch key rockets into space

New Delhi (Uttam Hindu News) : Billionaire Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin are set for crucial space launches this Sunday. SpaceX will conduct the fifth test flight of its 400-foot-tall Starship rocket, along with the Heavy booster, which is recognized as the world's largest and most powerful rocket. The launch is scheduled for 8 a.m. EDT (5:30 p.m. IST) from the Starbase facility near Boca Chica Beach in South Texas.

The primary goal of this fifth test flight is to achieve the first-ever return of the Super Heavy booster to the launch site, along with a successful reentry and landing of another Starship. SpaceX aims for an on-target splashdown of Starship in the Indian Ocean, building on the success of its fourth flight, which achieved the first-ever soft landing of the booster in the Gulf of Mexico. "Targeting Sunday, October 13 for Starship’s fifth flight test," SpaceX stated, emphasizing its commitment to full and rapid reusability.

In parallel, Blue Origin is making another attempt to debut its second human-rated spacecraft, following the postponement of its initial launch attempt due to technical issues. The uncrewed NS-27 mission is slated for launch at 8:30 a.m. EDT (6 p.m. IST). This mission will carry 12 research payloads, including new navigation systems and LIDAR sensors designed for lunar operations, aboard its first stage, known as Booster 5, and the crew capsule named RSS Karman Line, which represents the internationally recognized boundary of space.