SpaceX selects date for next Starship launch that has more stakes than ever before

SpaceX, in a significant move, has announced its fourth Starship launch scheduled for June 5, pending regulatory approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This launch marks another milestone in the company's ambitious space exploration journey.

Starship has been launched three times, and each of those launches had the main mission objective of reaching orbit. SpaceX managed to reach orbit on its last launch, along with the separation between the Super Heavy booster and Starship. With that goal out of the way, the Elon Musk-led company is switching its focus to arguably the most important part of Starship, getting it back on the ground safely and undamaged to enable reliable reusability.

Given the immersive size of Starship, 400-feet in total, it's not going to be easy to land the world's largest rocket. Before any land-based attempts are made, SpaceX will first gather its bearings over the ocean. Once it's happy there, it will move to rocket launch pads at its facilities.

Despite the difficultly ahead of them, SpaceX is making an attempt for it with the company explaining Flight 4 will be focussed on demonstrating the ability to "return and reuse Starship and Super Heavy". More specifically, SpaceX's primary objective will be executing a landing burn and soft splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico with the Super Heavy booster, while also achieving a controlled entry of Starship.

For those not well-versed in space jargon, here's a simplified version of SpaceX's mission. The company will be testing a heat shield on the Super Heavy booster as it re-enters the atmosphere. As it approaches the Gulf of Mexico, the booster will engage its boosters to slow down and attempt a 'soft' landing in the ocean. Similarly, SpaceX aims to demonstrate its control over Starship's entry as it re-enters the atmosphere.