The SpaceX 'Starhopper' is about to make its biggest leap - CNET

The business end of the SpaceX Starship hopper prototype.

Elon Musk/SpaceX

It looks like Elon Musk's Starship prototype, dubbed "Starhopper," has the green light to make its highest hop yet as soon as Monday. 

SpaceX had plannedto test the single-engine version of its eventual Mars vehicle with its second short flight last week, but the launch was abruptly canceled.Musk later tweetedthat the Federal Aviation Administration required a bit more "hazard analysis" and Starhopper "should be clear to fly soon."

Now theFAA has posted a new airspace closurefor the area around the SpaceX test facility in Boca Chica, Texas, beginning Monday afternoon and running through Wednesday night. 

So it looks like we could finally see Starhopper make some serious maneuvers. Itslast test hopwas a short, nighttime 20-meter (66 feet) liftoff, hover and landing that was mostly obscured from view by fire, smoke and darkness. 

This time the hope is that Starhopper will reach an altitude of around 650 feet (198 meters) before returning to the ground. 

If this next hop is successful, Musk has said, he'll follow it with a public presentation "hopefully mid September," updating us on the design and vision for Starship.

Will probably make sense to do this when Starship Mk 1 has 3 Raptors, moving body fins & landing gear installed, which is hopefully mid September

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk)August 20, 2019

In previous presentations from the past view years, Musk has outlined his plans to use his next-generation heavy launcher (also previously known as BFR or Big Falcon Rocket) to help build acolony on Mars, send a group of artists on atrip around the moonand even provide transcontinental travel on Earth. 

But before any of that can happen, Starhopper needs to show it has real hopping chops, hopefully soon.

Read More