Elon Musk: Starship could reach hourly flights in 2-3 years
Technology
Elon Musk just revealed that Starship could be just two to three years away from hourly flights.
The Flight 14 mission, scheduled for Monday, September 28, at Starbase in south Texas, is expected to carry the first batch of Starlink V3 satellites, giving the program a more operational purpose alongside its continuing role as a test program.
SpaceX to replace Falcon 9
SpaceX plans to swap out its Falcon 9 rocket for Starship on future satellite launches at Cape Canaveral, hoping to launch more often.
But getting to hourly launches won't be easy: fueling alone takes about one-half hour, and there are still hurdles with inspections and maintenance.
The recent long gaps between flights show there's work left before this rapid-fire schedule becomes reality.