SpaceX is scheduled to launch its first Starship orbital test flight in July

SpaceX could drive Starship’s first orbital test flight in a matter of weeks. Second to CNBC, SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell told those at the online International Space Development conference that the company was “shooting for July” when planning the orbital trip. Shotwell was aware of the challenges, but said his company was “really on track” for that key journey.

The current orbital flight plan has a prototype Starship launched from Boca Chica, Texas, and dropping its Super Heavy reinforcement stage in the Gulf of Mexico after about three minutes. The spacecraft would enter orbit and make a freshwater landing near Hawaii after a total time of about 90 minutes.

As before, this doesn’t assume any major complications – and this has been SpaceX’s biggest problem so far. The private space flight company loses numerous prototypes of Starship at first attacked the landing of May. While these include high-altitude flights, the orbit has its own share of risks. While some of the main difficulties are in the past, there is no guarantee that the refinements made since then will guarantee a smooth journey this time around.