In 3 to 5 weeks

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US billionaire Elon Musk's company SpaceX plans to send its "Starship" rocket, the largest rocket system ever built in the history of space travel, on another test flight in the next three to five weeks.

"The goal is for the rocket to exceed its maximum heat output, or at least go further than last time," said CEO Elon Musk in response to a corresponding question on his short messaging service X (formerly Twitter).

Rocket burns up on third test flight
At the beginning of the year, the SpaceX rocket almost managed a complete test flight through space on its third attempt. However, after making it further than ever before, it burned up on its return to Earth. Musk's long-term plans for the space rocket also include manned flights to Mars.

Designed to enable flights to the moon and Mars
The "Starship" - consisting of the approximately 70-metre-long "Super Heavy" booster and the approximately 50-metre-long upper stage (also called "Starship") - is designed to enable manned missions to the Earth's moon and Mars. The system is designed in such a way that both the spaceship and the rocket can be reused after returning to Earth.

The system, which is around 120 meters long in total, should be able to transport well over 100 tons of cargo in the future. NASA wants to use the "Starship" to take astronauts to the moon again.