US president-elect Donald Trump appears to be planning to attend the latest test launch of Elon Musk’s SpaceX ‘Starship’.
ADVERTISEMENTDonald Trump may attend a SpaceX rocket launch on Tuesday, a move that further indicates Elon Musk’s influence in the US president-elect’s orbit.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued temporary flight restrictions over in Texas for a VIP visit that coincides with the SpaceX launch window for a test of its massive Starship rocket from its facility on the Gulf of Mexico.
The flight restrictions in place over Trump’s home in Palm Beach, Florida when he is there will be lifted briefly while the Texas security measures are in place.
Musk has been a near-constant presence at Trump’s side as he builds out his incoming government, attending meetings at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club, accompanying him to meetings with Capitol Hill Republicans in Washington last week and a martial arts fighting championship in New York on Saturday.
Trump frequently regaled audiences on the campaign trail with a dramatic account of the last Starship test.
It included the capture of the booster at its launchpad by a pair of mechanical arms.
When is the SpaceX test flight launch?
Tuesday’s 30-minute launch window opens at 4 pm local time (11:00 pm CET), according to the company.
SpaceX is looking to test the landing capture system of the booster in Texas, while the upper stage continues to a splashdown in the Indian Ocean.
Musk pumped an estimated $200 million (€184.9 million) through his political action committee to help elect Trump.
He was recently named to lead an advisory committee to cut government costs, which has sparked ethics concerns over Musk’s many interests before the federal government.
The Trump transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the president-elect’s plans.
