I did a quick search. Energy conservation. It will take numerous earth orbits and getting farther out each time. They will be using that time to run various tests of the system.
They will spend 16 days in lunar orbit. I suppose for additional data gathering.
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I wanted to see what the difference was with the Saturn V. I was surprised to read that the SpaceX has twice as much thrust power in it’s engine. Something to do with the Saturn V using a 3 stage vs a 2 stage system was better for the moon. BUT:
“The Saturn V had a specific mission to deliver crew and cargo to lunar orbit. During each Saturn V mission, the different stages were discarded when they weren’t needed anymore. Ground crews rebuilt the rocket for the next mission.
Starship allows for more diverse missions like Mars exploration and lunar landings. Its reusability makes space exploration much more affordable, putting ambitious missions, such as crewed flights to Mars, within reach economically.”
SpaceX is scheduled to launch its Starship Flight 7 mission at 5 p.m. EST (2200 GMT) on Thursday, Jan. 16 - unless it gets pushed back again due to heavy overcast.
I think we’re talking about the Falcon, not the Starship. But your point is well-taken.