SpaceX’s Starship rocket ahead of first test flight in 2023
SpaceX
SpaceX is preparing Starship and awaiting its fifth test flight since August, and the company now claims it could launch as early as this weekend.
What is Starship?
Starship is the most powerful rocket that can fly. SpaceX aims to develop it into a rapidly reusable vehicle that can lift large payloads into orbit, land them back on Earth, and launch another mission within hours. The company has taken a “fail fast” approach to research and development more common in Silicon Valley than the conservative world of space exploration.
What will the next test flight include?
The fifth test flight will likely be the first attempt to catch the rocket’s first stage, Starship’s Super Heavy Booster, falling back to the launch pad. SpaceX’s launch pad, called Mechazilla, is equipped with a pair of “chopsticks” that grab and hold the booster at a specific point, allowing it to be lowered to the ground.
When will it be released?
SpaceX The website says Pending regulatory approval, flights could take place as early as October 13.
The U.S. Coast Guard appears to have added official weight to the claim by issuing a statement. warning to sailors Rocket launch operations are underway near Boca Chica, Texas, from 7 a.m. to 8:10 a.m. Central Time (CST), albeit a day earlier, on October 12.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which must approve each launch, previously said Starship would not fly again until November. spokesman said San Antonio Express-News On October 3, nothing changed. “We are not issuing launch approvals for launches scheduled to launch within the next two weeks. That doesn’t happen. “The target date is still the end of November,” he said.
However, the FAA warned pilots that rocket launches could occur in the Boca Chica area between Oct. 13 and Oct. 19. Neither the U.S. Coast Guard nor the FAA responded. new scientist I ask for clarification.
One possibility is that SpaceX is announcing a launch date to pressure the FAA for approval. Another thing is that they are considering launching it without approval. What I did in the pastIn 2020, an early Starship prototype was sent for high-altitude testing without permission. SpaceX was contacted by: new scientist I contacted them for more details but received no response.
Why does it take so long for the FAA to approve a test flight?
This is a question SpaceX has been asking for a long time. at long blog post This newspaper, published last September, complained that the Starship for the fifth test flight had been prepared a month ago and was awaiting launch.
“Unfortunately, instead of focusing resources on critical safety analyzes and collaborating on reasonable safeguards to protect both the public and the environment, the licensing process has been repeatedly derailed by issues ranging from the trivial to the outrageous,” the post said.
However, the FAA is not operating according to the time frame that SpaceX is pushing. SpaceX wants to conduct an investigation into each launch, propose solutions for failures, and adhere to strict licensing requirements ahead of subsequent attempts. Essentially, the tension stems from the friction of fast-paced startup operations with conservative, risk-averse government agencies.
The FAA previously announced that SpaceX The analysis was not done properly. Effects of sonic booms from launches; that it has polluted the environment a water flooding system designed to counter Starship’s powerful rocket exhaust; All appropriate permits were not obtained. In response, SpaceX founder Elon Musk threatened to sue the FAA.
What happened during previous Starship launches?
During the first test flight on April 20, 2023, three of the first stage’s 33 engines failed to ignite. Several more failed during subsequent flights. This will cause the rocket to go out of control and trigger its self-destruct function.
The second test flight on November 18, 2023 went even further and gained enough altitude to separate the first and second stages as planned. However, the first stage exploded as it rotated to begin the deceleration and landing procedure. The second stage continued successfully to an altitude of approximately 149 km, passing the Kármán line, marking the beginning of the universe. However, its protection destroyed it when it stopped transmitting data before it had a chance to complete its orbit or return to Earth.
Test Flight 3 on March 14, 2024 was at least partially successful, reaching space, performing fuel delivery tests, and flying farther and faster than before. However, attitude control failed during flight and the planned soft landing failed.
The fourth test flight on June 6 this year was the most successful flight to date, with Starship reaching orbit at an altitude of more than 200 kilometers and traveling at a speed of more than 27,000 kilometers per hour. Both the booster and top stage achieved a smooth splashdown in the ocean. There were dramatic scenes when the Starship re-entered Earth’s atmosphere as the extreme temperatures burned the skin on one of its control fins. The company says it has revised this with a new heat-resistant tile design.
subject:
