SpaceX’s Starship rocket is set to make its first test flight in 2023
SpaceX
SpaceX has had a Starship ready and waiting for its fifth test flight since August, and now the company says it could launch as soon as this weekend.
What is Starship?
Starship is the most powerful rocket to fly. SpaceX aims to develop it into a rapidly reusable vehicle that can carry large payloads into orbit, land on Earth and launch another mission within hours. The company is taking a “fail fast” approach to research and development that is seen more in Silicon Valley than the conservative world of space exploration.
What will the next test flight bring?
The fifth test flight is likely to be Starship’s first attempt to capture the Super Heavy booster – the rocket’s first stage – as it descends for launch. SpaceX’s launch tower, called Mechazilla, is equipped A couple of “cheeks” that will hold the booster at a specific point and secure it, allowing it to descend to the ground.
When will the launch take place?
SpaceX it says on its website that the flight could happen as soon as October 13, pending regulatory approval.
The US Coast Guard has apparently added official weight to the claim by issuing a warning to mariners rocket launch operations are underway near Boca Chica, Texas, between 07:00 and 08:10 Central Standard Time (CST), albeit a day earlier on October 12.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which must approve each launch before it takes place, previously said Starship would not fly again until November. A spokesperson he said to him San Antonio Express-News that nothing has changed on October 3. “We’re not giving a launch permit for a launch in the next two weeks, it’s not happening. The end of November is still our target,” they said.
But the FAA has also warned pilots that a rocket could be launched in the Boca Chica area between October 13 and October 19. Neither the US Coast Guard nor the FAA responded The New Scientist request for clarification
One option is for SpaceX to announce a launch date to pressure the FAA to agree. Another is that it is considering launching without permission, what he has done in the pastSending an early Starship prototype on a high-altitude test without authorization in 2020. SpaceX was contacted The New Scientist for more details, but he did not respond.
Why does the FAA take so long to approve test flights?
It’s a question SpaceX has been asking for a long time. in one long blog post published in September, it claimed that the Starship for the 5th test flight has been ready since the previous month and is awaiting launch.
“Unfortunately, instead of focusing resources on critical safety analysis and collaborating on rational safeguards to protect the public and the environment, the licensing process has repeatedly been derailed by issues ranging from the frivolous to the downright absurd,” the post said.
But the FAA doesn’t work on the timelines that SpaceX is pushing. SpaceX wants to conduct an investigation of each launch, suggest solutions for failures and meet strict licensing requirements before each subsequent attempt. Basically, the tension arises from a fast-start operation, rubbing up against the conservative and dangerous governing body.
The FAA has previously indicated that SpaceX has done so not doing an analysis properly the effect of the sound booms caused by the shots; ago he polluted the environment With a water immersion system designed to withstand the Starship’s powerful rocket exhaust; and did not obtain all relevant permits. In response, SpaceX founder Elon Musk threatened to sue the FAA.
What happened to previous Starship launches?
Test flight 1 On April 20, 2023, three of the 33 first stage engines failed to ignite. Later several others failed during the flight. Then the rocket went out of control and started its self-destruct function.
The 2nd test flight on November 18, 2023 went further, reaching enough altitude that the first and second stages separated as planned. But when the first stage rotated to begin its deceleration and landing procedure, it exploded. The second stage continued with great success at an altitude of about 149 kilometers, crossing the road Kármán line this is often thought to mark the beginning of space. However, a protective feature destroyed it when it stopped transmitting data before it had a chance to complete an orbit or return to Earth.
Test Flight 3 on March 14, 2024 was at least a partial success, reaching space, conducting fuel transfer tests, and traveling farther and faster than ever before. But the craft failed to make the planned soft landing after losing attitude control mid-flight.
Test flight 4 June 6 of this year saw its biggest success to date, with Starship reaching an altitude of over 200 kilometers into orbit and traveling at over 27,000 kilometers per hour. The booster and upper stages formed gentle splashes in the ocean. There were dramatic scenes as the Starship re-entered Earth’s atmosphere as high temperatures burned the skin of one of its control fins, which the company says it has fixed with new heat-resistant tile designs.
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