The fifth test of the world’s most powerful Starship rocket will take place today, October 13 at around 5:30 p.m. It will launch from Boca Chica, Texas. Super heavy spacecraft and rockets are collectively called “Starship”.
The main objective of this Starship test is to bring the super heavy space booster back to the launch site and catch it. The spacecraft will re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere and land in the Indian Ocean. This is called ditching.
SpaceX shared this booster capture animation. If everything goes according to plan, the booster will be captured this way.
The fourth test was successful, the landing took place in the water.
The fourth Starship test took place on June 6, 2024 and was successful. This 1h05 mission was launched from Boca Chica at 6:20 p.m. In this setting, the spacecraft was taken into space, then returned to Earth and landed on water.
The main objective of the test was to see if the spacecraft could survive upon entry into Earth’s atmosphere. After the test, the company’s owner, Elon Musk, said: “Despite losing several tiles and a damaged flap, the Starship made a smooth landing in the sea.”
Third test: Contact with the ship was lost after re-entry.
This test took place on March 14, 2024. SpaceX had stated that Starship would not be able to survive re-entry, but it made many important achievements during the flight. Elon Musk said he expects half a dozen ships to fly this year.
Starship opened and closed the payload door after reaching orbit. Several tons of liquid oxygen were moved between two tanks inside the rocket and re-entered Earth’s atmosphere, but contact was lost.
In the third test, Starship re-entered Earth’s atmosphere 46 minutes after launch, when the rocket was 65 km above its contact.
Second test: a malfunction occurred after the stages were separated
The second Starship test took place on November 18, 2023 around 6:30 p.m. The separation of the Super Heavy Booster and Starship occurred approximately 2.4 minutes after launch. The booster was supposed to land on Earth, but after 3.2 minutes it exploded 90 km above.
The spacecraft went according to plan. After approximately 8 minutes, the ship also experienced a malfunction 90 miles (148 km) above Earth, necessitating its destruction. It was destroyed using the flight termination system.
In the second test, the hot stage process was used for the first time to separate the rocket and the ship, which was completely successful. All 33 Raptor engines also performed correctly from launch to separation.
SpaceX launched Starship from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas.
Starship successfully took off thanks to the power of 33 Raptor engines.
The rocket booster and spacecraft were separated through a hot stage process.
The booster was supposed to land on Earth, but it exploded 90 km above.
First test: There was an explosion 4 minutes after launch
Starship’s first orbital test took place on April 20, 2023. Booster 7 and Ship 24 were launched during this test. Just 4 minutes after takeoff, the Starship explodes 30 kilometers above the Gulf of Mexico.
Even after the ship failed, Elon Musk and the employees were celebrating. Indeed, the rocket itself flying from the launch pad was a great success. Musk had said two days before the launch: success can be achieved, but enthusiasm is guaranteed.
Starship made its first test flight on April 20. Four minutes later, it exploded about 30 kilometers above the Gulf of Mexico.
SpaceX had said that even before the separation stage, part of it had suddenly separated, although it had not been repaired. What we learn with a test like this leads to success. Today’s test will help us improve Starship’s reliability. Teams will continue to review the data and work towards the next flight test.
The Starship system is completely reusable
SpaceX, the company of the world’s second richest businessman, Elon Musk, built this rocket. Super Heavy spaceships and boosters are collectively called “Starships”. The height of this vehicle is 397 feet. It is fully reusable and capable of carrying 150 tonnes of load. The Starship system will be able to take 100 people to Mars simultaneously.
spaceship system
Height: 397 feetdiameter: 9 metersPayload capacity: 100-150 metric tons
What can a spaceship do?
Payload deliveryMoon missionsEarth-to-Earth transportationInterplanetary transportation
Spaceship will send humans to Mars
This launch is important because only this spacecraft will take humans interplanetary. This means that, thanks to his help, for the first time a human being will set foot on a planet other than Earth. Musk wants to send humans to Mars and establish a colony there by 2029. The spacecraft will also be able to transport humans to any corner of the world in less than an hour.
What is the need to establish a colony on Mars?
Regarding the need to establish a colony on Mars, Elon Musk says: “A life-ending event on Earth can bring about the end of humanity, but if we establish our base on Mars, humanity will be able to survive there. ” Millions of years ago, dinosaurs also died on Earth following a life-ending event. At the same time, Professor Stephen Hawking also said in 2017 that if humans want to survive, they will need to develop within 100 years.
The Starship spacecraft is part of the Artemis program
It’s also important that this mission succeed because the Starship spacecraft is part of NASA’s Artemis program. Thanks to this, humans will return to the Moon after 5 decades. Starship will complete the final phase of the Moon mission. Will take astronauts into lunar orbit via spacecraft and also land on the moon.