SpaceX conducted the fifth test flight of its Starship rocket on Sunday, achieving a significant milestone by making the first catch of the rocket’s over 20-story-tall booster. This achievement represents a crucial step towards SpaceX’s objective of establishing Starship as a fully reusable rocket system.
Elon Musk The launch took place from SpaceX’s Starbase facility near Brownsville, Texas, at 8:25 a.m. ET. The rocket’s “super heavy” booster landed back on the company’s launch tower arm approximately seven minutes after liftoff.
Eric Gay / AP
“Are you kidding me?” exclaimed SpaceX communications manager Dan Huot during the company’s webcast, describing the feat as magical.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson congratulated SpaceX via a post on social media, emphasizing the importance of ongoing testing in preparation for future missions.
Following separation, the spacecraft traveled halfway around Earth, re-entered the atmosphere, and splashed down in the Indian Ocean to complete its tests. Starship Flight 5 did not carry passengers, but SpaceX plans to conduct numerous crewed missions with Starship in the future.
Starship has undergone four spaceflight tests prior to this fifth one, with previous launches in April, November, March, and June. Each test flight has showcased advancements.
SpaceX’s focus is on learning from past flights to enhance the development of its colossal rocket. Starship, designed for full reusability, aims to revolutionize cargo and crew transportation beyond Earth, playing a key role in NASA’s lunar exploration plans. SpaceX secured a substantial contract from NASA to use Starship as a manned lunar lander as part of the Artemis moon program.
The Federal Aviation Administration granted SpaceX clearance for the fifth flight earlier than anticipated, while environmental concerns led to fines for unauthorized water discharge at the Texas launch site.
Goals on the 5th flight
With the booster catch on the fifth flight, SpaceX surpassed milestones from previous tests.
The successful return of the booster to the launch site, utilizing a unique “chopstick” arm for capture, reflects SpaceX’s commitment to achieving complete reusability for its rockets.
SpaceX’s dedicated efforts in preparing for the booster capture involved extensive testing and meticulous infrastructure development to ensure operational success.
The stringent criteria for the catcher’s performance were crucial to prevent the booster from deviating off course and causing environmental impact.
SpaceX emphasized prioritizing safety and optimal conditions for future missions.
Rocket
Starship stands as the tallest and most potent rocket ever launched, towering at 397 feet when fully assembled on the Super Heavy booster, and approximately 30 feet in diameter.
The 232-foot-tall superheavy booster, equipped with 33 Raptor engines generating immense thrust, plays a pivotal role in the rocket’s journey to space.
Starship, at 165 feet tall, features six Raptor engines for propulsion, three operating in Earth’s atmosphere and three in the vacuum of space.
The rocket relies on liquid oxygen and liquid methane as propellants, consuming over 10 million pounds of fuel to achieve liftoff.
Source: www.nbcnews.com
