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WG3K > ANS 03.06.24 01:46l 30 Lines 4701 Bytes #71 (0) @ AMSAT
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Subj: SpaceX Aims for Successful Reentry in Fourth Starship Test F
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SpaceX is targeting June 6th for the fourth test flight of its Starship megarocket, aiming to demonstrate the rocketâÖs ability to survive reentry, according to founder and CEO Elon Musk. This objective marks a crucial step in proving the reusability of the world's most powerful rocket, following three prior test flights that showcased its capacity to reach space.
On May 20th, SpaceX carried out a crucial test by loading over 10 million pounds of super-cold methane and liquid oxygen propellants into the Super Heavy booster and the Starship upper stage. This practice countdown, which concluded before engine ignition, was one of the last major tests before the rocket's flight. Following the test, the launch team drained the propellants, and ground crews removed the Starship upper stage to perform additional work on its heat shield.
The next steps include installing the rocketâÖs self-destruct mechanism, to be used if the vehicle deviates off course, and securing a commercial launch license from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The FAA is reviewing the results of SpaceX's previous Starship test flight in March, which was classified as a mishap after the vehicle lost control and disintegrated during reentry.
SpaceX has requested the FAA approve the upcoming launch before the mishap investigation concludes, arguing that the previous flight did not pose a public safety risk. An FAA spokesperson indicated that this could expedite the licensing process if no public safety issues are identified.
[cid:image005.jpg@01DAB2D0.40E8C7F0]https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/SpaceX-Starship-IFT-4-Fueling-Test.jpeg
SpaceX's fourth full-scale Starship rocket underwent a successful fueling test on May 20th. [Credit: SpaceX]
Meanwhile, SpaceX is preparing hardware for multiple rockets scheduled to fly later this year and building additional launch sites in Texas and Florida to support an increased launch frequency. However, significant design challenges remain before Starship becomes fully operational.
Unlike the March test flight, which included several experiments such as payload bay door operations and liquid oxygen transfer, the upcoming mission will concentrate on controlling the reentry of both the Super Heavy booster and the Starship upper stage. Both components broke apart during descent in the last flight.
SpaceX aims for the Super Heavy booster, named Booster 11, to achieve a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico, while the Starship upper stage, known as Ship 29, will attempt to survive the extreme reentry conditions. The rocket is equipped with about 18,000 hexagonal heat-absorbing ceramic tiles to protect its stainless-steel structure during reentry, where temperatures can reach approximately 2,600°F (1,430°C).
Musk has indicated that, assuming a successful splashdown, SpaceX could attempt landing a Super Heavy booster back at the Texas launch pad as early as the fifth test flight later this year. However, due to harsher reentry conditions from orbital velocity, landing the Starship upper stage might take longer.
[cid:image006.jpg@01DAB2D0.40E8C7F0]https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Starship-Flight-3-Plasma-Buildup.jpg
Plasma buildup shown around Starship during Integrated Flight Test 3 on March 14, 2024. [Credit: SpaceX]
NASA, which selected Starship to ferry astronauts to and from the Moon for its Artemis program, is closely monitoring these developments. A critical milestone for NASA is the in-orbit engine restart, necessary for guiding Starship towards controlled reentry and future lunar missions. While this capability will not be tested on the next flight, achieving reliable engine performance remains a primary focus.
"For us, primarily, it's the successful light of those Raptor engines and achieving main stage with all of them on Booster 11," said Lisa Watson-Morgan, manager of NASA's Human Landing System. The next flight aims to ensure consistent engine performance, crucial for SpaceX and NASA's lunar ambitions.
Reigniting Raptor engines in space is essential for future missions, but SpaceX is taking a step-by-step approach. "If we can't light all 33 engines on the booster, and if we can't light all six engines on the ship, then we're going to have trouble getting to where we need to go," Watson-Morgan said. "So it's basically a building-block approach."
As SpaceX prepares for its fourth Starship test flight, the focus on surviving reentry represents a critical hurdle in its mission to develop a fully reusable rocket system capable of reaching, and returning from, space.
[ANS thanks Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, for the above information]
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