Elon Musk's Starhopper prototype completes first test jump



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The Elon Musk spacecraft prototype came back to life for the first time, as SpaceX completed a successful test run of the powerful Raptor engine of the 30-meter-high stainless steel spacecraft, briefly taking it out of the air. launching ramp.

Smoke clouds and a fire flame were observed from the prototype vehicle called Starhopper during the static fire at the SpaceX test site in South Texas on Wednesday night.

The momentary takeoff occurred around 8:56 pm (ET) yesterday and generated a deafening roar that was so loud that it rattled the windows of nearby houses.

"Starhopper has completed the jump," confirmed Musk in a tweet Wednesday. All systems are green.

Although the action did not last very long, test hops are an important step in the realization of Musk's broader plan of sending humans on a mission to the moon.

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SpaceX has completed its first successful test of the Starhopper (photo). The momentary takeoff occurred around 8:56 pm (ET) yesterday and generated a deafening roar that was so loud that it rattled the windows of nearby houses

SpaceX has completed its first successful test of the Starhopper (photo). The momentary takeoff occurred around 8:56 pm (ET) yesterday and generated a deafening roar that was so loud that it rattled the windows of nearby houses

WHAT IS A TEST "HOP"?

The SpaceX spacecraft prototype, called Starhopper, will undergo several tests to make sure its systems work properly.

The first of these tests, called the "jump" test, is simply a short static fire test.

During a jump test, Starhopper's unique Raptor engine will be turned on.

However, spectators will not be able to see much, if any, of the action.

The jump involves a demonstration of "very short" hovering at low altitude, in which the craft lifts a few feet off the ground.

The Elon Musk rocket company will also test ground systems and load them with thrusters.

SpaceX will now continue to perform additional tests on the Starhopper prototype at its facility near Brownsville, Texas.

The company is expected to install two additional Raptor engines on the craft in the coming months, which will allow the prototype to make much higher jumps.

The tests will run the same way as when SpaceX tested a test version of its Falcon 9 rocket, called Grasshopper, in 2012 and 2013.

Once this is complete, it is likely that SpaceX will try to perform more test jumps to make sure the engines are working as expected.

The Raptor engine is an essential piece of equipment that will be used to propel the ship, which, once seven engines are installed, will be able to produce a huge push of 3 million pounds.

As SpaceX continues its work on the spacecraft, it is also preparing to test another rocket.

The firm is scheduled to carry out a Falcon Heavy & # 39; s Block 5 thruster fire test later in the day, with a launch window scheduled between 6 pm and midnight (ET).

Smoke clouds and a fire flame were observed from the prototype vehicle called Starhopper during the static fire at the SpaceX test site in South Texas on Wednesday night.

Although the action did not last very long, test hops are an important step in the realization of Musk's broader plan of sending humans on a mission to the moon.

Smoke clouds and a fire flame were observed from the prototype vehicle called Starhopper during the static fire at the SpaceX test site in South Texas on Wednesday night. In the photo, the Starhopper on the launch pad yesterday

The photo shows a map of the SpaceX test site in Boca Chica, near Brownsville, Texas. Inset is a graphic detailing the various checkpoints on the island of Brazos, where the SpaceX Starhopper prototype launch site is located.

The photo shows a map of the SpaceX test site in Boca Chica, near Brownsville, Texas. Inset is a graphic detailing the various checkpoints on the island of Brazos, where the SpaceX Starhopper prototype launch site is located.

The Block 5 thruster is intended to replace the original Falcon 9 rocket and must be reused multiple times.

If the test run goes smoothly, SpaceX will take off Falcon Heavy – essentially three Falcon 9 rockets tied together – from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Arabsat 6A, a communications satellite for Riyahd, based in Saudi Arabia, will provide television, Internet and telephony services in the Middle East, Africa and Europe.

Before the static fire on Wednesday, SpaceX was building Starhopper on its Texas test site, installing its unique Raptor engine and loading liquid oxygen tanks and liquid methane on the vehicle.

Shortly after, SpaceX employees began the process of transferring Starhopper to the launch pad for testing.

The test site was teeming with activity as engineers moved the sparkling spacecraft over the launch pad and installed its unique Raptor engine, capable of doubling the combustion power of the old SpaceX Merlin engines.

A series of aerial images showed SpaceX's progress toward suborbital hops testing, which was due to take place last month, but was postponed following several days of bad weather.

Prior to the test, the Federal Aviation Administration was alerted to flight restrictions in the area between 10:00 and 23:00. (ET) and 19h00 (ET) on March 25th, 26th and 27th.

In anticipation of the potential fire test, SpaceX had moved the suborbital Starhopper vehicle onto a launch pad.

However, spectators on the ground and by far could not see much, if any, of the action during the hops test.

SpaceX employees move the 20-foot high Starhopper prototype onto the launch pad at its test site in Boca Chica, Texas, on March 8. The company has been testing and equipping the vehicle with a single Raptor engine in recent weeks.

SpaceX employees move the 20-foot high Starhopper prototype onto the launch pad at its test site in Boca Chica, Texas, on March 8. The company has been testing and equipping the vehicle with a single Raptor engine in recent weeks.

A new set of aerial images shows SpaceX's progress towards suborbital hops testing. The tests took place late Wednesday night and mark the first of what will probably involve several jumping tests for his three Raptor engines.

A new set of aerial images shows SpaceX's progress towards suborbital hops testing. The tests took place late Wednesday night and mark the first of what will probably involve several jumping tests for his three Raptor engines.

SpaceX spokesman James Gleeson confirmed at the Brownsville Herald that Starhopper had been moved to the launch pad for testing.

"SpaceX will perform checks on newly installed ground systems and conduct a short static fire test in the coming days," Gleeson told the Brownsville Herald.

"Although the prototype is designed to perform suborbital flights, or jumps, powered by the SpaceX Raptor engine, the vehicle will be attached during initial testing and the jumps will not be visible from the outside."

During testing, Starhopper will be pumped with liquid methane and oxygen booster and will use one of SpaceX 's powerful Raptor engines.

The prototype should only lift a few feet off the ground, which means that it will not be a real takeoff, but a brief flyby.

SPadre.com has set up a live stream offering a view of the Starhopper prototype at the Boca Chica site.

The Brownsville Herald also reported that State Highway 4, which leads to Boca Chica Beach, is currently closed to the public in anticipation of testing scheduled later in the day.

The news of the screening tests comes after Musk tweeted earlier this week that the Starhopper tests would be "hopefully" organized in the coming days.

If the hops test goes as planned, it will be an important step towards Musk's more general plan to send humans on a mission to the moon. However, spectators on the ground and by far will not be able to see much of the action

If the hops test goes as planned, it will be an important step towards Musk's more general plan to send humans on a mission to the moon. However, spectators on the ground and by far will not be able to see much of the action

In the photo, a separate component of the Starhopper prototype and what appears to be sections of a nose that could be installed on the spacecraft. Musk said that the company would not install a new nose on the hopper following a previous incident

In the photo, a separate component of the Starhopper prototype and what appears to be sections of a nose that could be installed on the spacecraft. Musk said that the company would not install a new nose on the hopper following a previous incident

Plans for testing have been spotted for the first time a SpaceX flyer posted on Reddit.

When asked if the tests would start this week, Musk replied in a tweet: "I hope." Still many problems of motor and scene integration. The first jumps will take off, but hardly.

Musk's tweet seems to suggest that the company is currently working on the integration of Starhopper and its redesigned Raptor engine, which SpaceX unveiled for the first time in February.

The Starhopper test vehicle will feature a Raptor engine compared to the final version of Starship, which should contain three powerful Raptor engines.

As part of its first tests, SpaceX will ensure that the prototype Spacecraft and its Raptor engine can take off and land without problems.

Musk added in a tweet later that the company will not build a new nose nose for Starhopper, after the device was damaged by a series of strong gusts of wind at its test site in Texas in January.

"Do not need it," wrote Musk. "What you see under construction is the Starship orbital vehicle."

Meanwhile, residents close to the SpaceX test site in Brownsville, Texas, have seen fliers sent by the company warning them of upcoming tests.

The leaflet states that Starhopper tests could begin as early as this week.

"During these tests, SpaceX will establish a security zone perimeter in coordination with the local law enforcement agencies," says the flyer.

"Signs will be installed prior to testing to alert the community of any temporary closure of Highway 4 and Boca Chica Beach."

Starhopper will be pumped with liquid methane and an oxygen booster and will use one of SpaceX's powerful Raptor engines. The site is seen above Thursday

Starhopper will be pumped with liquid methane and an oxygen booster and will use one of SpaceX's powerful Raptor engines. The site is seen above Thursday

Elon Musk said SpaceX had chosen to omit a nostril from Starhopper's prototype (Wednesday's photo) after its reversal of the spacecraft following strong gusts of wind recorded earlier this year.

Elon Musk said SpaceX had chosen to omit a nostril from Starhopper's prototype (Wednesday's photo) after its reversal of the spacecraft following strong gusts of wind recorded earlier this year.

In addition, Musk has shown what will be a crucial part of the Starship rocket.

The CEO of SpaceX has posted a video showing the tests of the heat shield of the rocket, which will prevent it from getting burned when it returns to Earth's atmosphere.

In doing so, the rocket is better equipped for immediate reuse.

"Starship must be ready to fly again immediately after landing," Musk said in a tweet. "Zero renovation."

The heat shield consists of hexagonal shaped slabs designed to prevent hot gases from returning when the rocket returns to the surface of the Earth.

Musk stated that the "white-hot" sections reached a maximum temperature of 1650 Kelvin or 2500 degrees Fahrenheit.

The tiles will be installed on the "windward side" of the rocket and there is "no shield needed on the downwind side," Musk added.

Plans for the tests were first spotted in a SpaceX flyer posted on Reddit (photo). The flyer says the firm could start testing its Starhopper rocket prototype as early as this week.

Plans for the tests were first spotted in a SpaceX flyer posted on Reddit (photo). The flyer says the firm could start testing its Starhopper rocket prototype as early as this week.

The Raptor engine is an essential piece of equipment that will be used to propel the ship, which, once seven engines are installed, will be able to produce a huge push of 3 million pounds. In the photo, an artistic representation of Starship

The Raptor engine is an essential piece of equipment that will be used to propel the ship, which, once seven engines are installed, will be able to produce a huge push of 3 million pounds. In the photo, an artistic representation of Starship

In January, the company revealed images of its fully assembled Starship hopper rocket.

"It's for suborbital VTOL testing (vertical takeoff and landing)," Musk said in a tweet last month.

"The orbital version is larger, has thicker skin (does not wrinkle) and the nose is slightly curved."

The model that he shared should be used to test launches and short landings.

Musk hopes to lead a human mission with tourists on the Moon by 2024.

Completing a successful mission on the Moon would mark a further step in Musk's vision of traveling to Mars.

WHAT IS ELON MUSK? B & B & N;

The BF (Big F *** ing Rocket), now called Starship, will complete all missions and is smaller than those announced by Musk in 2016.

The CEO of SpaceX said the rocket would make its first trip to the red planet in 2022, carrying only one cargo, followed by a manned mission in 2024 and claimed that other SpaceX products would be "cannibalized" for pay the price.

The rocket would be partially reusable and able to fly directly from Earth to Mars.

Once built, Musk thinks that the rocket could be used to travel to Earth – stating that passengers could go anywhere in less than an hour.

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