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SpaceX is preparing to launch the latest prototype of its Starship spacecraft thousands of feet into the air, then gently land it on the ground.
If the company can pull off this tricky maneuver – shutting off the rocket’s engines as it plunges toward Earth, just in time to straighten it out, slow its fall, and settle regularly on an airstrip – this will be the first time. that a Starship vehicle ventured so high and came back in one piece.
Elon Musk, who founded SpaceX in 2002, wants the latest Starship-Super Heavy launch system to be fully and quickly reusable.
If Musk’s plan is successful, Starship could reduce the cost of reaching space 1,000 times, circling the world in hypersonic power on Earth, and flying astronauts to the moon.
Musk a said that his ultimate plan is to build 1,000 spaceships that will carry enough people and goods to Mars to build an independent, self-sustaining city.
SpaceX first launched a prototype spacecraft of this type on December 8. Called Starship serial number 8, or SN8, it roared tens of thousands of feet above the company’s expanding facility in Boca Chica, Texas.
SN8 then tilted its nose forward, shut down its engines and began to fall. As the vehicle approached the ground in a belly-shaped free fall, it restarted its engines to straighten up and slow its descent.
However, low pressure in a propellant tank knocked the spacecraft down too quickly, struck its landing pad, and catastrophically exploded.
SpaceX still viewed the seven-minute test flight as a success, because it was inherently an experiment – and an experiment that flew higher than ever and performed unprecedented maneuvers.
For example, the flight of SN8 achieved sequential rocket engine stops, overhead rollovers, and an abdominal flop made stable via the wing flaps. (Previous test flights had been “jumps,” with prototypes launching a few hundred yards into the air, then landing downstream.)
Now SpaceX is ready for another major test flight, and this time it could stick to landing.
Like its predecessor, the new prototype, called SN9, is 16 stories tall and powered by three Raptor engines. SN9 flipped inside a vertical assembly building on December 11, but SpaceX appeared to be making quick repairs and deploying it to a seaside launch pad.
In preparation for launch, SpaceX mastered the SN9 and tested its engines three times on Wednesday – a record static fire rate for the Starship program.
The company looked set to launch this week, but two of the engines were in need of repairs, Musk tweeted Thursday. Musk added that he hopes SpaceX can speed up the engine swap process so that it takes “a few hours at most.”
SpaceX appears to be aiming for a launch on Monday. The Federal Aviation Administration issued an airspace closure notice for a rocket launch from Boca Chica that day from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. CST. The FAA issued similar notices for Tuesday and Wednesday – save dates in case weather or problems cause SpaceX to delay the test flight.
Closure of airspace and local roads are required for launch. The Cameron County judge has issued road closure notices in Boca Chica for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST.
How to watch SN9’s attempted launch live
SpaceX may broadcast the launch attempt live on YouTube. Several online broadcasters, such as NASASpaceFlight.com and LabPadre, are also planning to broadcast live video footage of the flight. We’ll integrate these live streams below once they’re available.
A series of events usually precede the launch of a Starship prototype.
A few hours in advance, SpaceX will clear the launch site from personnel. About an hour before the flight, storage tanks at the launch site will begin to vent gas as SpaceX prepares to fuel Starship with cryogenic fuels. The later refueling causes Starship to vent gas from its summit, signaling that the launch could take place in minutes.
Adverse weather conditions, a technical glitch, or a boat entering the launch danger zone – a new challenge for Starship – could cause delays.
This article was originally published by Business Insider.
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