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At the end of last month, SpaceX had successfully completed the first of a series of tests on its latest suborbital prototype "Starhopper".
The experiment, which required the vehicle to climb out of the launch pad to a height of 20 meters (65 feet), was completed after several delays. This 22-second flight was enough for SpaceX to test Starhopper's take-off and landing capabilities.
The prototype is used to test various systems and technologies that the company wants to develop in order to launch two stages of its Big Falcon Rocket (BFR): the "Super Heavy" thruster and a starship called Starship. Additional tests are planned and the next, a "jump" of 200 meters, will take place soon.
Martian Mission
The spacecraft of CEO Elon Musk aims to revolutionize spaceflight and place humans on Mars. Starship will also be used for additional tasks such as satellite deployment, vehicle refueling, space tourism and even suborbital flights. The final version of Starship will likely have (according to a 2017 design unveiling) a pressurized volume of approximately 1,000 cubic meters (35,000 cubic feet), configurable for up to 40 cabins, large common spaces, a central storage space, a galley and a solar system. – Anti-torpedo shelter for Mars missions, plus 12 unpressurized 88 m3 rear cargo containers.
The journey towards completion of the WCR was not short. It officially started in September 2008 with the launch of Falcon 1, the first privately developed liquid fuel rocket to reach Earth's orbit. The successful launch and low cost allowed SpaceX to sign a $ 1.6 billion Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract with NASA the same year; the company delivered supplies and freight to the ISS (International Space Station) and performed other tasks defined in the contract.
In 2012, SpaceX went into history with the Dragon, its free-flying spacecraft that became the first private spacecraft to visit the International Space Station. The Dragon was launched into orbit by a Falcon 9 launcher, which was at the time an expendable rocket.
Contract with NASA
The waste of disposable rockets was one of the main factors affecting competitiveness and growth, and SpaceX was quick to remedy the problem. The solution came in 2013, when the "Grasshopper" program was completed. The knowledge gained from the Grasshopper prototype test has led to a new design of the Falcon 9, which has achieved a reusable first step, allowing vertical take-off and landing – a crucial feature that will be reported on the BFR. (The Falcon 9 still propels the Dragon Probe on its regular freight flights to the ISS.)
In 2014, NASA awarded SpaceX a $ 2.6 billion commercial crew contract to upgrade Dragon's Dragon 2 design, designed to carry seven astronauts in Earth orbit and beyond.
In 2018, SpaceX completed the first flight of the Falcon Heavy, which the company has described as "the world's second highest operational power factor, capable of carrying large payloads into orbit and supporting missions as far as the moon. or Mars ". This year, the first automated crew of a Dragon Crew with the ISS, a necessary step before passengers can be transported to the ISS, is scheduled for November.
Big Falcon Rocket
All these breakthroughs and achievements – reuse capability, vertical landing, high capacity payloads, crewed flights and automated docking procedures – will be attached to the Big Falcon Rocket. Once released, it should replace the entire SpaceX fleet, including the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launchers, as well as the Dragon. Indeed, SpaceX estimates that BFR launches will be cheaper than the existing fleet due to the full reusability, large capacity and precision landing characteristics of the new model. The stakes are important for the company.
SpaceX also anticipates that Starship will be the cornerstone of the colonization of Mars. To this end, several spacecraft will be launched and left on Mars to serve as storage for equipment, spare parts and, more importantly, fuel for rockets. The accumulated fuel may eventually be used to refuel a rocket that would bring the settlers back to Earth, turning the trip into a return trip, rather than making Mars a final destination.
The first BFR flight is planned for 2020. It will be interesting to see if the Big Falcon Rocket and the Starship will live up to expectations. Hope they will.
Jurica Dujmovic is a columnist for MarketWatch.
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