Illustration of SpaceX's Starship Soars Again: What’s Next After Latest Test Flight?

SpaceX’s Starship Soars Again: What’s Next After Latest Test Flight?

by

in

BREMEN, Germany — SpaceX conducted the sixth test flight of its Starship vehicle on November 19, choosing to forgo a planned landing of the Super Heavy booster back at the launch site.

The Starship/Super Heavy vehicle successfully lifted off from SpaceX’s Starbase test site in Boca Chica, Texas, at 5 p.m. Eastern time. The launch occurred smoothly during a 30-minute window. Notably in attendance was President-elect Donald Trump, who has recently strengthened ties with SpaceX’s CEO, Elon Musk.

The Super Heavy booster, designated Booster 13, separated from the Starship upper stage approximately two minutes and 45 seconds after takeoff. However, just over a minute later, mission controllers issued a “booster offshore divert” command, signaling that it would divert from its expected return to the launch pad. The specific reason for this decision was not disclosed, but the booster ultimately made a controlled landing in the Gulf of Mexico, where it tipped over and exploded shortly after impact.

While this situation presented a setback for SpaceX following a successful booster catch during its previous launch on October 13, the mission itself achieved significant milestones. The booster successfully propelled the Starship upper stage, known as Ship 31, onto a suborbital trajectory. During its flight, SpaceX conducted a brief test by reigniting one of the Raptor engines, an important feature for future deorbit maneuvers.

In another positive development, Starship successfully reentered the Earth’s atmosphere over the Indian Ocean. Before the launch, SpaceX indicated that they were intentionally pushing the vehicle’s limits to test its capabilities, which included changing the reentry profile and utilizing an older version of the thermal protection system. Predicting a potentially rough flight, Kate Tice, one of the SpaceX webcast hosts, explained that they aimed to understand the vehicle’s performance under stress.

The Starship vehicle reentered intact but showed signs of damage to one of its flaps and parts of the thermal protection system. It completed a powered soft landing in the ocean 65.5 minutes after liftoff, tipping on its side but floating adequately on the surface. The afternoon launch timing allowed for clearer visibility during the splashdown, resulting in better video documentation.

Moving forward, SpaceX announced plans to implement upgrades for the next Starship upper stage. Changes include enlarging the vehicle for larger propellant tanks, boosting payload capacity from 1,200 to 1,500 tons, and reconfiguring the smaller forward flaps to enhance heat protection during reentry. Although no specific launch date was provided, the company was able to execute this flight just over a month after the last one due to existing approval from the Federal Aviation Administration, which determined that modifications were within acceptable limits.

As SpaceX continues to test and refine the Starship program, each flight provides valuable data that will ultimately contribute to the success of future missions. The focus on learning from every aspect of the flight emphasizes SpaceX’s commitment to innovation and resilience in the pursuit of space exploration.

In summary, despite minor setbacks, SpaceX’s sixth test flight of the Starship vehicle offered important insights and advancements that are hopeful indicators for future success in their ambitious space endeavors.

Popular Categories


Search the website