SpaceX is planning to conduct the third test flight of its massive Starship launch system in February this year.
SpaceX plans to conduct the third integrated test flight of its Starship, the largest and most powerful launch vehicle ever built, in February as it works to demonstrate technologies needed for key NASA missions to the Moon. Two test flights happened in 2023; Starship exploded during both.
Securing an updated Federal Aviation Administration launch license was the key factor driving the schedule for the upcoming test flight, said Jessica Jensen, vice president of customer operations and integration at SpaceX, according to SpaceNews. According to Jensen, the company is targeting to be ready in January from a hardware readiness perspective. SpaceX has performed static-fire tests of both the Super Heavy booster and the Starship upper stage.
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But SpaceX is still working on corrective actions based on the second Starship test flight that happened on November 18. During that test, the Super Heavy booster appeared to be functioning properly but it exploded shortly after stage separation. The upper stage triggered its flight termination system during late burn.
SpaceX is also working on a demonstration of a propellant transfer technology, according to Jensen. SpaceX will have to transfer cryogenic propellant from a “header” tank within Starship to its main tank. That will be a precursor to a series of tests of transferring propellant from one Starship to another in orbit.
That propellant transfer technology will be crucial for NASA’s Human Landing Systems that will be used from Artemis 3 onwards. Essentially, SpaceX and NASA will create a propellant depot in low-Earth orbit filled with a series of Starship tankers. That would then be used to fuel the lunar lander starship for its trip to the Moon.
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First uploaded on: 11-01-2024 at 16:31 IST
