SpaceX is once more commanding the interest of space enthusiasts as it prepares for the third test flight of its massive Starship rocket. During the recent weekend, the aerospace manufacturer transported the two main components of the latest Starship iteration to its launch pad at Starbase, situated on the Gulf Coast of South Texas.
Fully stacked, Starship is the tallest and most powerful rocket ever launched. It’s designed to transport crew and cargo on various missions, including the transportation of the International Space Station, the moon, and eventually Mars.
The upper-stage Starship cruise vessel and a first-stage Super Heavy booster rocket are the Starship’s two primary components, both intended to be entirely reusable for future flights. However, numerous technological hurdles must be cleared before the system can fly people and payloads, starting with demonstrating its ability to take off successfully and land on Earth.
The company hopes to achieve those milestones over the next few months as it tests Ship 28 and Booster 10 for their maiden voyages. Both are slated to blast off from Starbase and make vertical, powered landings on a drone ship in the ocean instead of vertical, engine-powered landings like the first stages of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets.
However, the final decision on whether those missions will advance depends on how well the FAA’s mishap investigation of Starship’s second high-altitude flight goes. That flight took off from Starbase last November and notched some significant milestones, such as a successful stage separation and nominal Super Heavy engine burn. But it ended abruptly just eight minutes after launch due to an explosion in the vehicle’s upper stage.
SpaceX is still analyzing the data from that flight and has made several changes to Starship and its launch pad. Among the most significant is an upgrade to the pad’s flame deflector, which now uses stainless steel rather than lighter aluminum. The new material is more heat-resistant, allowing it to deflect the explosive force of the Starship’s engine exhaust more effectively.
Additionally, the company has added a massive water-cooled fire suppression system beneath the pad to prevent the same destructive explosion in April. To further reduce the chances of such an event, Starship is fitted with a flight termination system to set off explosives in the booster if it becomes uncontrollable.
In addition, the company is working on a way for its upper stage to fire its engines while the booster is still attached, potentially reducing the time needed for the system to get into orbit. This is known as hot staging and will be necessary to help Starship achieve its lofty lunar ambitions, which NASA has tapped it for in 2025.
Despite the challenges, many still support SpaceX’s plans to use Starship for human spaceflight. The FAA’s favorable decision on the launch site at Boca Chica means the company is one step closer to getting that ball rolling. However, it still needs to win over local and environmental groups concerned about how Starship launches will affect endangered species like the piping plover.
