SpaceX has proven its capabilities with its previous space projects and successes, and now it is ready for its next spacecraft launch. This March, the spacecraft manufacturer plans to launch its Super Heavy rocket and the Starship spacecraft.
First Orbital Flight
Starship has been worked on by SpaceX for a while now. However, it has been subjected to several delays these past two years due to Federal Aviation Administration licensing issues. It goes without saying that the March launch date is not a guarantee.
On the bright side, SpaceX's Senior Advisor for National Security Space Solutions Gary Henry said the spacecraft is in good shape. Its "static fire" test shows the Starship igniting 31 out of 33 of its Raptor engines, showing that a launch is becoming more and more possible.
Henry stated that SpaceX had a successful hot fire, which was the "last box to check," as mentioned in Space. Despite that, the go signal from the FAA is still needed as they consider environmental factors that will affect the local community near the launch site in Texas.
The FAA has conducted a programmatic environmental assessment (PEA) but was delayed many times due to regulatory complications and public interests, reports say, although it was completed in June 2022.
Although Starship has already been through high-altitude flights and tests, Space still needs to comply with the FAA's demand of taking over 75 actions before approval of launch. The spacecraft manufacturer has not released its action plan for the agency's request.
The Federal Aviation Administration even proposed issuing SpaceX a $175,000 fine for not submitting the required positional information about satellites regarding its Starlink launch back in August 2022.
Should the launch be approved, SpaceX will be one step closer to taking people and cargo to the Moon and Mars. It can also be used for sending newer and bigger Starlink 2.0 internet satellites into orbit. Its reusability will also reduce overall costs for another launch.
SpaceX's Starship
The Starship consists of the Starship spacecraft and the Super Heavy rocket. It is a fully reusable transportation system that is set to be the most powerful launch vehicle developed yet, and it is able to carry 150 metric tons and can expand to carry up to 250 metric tons.
It is 394 ft tall with a diameter of 30 ft. Compared to Falcon vehicles, Starship has a lower marginal cost for the launch and can deliver satellites further. It also has a bigger payload capacity than any current operation.
For Mars exploration, the spacecraft is able to enter the Red Planet's atmosphere at 7.7 kilometers per second as it decelerates aerodynamically, according to SpaceX. Its heat shield can withstand many entries, although Mars' higher temperature may cause some ablation.
As for its launch system, it uses 33 Raptor engines, which are reusable methalox staged-combustion engines. It has undergone flight tests on Starship prototype rockets back in July 2019. The engine is 4 ft in diameter, 10.2 ft in height, and 500 klbf in thrust.
Related : 7 Things to Know About SpaceX's Starship
