SpaceX gives news of its Starship project, a titanic launcher that could revolutionize space travel.
Elon Musk just gave big news about the launcher Starship and during its presentation, SpaceX showed what such a gigantic launch system could look like. The Starship system consists of the Starship ship on a super-heavy booster. SpaceX is working to make the set quick and reusable for missions to the Moon and Mars greatly facilitated. After leaving our planet, the booster separates and returns to the launch site. The ship continues to its destination before returning to Earth.
SpaceX gives news of its Starship project
The CEO of SpaceX explained that the booster will spend six minutes in flight in all. Two minutes to gain altitude and four to return. In the future, this system could be reused every six to eight hours for three launches per day. All of this is “crucial to a future in which humanity explores the stars.” Elon Musk also mentioned liquid oxygen refueling missions in orbit, an absolutely essential procedure for long-duration flights.
The super-heavy booster has more than twice the power of the largest Saturn V rocket yet. In its current version, it uses no less than 29 Raptor engines, but could eventually have 33. Version 2 of these engines, completely revised compared to the first, costs half as much and requires fewer parts. The company can manufacture 5 or 6 per week currently, but as of next month, its production capacity should reach 7 units.
A titanic launcher that could revolutionize space travel
Besides being able to carry hundreds of tons of hardware, Starship could revolutionize space travel if SpaceX makes it as affordable as Elon Musk announced. In his own words, a Starship launch would cost less than $10 million per flight, two to three years from now. Much less therefore than with a Falcon 9, estimated at around 60 million dollars.
SpaceX also wants to launch its Starship from its Starbase center in Boca Chica, Texas, where it is currently manufacturing the rocket prototype. The company still needs to get clearance from the FAA, which is no small feat. It could be that the answer could arrive as soon as next month. SpaceX also expects its rocket to be ready by then. A first orbital test flight of Starship could therefore arrive soon. To be continued !