SpaceX is preparing to launch the Starship rocket again, more than six months after the incident in which it exploded shortly after liftoff.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not yet issued a launch license, but SpaceX recently said a launch could occur by midNovember, subject to regulatory approval.
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According to the Washington Post, NASA is eager to resume testing and has invested $4 billion (R19.6 billion) in developing the rocket and spacecraft.
Improvements and challenges
- SpaceX has improved the water suppression system at the launch site to reduce rocket vibration, also added a new stage separation method and conducted several engine tests to understand the rocket’s performance in flight;
- However, even with these improvements, there is no guarantee of a successful launch from SpaceX’s private launch site in South Texas, USA;
- Starship is important for SpaceX and also for NASA, as it plans to transport astronauts to the lunar surface, which is part of the agency’s plan to return to our natural satellite by 2025;
- However, there are concerns about the complexity of refilling the spacecraft’s fuel tank in Earth orbit and the need to demonstrate its reliability before NASA allows astronauts on board;
- The US space agency faces major challenges in planning a return to the moon, and delays to the Starship test program could impact the mission, potentially pushing it back to 2026.
Impact of the delay on NASA’s plans
SpaceX is waiting for government approval to resume testing as soon as possible, while NASA is betting on the success of Starship to win the competition with China to land on the moon.
Starship is a large, powerful rocket that is fully reusable, unlike NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS). In addition to space exploration missions, SpaceX plans to use Starship to launch its nextgeneration Starlink satellites, which will provide internet to remote areas.
The next flight test will follow a similar profile to the previous one: the rocket will take off from the launch site in Texas and the spacecraft will fly almost into orbit before landing in the Pacific Ocean.
Elon Musk’s space company hopes to significantly improve rocket reliability to achieve a near 100% success rate in the next 12 months.