After four high-altitude test flights – all of which ended with an explosion on landing – SpaceX has finally managed to land a prototype of its Starship rocket without breaking down. An important step for future Moon and Mars missions.
Between December 2020 and March 2021, SpaceX made four attempts to launch Starship prototypes at high altitude. They all ended with an explosion, shortly before, shortly after or at the time of landing. On May 5, Elon Musk’s company finally managed to land the missile flawlessly.
The SN15 prototype has taken off, as usual, from SpaceX’s launch pad in Boca Chica, Texas. The spaceship was propelled by its three enormous engines, and when it reached its maximum height, two of the engines were shut down. The rocket then hovered at an altitude of about 6 miles before shutting down its last engine. The missile then tilted to one side to begin its descent to the ground, almost horizontal. The engines were then restarted to straighten the craft and then land it successfully.
video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio">
–
A few flames escaped from the landing pad, but they were quickly extinguished with water cannons. Such a fire “is not uncommon” given the amount of fuel ultimately used, John Insprucker, the SpaceX commentator on the live video, reassured.
‘Starship landing nominal!’, Tweeted Elon Musk after landing, which means ‘the maneuver went without any problems’.
Reusable missile
With Starship, SpaceX has sky-high ambitions. Elon Musk’s company was recently chosen by NASA to organize the return of the United States to the moon, scheduled for 2024. A decision difficult for Jeff Bezos to digest: Blue Origin has a filed a complaint. Starship’s ultimate goal is to launch humans to Mars, where Elon Musk would like to build a colony.
The other great feature of SpaceX is that it wants to make its missiles reusable. That is why Wednesday’s successful landing is a very big step forward.
Meanwhile, SpaceX has also started assembling the Super Heavy, a booster for the Starship. The whole will be approximately 120 meters long and can transport 100 tons on board. Super Heavy will serve as the first rocket stage, essential for putting Starship into orbit, including the Moon and Mars.
