Source – Mint
SpaceX successfully launched the world’s most powerful rocket, the Super Heavy-Starship, on its fourth flight Thursday. The mission marked significant achievements, including propelling the Starship upper stage into space and returning it to Earth through re-entry for a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean. Despite severe damage to one of its steering fins, the Starship managed a soft landing in the ocean.
The Super Heavy first stage booster, after boosting the Starship out of the lower atmosphere, performed a controlled descent and landed softly in the Gulf of Mexico. This marked the first time both stages accomplished the test flight’s primary objectives. Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX, celebrated the achievement on social media, congratulating the team on their epic success.
The colossal 397-foot-tall rocket lifted off from SpaceX’s Boca Chica, Texas, “Starbase” facility at 8:50 a.m. EDT. Powered by 33 methane-burning Raptor engines, the rocket generated 16 million pounds of thrust, more than double that of previous legendary rockets like NASA’s Apollo Saturn 5. Despite the early shutdown of one Raptor engine, the Super Heavy successfully propelled the Starship upper stage into space before separating and heading back for its controlled splashdown.
Milestone Achievements amidst Challenges
In a remarkable feat, the Super Heavy booster executed a controlled descent and soft landing, drawing cheers from SpaceX’s Hawthorne, California, factory. Live television footage captured the booster’s tail splashing into the water. Meanwhile, the Starship upper stage continued its ascent into a planned sub-orbital trajectory, circling the globe before re-entering the atmosphere.
Unlike previous test flights, the Starship withstood the atmospheric re-entry, maintaining stability as it plunged back to Earth amidst the super-heated plasma. However, the heat damaged a steering fin, causing chunks of debris to break off. Despite this, the Starship continued to transmit data and its engines re-ignited for the landing burn. Although the exact orientation upon water impact was unclear, reaching this stage marked a significant success for the mission.
“This is a nail-biter!” exclaimed SpaceX commentator Kate Tice. SpaceX spokesman Dan Huot expressed his excitement for the next flight, highlighting the successful steps achieved during this test.
Both the Super Heavy-Starship and booster are designed for full reusability. Future operational plans include flying the first stage back to the launch site for capture by giant mechanical arms on the launch gantry, while the Starship can land on any surface, including Earth, the moon, or Mars.
In Full: SpaceX’s Starship rocket successfully returns to Earth for first time
Implications for NASA’s Artemis Moon Program
The success of the Super Heavy-Starship test flights is crucial for NASA’s Artemis moon program. In 2021, NASA awarded SpaceX a $2.9 billion contract to develop a Starship variant to transport astronauts from lunar orbit to the moon’s surface and back. This requires the Super Heavy to launch multiple tanker flights for refueling the Starship in low-Earth orbit before it travels to lunar orbit.
NASA’s contract stipulates an unpiloted lunar landing test flight before attempting a manned landing. The Artemis program aims for a manned lunar landing by late 2026, contingent on SpaceX’s ability to demonstrate reliable and frequent flights. While SpaceX’s approach involves rapid testing and learning from failures, NASA demands a series of successful flights to ensure astronaut safety.
The recent test flight signifies a step forward in achieving these goals, with SpaceX continuously implementing hardware and software upgrades for improved performance. As SpaceX moves towards regular launches of the Super Heavy-Starship, the prospects for NASA’s Artemis program and future space exploration look increasingly promising.
