SpaceX Starship prototype makes clean landing
- by BBC
- May 05, 2021
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The Starship prototype approached the ground with the thrust of two Raptors
For SpaceX, lunar missions would be just one application of many for the new system.
The expectation is that Starships will replace the company's Falcon rockets.
These existing vehicles carry out regular missions - both crewed and uncrewed - for Nasa, as well as satellite deployments for the US military and other commercial operators.
But SpaceX CEO, Elon Musk, believes the new 50m-tall Starship can do it all, bigger and better - and not just at Earth; he says the technology will get people to Mars.
NASA
Artwork: A vehicle based on Starship has been selected to land Nasa astronauts on the Moon
Wednesday's test proceeded much like the previous prototype flights.
The uncrewed SN15 left its launch mount at the Boca Chica facility, and rose vertically on the thrust of three methane-burning Raptor engines.
These power units shut down in sequence as the target height of roughly 10km (6.2 miles) was approached, with the vehicle then leaning over into the horizontal for the drop to the ground.
This belly-flop descent, controlled by large flaps at either end of the vehicle, is intended to simulate how future, operational Starships will re-enter the Earth's atmosphere from orbit, presenting a large surface area to the direction of travel to scrub off speed.
SpaceX
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