SpaceX Starship Super Heavy first stage returns to launch pad in Boca Chica, Texas
- by therookiewire.usatoday
- Oct 13, 2024
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As the first and second stages separated, SpaceX engineers worked quickly to assess if the first stage, the Super Heavy booster, had the all-clear to make a return back to the launch pad. Being able to recapture the booster is essential for the rocket to be reusable.
The team decided to go for it.
Just over seven minutes into the flight, the first stage came back into view. It hovered over the launch pad in Boca Chica − as its controlled burns brought it slowly into the cradle of the launch tower's Mechazilla arms (referred to as "chopsticks").
Just over an hour later, the Starship spacecraft also returned, making a splashdown in the Indian Ocean. While it came down apparently in tact, it burst into flames upon landing.
SpaceX still deemed this test a success as the company was not attempting to recover the spacecraft on this flight; they just wanted to bring it back.
This is all part of SpaceX's aspiration for rapid reusability. Their plan is to eventually be able to refurbish and reuse the entire rocketship, which will cut costs of spaceflight.
While SpaceX already lands and reuses their Falcon 9 boosters right here in Cape Canaveral, Starship is a much larger rocket with larger goals. These include: acting as a lunar lander for NASA astronauts, providing rapid transportation for the U.S. Department of Defense, and eventually taking humans to Mars.
The company hopes to launch an uncrewed Starship to Mars in 2026, when the planet makes it next closest approach to Earth. According to SpaceX, once successful, crewed flights will follow.
These goals are definitely ambitious. SpaceX has many more test flights of their Starship before its fully operational.
Starship full stack making progress
SpaceX has made progress in just over a year. The first fully stacked Starship flight test was on April 20, 2023. Just under four minutes into the flight, the vehicle exploded. It wasn't until the third flight test on March 14 that the second stage completed a full and successful burn that would be needed to reach orbit. It coasted for more than 40 minutes before breaking apart in the atmosphere over the Indian Ocean.
On June 6, Starship flew a bit longer, holding on during reentry to make a splashdown in the Indian Ocean.
Future Starship launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida?
With a launch tower already standing at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Pad 39A, SpaceX hopes to eventually launch and land 44 Starships a year here in Florida. The Federal Aviation Administration and Space Force are still assessing environmental concerns around SpaceX's plans, such as the impact to infrastructure and the environment.
The space company is also eying another Starship launch pad. This would be constructed on undeveloped property north of Launch Complex-37 − where the final United Launch Alliance Delta IV was launched earlier this year.
While not quite ready to launch from Cape Canaveral, today's flight was a milestone towards this — and humanity's return to the moon. While SpaceX has stated Starship will be part of the goal of reaching Mars, NASA has contracted the company to use its Starship spacecraft as a human lander for its Artemis III mission to the moon.
Artemis III will launch on NASA's SLS (Space Launch System), bringing humanity back to the moon no earlier than late 2026. It will be through a planned Gateway outpost that astronauts will transfer from the Orion spacecraft to Starship to head to the moon.
There are currently no updates on Gateway or when Starship could be ready to take on this mission.
Brooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today. Contact her at bedwards@floridatoday.com or on X: @brookeofstars.
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