Elon Musk is celebrating the third successful test flight of Starship, which he claims is the spacecraft that will take humans to Mars in the future. Despite the unprecedented “losses” of both the Ship-28 rocket and the Super Heavy booster rocket during their supposed water landings, this milestone in SpaceX’s recent development remains a major accomplishment.
One of the new things SpaceX added on this Starship flight was the Starlink satellite internet connection, which provides a live feed during the mission.
Elon Musk: Highlights of the third spacecraft flight to Mars
(Photo: Elon Musk)
The company considers this third test flight of Starship a success, and Elon Musk is already touting the spacecraft’s future adventures for a possible Mars mission, which may not yet be deployed. . In his argument, the executive said “Starship will take humans to Mars,” he said, but declined to provide a timeline or specifics on when it would happen, including potential partners in the venture like NASA.
That said, this Starship launch was able to ignite all 33 Raptor engines in its Super Heavy booster, which it claims is the second time since last year. Moreover, this was a full-length burn sustained in the first place.
Additionally, they were able to successfully isolate the hot stage, shutting down 30 of these engines and leaving three remaining. Super Heavy also completed an inversion maneuver before descending into the Gulf of Mexico.
All six of the main ship’s Raptor engines then ignited, helping it reach orbit. The caveat is that the Super Heavy experienced RUD (Unscheduled Rapid Disassembly, aka Lost or Destroyed) during the crash.
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Starship Internet Onboard for Starlink Live Feed
Throughout all of this, SpaceX’s Starship was equipped with a Starlink terminal that provided a live feed to the world from inside the ship. Boasts high-speed internet When you’re in a spaceship traveling at 27,000 kilometers per hour (approximately 16,777 miles per hour).
Forty-nine minutes into the mission, Starlink’s feed was disconnected, ending the third test flight and marking the loss of Ship 28. The next launch could again include a Starlink terminal for a live feed of Starship.
SpaceX spacecraft and its test flight
In SpaceX’s latest experimental test, the company wasted no time and launched its Starship mission the day after it was given the go-ahead by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This was the third test flight of the massive starship assembly, consisting of a main rocket ship and a super heavy booster, both of which were milestones for today’s adventure.
However, Starship’s mission was not entirely successful, as it was dismantled before landing in the Indian Ocean for its intended return.
Earlier this year, the FAA just concluded an investigation into Starship’s second test flight and required SpaceX to take various corrective actions before it could receive a license.
This recent test flight marked Starship’s first launch this year, but the company is aiming for even bigger numbers, with as many as nine operations planned for the spacecraft in 2024 alone.
The milestones achieved with this third Starship mission are impressive, with the company showing off its latest developments to the world, and Elon Musk already touting the unlanded spacecraft’s mission to Mars. There is.
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