Starship Continues To Progress Towards Its First Orbital Test Flight
SpaceX has managed to become one of the fastest innovating companies within the space industry. It seems each week SpaceX is reaching a new milestone and progressing extremely fast. This especially is the case when looking at Starbase and Starship. Not long ago Elon Musk gave another Starship presentation in Boca Chica giving us more important information regarding the future for the base and launch vehicle.
Now only days ago SpaceX has once again stacked the massive rocket. Not only this but SpaceX then proceeded to continue testing the fully stacked Starship after being lifted via the chopsticks. This marks a very important step towards the first orbital test flight that Elon is very confident will happen this year. While SpaceX continues to wait for FAA approval they are getting Starship ready to fly.
Almost everything SpaceX is doing in Boca Chica at Starbase is unprecedented. Yet the company is managing to make great progress as if it was nothing new. This ambition and hard work is one of the main reasons we have seen so much success related to SpaceX in recent years. Here I will go more in-depth into the recent stack, testing, and what to expect in the near future regarding SpaceX.
Stack & Testing
Over the past few years SpaceX has been working hard to achieve its long list of ambitious goals for the future. A major part of these goals includes reaching Mars with the help of Starship. In this same time period the company has managed to turn a tiny village in Boca Chica into a launch and production site of the future named Starbase. Here they not only build but test each aspect of Starship. Recetnly the company has been preparing for the biggest challenge yet which involves attempting an orbital test flight. However, before trying to launch one of the biggest and most powerful rockets ever made, a long list of tests are necessary to try and increase the chances of success. Only a few days ago some very significant Starship progress was made. The launch vehicle was first stacked using the chopsticks and then went through a full cryogenic proof test for the first time as a full stack. On March 18th, SpaceX tweeted saying, “Starship full stack propellant load testing at Starbase” With this tweet were four different images of the Starship stack and Starbase that highlighted the company’s progress.
One of the first important aspects to point out was the use of the chopsticks to lift Starship on top of Superheavy. These chopsticks are the two massive metal arms attached to the orbital launch tower meant to catch the booster and possibly the upper stage out of mid air. Not long ago before the most recent Starship presentation, we saw SpaceX stack S20 ontop of B4 using these same chopsticks. Now in the middle of March SpaceX has done it again but improved certain aspects of the process. This includes the general speed, smoothness, use of stabilization claw, etc. Specifically, on March 15th, S20 was picked up using Mechazila and over the course of around 20 minutes was lifted, moved, and finally stacked on top of B4. This test is small compared to the future tasks the chopsticks are meant to complete but help provide a lot of valuable information and experience for SpaceX. While the stacking of Starship was very interesting, what came next was even more impressive.
We have seen a lot of cryogenic tests throughout the years of different Starship prototypes. This includes boosters and upper stages but never both together. On March 16, SpaceX preformed the first full stack cryogenic proof test of Starship. This was a very important test for not only Starship, but Stage 0 or the general infrastructure around the launch pad. In order for a future successful launch of Starship, not only does the rocket need to be working properly but the launch tower, launch pad, orbital tank farm, and much more need to be as well. On this specific test only a few days ago, we saw the orbital tank farm or GSE tanks in action. Here propellant tanks were filled with liquid nitrogen at cryogenic temperatures. This also works to test Starship’s strength and other important aspects when fully pressurized. This also was the first time the pad was used to hold up not only Starship but a Starship full of heavy liquid. Based on this information from the test and more, workers at SpaceX can determine the overall strength of the vehicle and what it will be capable of. Including the flight process and different stages throughout.
One of the reasons this test and series of events at Starbase is so exciting is because of what it means for the future. SpaceX has been completing a lot of firsts related to Starship and Starbase recently. Each time it means the company is on the the next step and getting closer to the first orbital test flight. In this case, what we can expect to see next could be a static fire with Booster 4 and S20 stacked together as one. This would be a very significant first and an incredible sight. As we have seen with the many tests SpaceX has done prior, after a cryogenic proof test, assuming everything went according to plan, next is a static fire. B4 has 29 Raptor engines ready to be tested before a possible orbital test flight not long from now. Using this recent test information and other info we already have, we can expect this test to be in the near future. At the presentation Musk highlighted how he was very confident that this year, 2022, would host the first Starship orbital test flight. Other than a few tests and finishing touches at Starbase, SpaceX is ready and awaiting the FAA approval. The Federal Aviation Administration is expected to complete its assessment by March 28th. This has been a long time coming and has brought concerns regarding whether or not Starbase will end up being a launch site of the future or not. Either way SpaceX has a plan for Starship. Assuming things go wrong at Starbase and they are not allowed to launch from Texas, SpaceX already has access to Launch Complex 39A in flordia. They have already been approved at this launch site and are starting construction on infrastructure necessary for a Starship launch. This makes it even more likely that the company will end up launching Starship to orbit this year whether or not the decision is good from the FAA.
Conclusion
Over the past few years SpaceX has managed to turn a small village in Boca Chica Texas into a launch and production site meant for one of the worlds biggest and most powerful rockets. Now in 2022, the company continues to progress and complete new firsts for the launch site and rocket. Specifically, over the past few days Starship was stacked again using Mechazilla and then completed its first full stack cryogenic proof test the next day. These are extremely important steps and will provide invaluable information for the future of both Starship and Starbase. We will have to wait and see how SpaceX progresses and the impact it has on the space industry.