SpaceX tests Starship SN20 prototype while FAA examines first orbital launch licence
Friday, October 22, 2021 | Chimniii Desk
Key Points
SpaceX performed two engine tests on its Starship 20 prototype on Thursday, as the firm prepares for the rocket's first orbital launch while the FAA analyses its licencing application. SpaceX mated a Raptor vacuum engine to a Starship rocket and powered it up for the first time. The Starship 20 will be ready for its maiden orbital launch attempt in November, Musk tweeted on Friday. First, the FAA must grant the firm a launch permit. SpaceX's FAA Starship plan includes up to 20 suborbital and 5 orbital launches per year.
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Pic: SN8 prototype with three Raptor engines. Future Starships will have six Raptor engines, three vacuum-rated with bigger nozzles, three tuned for sea level performance.
SpaceX performed two engine tests on its Starship SN20 prototype on Thursday, as the firm prepares for the rocket's first orbital launch while the FAA analyses its licencing application.
SpaceX mated a Raptor vacuum engine to a Starship rocket and powered it up for the first time. The rocket was held down during the test at the company's facility in southern Texas. It only ran for a few seconds.
Later that night, SpaceX conducted a second static fire test. It used two engines: a regular Raptor engine and a vacuum engine.
Musk said in a series of tweets that SpaceX is enhancing its Raptor engines. Raptor is now at 270 bar, but he plans to increase it to 300 bar. Musk referred to the engine's performance as measured by chamber pressure.
SpaceX's huge next-generation rocket Starship will carry freight and passengers to the moon and Mars. The company is testing prototypes in southern Texas and has conducted many brief tests.
The Starship 20 will be ready for its maiden orbital launch attempt in November, Musk tweeted on Friday.
For future flights, SpaceX intends Starship to be totally reusable, with both the rocket and its booster capable of landing. SpaceX's Falcon 9 rockets can be reused. The business can land and relaunch the boosters but not the upper stage.
The “holy grail of orbital rocketry” is full and rapid reusability, Musk said this week. He was responding to news that Rocket Lab is improving its Electron vehicle recovery and reuse.
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FAA is currently conducting an environmental impact assessment.
Pic: SpaceX prepares Super Heavy Booster 4 for its first orbital Starship launch.
SpaceX's next major test for Starship is an orbital launch. First, the FAA must grant the firm a launch permit.
The FAA is inspecting SpaceX's Boca Chica, Texas, facilities and activities. It hosted two virtual public hearings earlier this week for public feedback on the process. Since the start of Starship development in early 2019, SpaceX has swiftly expanded its Starbase facility.
The public hearings comprised 120 speakers from a diverse range of backgrounds. Many callers from out of state expressed their full support for Musk and the Starship project. Environmentalists from the area criticised the plan.
Less than half of the comments resided near SpaceX's facilities. Commissioner Jessica Tetreau of Brownsville said she has worked with SpaceX for ten years and that the company employs over 2,000 people in the region.
“I beseech you to give them that permit. “This initiative has benefited so many individuals here in Brownsville,” Tetreau added.
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Pic: Starship SN20 prototype arrives at launch site. (Credit: Spadre.com via YouTube)
The FAA is now on step four of eight.
A final assessment will be published after evaluating public responses on the draught assessment. So, the FAA will either issue a “finding of no significant impact” (FONSI) or start an environmental impact statement (EIS) (EIS). This would halt all Starship launches until the review is complete.
SpaceX's FAA Starship plan includes up to 20 suborbital and 5 orbital launches per year.
Following media report that SpaceX is valued at $100 billion, Morgan Stanley discovered that institutional investors and industry experts expect Musk's space venture to outperform Tesla. Musk's automaker is now worth more than eight times that of SpaceX.
Investment banker Adam Jonas of Morgan Stanley said on Tuesday that investors are starting to see the potential for SpaceX's reusable launch architecture in areas like as communications, transportation, and earth observation.
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