SpaceX successfully tested the prototype of the Starship SN15 spacecraft: nothing exploded
SpaceX launched and then successfully landed a new prototype starship spacecraft tonight. During the fifth high-altitude test, the prototype with serial number 15, or SN15, reached an altitude of 10 kilometers, performed the planned maneuver, and then returned to the launch pad.
The SN15 rocket took off from the launch pad of the test complex in Boca Chica, Texas, on May 6 at 1:24 Moscow time, took off to an altitude of about 10 kilometers, performed at the apogee a series of aerodynamic maneuvers, and returned, making a soft landing six minutes after takeoff on two engines.
” Rated landing Starship ” – tweeted Elon Musk, meaning that everything went according to plan.
It is worth noting that the SN15 is not the prototype to land after an altitude test but the first one that was not ultimately destroyed by an explosion. At the same time, after the rocket’s landing, a small fire broke out at its base, but within a few minutes, the flame went out.
The SN15 flight was in many ways similar to previous tests that SpaceX has conducted over the past six months, which involved prototypes SN8, SN9, SN10, and SN11. But in all previous flights, the missiles exploded in one way or another: SN8 and SN9 – when hitting the ground during landing, SN10 – a few minutes after landing, and SN11 – even before attempting to land during a maneuver. In the case of SN15, everything went without any excesses.
After the SN11 prototype disaster at the end of March, the US Federal Aviation Administration investigated the explosion. As a result, SpaceX was allowed to conduct three test flights at once – SN15, SN16, and SN17. This decision is motivated by the fact that, as established by the regulator, “SpaceX has made adjustments arising from the investigation of the incident.”
The Starship prototypes being tested are about 50 meters tall, roughly the height of a 15-story building, and are powered by three Raptor rocket engines. ACCORDING TO SPACEX’S WEBSITE, the SN15 differs from previous versions of the rocket in ” improved design, avionics, and software. ” According to the available data, in addition to software changes, engineers changed the route of the fuel line and used Raptor engines with a new design and configuration.
SpaceX is developing Starship to launch cargo and people to the Moon and Mars. Earlier this month, NASA signed a nearly $ 3 billion contract with the company to build a lunar version of Starship to carry astronauts to the lunar surface as part of the Artemis mission. However, the contract was then suspended due to protests by SpaceX rivals Blue Origin and Dynetics. However, this did not stop the space company Elon Musk, which continues to develop and test. Musk believes that the system, which includes the Starship spacecraft and the giant Super Heavy booster rocket, will be ready around 2023. However, he admits that this is a very ambitious task.
