SpaceX's starship gears up for ambitious January launch
On 15 January 2024, at 10:00 PM Greenwich Mean Time, SpaceX's Starship rocket is scheduled to launch. During its seventh test flight, the plan includes testing technological improvements and undertaking challenging maneuvers, such as placing a simulated payload into orbit.
On Wednesday, 15 January, at 10:00 PM Greenwich Mean Time, SpaceX plans another test flight of its mega-rocket, Starship. This will be the seventh flight of its kind, during which engineers aim to test new technologies and the rocket's capability to perform complex maneuvers, like placing a simulated payload into orbit.
Starship is a two-stage rocket, standing at approximately 123 metres tall. The first stage, known as Super Heavy, functions as the carrier module, while the second stage is the Starship itself, acting as a spacecraft. The project's goal is to launch large payloads into orbit while simultaneously reducing transportation costs.
During this flight, the vehicle's new front flaps, which have been reduced in size and repositioned, will be tested. This decision aims to minimise their exposure to heat during re-entry into the atmosphere. Other changes include an enhanced propulsion system, with fuel volume increased by 25 per cent, vacuum insulation applied to fuel lines, and a new fuel supply system introduced for the engines.
Tests and Experiments
During the flight, the first attempt to place ten Starlink satellite simulators into orbit will be made. Experiments related to atmospheric re-entry and landing are also planned, including a trial of catching the ship and the return of the Super Heavy booster.
Special attention has been given to tests of the thermal shield, which now utilises the latest generation of protective tiles with a backup layer. On the upper stage of the ship, some of the protective tiles have been removed to allow endurance testing in the areas most vulnerable to damage.
SpaceX emphasises that the coming year will be crucial for the development of Starship. The company's goal is to launch a system that fully reuses the vehicle and to carry out increasingly ambitious missions. This includes sending people and payloads into Earth's orbit, to the Moon, and to Mars. The launch can be followed on platform X.
During the previous, sixth test flight in November 2023, not everything went according to plan. The carrier module, instead of returning to Texas, was directed to the Gulf of Mexico, and the second part of the rocket landed in the Indian Ocean.
