SpaceX
in A short video was released on ThursdayPerhaps to celebrate America’s Fourth of July Independence Day with the red glow of the biggest rocket ever, SpaceX has released new footage of the latest test of its Starship launch vehicle.
The test, the fourth of the experimental rocket that NASA hopes will land astronauts on the Moon and eventually send humans to Mars, took place on June 6. During the flight, the rocket’s first stage performed well during its ascent, making a controlled re-entry into the Gulf of Mexico after separating from the upper stage. Starship’s upper stage appeared to have a successful flight through space before making a controlled (but fiery) landing in the Indian Ocean.
The new video focuses primarily on the “Super Heavy” booster stage and its entry into the Gulf of Mexico. There’s also new footage from a camera mounted atop the 230-foot (71-meter) tall first stage, as well as from a buoy near the water’s surface. The buoy footage in particular shows the first stage landing upright in the ocean.
Starship’s fourth flight test.
Perhaps most interestingly, at the end of the video, SpaceX gives a glimpse of Starship’s large launch tower at its Starbase facility in South Texas. Prominent among these are the “chopsticks,” the two large arms used to intercept the first-stage booster as it slowly descends toward the launch pad.
The simulation then shows Starship’s first stage descending toward the launch tower with the title “Flight 5” before fading out.
To land or not to land?
This supports the idea that SpaceX is working to attempt a Starship booster catch on its next flight test, which will likely occur later this summer. To be sure, the company still has some technical and regulatory work to do before this test can happen.
Shortly after the fourth test flight, SpaceX founder Elon Musk said it was the company’s goal to attempt a similar landing on its next launch. But in a conversation with South Texas locals last week, Starbase’s general manager said: Cathy Lueders says This attempt may not be carried out on Flight 5.
But a new video released Thursday suggests that a catch attempt still remains a possibility, and possibly a possibility. Such a landing would not only be visually stunning, but also a calculated risk to SpaceX’s launch tower infrastructure, because the booster would likely land with several extra tons of methane and liquid oxygen propellant left in its tanks.
Even if SpaceX decides to go ahead with the test flight, it would still need launch and re-entry permission from the Federal Aviation Administration, which is tasked with ensuring the safety of people and property on the ground. The next test flight likely won’t take place until August.
SpaceX
Meanwhile, activities at South Texas launch sites may be limited for a few days as Hurricane Beryl enters the Gulf of Mexico late Friday and heads toward the Texas coast early next week. The center of Beryl is expected to pass near or north of the launch sites late Sunday night or Monday, bringing strong winds and a storm surge.
However, these effects are not expected to be catastrophic to SpaceX facilities, as Beryl is not expected to become a major hurricane in terms of wind speeds. Heavy rain and inland flooding is also possible in the low-lying Starbase area on Monday and Tuesday before the storm passes.
