Starship testing returns this week, with both the First Stage Super Heavy booster and the second Starship on their respective test/launch pads. This week, static ignition was attempted or completed in both vehicles.
Starship is ready for Flight 3 testing
This week, the Starship base is once again active in action, and a series of hardware tests are in full swing. These tests are all in preparation for next year's SpaceX Starship Flight 3.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk, like a navigator with confidence in the future, after two launches, expressed hope that the hardware will be ready before the holidays. While not yet fully realized, it is certain that they will not lag behind schedule.
Last weekend, Starship 28 strode from its production facility to the launch site, a magnificent symphony of strength and hope at every note. Accompanied by a self-propelled modular transporter, it crosses the road and ends up at the launch site near the beach.
This scene, combined with the festive Christmas decorations on the transporter, seems to tell us that there is no shortage of joy in life, even in the serious work of conducting rocket science experiments.
Starship 28 began its performance as soon as it arrived at the launch site. It has been tested twice in succession, and each time it is like a heartbeat, powerful and powerful.
The first was to test the turbopumps of six Raptor engines with full ignition, and the second was a spectacular spectacle of three sea-level and vacuum engines igniting for a few seconds. SpaceX is already familiar with the use of this system, although the Super Heavy booster still feels fresh.
Meanwhile, Super Heavy Booster 9 was pushed to the launch pad later this week and secured to the orbital launch pad for testing activities. However, the first attempts to complete the process of static fire were unsuccessful.
According to road closure information posted on Cameron County's website, a second test may be scheduled for Wednesday. However, when it comes to Starship Base, many things are variable.
In the past, these tests were carried out on a suborbital station next to the launch pad, but with ship 28 occupying the B launch pad and the A launch pad appears to have been removed, the launch pad is now the only option.
While testing of the flight hardware for Starship Flight 3 is in full swing, we may need more time to wait. Because the FAA must first conclude the accident investigation.
Kathy Lueders, general manager of SpaceX's Starship Base, said at a local conference that she expects Flight 3 to take place in early 2024. In this process, every attempt and exploration is like a voyage in the sea of stars, full of unknowns and possibilities, as well as dreams and hopes.
The HLS elevator was tested by astronauts
HLS Elevator
With NASA revealing for the first time the mystery of the elevator used by Starship on its lunar version of its rocket, testing flight hardware is just one part of much ongoing work. NASA has selected Starship as the human landing system for Artemis 3 and 4 missions in the coming years.
While we haven't seen much HLS hardware being manufactured or tested at the moment, other than the models visible around Starship Base, that doesn't mean work hasn't started yet.
NASA shared an image and detailed explanation of the core component of the HLS lander, the elevator used to land safely on the ground. It is worth mentioning that NASA astronauts Nicole Mann and Doug Wheelock personally tested this elevator model at SpaceX's headquarters in California.
Their hands-on experience not only provided themselves with the ability to operate the new equipment, but also provided valuable feedback for SpaceX to continue to develop the landing system.
The year 2024 is a milestone for Starship, as it must complete multiple test flights during the year to meet NASA's time requirements.
However, NASA's Government Accountability Office (GAO) is skeptical that Starship and its companion Axiom spacesuit will be ready for the launch of Artemis 3 in time for 2026.
It's been a year of challenges and opportunities, and we'll see how Starship writes the future.
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