Starship | 24 Apr 2023
Why in News?
Recently, SpaceX launched an uncrewed test flight of its Starship cruise vessel from the Super Heavy rocket. However, the vehicle exploded when the upper-stage Starship failed to separate from the lower-stage Super Heavy.
- SpaceX is a private company founded in 2002 by Elon Musk.
What is the Starship Project?
- SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket – collectively referred to as Starship – represent a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond.
- Starship will be able to carry up to 150 metric tonnes fully reusable and 250 metric tonnes expendable.
- Starship Super Heavy is powered by an array of Raptor engines, which are fueled by liquid methane (CH4) and liquid oxygen (LOX).
- A total of 33 Raptor engines power the first-stage booster.
- It leverages tanker vehicles (essentially the Starship spacecraft minus the windows) to refill the Starship spacecraft in low-Earth orbit.
- Development and manufacturing of Starship takes place at Starbase, one of the world’s first commercial spaceports designed for orbital missions.
What are the other Major Projects of Space X?
- Falcon 9:
- Falcon 9 is a reusable, two-stage rocket for the reliable and safe transport of people and payloads into Earth orbit and beyond.
- Falcon Heavy:
- SpaceX claims Falcon Heavy to be the most powerful rocket in the world by a factor of two.
- It is composed of three Falcon 9 nine-engine cores whose 27 Merlin engines together generate more than 5 million pounds of thrust at liftoff.
- Merlin engines use a rocket grade kerosene (RP-1) and liquid oxygen as rocket propellants in a gas-generator power cycle.
- Starlink and Starshield:
- Starlink provides high-speed, low-latency broadband internet across the globe.
- Its high-speed, low-latency service is made possible via the world’s largest constellation of highly advanced satellites operating in a low orbit around the Earth.
- Starshield leverages Starlink technology and launch capability to support national security efforts.
- While Starlink is designed for consumer and commercial use, Starshield is designed for government use.
- Starlink provides high-speed, low-latency broadband internet across the globe.