SpaceX is ready for a second attempt to send the Starship rocket system into its first orbital flight. The assembled giant rocket has already been installed on the launch pad. The rocket consists of the Starship 25 spacecraft and the Booster 9 launch vehicle, which have already passed the necessary tests.
There is no exact launch date, but it was previously reported that it will take place in October.
What is known about Mechazilla?
Credit: Twitter Elon Musk
A 140-meter Mechazilla robot usually connects the first (Super Heavy) and second (Starship) stages. The height of Super Heavy is 70 meters, and Starship is 50 meters. The “arms” of the Mechazilla tower lift the Starship spacecraft onto the Super Heavy launch vehicle.” Earlier, Elon Musk said that in the future, the process of returning the Super Heavy launch vehicle and the Starship spacecraft to Earth would occur exclusively with the help of Mehazilla.
Mechazilla is designed to improve the security of the fit, but the design is very complex and expensive. I’d like to know if SpaceX can confirm the reliability of Mechazilla for the first time. Let us remind you that SpaceX successfully landed the prototype of the Starship SN15 spacecraft only on its fifth launch.
What about Starship?
Starship Credit: SpaceX Twitter
SpaceX wanted to send Starship into space in April 2023, but the rocket system exploded at an altitude of about 40 km. It is important to note that the self-destruct command worked with a 60-second delay.
The rocket destroyed the launch site in Texas, and US authorities launched an investigation. Musk promised that the second flight would occur two months after the first. However, more than four months have passed since the April start.
Starship will be the world’s most powerful rocket. 39 Raptor engines (33 for Booster 9 and 6 for Ship 25) will create a total thrust of 7,500 tons. This title belongs to the NASA Space Launch System (SLS) lunar rocket with a thrust of 4,000 tons.
Banner image: Elon Musk’s Starship can be seen at Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, on September 6, 2023. Credit: Twitter/@SpaceX
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