Starship could launch 'soon': Know changes made since April explosion
SpaceX is prepping for the second test flight of its colossal Starship rocket. The company's CEO Elon Musk recently hinted on X that the next Starship launch will happen 'soon.' SpaceX has relocated the latest Super Heavy prototype—Starship rocket's first stage called Booster 9—to the launch mount at the Starbase facility for "additional preflight testing." Ahead of the forthcoming flight, let's see what changes have been made to Starship, the world's most powerful rocket.
Starship comprises two parts
Towering at an astounding 394 feet, the fully stacked Starship is also the largest rocket ever built. The rocket comprises two parts: an upper-stage spacecraft which is also called Starship and a Super Heavy booster. The rocket will be capable of carrying people and cargo to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. So far, the vehicle has completed one test flight, which happened on April 20.
The April test flight ended in an explosion
The April test flight was supposed to send Starship's upper stage halfway around the Earth, bringing it back with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. However, that did not happen. The rocket's two stages did not separate as planned. About four minutes after lift-off, SpaceX had to send a self-destruct command, which resulted in the rocket exploding above the Gulf of Mexico.
Over 1,000 design changes implemented since April test flight
Since the first test flight, SpaceX has made over 1,000 changes to the Starship rocket. One notable modification is the introduction of "hot staging," which involves igniting the engines on Starship's upper stage before it disengages from the booster. This new method required the addition of a "vented interstage" and a heat shield atop Booster 9 to safeguard it from the heat of its upper-stage counterpart, called Ship 25.
Another vital change has been made to the launch mount
Starship caused significant damage during the April test flight. Upon lift-off, the rocket caused a huge crater at the launch pad, sending out large amounts of dust and debris. The company has since been working on a water-cooled steel plate that will lie underneath the launch mount to protect against the heat and pressure from launches, to avoid what happened during the April test. Musk compared this "water deluge system" to a "gigantic upside-down shower head," per Space.com.
Starship launch requires FAA's nod
Despite Musk's hint that Starship could lift-off soon, the exact timeline remains uncertain. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not yet issued a license for the upcoming Starship launch as it is still reviewing the mishap report submitted by SpaceX regarding the April test flight. Adding to the complexity, a coalition of environmental groups is suing the FAA, claiming that the agency failed to adequately assess the potential damage Starship launches could cause to the South Texas ecosystem.
