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IFT-3
Starship flight test 3 was the third flight test of the SpaceX Starship launch vehicle. SpaceX performed the flight test on March 14, 2024. Starship successfully completed a full-duration second stage burn, reaching the intended orbital velocity for the first time, but broke up during re-entry in the atmosphere. Background Changes from the previous flight After the second flight test in November 2023 ended in the destruction of both the Super Heavy booster and the Starship spacecraft, 17 significant changes were made to the vehicles, including upgrading the ship to an electric thrust vector control (TVC) system (the booster had received similar upgrades for the second flight test) and delaying the vent of liquid oxygen (LOX) to after Starship engine cutoff (SECO). SpaceX upgraded the orbital tank farm with additional subcoolers and pumps to increase the propellant flow rate. In addition, two water tanks were removed and scrapped. Steel plates have been added to concret ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Starship Ship 28
Since April 2023, Starship has been launched times, with successes and failures. The vehicle Starship composes when combined with the Super Heavy booster, also named Starship, has been developed with the intention of lowering launch costs using economies of scale. SpaceX aims to achieve this by reusing both rocket stages, increasing payload mass to orbit, increasing launch frequency, creating a mass-manufacturing pipeline and adapting it to a wide range of space missions. Starship is the latest project in SpaceX's reusable launch system development program and plan to colonize Mars. There are three versions of Starship: Block 1 (also known as Version 1 or V1), Block 2, and Block 3, the proposed variants include a depot, Starship HLS, and Starship Crew. Block 2 Starships are designed to be compatible with Block 1 and with future Block 2 boosters. As of May 2025, Block 1 vehicles have been retired, and three Block 2 vehicles have flown so far. The Starship spacecraft is ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Starship Flight Test 4
Starship flight test 4 was the fourth flight test of the SpaceX Starship launch vehicle. SpaceX performed the flight test on June 6, 2024. The prototype vehicles flown were the Starship Ship 29 upper-stage and Super Heavy Booster 11. The main test objectives of this flight, both of which were accomplished, were for the Super Heavy booster to simulate a landing at a "virtual tower" just above the surface of the Gulf of Mexico, and for Starship to survive at least peak heating during atmospheric re-entry. This marked the first integrated test flight where both Starship and Super Heavy successfully reentered and performed a powered vertical landing over the ocean surface. Background Investigation prior to launch Starship flight test 3 in March 2024 attained full duration burns of both stages and reached orbital velocity. However, both stages were destroyed during atmospheric return, prompting a SpaceX-led mishap investigation overseen by the FAA. The FAA stated tha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Atmospheric Entry
Atmospheric entry (sometimes listed as Vimpact or Ventry) is the movement of an object from outer space into and through the gases of an atmosphere of a planet, dwarf planet, or natural satellite. Atmospheric entry may be ''uncontrolled entry,'' as in the entry of astronomical objects, space debris, or bolides. It may be ''controlled entry'' (or ''reentry'') of a spacecraft that can be navigated or follow a predetermined course. Methods for controlled atmospheric ''entry, descent, and landing'' of spacecraft are collectively termed as ''EDL''. Objects entering an atmosphere experience atmospheric drag, which puts mechanical stress on the object, and aerodynamic heating—caused mostly by compression of the air in front of the object, but also by drag. These forces can cause loss of mass ( ablation) or even complete disintegration of smaller objects, and objects with lower compressive strength can explode. Objects have reentered with speeds ranging from 7.8 km/s for ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
SpaceX Super Heavy
Super Heavy is the Reusable launch vehicle, reusable first stage of the SpaceX Starship Super heavy-lift launch vehicle, super heavy-lift launch vehicle, which it composes in combination with the SpaceX Starship (spacecraft), Starship second stage. As a part of SpaceX Mars colonization program, SpaceX's Mars colonization program, the booster evolved into its current design over a decade. Production began in 2021, with the first flight being conducted on April 20, 2023, during the Starship flight test 1, first launch attempt of the Starship rocket. The booster is powered by 33 SpaceX Raptor, Raptor engines that use liquid oxygen and methane as propellants. It returns to its launch site after propelling the second stage toward orbit, VTVL, landing vertically by being caught by the launch tower. Design Super Heavy is tall, wide, and is composed of four general sections: the engines, the oxygen tank, the fuel tank, and the interstage. SpaceX Chief executive officer, CEO Elon Mu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Super Heavy Booster 10
Since April 2023, Super Heavy has been launched times, with successes and failures. Starship, the vehicle Super Heavy composes when combined with the Starship spacecraft, has been developed with the intention of lowering launch costs using economies of scale. SpaceX aims to achieve this by reusing both rocket stages, increasing payload mass to orbit, increasing launch frequency, creating a mass-manufacturing pipeline and adapting it to a wide range of space missions. Starship is the latest project in SpaceX's reusable launch system development program and plan to colonize Mars. There are currently three planned versions of Super Heavy: Block 1 (also known as Version 1 or V1), Block 2, and Block 3. As of March 2025, Block 1 vehicles and Block 2 vehicles have flown. The Super Heavy booster is reusable, and is recovered via large arms on the tower capable of catching the descending vehicle. As of May 2025, booster has been refurbished and subsequently flown at least a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
SpaceX Starship
Starship is a two-stage fully reusable launch vehicle, reusable super heavy-lift launch vehicle under development by American aerospace company SpaceX. On 20 April 2023, with the Starship flight test 1, first Integrated Flight Test, Starship became the most massive and most powerful vehicle ever to fly. SpaceX has developed Starship with the intention of lowering launch costs using economies of scale. SpaceX aims to achieve this by Fully reusable orbital launch vehicle, reusing both rocket stages by catching them with the launch and integration tower, increasing payload mass to orbit, increasing launch frequency, Mass production, mass-manufacturing the rockets and General-purpose technology, adapting it to a wide range of space missions. Starship is the latest project in SpaceX's SpaceX reusable launch system development program, reusable launch system development program and SpaceX Mars colonization program, plan to colonize Mars. Starship's two stages are the SpaceX Super Hea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
SpaceX Starship (spacecraft)
Starship is a spacecraft and Upper stage, second stage under development by American aerospace company SpaceX. Stacked atop its booster, SpaceX Super Heavy, Super Heavy, the pair compose SpaceX's Super heavy-lift launch vehicle, super heavy-lift space vehicle, also called SpaceX Starship, Starship. The spacecraft is designed to transport both crew and cargo to a variety of destinations, including Earth orbit, the Moon, and Mars. It is designed to be Reusable spacecraft, reusable and capable of Propulsive landing, landing propulsively by firing its engines to perform a controlled descent into the arms of a tower on Earth or with landing legs on other planetary bodies. It is intended to enable long-duration Interplanetary spaceflight, interplanetary flights with a crew of up to 100 people. It is also claimed by SpaceX to be capable of enabling travel to anywhere on Earth in under an hour. Furthermore, it has been proposed to be used to Orbital propellant depot, refuel other Starship ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wet Dress Rehearsal
Launch vehicle system tests assess the readiness of a launch system to safely reach orbit. Launch vehicles undergo system tests before they launch. Wet dress rehearsals (WDR) and more extensive static fire tests prepare fully assembled launch vehicles and their associated ground support equipment (GSE) prior to launch. The spacecraft/payload may or may not be attached to the launch vehicle during the WDR or static fire, but sufficient elements of the rocket and all relevant ground support equipment are in place to help verify that the rocket is ready for flight. Propellant load tests and static fire tests may also be done on prototype rocket stages, in which case no fully assembled launch vehicle is involved, as is the case of the SpaceX Starship stages, the booster Super Heavy and the second stage Starship. Wet dress rehearsal A wet dress rehearsal is called "wet" because the liquid propellant components (such as liquid oxygen, liquid hydrogen, etc.) are loaded into the rocket ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ars Technica
''Ars Technica'' is a website covering news and opinions in technology, science, politics, and society, created by Ken Fisher and Jon Stokes in 1998. It publishes news, reviews, and guides on issues such as computer hardware and software, science, technology policy, and video games. ''Ars Technica'' was privately owned until May 2008, when it was sold to Condé Nast Digital, the online division of Condé Nast Publications. Condé Nast purchased the site, along with two others, for $25 million and added it to the company's ''Wired'' Digital group, which also includes '' Wired'' and, formerly, Reddit. The staff mostly works from home and has offices in Boston, Chicago, London, New York City, and San Francisco. The operations of ''Ars Technica'' are funded primarily by advertising, and it has offered a paid subscription service since 2001. History Ken Fisher, who serves as the website's current editor-in-chief, and Jon Stokes created ''Ars Technica'' in 1998. Its purpose was t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
South Texas
South Texas is a geographic and cultural region of the U.S. state of Texas that lies roughly south of—and includes—San Antonio. The southern and western boundary is the Rio Grande, and to the east it is the Gulf of Mexico. The population of this region is more than 5 million according to the 2024 census estimates. The southern portion of this region is often referred to as the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Rio Grande Valley. The eastern portion along the Gulf of Mexico is also referred to as the Texas Coastal Bend, Coastal Bend. Greater Houston and Beaumont–Port Arthur metropolitan area, Beaumont–Port Arthur are occasionally tied to the region, both for physically being on the southern end of the state and for businesses that use "South Texas" in its name. (i.e. South Texas College of Law Houston, South Texas School of Law, South Texas State Fair, etc.). However, the two are more commonly associated with East Texas or Southeast Texas. Geography There is no defined northern bo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
SpaceX Starbase
SpaceX Starbase—previously, SpaceX South Texas Launch Site and SpaceX private launch site—is an industrial complex and rocket launch facility that serves as the main testing and production location for SpaceX Starship, Starship launch vehicles, as well as the headquarters of the American space technology company SpaceX. Located in Starbase, Texas, United States, and adjacent to South Padre Island, Texas, Starbase has been under near-continuous development since the late 2010s, and comprises a spaceport near the Gulf of Mexico, a production facility, and a test site along Texas State Highway 4. When initially conceptualized in the early 2010s, its stated purpose was "to provide SpaceX an exclusive launch site that would allow the company to accommodate its launch manifest and meet tight launch windows." The launch site was originally intended to support launches of the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launch vehicles as well as "a variety of Reusable launch vehicle, reusable suborb ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
