SpaceX launches Starship's 1st orbital flight test
The mission also aims to put Starlink satellites into orbit.
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SpaceX on Monday launched the world's largest and
SpaceX on Monday launched the world's largest and most powerful rocket and spacecraft on a mission that, if all goes well, will be the first time the spacecraft has achieved orbit.
If the company's 14th test flight goes as
If the company's 14th test flight goes as planned, it will also be the first Starship mission to make money for SpaceX. The company plans to deploy 26 Starlink satellites into orbit to build out its satellite internet division, SpaceX's primary revenue generator.
The flight lifted off at 8:50 a.m. ET
The flight lifted off at 8:50 a.m. ET from SpaceX's Starbase in Cameron County, Texas. The launch was initially scheduled for 8:15 a.m. ET but that was pushed Monday morning to 8:48 a.m. ET. Flight controllers had a 75-minute launch window to get the spacecraft off the pad.
The mission is scheduled to last just under
The mission is scheduled to last just under 10 hours, and SpaceX is aiming for about six orbits. However, the mission includes built-in abort opportunities, and SpaceX could end the flight early if it encounters an issue. If SpaceX can get Starship into orbit, the spacecraft will be traveling about 17,500 mph, more than 170 miles above Earth.
During the launch, the Starship will lift off
During the launch, the Starship will lift off atop the vehicle's Super Heavy booster. The Super Heavy booster will separate from the spacecraft and perform a boostback burn, designed to change its direction so it can return to Earth. After a landing burn, the booster will splash down in the Gulf.
Starship will start its flight on what SpaceX
Starship will start its flight on what SpaceX calls a "passively safe" suborbital/free-return path. This is the same trajectory the company used for previous missions.
If a problem occurs early in the flight
If a problem occurs early in the flight, the free-return trajectory provides a built-in abort option without requiring any additional maneuver. The spacecraft would reenter over the Indian Ocean and splash down. Iran live updates: CENTCOM says Tehran 'does not control' Strait of Hormuz IRGC will target US ships in Indian Ocean if fighting resumes, official says Nor'easter turns deadly as it lashes Northeast with rain, wind and flooding
If all is going as planned and the
If all is going as planned and the vehicle is healthy, about 25 minutes into the mission, the spacecraft will fire one of its Raptor sea-level engines (the smaller of the two engine types on the vehicle) and perform a circularization burn, putting Starship into orbit around the Earth for the first time.
The flight plan includes regular vehicle health checks
The flight plan includes regular vehicle health checks during the flight. SpaceX says Starship has more than 500 sensors that measure things such as temperature, pressure and acceleration during the mission. In addition, the vehicle provides flight controllers with continuous telemetry data. If problems arise, Starship can deorbit early and splash down in the ocean.
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SpaceX launches Starship's 1st orbital flight test
The mission also aims to put Starlink satellites into orbit.
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Source: ABC News