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The rocket Starship reaches orbit on its third launch attempt. Considered the most powerful aerospace vehicle on the planet, being launched this Thursday morning (14), in Boca China, in the state of Texas (USA), at an air base at the company's headquarters SpaceX, owned by billionaire Elon Musk. 1wg3k
During the mission, which lasted about an hour, the rocket ed significant milestones for the team of engineers, who made notable advances with the third flight attempt arriving in space. Still, the Starship disintegrated upon return to Earth. The trip was not attended by crew.
The Starship test rlm
The launch of the Starship rocket was slightly delayed, only happening around 10:25 am, North American Central Time. It happened that vessels close to the Gulf of Mexico were removed, as they were in the rocket's landing location. The wind and cloudy conditions also worried the engineers at SpaceX.
However, no setbacks prevented the mission. With the Starship in the sky, three minutes after launch, the booster super heavy separated from the Starship, which reached orbit already kilometers above the ground, recording impressive images of our planet.
The engineers' expectation was to bring Starship back to Earth after testing the rocket. However, the team lost with the boost, which was lost. After re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere, the team lost two key pieces of communication at the same time: with the Starlink, the internet service of SpaceX, and with the TDRSS – or Satellite Data Tracking and Retransmission System.
The ship continued its journey through space, gradually deactivating its engines. Even without completely fulfilling what had been predicted by scientists, this was the farthest flight made by Starship on the third attempt of SpaceX.
The vehicle has the capacity to transport up to 250 tons (which can be discarded after a mission) and 150 tons (which can be transported again in new launches).
Progress compared to previous tests 455g33
Although the loss of the spacecraft is a setback, the SpaceX considered the day “phenomenal”. The test, carried out on the company's 22nd anniversary, demonstrated significant advances compared to previous flights, both carried out last year.
In the first test, the SpaceX chose to deliberately destroy the thruster and the spacecraft shortly after takeoff, as part of a technical decision. In the second test, the rocket exploded shortly after separating from Starship, which was also lost shortly after leaving Earth orbit.
In view of the previous results, the third test of the SpaceX achieved considerable progress, taking into the distance covered, successful tests with the opening and closing of Starship's payload door, which will be used to launch satellites Starlink and the demonstration of propellant transfer, which means moving part of the propellant on board the vehicle from one tank to another.
Elon Musk confident about Starship's performance 1q6a1q
With the ultimate objective of using the Starship to transport people and cargo to the Moon and Mars, billionaire Elon Musk says he is confident with the performance demonstrated in the third test with the rocket.
The CEO of SpaceX stated that one of the main goals of these first test flights is to get Starship to reach orbital speeds – speeds fast enough to allow the spacecraft to enter a stable orbit around Earth.
Typically, this feat requires speeds above 17.500 miles per hour (28.000 kilometers per hour).
Starship achieved its target orbital speeds and was not intended to actually enter orbit during this test.
At the beginning of the flight, Elon Musk, owner of SpaceX, congratulated his team and reaffirmed that Starship will take people to Mars.
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The advances achieved by Starship's third launch test fuel the company's plans NASA, who chose the rocket for the mission Artemis lll, as a landing vehicle that will transport its astronauts to the lunar surface, scheduled to take off in September 2026.
Artemis III will send astronauts, including the first woman and the first black person, on a mission to the Moon. NASA's planning consists of using Starship in near-Earth orbit, while the SpaceX launches separate vehicles that will carry only fuel for the spacecraft.
“Congratulations to SpaceX on a successful test flight! The starship took to the skies. Together, we are making great strides through Artemis to return humanity to the Moon – and then look to Mars,” wrote the NASA , Bill nelson, on X, formerly known as Twitter.
See also:
reviewed by Glaucon Vital in 14 / 3 / 24.
