On Thursday, Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) announced its plan to launch the next Starship megarocket.
If all goes accordingly, the event will mark the sixth time that the spacecraft flies on November 18. Also, success would mean another dramatic booster catch could occur.
Based on reports, the Starship is the most powerful rocket in the world. It comprises the first-stage Super Heavy booster and the upper-stage Ship spacecraft.
Correspondingly, both stages included are powered by the next-generation Raptor engine. In line with this, the orbital vehicle from SpaceX is also the biggest at 400.00 feet (122.00 meters).
As indicated by the astronautics company, the upcoming flight test targets expanding the limits of both ship and booster capabilities. It also emphasized that the activity aims to bring the whole system closer to enabling full reusability.
In line with this, SpaceX has the goal of testing heatshield experiments and controlling movements for the reentry of the ship.
On top of that, the latest Starship possesses improved aspects over the previous versions. More concretely, the manufacturer added redundancy to the booster propulsion systems through hardware upgrades.
Furthermore, the changes included updated software from the mission designers for the launch and return of the booster.
Musk and Trump Ties Spark SpaceX Lax Regulation
The alliance between Elon Musk and Donald Trump raises concerns over possible regulatory leniency on SpaceX.
Prior to the United States election results, the visionary entrepreneur donated $119.00 million to the Republican candidate’s campaign.
Consequently, the return of Trump to the White House may potentially suit the business interests of Musk.
According to a former senior SpaceX official, its founder views every regulation as an obstacle to innovation. It was also reported that business constraints could lessen in the new administration.
Moreover, leniency on the company’s activities would entail faster expansion and diminished interference from the bureau.
