SpaceX’s Starship Redefines Space Exploration | OilPrice.com

Posted by Malcom Davis via RealClearDefense,

SpaceX took a major step towards the full use of space rockets on October 13, a step towards revolutionizing access to space at a much lower cost, more frequently and with larger loads.

Amazingly successful fifth test flight of Star condition That day, the launcher witnessed the dramatic lowering of the first stage of the 300-ton rocket, Super Heavy, into the hands of the launch pad. The second stage, also named Starship, then climbed and accelerated to nearly orbital speed and glided smoothly into the target area of ​​the Indian Ocean off Western Australia. This brought the company closer to the second stage of recycling.

The full use of Starship will significantly reduce launch costs. That means that it is possible to imagine new types of operations in space that were not technologically feasible or were too expensive with the previous launch architecture.

Most of the expected applications are civilian, but possible military applications include launching surveillance and other satellites at a much lower cost.and therefore in greater numbers, even the rapid delivery of large charges across the Earth in suborbital flights.

Once SpaceX achieves the capability for a single Starship to refuel from others in orbit, one mission will be able to surrender to up to 100 metric tons or 100 people to the Moon, to Mars and beyond.

The start-up costs are significant. It’s only the first stage of SpaceX’s Falcon launcher that returns to reuse, yet the rocket has driven costs down to US$2720 per kilogram from the US$25,000 per kg that users have paid for NASA Space Shuttle flights. The total cost of the Falcon launch is 67 million US dollars.

Because no equipment will be lost in Starship flight, the only costs will be fuel, maintenance and pad use: US $ 10 million or less than the production of the future version of Starship and, according to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, finally US $ 2 million to US $ 3 million. That give feedback starting price of US$100 to US$200 per kg.

Contrast this with NASA’s Space Launch System rockets, which will be fully operational on every mission, except for the Orion crew capsules. They will at first cost US$4 billion to start with it can end about $2.5 billion. NASA will launch only one SLS per year, at most.

Starship’s capabilities mean it will be able to launch multiple satellites per missioncost reduction and fast deployment of mega constellations, such as Starlink. Besides, it will be able to carry very big payloads in orbit – about 200 metric tons in a the next version of the Starship.

At its Boca Chica launch site in Texas, SpaceX creates what it calls Starfactoryan assembly line will be able to build a Starship in a week, up from three a year now. By two other starting points Cape Canaveral, there is a proposal for up to 44 flights per year from this area. Add in the launch systems at Boca Chica, and the launch rate could exceed that of the Falcon 9, currently one every 2.7 days.

Low costs, high orbital flow and rapid launch open new opportunities for a wide variety of projects, especially when ensuring refueling in orbit.

Starship’s most important role is to support NASA’s Artemis program to return humans to the Moon in preparation for human missions to Mars. SpaceX is developing a special version of the Starship moon landing. Musk has it proposed flying Unmanned spacecraft to Mars in 2026, and possible trips there in 2028, his goal is to establish a permanent human presence on Earth.

It’s cheaply produced by Starship too support the permanent presence of man on the Moon would create a space economy and production capacity based on the use of lunar resources. All indications are that the Moon has a large amount of ice in its regolith around the southern hemisphere, where humans will first land. If water can be used for the base and to make rocket fuel for the launch of Starships from the low gravity of the moon, the Moon will become a place to launch research and use of tools throughout the solar system. inside. That is more important than a Mars colony in the coming decades.

The establishment of a permanent human base on the moon, and the use of lunar resources opens the next stage in human space activities. This will involve building growth based on location solar energy satellites which can solve many of the Earth’s energy problems in the 21st century and beyond. Another option would be the large business site forums replace it International Space Station at the end of its life in 2030. Robotic space production using lunar tools and 3D printing could create an opportunity for a space industry that could promote technological innovation in the 2030s and 2040s.

Starship’s promise of low-cost and frequent access to space ushers in a new era of space exploration and exploitation.

Malcolm Davis is an ASPI senior auditor.

By Zerohedge.com

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