During the next test flight, SpaceX will attempt to recover the Starship’s upper stage using the mechanical arms of the Mechazilla launch tower. If unsuccessful, this maneuver could result in the destruction of the tower and damage to the Starbase launch pad.
SpaceX will attempt a historic maneuver during the next test flight of the Starship rocket: recover the upper stage using the two mechanical arms of the Mechazilla launch tower. If this maneuver is successful, it could bea new stage in the history of space conquest. On the other hand, if it fails, it could lead to the destruction of Mechazilla and part of the Starbase launch pad.
SpaceX intends to recover the upper stage of the Starship using the mechanical arms of Mechazilla, a world first
During Starship Flight 14, SpaceX will attempt to catch up with the upper stage of the rocket (the Ship) with the two mechanical arms of the launch tower called Mechazilla. So far, SpaceX has managed to recover the first stage of the launcher (the Super Heavy) of the rocket three times, but never the upper stage. More generally, it is abouta first in the history of aerospace. On X, Elon Musk clarified: “ Unless we discover problems after reviewing the mission data, SpaceX will attempt to catch the ship with the tower on the next flight “. As of this writing, no date has been set for Starship Flight 14.
As a reminder, the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket returns to Earth and can be reused after inspection. On the Starship side, the objective is even more ambitious: also recover the upper stage (the Ship) which is currently completing its test flights with a controlled landing in the ocean. By recovering the upper stage of the Starship using the mechanical arms of Mechazilla, SpaceX would take a new step towards fully reusable rocket. The company ultimately hopes to be able to quickly refuel the first stage, which has returned to the launch pad, and have it take off again a few hours later.
A highly risky maneuver
The risks associated with such a maneuver are considerable. The upper stage of the Starship rocket passes through the atmosphere to return from space, exposing it to extreme temperatures and significant mechanical stress. A slight degradation upper stage capture points or misalignment with the mechanical arms of Mechazilla could defeat the mission. Imagine that the upper stage is not correctly received by the mechanical arms and falls onto the launch pad. This would then potentially involve the destruction of the Mechazilla launch tower and, more broadly, part of the Starbase launch pad. THE damage could be considerable and SpaceX’s timetable completely called into question.
As such, the aerospace company Blue Origin knows something about the massive explosion of the New Glenn rocket, even if this mishap could, in the end, benefit it to a certain extent. In any case, if SpaceX’s maneuver ends in success, it could be a new major step in the conquest of space.
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Source :
X
