Photo: Michael Baylor via Twitter
Last week, SpaceX’s Starship Hopper, the prototype to be used for testing the future crewed space going vessel, met its Raptor engine for the first time. A few days after that, the first firing of the engine on the complete machine took place.
Without making much fuss about it, SpaceX performed the test at the Boca Chica facility in Texas. The single engine fitted on the prototype fired and the machine made a tiny hop, while still being held in place by tethers.
“Starhopper completed tethered hop. All systems green,” tweeted Elon Musk shortly after the test.
The Starhopper, as the company's CEO calls the test spaceship, will be used to confirm takeoff and landing capabilities of the future machine that will carry humans to orbit and beyond.
The ship is made of stainless steel, a material that was never before chosen to be used for such a task, but selected by SpaceX due to the low price and high strength.
The engine that will go into the ship, the Raptor, is homegrown by SpaceX. Fueled by cryogenic liquid methane and liquid oxygen, it will form the spearhead of the company’s push for the stars. The last variant, shown in September last year, was said to be capable of generating a 200 tonnes-force.
To be part of the Big Falcon Rocket assembly, the Starship is, in fact, the second stage of the combo. It will be used time and time again to carry people off-world, it is highly automated and will eventually help Earthling reach Mars for the first time.
One future version of the Starship could be used to hide in its nose 40 cabins for crew, as well as common areas. Further down, it will be fitted with central storage for supplies, a galley and even a storm shelter to protect the astronauts from solar radiation.
“Starhopper completed tethered hop. All systems green,” tweeted Elon Musk shortly after the test.
The Starhopper, as the company's CEO calls the test spaceship, will be used to confirm takeoff and landing capabilities of the future machine that will carry humans to orbit and beyond.
The ship is made of stainless steel, a material that was never before chosen to be used for such a task, but selected by SpaceX due to the low price and high strength.
The engine that will go into the ship, the Raptor, is homegrown by SpaceX. Fueled by cryogenic liquid methane and liquid oxygen, it will form the spearhead of the company’s push for the stars. The last variant, shown in September last year, was said to be capable of generating a 200 tonnes-force.
To be part of the Big Falcon Rocket assembly, the Starship is, in fact, the second stage of the combo. It will be used time and time again to carry people off-world, it is highly automated and will eventually help Earthling reach Mars for the first time.
One future version of the Starship could be used to hide in its nose 40 cabins for crew, as well as common areas. Further down, it will be fitted with central storage for supplies, a galley and even a storm shelter to protect the astronauts from solar radiation.
HOT FIRE!!! Raptor comes to life at the base of Starhopper as the vehicle performs a tethered hop at SpaceX’s Boca Chica launch facility. This is the first ever firing of a rocket engine at the launch site. #SpaceX #Starship @elonmusk
— Michael Baylor (@nextspaceflight) 4 aprilie 2019
Video via @LabPadre pic.twitter.com/K1Xpk1pxJ9
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