The spacecraft – the spacecraft that Elon Musk says will one day take people to Mars – on another day to implement the eighth test journey.
This journey was to the space, which was to be held on Monday night, to largely be the seventh trip process, which was launched in January. In this test, the Mammoth Mammoth at Starship, or the bottom of the missile, succeeded in the launch platform, but the upper spacecraft was disintegrated on the Caribbean Sea, where some debris landed on the TURKS and Caicos Islands.
But a problem with the spacecraft in the second stage, which resulted in the postponement of an attempt to launch on Monday from the company’s launch platform in the company. During the live broadcast, Spacex commentators did not provide details about the reason for launching.
In post on xMr. Musk, CEO of SpaceX, said that there are “many question marks on this trip” and pointed to low pressure in one specific system.
He added that it is better to take the missile out of the launch platform, and to lose it “and try again in a day or two.”
What is the spacecraft?
The central vehicle missile system is the largest designed ever. With a length of 403 feet, it is about 100 feet long from the statue of freedom above the base of the statue.
Most engines have ever in missile reinforcing: a super heavy supporter is run by 33 SPACEX RAPTOR engines. Since these engines raise the vehicle from the Launchpad platform, they will generate 16 million pounds of full -stroke.
The upper part, also called Starship or Ship for Short, looks like a shiny science fiction missile in the fifties of the last century, made of stainless steel with large fins. This is the upper stage that will go towards orbit, and in the end it can move people to the moon or even Mars.
In six tests before the seventh trip, Spacex showed that the main design of the missile can almost return to the ground. Next year, Spacex is looking to improve “more or less” to “reliably” and demonstrate other capabilities. The company is likely to obtain approval from the Federal Aviation Administration of up to 25 flights this year.
What is the mistake that happened during the last trip?
The first part of the launch continued smoothly, raising all the engines of the supporter 33 of the missile towards space. The supporter also separated properly, and the six engines of the spacecraft were caught in the second stage, pushing it up. But a mistake occurred, and the air traffic had to be diverted over the Caribbean area and delayed it around the falling debris.
Spacex said that about two minutes away from the upper stage, a flash occurred near the back of the spacecraft near a motor. The company calls this “attic” field.
Spacex said that the sensors recorded an increase in pressure, indicating a leak.
After two minutes, there was another flash, followed by fires in the attic, which caused the closure of all engines except for one. The analogy has ended from a distance from the spacecraft eight minutes after 20 seconds of takeoff.
Spacex said that the possible cause was stronger than the expected rhythmic fluctuations. The vibrations caused leaks of motivations that cannot be fully veiled into the attic, which leads to fires.
Spacex, according to his analysis, said that the self -destruction system blew up a few minutes later.
What has changed Spacex to fix the problem from the last trip?
The company said that the engines of the engines have been changed to reduce the fluctuations. Spacex also changed motivation temperatures and motor payments to avoid recurrence of leaks.
For the missile on this trip, SPACEX also added more holes to the attic section, and a system for disinfecting the payment space to reduce the opportunity of fires.
The Federal Aviation Administration supervised the investigation of SpaceX for what happened wrong during the seventh test flight, and issued a launch license on Friday for the eighth trip.
What will happen during this trip?
While in space, Starship will test a new system that is somewhat similar to the PEZ candy distributor. You will shoot four similar satellites in size and shape to the spacecraft that will be published for the SPACEX internet. Fake satellites in the air will burn on the Indian Ocean.
The trip also includes tests aimed at improving the highest stage ability to survive in the Earth’s atmosphere on the Indian Ocean.
The missile phase will work on vertical approach and simulation of water landing.
Spacex will also try another hunting of a supporter in Starship.
When will the vehicle be able to send people to space?
NASA plans to use a version of Starship to take astronauts from the moon’s orbit to the moon during its ARTEMIS III mission, currently scheduled for 2027.
But this task can be delayed, or even canceled, if the Trump administration renews the moon program or turns its attention to Mars.
Spacex will need to show high reliability of charcoal before a flight with people on the plane is done.
What happens with Spacex?
The company continues to launch the Rockets Falcon 9 from Florida and California every few days. But she also had some modern defects with this bomber.
During the launch in February, the higher Falcon 9 stage failed to carry out the usual motor burning to ensure that the missile residue will decrease in the ocean. Instead, it remained in orbit. The air resistance has gradually decreased, and the stage led to the insertion of the atmosphere 18 days after Europe. No one was injured or injured, but it seems that the missile cut off in Poland.
Spacex faced another problem on Sunday night when Falcon 9 supported the battleship in the Atlantic Ocean, but then fell.
“An external fire at the back end of the missile has damaged one of the legs of the supporter, which led to a launch,” Spacex said.