SpaceX could launch the Starship very soon. The company had its first wet dress rehearsal Monday, and it was a success.
SpaceX's Starship Completed First Wet Dress Rehearsal
Elon Musk is getting closer to Mars after Starship's successful wet dress rehearsal. The 395 feet rocket was fuelled up and fully stacked for the first time at its Starbase facility in Texas, Daily Mail reported.
SpaceX announced the milestone on Twitter. The company said Starship just completed its first full flight-like wet dress rehearsal. It was the first time an integrated Ship and Booster were fully loaded with over 10 million pounds of propellant.
The test will help verify a full launch countdown sequence, the Starship's performance and its orbital pad for flight-like operations.
According to Daily Mail, the wet dress rehearsal included many procedures that SpaceX engineers usually do on launch day, like pumping liquid oxygen and liquid methane propellant into the Super Heavy first stage and Starship upper stage.
Following its success, the spacecraft is on track for its orbital test flight, which is expected to happen in the following months or weeks.
It remains unclear when the rocket will launch. However, the SpaceX CEO has been teasing fans that it is happening "soon," Science Times previously reported.
Last week, he tweeted that they have a "real shot" to launch Starship in late February, and a March blast-off was "highly likely."
Starship completed its first full flight-like wet dress rehearsal at Starbase today. This was the first time an integrated Ship and Booster were fully loaded with more than 10 million pounds of propellant pic.twitter.com/btprGNGZ1G
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 24, 2023
Today’s test will help verify a full launch countdown sequence, as well as the performance of Starship and the orbital pad for flight-like operations
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 24, 2023
SpaceX's Starship Key Facts
Starship stands 395 feet (120 meters) and weighs 11 million pounds (5 million kilograms.) It can thrust up to 16 million pounds.
The spacecraft has a maximum payload to low-Earth orbit between 220,000-330,000 pounds (100-150 tonnes) and a maximum payload to lunar orbit between 220,000 pounds (100 tonnes).
It uses oxygen and methane for its liquid fuel and is powered by 32 raptor engines.
Starship will be launched from the Starbase facility near Boca Chica, Texas, or at the Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center, according to Daily Mail.
More About SpaceX's Starship Mission
Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket, collectively known as Starship, is a fully reusable transportation system. It is designed to transport crew and cargo to Earth's orbit, the Moon and Mars.
SpaceX hopes to fly humans in Starship, the passenger-carrying section, and the Super Heavy rocket cargo.
It is expected to be the most powerful launch vehicle ever developed as it can carry over 100 metric tonnes to Earth orbit.
It delivers satellites at a lower marginal cost per launch than Falcon vehicles. Since it has a larger payload compartment, it allows for new missions, including carrying a huge space telescope bigger than James Webb.
Musk is also eyeing to land in March through Starship. Based on its simulation, it will enter the Red Planet's atmosphere at 7.5 kilometers per second and decelerate aerodynamically.
Starship is equipped with a heat shield to withstand multiple entries. However, given Mars' hot atmosphere, the spacecraft is expected to endure some ablation, similar to wear and tear on a brake pad.
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