2023-11-19 15:50:57
In space exploration, every test is a step forward, even when there are failures. SpaceX, Elon Musk’s company, has just experienced this with the second test flight of its Starship launcher. Despite the loss of the booster and the upper stage, this test marked significant progress.
The Starship shortly following launch.
Image SpaceX
On November 18, 2023, the Starship launcher left the Boca Chica launch pad at 8:03 a.m. local time. The liftoff was spectacular, with the 33 Raptor engines of the first stage, named Super Heavy, firing in perfect synchronization. This test, lasting approximately eight minutes, made it possible to observe improvements compared to the first test, particularly in terms of ascent.
This flight was also an opportunity for SpaceX to test a new “hot-staging” technique, where the engines of the upper stage ignite just before the stages separate. Unfortunately, four minutes following launch, the booster exploded just following its turnaround maneuver, which followed its separation from the Starship (the upper stage, of the same name as the set (In set theory, a set intuitively designates a collection…) of the rocket). However, this incident did not prevent the Starship upper stage from continuing its ascent before also encountering a failure, disintegrating above the Caribbean, for a reason still unknown.
SpaceX’s main objective for this test was to evaluate the launcher’s ascent phase. Despite the destruction of the two vehicles, the company considers this theft a success in terms of the data collected. This data will be used to improve the design and safety of the launcher. The original plan was to fly the Starship upper stage completely around the Earth, followed by a controlled fall into the Pacific Ocean (The Pacific Ocean, which extends over an area of ​​180,000,000 km², is the ocean…), near Hawaii.
SpaceX plans to use the Starship for manned and heavy-lift missions to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and potentially other destinations. The company aims to make space travel more affordable through the complete and rapid reuse of its launchers.
Failures are an integral part of space exploration, a field where risks and challenges are constant. NASA, which signed a contract with SpaceX to use the Starship upper stage as a manned landing system as part of the program Artemis will closely monitor the results of this test.
The next step for SpaceX is the detailed analysis of data from this flight, essential for diagnosing the causes of failures and guiding necessary modifications. The company’s iterative approach to design and testing plays a key role in this process. A third test flight is planned, its parameters will be determined following an in-depth analysis of this last test.
The “hot-staging” technique in astronautics
In the context of the last flight test of SpaceX’s Starship launcher, a particular technique was implemented: “hot-staging “. This method deserves a detailed explanation.
Hot-staging is a technique used during the launch of multi-stage rockets. Traditionally, when a rocket stage has exhausted its fuel, it is detached before the next stage ignites its engines. However, in hot-staging, the ignition of the engines of the next stage occurs before or during the separation of the previous floor. This method allows an almost instantaneous transition between the stages of the rocket.
This technique has several advantages, including a reduction in total mission time and an improvement in flight efficiency. Indeed, every second in a space launch is precious and can significantly influence the trajectory and speed of the rocket. By reducing the time between the extinction of one stage and the ignition of the next, hot-staging allows the rocket to maintain its momentum and save valuable fuel.
However, hot-staging is also a complex and risky process. It requires perfect synchronization and absolute reliability of the systems involved. Any deviation or failure can lead to serious consequences, such as the loss of the mission or, in the worst case, the destruction of the space vehicle. This is why this technique is often repeated and thoroughly tested during unmanned missions, such as those carried out by SpaceX with its Starship.
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