Last week, the final test was performed of the Starhopper, a prototype of the starship that will take 100 people into deep space destinations such as Mars and the Moon.
The Starship and Super Heavy rockets will be powered by the newly designed closed system Raptor engines, and are designed to fly up to 1,000 times, according to Elon Musk.
Those engines use methane as fuel, with the main reason for that being low-cost fuel and the possibility to extract methane from Mars or other space bodies.
Starhopper’s successful test will ensure the way for SpaceX’s goals to test 2 more prototypes which are being built in Texas and Florida.
The two new ships that are being built are called Mk1 and Mk2 and represent some healthy competition between SpaceX teams, and it’s only the start, according to Musk.
“Both sites will make many Starships,” Musk said on Twitter in May. “This is a competition to see which location is most effective. The answer might be both.”
SpaceX has said that the first commercial Starship flights could begin as early as 2021. The company announced the Starship mission to take place in 2023 when a group of artists will take a trip around the Moon.
Musk also said that the company plans to fly the Mk1 in October for 20-kilometer distance.
Be the first to comment