SpaceX Starship II sequence of events (chronological order)
Mission Flight test #II: B9/S25 (launch expected)
Flight objectives (test flight)
- Expected
Configuration
- Super Heavy SH9, Booster B9
- Starship SN25, S25
Last two hours before liftoff (in T-time)
- 02:00:00 Expected
First two hours after liftoff (in MET)
- 00:00:00 Liftoff.
- 00:00:00 Start of MET.
- 00:00:00 Throttle 50%.
- 00:00:00 Throttle 100%.
- 00:00:00 Cleared the tower.
Starship
SpaceX, founded in 2002 by Elon Musk, has revolutionized the space industry through its innovative reusable rockets and ambitious goals for space exploration. One of the company’s most notable achievements is the Starship launch system, which has seen several successful launches and tests since its inception.
The first successful Starship prototype, SN5, took flight in August 2020, reaching a height of 500 feet before landing back on the launchpad. This was followed by the successful high-altitude flight of SN6 in September 2020, which reached an altitude of 7.8 kilometers before landing. The Starship program continued to make progress, with the successful flight and landing of SN8 in December 2020, reaching a height of 12.5 kilometers and landing in a controlled manner.
However, not all launches have been successful. SN9 exploded upon landing in February 2021, but this did not deter SpaceX’s efforts, as they continued testing with SN10 and SN11, both of which successfully landed. The company then had a string of successful launches, including the first operational flight of starship to orbit in May 2022, and the first successful crewed flight of the spacecraft in November 2022.
SpaceX’s starship launch system has garnered much attention for its reusable design, which is a major step forward in reducing the cost of space launches. The ability to reuse the starship makes space launches more affordable and accessible, which could greatly benefit both commercial and government space programs.
In addition to its cost-saving capabilities, the starship launch system has also been designed with interplanetary travel in mind. SpaceX aims to use the starship to eventually transport humans to Mars and establish a permanent settlement there. The company’s ultimate goal is to make life multi-planetary, and the starship launch system is a crucial component of this vision.
Overall, the history of SpaceX’s starship launches has been marked by significant milestones and breakthroughs in reusable rocket technology. The company’s commitment to innovation and ambitious goals has set it apart from its competitors and positioned it as a leader in the space industry. With continued development and successful launches, the future of space travel looks bright for SpaceX and its starship launch system.
Footnote
- Sources: Aerospace dashboard, SpaceX Starship progress, funkystuff.org
- Outgoing: SpaceX
- Keywords: SpaceX Starship progress, SpaceX sequence