SpaceX

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Ryan Hansen Details the SpaceX Starship Catch Which Could Happen Tomorrow
October 12, 2024 by Brian Wang

SpaceX is preparing for what could be a launch and catch of the booster tomorrow. Ryan Hansen has an excellent video with renderings of all mechanisms and processes that will be used on the Mechazilla launch tower.

A successful catch will mean recovery of the 33 engines in the booster and the entire super heavy booster. It will mean that eventually a booster could be relaunched in hours instead of weeks.

While catching the world’s largest booster sounds insane, this video attempts to explain the systems that will be involved and how they function.

https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2024/10/r ... orrow.html

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FAA Gives SpaceX Starship License for Flight 5 and 6
October 12, 2024 by Brian Wang

https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2024/10/f ... and-6.html
The FAA has given SpaceX Starship the license to fly flight 5 and flight 6.

The FAA has granted SpaceX the license to launch Starship 5 as early as tomorrow from Boca Chica, Texas.

This approval, ahead of schedule, confirms all safety, environmental, and licensing requirements have been met.

SpaceX’s “Mechazilla” launch tower will attempt to catch the Super Heavy booster mid-air after stage separation—a groundbreaking recovery attempt.

The FAA has also approved the mission profile for Starship 6.

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[raklian]

Front seat view.

[wjfox]

Amazing stuff! This significantly increases the chance of a Moon landing in 2027. And dare I say it, Mars, in the not-too-distant future.

[raklian]

Amazing stuff! This significantly increases the chance of a Moon landing in 2027. And dare I say it, Mars, in the not-too-distant future.

Yes! This opens up a new tech tree, enabling all sorts of technologies that will massively accelerate the space industry. I imagine today businesses decisions are made to greenlight many projects that have been on hold.

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This opens up the possibility that a private company interested in tourism could launch a space station or two to allow for tourism. Probably for a few million for a week or a month in space? I doubt nasa is going to be launching anymore space stations so making it cheap enough for corporations and private individuals is going to be important.

[raklian]

This opens up the possibility that a private company interested in tourism could launch a space station or two to allow for tourism. Probably for a few million for a week or a month in space? I doubt nasa is going to be launching anymore space stations so making it cheap enough for corporations and private individuals is going to be important.

Well, NASA could be the biggest consumer of private space stations, at least at the beginning.

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[raklian]

Another incredible view of the Mechazilla booster catch.

[firestar464]

SpaceX plans to catch Starship upper stage with 'chopsticks' in early 2025, Elon Musk says

https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-u ... -elon-musk

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SpaceX Starship Ocean Landing is Promising for a Tower Catch Attempt
October 18, 2024 by Brian Wang
https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2024/10/s ... tempt.html

Elon Musk said the SpaceX starship achieved a precise, soft landing in the ocean, paving the way for return to launch site and being caught by the tower arms, like the booster.

Full and rapid reusability improves the cost of access to orbit and beyond by over 10,000%. The cost per kilogram to space will go from $1000 per kilogram to $10 per kilogram. The amount of material launched to space will increase by thousands of times.

It is the fundamental technology breakthrough needed to make life multiplanetary and for us to become a true spacefaring civilization.

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Sixth SpaceX Starship Flight November 18, 2024
November 6, 2024 by Brian Wang
https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2024/11/s ... -2024.html

The sixth flight test of SpaceX Starship is targeted to launch as early as Monday, November 18.

There should be far fewer delays from the FAA. The FAA will be more efficient and motivated.
The sixth flight already had approval as the fifth flight had no problems that required investigation.