Although SpaceX only completed its second starship test flight in mid month, various signs indicate that the focus of attention has shifted to the third test flight.
According to the latest report, an official from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) revealed this week that it is expected that the third starship test flight will include a key technological demonstration - how spacecraft can transport low-temperature propellants in the air. However, a spokesperson for NASA also emphasized on Tuesday that, as is customary in the space industry, so-called plans are subject to change.
Firstly, it is necessary to explain why this is being done. As we all know, the engines of starship spacecraft are mainly driven by low-temperature liquid oxygen and liquid methane. Most of the fuel carried during launch will be used to propel the starship into Earth's orbit, which means that if the starship needs to deliver goods to other planets, SpaceX needs to launch a "starship tanker" to transport fuel into orbit and transfer propellant into the starship, a process similar to the common aerial refueling of fighter jets.
In 2020, NASA awarded SpaceX a contract worth $53.2 million, which involved the development of Low Temperature Fluid Management (CFM) technology. Lockheed Martin and the Joint Launch Alliance have also been awarded similar contracts.
According to NASA's contract, when the starship first demonstrated the technology, it only needed to transfer 10 tons of liquid oxygen between the two tanks inside the main spacecraft, not including the docking part of the spacecraft.
NASA stated that the objectives of the experiment are technical risk assessment, design, prototype testing, and in orbit demonstrations to advance low-temperature fluid transfer and liquid level measurement technologies. This demonstration will reduce the key risks of large-scale propellant transfer in the early stages of future manned space missions.
Partial launch permit has been obtained
According to the latest report, SpaceX's third starship launch test has obtained communication permission from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The license is issued on November 28th and is valid from December 1st to January 6th next year.
Of course, the FCC's license only includes communication during starship launch and soft landing of the first stage booster on water, and is not a complete launch permit. The final approval will come from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States, which is still conducting post launch investigation on the second launch experiment.
According to a previous report by Caixin News Agency, during the second test flight on November 18th, the starship completed the process of takeoff and thermal separation, and reached a maximum position of 150 kilometers above the ground, far exceeding the "Carmen Line" that defines whether to enter space or not. Although the booster rocket and starship spacecraft once again disintegrated in the air, they still showed significant progress compared to the previous test flight. In the first test flight, the spacecraft triggered a self destruction program before completing separation.
At the end of November, Musk also displayed a scene of four starships arranged side by side on social media, confirming his previous statement that he could prepare for the next test flight in 3-4 weeks. According to current market expectations, the third starship test flight will take place as early as Christmas this year and can be completed no later than the first quarter of next year.
Considering that NASA's goal is to achieve manned moon landings by 2025 or 2026, this plan largely relies on the development progress of starship spacecraft. During this period, the reliability of the spacecraft and technological breakthroughs such as aerial refueling need to be verified through repeated actual flights.