The latest test flight of SpaceX’s Starship is a technical triumph, with the return of the Starship’s first stage booster to the launch pad and its capture in the ‘Mechzilla’ mechanical arms.
Available to comment:
Michael Brown, Associate Professor, Monash School of Physics and Astronomy
Contact details: +61 420 989 973 or michael.brown@monash.edu
The following can be attributed to Associate Professor Brown:
“The SpaceX Starship’s latest test flight is its most successful yet. The return of the first stage booster to the launch pad and its capture in the giant ‘Mechzillia’ mechanical arms is a technical triumph that has caught public attention. The Starship spacecraft travelled into space and reentered the atmosphere over the Indian Ocean as planned.
“The test flight represents a milestone on the path towards a fully reusable rocket that can lift 100 tons of payload into orbit. SpaceX has previously recovered smaller first stage boosters from Falcon rockets, which have landed on barges or concrete pads. In contrast, the Starship booster returned to its launch site, which offers the prospect of it being refuelled and relaunched from the same site.
“The reusability of Falcon rocket boosters has helped SpaceX reduce costs and dominate the commercial launch market. Increasing reusability and minimising the refurbishment required before relaunching could further reduce costs with Starship. This could open the door to ambitious space exploration later this decade and beyond. However, I suspect a fully reusable Starship will initially be used for commercial launches into Earth orbit, including vast satellite constellations.”
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