Elon Musk activates SpaceX Starlink service over Ukraine
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SpaceX, headed by Elon Musk, has spearheaded advancements in space travel for years, starting with its landmark self-landing rockets. While partnered with NASA, it has provided a vital service in ferrying astronauts and commercial cargo to the ISS. Upcoming launches promise to exhibit new technology recently teased by Mr Musk himself.
The SpaceX CEO showcased the new Raptor 2 engines via Twitter on Friday ahead of their installation on the Starship “mega-rocket” due to launch later this year.
Each engine, he said, can produce “over half a million pounds (230 pounds) of force”.
The Raptor 2’s will backup the Starship rockets and Super Heavy boosters, which need 33 engines each.
While people will have to wait a little while to see the new engines in action, SpaceX has no shortage of launches ahead.
May (TBD): SpaceX Falcon 9 (Starlink satellites)
May 5: SpaceX Falcon 9 (Starlink satellites)
May 8: SpaceX Falcon 9 (Starlink satellites)
May 16: SpaceX Falcon 9 (Starlink satellites)
May 25: SpaceX Falcon 9 (Transporter 5 mission)
June (TBD): SpaceX Falcon 9 (Nilesat 301 geostationary satellite launch)
June 7: SpaceX Falcon 9 (Dragon 2 spacecraft ISS resupply mission)
Late June: SpaceX Falcon Heavy (USSF 44 mission)
June/July: SpaceX Falcon 9 (SES 22 communications satellite)
Mid-2022: SpaceX Falcon 9 (SARah 1 radar remote sensing satellite)
July( SpaceX Falcon 9 (WorldView Legion Earth Earth observation satellites)
August 1: SpaceX Falcon Heavy (NASA Psyche spacecraft)
September 1: SpaceX Falcon 9 (Crew Dragon launch)
September 24: Falcon 9 (Tranche 0 demonstration satellites)
October: SpaceX Falcon 9 (Dragon 2 spacecraft cargo resupply)
October: SpaceX Falcon 9 (Transporter 6 mission)
October: SpaceX Falcon Heavy (USSF 52 mission)
November (TBD): SpaceX Falcon Heavy (USSF 67 mission)
November 15: SpaceX Falcon 9 (Surface Water and Surface Water and Ocean Topography NASA mission)
When will the SpaceX Starship launch?
SpaceX has devised its Starship rocket to meet its long-term spaceflight goal of landing on Mars.
The ship piggybacks on the Super Heavy rocket to carry crew and cargo to “Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond”.
But news of its eventual launch has been sparing, with little concrete confirmation of when it could make its first trip to the Earth’s orbit.
In March, Mr Musk teased that the rocket could make the vital trip this month.
On March 21, he wrote on Twitter that SpaceX would have “39 flightworthy engines” ready by April, which he confirmed with last week’s picture.
After producing the engines, he added that the company would need “another month” to integrate them.
Mr Musk said he hoped the rocket could launch its orbital flight test by May.
The event would mark the latest test for the Starship, which has already performed several test launches.
Previous tests have involved limited technology, however, including prototype upper-stage vehicles.
At a maximum, the rockets have used three Raptor engines and only transported the payload 6.2 miles upwards.
For reference, the Earth’s orbit is approximately 62 miles above the planet’s surface.
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