Prototype Starship SN5 like a tin can, because it has no fairing
Early August for the company SpaceX had a busy, but very successful. First, on August 2, she managed without any problems to return astronauts from the International space station to Earth inside of a spacecraft Crew Dragon. Now it became known that on 5 August the company successfully tested a prototype spaceship Starship SN5. Recall that this spacecraft is scheduled to use for sending into space a particularly heavy loads and a flight to the moon, Mars and other faraway places. Testing of the prototype was conducted before, but the last four attempts ended in complete failure. And all because the camera or were destroyed before the flight, or exploding after separation from the launch pad. This time everything went like clockwork — a prototype, at the moment, like a tin can, rose to a height of about 150 meters and gently dropped into place.
How was testing of the prototype ship Starship SN5, he said . The action took place at the launch site of Boca Chica, which is located in the U.S. state of Texas. The prototype was equipped with one rocket powered Raptor and a full-sized fuel tanks. Under this test, the company first wanted to test the guidance system of the machine — technology that helps the vehicle stick to the specified category flight. Also, SpaceX was important to ascertain the strength of the structure and fuel tanks. The flight was successful, and so, with the strength of the prototype everything is in order. If any problem had occurred would be another explosion from the fuel tanks to be trifled with.
the takeoff of the prototype Starship SN5
A live webcast of the event was conducted on the YouTube channel . The video below shows the whole process of testing — as you can see, it took less than one minute. Within this time period, a prototype Starship SN5 without any problems off the ground, had reached approximately 150-meter height and carefully dropped to the launch pad. During this time he steadily kept the balance, that is, with a guidance system it all too.
The SpaceX Company definitely worth to praise, to congratulate, because this week she did two big things. First, 2 August, she successfully returned to earth the astronauts Bob Behnken (Bob Behnken), and Doug Hurley (Hurley Doug). At the end of may, they were the first who went to the International space station inside a private spacecraft Crew Dragon. They spent at the station 64 days and returned to their home planet within the same capsule. proved that the plan of sending astronauts into space, the US could well do without the Russian Soyuz, one place in which cost $ 85 million. Read more about the success of the company Ilona Mask you can read in this article.
Astronomers Bob Behnken (Bob Behnken) and Doug Hurley (Hurley Doug)
Second, the company has successfully tested a prototype ship Starship SN5. Test failed company four times in a row. Attempt, made in may, generally ended with a Bang — the prototype number SN4 was on fire. The same fate befell other prototypes for different reasons, they exploded in November, February and April. So, at the moment it is one of the few prototypes that could implement the full "leap" into the sky. Read more about failed tests Starship — all in detail and to the point, recommend.
The Success of the company noted even Elon Musk. He hinted that the first manned flight to Mars is already not fantasy, but the approaching reality:
Mars looks real.
In the future time, the company intends to continue testing the ship. They will be quite often, because a full ship must be build by 2022. It was then that the company intends to use the Starship to ship large shipments into space. And in 2024 there should be even more ambitious event — a flight with passengers on Board. it is hoped that in the future the prototype will explode and we will see the time, when developing a ship will take people to the moon . Like it or not, we live in very interesting times and observe what is happening — a pleasure.
