Among the many upgrades is a dramatic overhaul of the stage separation process for the revolutionary SpaceX rocket.
, with conservation groups saying the launch should never have been allowed.
As a concept, hot-staging is nothing new; Russian rockets have been doing this for decades. That said, the switch is not subtle, requiring a serious adjustment to the booster. Specifically, the top of the booster will be fitted with an extension to shield the rocket from the super hot plasma coming off the upper stage engines, Musk said.
He also provided an update about the launch pad and the various provisions being made to prevent a recurrence of the first, and very damaging, launch. Musk described the “steel sandwich” and concrete being constructed beneath the pad, which should “leave the base of the pad in much better shape than the last time.” A deluge system, which Musk compared to an upside down shower head, will also work to subdue the rocket, which exerts an astounding 16.5 million pounds of thrust at liftoff .
a likely reference to the pending FAA launch license. “We think, probably, the launch pad upgrades, and the booster and ship, are ready in about six weeks,” he added, in a typical Muskian over promise. Regardless of when Starship might fly again, it’ll be fascinating to see how these and other adjustments will improve the heavy-lift rocket, which SpaceX will eventually use to transport crews, cargo, and spacecraft to various locations in the solar system.
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