Starship will try to deploy satellites on an upcoming flight

The test launch from the Starbase Orbital Launch Pad A in South Texas is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. on January 10 (4:00 a.m. on January 11, Hanoi time). Launch time will last 97 minutes, with a backup plan of January 16, according to Space.

Starship consists of the first stage of the Super Heavy booster rocket and the Starship spacecraft on the upper stage, called “Ship” for short. The launch from Boca Chica Beach will include several upgrades and new targets, building on the sixth test flight last November. Most notably, this will be the first time SpaceX has sought to deploy the device using Starship, using 10 Starlink simulators to test the system’s ability to transport a new generation of Starlink satellites in the future. Deploying the new generation of heavier and more advanced Starlink satellites will be one of the uses of Starship.

In terms of upgrades, the flaps on the Starship upper deck will be reduced in size and located closer to the nose of the vehicle, reducing exposure to heat, allowing for simplified protective panels. The redesigned propulsion system also increases propellant volume by 25%, according to SpaceX. The ship’s heat shield also uses the latest generation cladding, which includes a backup layer to prevent the cladding from falling or being destroyed.

Meanwhile, the Super Heavy will reuse the Raptor engine No. 314 that flew on the Booster 12 booster and was captured by the pick-up wand in the launch tower during its fifth test flight, a small step toward reuse. The company’s goal is for Super Heavy to return to the launch pad to catch it. However, if the necessary conditions are not met, the booster will head to the Gulf of Mexico to burn the engine and land gently on the water.

The launch tower has also been upgraded. The project will test radar sensors to increase accuracy when determining the distance between the pick-up wand and the return vehicle. At the same time, it enhances sensor protection to prevent damage from previous launches. “This year will mark a turning point for Starship, with the goal of reusing the entire system,” SpaceX shared. The company will increase the number of launch missions, aiming to carry people and cargo into orbit around the Earth, as well as to the Moon and Mars.