SpaceX test launched a new disc-shaped cargo ship

Starfall, a re-entry vehicle capable of carrying up to 1,000 kg of cargo into orbit, was successfully launched by SpaceX, paving the way for factories operating in outer space in the future.

Theo SpaceSpaceX’s Starfall unmanned spacecraft took off on its first mission from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 6:52 a.m. on June 23 (5:52 p.m. same date and time in Hanoi). Starfall is a cargo transporter designed to carry cargo to low Earth orbit (LEO) on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets, and return materials safely to Earth. This ship model is not intended to carry passengers but focuses on supporting research or goods that need to be recovered after a period of time in space such as pharmaceuticals.

Before SpaceX, California-based Varda Space Industries landed five “W-series” conical capsules measuring 0.9 meters and weighing about 300 kg, one of which carried cargo for the US Air Force after more than eight weeks in orbit. Starfall is three times larger in size with a width of 3.1 meters and a height of 0.75 meters, and can carry a load of up to 1,000 kg.

Theo Space Flight NowStarfall consists of two main parts that separate themselves after re-entry: the cargo compartment’s upper cladding and the heat shield that allows for reentry maneuvers, precision landings, and parachute deployment.

According to US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the upper panel is an aluminum structure partially covered with heat-resistant material and weighs about 1,400 kg. The heat shield consists of a carbon fiber structure covered with heat-resistant material, containing two composite tanks filled with nitrogen gas (151 liters each) and several smaller auxiliary compressed air tanks (9 liters each), with a total weight of about 700 kg. When reentering the atmosphere, the top panel separates to reveal a parachute connected to four attachment points on the vehicle. Starfall is equipped with 3 parachutes including a deceleration parachute, guide parachute and main parachute for landing.

SpaceX plans to launch Starfall on suborbital and long-duration missions in LEO. The vehicle has no propulsion system and cannot leave orbit on its own. Most likely in this launch, SpaceX uses the second stage of Falcon 9 to bring the test ship back to Earth. In case Starfall encounters problems in space or during reentry, SpaceX designed the spacecraft to be safely destroyed.

According to SpaceX, the capsule uses non-toxic inert gas (nitrogen) for directional control and does not contain liquid propellants or dangerous compounds. All pressurization systems are vented before landing, so no propellant is discharged into the ocean.

SpaceX has not revealed how long the Starfall test vehicle was in orbit during its first mission and did not share images of the Falcon 9 rocket’s second stage after separating from the booster stage. When Starfall returns to Earth, SpaceX will land the capsule in an area of ​​the Pacific Ocean, about 1,300 km from the West Coast of the United States.

Meanwhile, the Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Starfall test ship returned to the Atlantic Ocean. This is the 29th flight of the booster rocket with tail number 1078. About 2.5 minutes after takeoff, the rocket separated the stage and adjusted its flight path to ignite the engine, then landed on SpaceX’s “A Shortfall of Gravitas” rover in the Atlantic Ocean.