Starship 5th flight test and the capture of the booster
On October 13, 2024, the world witnessed the successful 5th flight test of Starship. It was an ambitious flight where SpaceX would attempt to recover the Super Heavy Booster for the first time. In an unprecedented maneuver, the booster approached the launch tower, followed by its capture by the arms or chopsticks at the tower’s top. This test seemed to come out from a sci-fi movie, a scene the SpaceX made a reality.
Image Credit -SpaceXThe launch
An announcement about a possible delay due to boats in the area circulated; however, just two minutes before the scheduled launch time at 7:25 a.m. CT, SpaceX announced that the restricted area in the Atlantic would clear on time. The count down reached zero and with no time to waste, Starship lifted smoothly from the launch pad. As it gained altitude, we heard how this powerful rocket achieved, one by one, the now routine flight stages: MaxQ or moment of peak mechanical stress, Super Heavy MECO or moment of most engines off, Hot stage separation, Super Heavy flip manner, Hot-stage jettison, and Super Heavy landing burn start. Minutes after we witnessed one of the highlights of the day, the Super Heavy landing burn shutdown and catch attempt.
The catch
It was amazing to witness, even if through the internet, the moment when the Super Heavy Booster slowed down, descended, and slid towards the launch tower, followed by a soft catch by the tower’s chopsticks. This seemingly smooth but powerful technique is a testament to SpaceX’s engineering prowess and imagination.
The coasting
Our attention then turned to the Starship, which was already on its way to its target landing site in the Indian Ocean. Coasting at about 150-212 km of altitude, we followed its ~1 hour flight, thanks to the continuous transmission of Starlink. This technology allowed us to stay connected and involved in every moment of this mission.
The descent and landing
At about. 45 minutes after launch, Starship started decent. Soon after the pink glow of plasma appeared at the bottom of the spacecraft. This plasma, generated by the friction of the spacecraft with the atmosphere, became hotter and brighter as Starship continued its descent, giving us a spectacle of colors. The plasma temperatures are hot enough to melt iron but not hot enough to penetrate the ceramic tiles installed in the belly of Starship. The new metallic surface of the Starship aft fins provided a reflected version of the plasma, a colorful display representing the different temperatures of the atmosphere.
Remembering the fate of the last flight, when the plasma’s heat and pressure produced during descent resulted in substantial damage to at least one of the fins. all the attention focused on the fin’s hinges. In this flight, SpaceX installed two extra cameras that provided a visual of both fins at the bottom of the ship. Although SpaceX expected to land within a few meters of accuracy, the integrity of the fins still a crucial element for controlled maneuvering to its final landing site.
Image Credit -SpaceX
For this flight, the fins had a double layer of protection, with ablative material and covered with aluminum. This new design held well past the stage of maximum heat; however, closer to the max pressure point, the hinge area started glowing slightly. The glow migrated from the edge to the middle section and subsided once the speed became subsonic leaving no indication of damage to the fin. In the final moments of flight, we saw how the Starship’s raptor engines reignited, bringing the rocket smoothly to the ocean surface and with that completing another key milestone of this flight.
SpaceX didn’t intend to recover this stage, so its rapid destruction after landing on water was an impressive end to the test. Congratulations, SpaceX, for a successful flight and for reaching another milestone for the company and for the future of space exploration..
Image Credit -SpaceX