SpaceX Starship Fifth Flight Test Liftoff at Starbase Texas

SpaceX Starship Fifth Flight Test Liftoff at Starbase Texas

Mechazilla Holding Starship's Super Heavy Booster at Starbase Launchpad

SpaceX Starship's fifth flight test successfully launched on Sunday, October 13, 2024, at 7:25am Central Time. History was made as Mechazilla later caught Starship's super heavy booster at the Starbase launchpad in Boca Chica, Texas, on the first attempt. Mechazilla is a launch tower with arms that can catch and move a Starship super heavy booster after they return to Earth. This will speed up rocket reuse, reduce launch costs, and help SpaceX achieve its goal of a city on Mars by 2050.

Watch the full fifth flight test and find the mission summary here:

https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-5

"Starship is essential to both SpaceX’s plans to deploy its next-generation Starship system as well as for NASA, which will use a lunar lander version of Starship for landing astronauts on the Moon during the Artemis III mission through the Human Landing System (HLS) program."

Key Starship Parameters:

Height: 121m/397ft

Diameter: 9m/29.5ft

Payload to LEO: 100 – 150t (fully reusable)

Satellites: "Starship is designed to deliver satellites further and at a lower marginal cost per launch than our current Falcon vehicles. With a payload compartment larger than any fairing currently in operation or development, Starship creates possibilities for new missions, including space telescopes even larger than the James Webb."

Super Heavy is the first stage, or booster, of the Starship launch system. Powered by 33 Raptor engines using sub-cooled liquid methane (CH4) and liquid oxygen (LOX), Super Heavy is fully reusable and will re-enter Earth’s atmosphere to land back at the launch site.

Starship's Engines: Raptors

"The Raptor engine is a reusable methalox staged-combustion engine that powers the Starship launch system. Raptor engines began flight testing on the Starship prototype rockets in July 2019, becoming the first full-flow staged combustion rocket engine ever flown."

Raptor Engine Parameters:

Diameter: 1.3m/4ft

Height: 3.1m/10.2ft

Thrust: 230tf/500 klbf

Learn more:

https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/starship/

Download the Free Starship User Guide (PDF):

https://www.spacex.com/media/starship_users_guide_v1.pdf

Image Credit: Steve Jurvetson

Capture Date: Oct. 13, 2024

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #Mars #Moon #MoonToMars #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisIII #Starship #Starship5 #TestFlight5 #HeavyBooster #Spacecraft #SuperHeavyRocket #ElonMusk #SpaceTechnology #Engineering #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #Starbase #Mechazilla #BocaChica #Texas #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

NASA Europa Clipper Science Media Teleconference: Oct. 13, 2024

NASA Europa Clipper Science Media Teleconference: Oct. 13, 2024

NASA hosted a media teleconference on October 13, 2024, to discuss the scientific objectives of the Europa Clipper mission. [Event starts at 2 minute, 37 second mark]

Launch is slated for no earlier than 12:06 p.m. EDT on Monday, October 14, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. 

Meteorologists are currently predicting a 95% chance of favorable weather conditions. 

Watch here: http://go.nasa.gov/europaclipperlive

Teleconference participants include:

• Gina DiBraccio, acting director, Planetary Science Division, NASA Headquarters

• Robert Pappalardo, project scientist, Europa Clipper, NASA JPL

• Haje Korth, deputy project scientist, Europa Clipper, Applied Physics Laboratory 

• Cynthia Phillips, project staff scientist, Europa Clipper, NASA JPL

Beyond Earth, Jupiter’s moon Europa is considered one of the solar system’s most promising potentially habitable environments. After an approximately 1.8-billion-mile journey, Europa Clipper will enter orbit around Jupiter in April 2030, where the spacecraft will conduct a detailed survey of Europa to determine whether the icy world could have conditions suitable for life. Europa Clipper is the largest spacecraft NASA has ever developed for a planetary mission. It carries a suite of nine instruments along with a gravity experiment that will investigate an ocean beneath Europa’s surface, which scientists believe contains twice as much liquid water as Earth’s oceans.

Europa Clipper's science instruments include cameras, spectrometers, a magnetometer, and an ice-penetrating radar. These instruments will study Europa’s icy shell, the ocean beneath, and the composition of the gases in the moon’s atmosphere and surface geology, and provide insights into the moon’s potential habitability. The spacecraft also will carry a thermal instrument to pinpoint locations of warmer ice and any possible eruptions of water vapor. Strong evidence shows the ocean beneath Europa’s crust is twice the volume of all the Earth’s oceans combined.

For more information on the mission, visit: https://europa.nasa.gov/

'Dreaming of Europa' Posters and Wallpaper (phone and desktop)

Full-size downloads: https://go.nasa.gov/3ZIDxgu

Video Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Duration: 39 minutes

Release Date: Oct. 13, 2024

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #EuropaClipper #EuropaClipperSpacecraft #SpaceX #FalconHeavyRocket #Jupiter #Europa #Moon #Ocean #Astrobiology #Biosignatures #Habitability #Radiation #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #JHUAPL #MSFC #GSFC #JPL #KSC #Spaceport #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

SpaceX Starship Fifth Flight Test Liftoff & Landing at Starbase Texas

SpaceX Starship Fifth Flight Test Liftoff & Landing at Starbase Texas

Starship Super Heavy Booster Returns to Starbase Launchpad 

SpaceX Starship's fifth flight test successfully launched on Sunday, October 13, 2024, at 7:25am Central Time. History was made as Mechazilla later caught Starship's super heavy booster at the Starbase launchpad in Boca Chica, Texas, on the first attempt. Mechazilla is a launch tower with arms that can catch and move a Starship super heavy booster after they return to Earth. This will speed up rocket reuse, reduce launch costs, and help SpaceX achieve its goal of a city on Mars by 2050.

Watch the full fifth flight test and find the mission summary here:

https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-5

"Starship is essential to both SpaceX’s plans to deploy its next-generation Starship system as well as for NASA, which will use a lunar lander version of Starship for landing astronauts on the Moon during the Artemis III mission through the Human Landing System (HLS) program."

Key Starship Parameters:

Height: 121m/397ft

Diameter: 9m/29.5ft

Payload to LEO: 100 – 150t (fully reusable)

Satellites: "Starship is designed to deliver satellites further and at a lower marginal cost per launch than our current Falcon vehicles. With a payload compartment larger than any fairing currently in operation or development, Starship creates possibilities for new missions, including space telescopes even larger than the James Webb."

Super Heavy is the first stage, or booster, of the Starship launch system. Powered by 33 Raptor engines using sub-cooled liquid methane (CH4) and liquid oxygen (LOX), Super Heavy is fully reusable and will re-enter Earth’s atmosphere to land back at the launch site.

Starship's Engines: Raptors

"The Raptor engine is a reusable methalox staged-combustion engine that powers the Starship launch system. Raptor engines began flight testing on the Starship prototype rockets in July 2019, becoming the first full-flow staged combustion rocket engine ever flown."

Raptor Engine Parameters:

Diameter: 1.3m/4ft

Height: 3.1m/10.2ft

Thrust: 230tf/500 klbf

Learn more:

https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/starship/

Download the Free Starship User Guide (PDF):

https://www.spacex.com/media/starship_users_guide_v1.pdf

Image Credit: Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX)

Capture Date: Oct. 13, 2024

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #Mars #Moon #MoonToMars #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisIII #Starship #Starship5 #TestFlight5 #HeavyBooster #Spacecraft #SuperHeavyRocket #ElonMusk #SpaceTechnology #Engineering #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #Starbase #Mechazilla #BocaChica #Texas #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

SpaceX Starship Fifth Flight Test Booster Landing: Powered by Raptor Engines

SpaceX Starship Fifth Flight Test Booster Landing: Powered by Raptor Engines

Starship was successfully launched on Sunday, October 13, 2024, at 7:25am Central Time on its fifth flight test. History was made as Mechazilla caught Starship's super heavy booster at the Starbase launchpad in Boca Chica, Texas, on the first attempt. Mechazilla is a launch tower with arms that can catch and move a Starship super heavy booster after they return to Earth. This will speed up rocket reuse, reduce launch costs, and help SpaceX achieve its goal of a city on Mars by 2050.

Watch the full fifth flight test and find the mission summary here:

https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-5

"Starship is essential to both SpaceX’s plans to deploy its next-generation Starship system as well as for NASA, which will use a lunar lander version of Starship for landing astronauts on the Moon during the Artemis III mission through the Human Landing System (HLS) program."

Key Starship Parameters:

Height: 121m/397ft

Diameter: 9m/29.5ft

Payload to LEO: 100 – 150t (fully reusable)

Satellites: "Starship is designed to deliver satellites further and at a lower marginal cost per launch than our current Falcon vehicles. With a payload compartment larger than any fairing currently in operation or development, Starship creates possibilities for new missions, including space telescopes even larger than the James Webb."

Super Heavy is the first stage, or booster, of the Starship launch system. Powered by 33 Raptor engines using sub-cooled liquid methane (CH4) and liquid oxygen (LOX), Super Heavy is fully reusable and will re-enter Earth’s atmosphere to land back at the launch site.

Starship's Engines: Raptors

"The Raptor engine is a reusable methalox staged-combustion engine that powers the Starship launch system. Raptor engines began flight testing on the Starship prototype rockets in July 2019, becoming the first full-flow staged combustion rocket engine ever flown."

Raptor Engine Parameters:

Diameter: 1.3m/4ft

Height: 3.1m/10.2ft

Thrust: 230tf/500 klbf

Learn more:

https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/starship/

Download the Free Starship User Guide (PDF):

https://www.spacex.com/media/starship_users_guide_v1.pdf

Image Credit: Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX)

Capture Date: Oct. 13, 2024

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #Mars #Moon #MoonToMars #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisIII #Starship #Starship5 #TestFlight5 #HeavyBooster #Spacecraft #SuperHeavyRocket #ElonMusk #SpaceTechnology #Engineering #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #Starbase #Mechazilla #BocaChica #Texas #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

In Slow Motion: Watch SpaceX's Mechazilla Catch Starship Super Heavy Booster

In Slow Motion: Watch SpaceX's Mechazilla Catch Starship Super Heavy Booster

Following a successful liftoff, ascent, stage separation, boostback burn, and coast, the Super Heavy booster performed its landing burn and was caught by the chopstick arms (Mechazilla) of the launch and catch tower at Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, on October 13, 2024. "Thousands of distinct vehicle and pad criteria had to be met prior to the catch attempt, and thanks to the tireless work of SpaceX engineers, we succeeded with catch on our first attempt."

"Prior to catch, Starship executed another successful hot-staging separation, igniting its six Raptor engines and completing ascent into outer space. It coasted along its planned trajectory to the other side of the planet before executing a controlled reentry, passing through the phases of peak heating and maximum aerodynamic pressure, before executing a flip, landing burn, and splashdown at its target area in the Indian Ocean. The flight test concluded at splashdown 1 hour, 5 minutes and 40 seconds after launch."

"The entire SpaceX team should take pride in the engineering feat they just accomplished. The world witnessed what the future will look like when Starship starts carrying crew and cargo to destinations on Earth, the Moon, Mars and beyond."

"Congratulations to the SpaceX team for taking this leap in our quest to make life multiplanetary. And thank you to our customers, Cameron County, spaceflight fans, and the wider community for the continued support and encouragement."

Watch the full fifth flight test and review the mission summary here:

https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-5

"Starship is essential to both SpaceX’s plans to deploy its next-generation Starship system as well as for NASA, which will use a lunar lander version of Starship for landing astronauts on the Moon during the Artemis III mission through the Human Landing System (HLS) program."

Key Starship Parameters:

Height: 121m/397ft

Diameter: 9m/29.5ft

Payload to LEO: 100 – 150t (fully reusable)

Download the Free Starship User Guide (PDF):

https://www.spacex.com/media/starship_users_guide_v1.pdf

Video Credit: Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX)

Duration: 1 minute, 48 seconds

Capture Date: Oct. 13, 2024

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #Mars #Moon #MoonToMars #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisIII #Starship #Starship5 #TestFlight5 #HeavyBooster #Spacecraft #SuperHeavyRocket #ElonMusk #Engineering #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #Starbase #Mechazilla #BocaChica #Texas #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #SlowMotion #HD #Video

SpaceX Fifth Flight Test Booster Landing: The Mechazilla Launchpad Catch

SpaceX Fifth Flight Test Booster Landing: The Mechazilla Launchpad Catch

Elon Musk commented: "Good morning"

Starship was successfully launched on Sunday, October 13, 2024, at 7:25am Central Time. History was made as Mechazilla caught Starship's super heavy booster at the Starbase launchpad in Boca Chica, Texas, on the first attempt. Mechazilla is a launch tower with arms that can catch and move a Starship super heavy booster after they return to Earth. This will speed up rocket reuse, reduce launch costs, and help SpaceX achieve its goal of a city on Mars by 2050.

Watch the full fifth flight test and find mission summaries here:

https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-5

"Starship is essential to both SpaceX’s plans to deploy its next-generation Starship system as well as for NASA, which will use a lunar lander version of Starship for landing astronauts on the Moon during the Artemis III mission through the Human Landing System (HLS) program."

Key Starship Parameters:

Height: 121m/397ft

Diameter: 9m/29.5ft

Payload to LEO: 100 – 150t (fully reusable)

Satellites: "Starship is designed to deliver satellites further and at a lower marginal cost per launch than our current Falcon vehicles. With a payload compartment larger than any fairing currently in operation or development, Starship creates possibilities for new missions, including space telescopes even larger than the James Webb."

Super Heavy is the first stage, or booster, of the Starship launch system. Powered by 33 Raptor engines using sub-cooled liquid methane (CH4) and liquid oxygen (LOX), Super Heavy is fully reusable and will re-enter Earth’s atmosphere to land back at the launch site.

Starship's Engines: Raptors

"The Raptor engine is a reusable methalox staged-combustion engine that powers the Starship launch system. Raptor engines began flight testing on the Starship prototype rockets in July 2019, becoming the first full-flow staged combustion rocket engine ever flown."

Raptor Engine Parameters:

Diameter: 1.3m/4ft

Height: 3.1m/10.2ft

Thrust: 230tf/500 klbf

Learn more:

https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/starship/

Download the Free Starship User Guide (PDF):

https://www.spacex.com/media/starship_users_guide_v1.pdf

Image Credits: Steve Jurvetson/Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX)

Capture Date: Oct. 13, 2024

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #Mars #Moon #MoonToMars #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisIII #Starship #Starship5 #TestFlight5 #HeavyBooster #Spacecraft #SuperHeavyRocket #ElonMusk #SpaceTechnology #Engineering #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #Starbase #Mechazilla #BocaChica #Texas #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

SpaceX Starship Fifth Flight Test: Earth Splashdown Views by Starlink Cameras

SpaceX Starship Fifth Flight Test: Earth Splashdown Views by Starlink Cameras

This short clip shows the controlled splashdown of Starship into a designated area of the Indian Ocean during the fifth flight test. Starship was launched on Sunday, October 13, 2024, at 7:25am Central Time. History was made as Mechazilla caught Starship's super heavy booster at the Starbase launchpad in Boca Chica, Texas, on the first attempt. Mechazilla is a launch tower with arms that can catch and move a Starship super heavy booster after they return to Earth. This will speed up rocket reuse, reduce launch costs, and help SpaceX achieve its goal of a city on Mars by 2050.

Watch the full fifth flight test and find mission summaries here:

https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-5

"Starship is essential to both SpaceX’s plans to deploy its next-generation Starship system as well as for NASA, which will use a lunar lander version of Starship for landing astronauts on the Moon during the Artemis III mission through the Human Landing System (HLS) program."

Key Starship Parameters:

Height: 121m/397ft

Diameter: 9m/29.5ft

Payload to LEO: 100 – 150t (fully reusable)

Satellites: "Starship is designed to deliver satellites further and at a lower marginal cost per launch than our current Falcon vehicles. With a payload compartment larger than any fairing currently in operation or development, Starship creates possibilities for new missions, including space telescopes even larger than the James Webb."

Super Heavy is the first stage, or booster, of the Starship launch system. Powered by 33 Raptor engines using sub-cooled liquid methane (CH4) and liquid oxygen (LOX), Super Heavy is fully reusable and will re-enter Earth’s atmosphere to land back at the launch site.

Starship's Engines: Raptors

"The Raptor engine is a reusable methalox staged-combustion engine that powers the Starship launch system. Raptor engines began flight testing on the Starship prototype rockets in July 2019, becoming the first full-flow staged combustion rocket engine ever flown."

Raptor Engine Parameters:

Diameter: 1.3m/4ft

Height: 3.1m/10.2ft

Thrust: 230tf/500 klbf

Learn more:

https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/starship/

Download the Free Starship User Guide (PDF):

https://www.spacex.com/media/starship_users_guide_v1.pdf

Video Credit: Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX)

Duration: 38 seconds

Capture Date: Oct. 13, 2024

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #Mars #Moon #MoonToMars #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisIII #Starship #Starship5 #TestFlight5 #HeavyBooster #Spacecraft #SuperHeavyRocket #ElonMusk #SpaceTechnology #Engineering #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #Starbase #Mechazilla #BocaChica #Texas #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

SpaceX Starship Fifth Flight Test: Earth Re-entry Views by Starlink Cameras

SpaceX Starship Fifth Flight Test: Earth Re-entry Views by Starlink Cameras

This short clip shows the re-entry of Starship into the Earth's atmosphere during the fifth flight test. Starship was launched on Sunday, October 13, 2024, at 7:25am Central Time. History was made as Mechazilla caught Starship's super heavy booster at the Starbase launchpad in Boca Chica, Texas, on the first attempt. Mechazilla is a launch tower with arms that can catch and move a Starship super heavy booster after they return to Earth. This will speed up rocket reuse, reduce launch costs, and help SpaceX achieve its goal of a city on Mars by 2050.

Watch the full fifth flight test and find mission summaries here:

https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-5

"Starship is essential to both SpaceX’s plans to deploy its next-generation Starship system as well as for NASA, which will use a lunar lander version of Starship for landing astronauts on the Moon during the Artemis III mission through the Human Landing System (HLS) program."

Key Starship Parameters:

Height: 121m/397ft

Diameter: 9m/29.5ft

Payload to LEO: 100 – 150t (fully reusable)

Satellites: "Starship is designed to deliver satellites further and at a lower marginal cost per launch than our current Falcon vehicles. With a payload compartment larger than any fairing currently in operation or development, Starship creates possibilities for new missions, including space telescopes even larger than the James Webb."

Super Heavy is the first stage, or booster, of the Starship launch system. Powered by 33 Raptor engines using sub-cooled liquid methane (CH4) and liquid oxygen (LOX), Super Heavy is fully reusable and will re-enter Earth’s atmosphere to land back at the launch site.

Starship's Engines: Raptors

"The Raptor engine is a reusable methalox staged-combustion engine that powers the Starship launch system. Raptor engines began flight testing on the Starship prototype rockets in July 2019, becoming the first full-flow staged combustion rocket engine ever flown."

Raptor Engine Parameters:

Diameter: 1.3m/4ft

Height: 3.1m/10.2ft

Thrust: 230tf/500 klbf

Learn more:

https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/starship/

Download the Free Starship User Guide (PDF):

https://www.spacex.com/media/starship_users_guide_v1.pdf

Video Credit: Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX)

Duration: 38 seconds

Capture Date: Oct. 13, 2024

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #Mars #Moon #MoonToMars #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisIII #Starship #Starship5 #TestFlight5 #HeavyBooster #Spacecraft #SuperHeavyRocket #ElonMusk #SpaceTechnology #Engineering #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #Starbase #Mechazilla #BocaChica #Texas #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

SpaceX Starship Fifth Flight Test Liftoff at Starbase Texas

SpaceX Starship Fifth Flight Test Liftoff at Starbase Texas

Starship's fifth flight test successfully launched on Sunday, October 13, 2024, at 7:25am Central Time. History was made as Mechazilla later caught Starship's super heavy booster at the Starbase launchpad in Boca Chica, Texas, on the first attempt. Mechazilla is a launch tower with arms that can catch and move a Starship super heavy booster after they return to Earth. This will speed up rocket reuse, reduce launch costs, and help SpaceX achieve its goal of a city on Mars by 2050.

Watch the full fifth flight test and find updates here:

https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-5

"Starship is essential to both SpaceX’s plans to deploy its next-generation Starship system as well as for NASA, which will use a lunar lander version of Starship for landing astronauts on the Moon during the Artemis III mission through the Human Landing System (HLS) program."

Key Starship Parameters:

Height: 121m/397ft

Diameter: 9m/29.5ft

Payload to LEO: 100 – 150t (fully reusable)

Satellites: "Starship is designed to deliver satellites further and at a lower marginal cost per launch than our current Falcon vehicles. With a payload compartment larger than any fairing currently in operation or development, Starship creates possibilities for new missions, including space telescopes even larger than the James Webb."

Super Heavy is the first stage, or booster, of the Starship launch system. Powered by 33 Raptor engines using sub-cooled liquid methane (CH4) and liquid oxygen (LOX), Super Heavy is fully reusable and will re-enter Earth’s atmosphere to land back at the launch site.

Starship's Engines: Raptors

"The Raptor engine is a reusable methalox staged-combustion engine that powers the Starship launch system. Raptor engines began flight testing on the Starship prototype rockets in July 2019, becoming the first full-flow staged combustion rocket engine ever flown."

Raptor Engine Parameters:

Diameter: 1.3m/4ft

Height: 3.1m/10.2ft

Thrust: 230tf/500 klbf

Learn more:

https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/starship/

Download the Free Starship User Guide (PDF):

https://www.spacex.com/media/starship_users_guide_v1.pdf

Video Credit: Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX)

Duration: 38 seconds

Capture Date: Oct. 13, 2024

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #Mars #Moon #MoonToMars #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisIII #Starship #Starship5 #TestFlight5 #HeavyBooster #Spacecraft #SuperHeavyRocket #ElonMusk #SpaceTechnology #Engineering #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #Starbase #Mechazilla #BocaChica #Texas #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

SpaceX Starbase Mechazilla Launch Tower Catches Starship's Super Heavy Booster

SpaceX Starbase Mechazilla Launch Tower Catches Starship's Super Heavy Booster

History is made as Mechazilla caught Starship's super heavy booster at the Starbase launchpad in Boca Chica, Texas on the first attempt. Starship's fifth flight test successfully launched on Sunday, October 13, 2024 at 7:25am Central Time. Mechazilla is a launch tower with arms that can catch and move a Starship super heavy booster when they return to Earth. This will speed up rocket reuse, reduce launch costs, and help SpaceX achieve its goal of a city on Mars by 2050.

Watch the full fifth flight test and updates here: 

https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-5

"Starship is essential to both SpaceX’s plans to deploy its next-generation Starship system as well as for NASA, which will use a lunar lander version of Starship for landing astronauts on the Moon during the Artemis III mission through the Human Landing System (HLS) program."

Key Starship Parameters:

Height: 121m/397ft

Diameter: 9m/29.5ft

Payload to LEO: 100 – 150t (fully reusable)

Satellites: "Starship is designed to deliver satellites further and at a lower marginal cost per launch than our current Falcon vehicles. With a payload compartment larger than any fairing currently in operation or development, Starship creates possibilities for new missions, including space telescopes even larger than the James Webb."

Super Heavy is the first stage, or booster, of the Starship launch system. Powered by 33 Raptor engines using sub-cooled liquid methane (CH4) and liquid oxygen (LOX), Super Heavy is fully reusable and will re-enter Earth’s atmosphere to land back at the launch site.

Starship's Engines: Raptors

"The Raptor engine is a reusable methalox staged-combustion engine that powers the Starship launch system. Raptor engines began flight testing on the Starship prototype rockets in July 2019, becoming the first full-flow staged combustion rocket engine ever flown."

Raptor Engine Parameters:

Diameter: 1.3m/4ft

Height: 3.1m/10.2ft

Thrust: 230tf/500 klbf

Learn more:

https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/starship/

Download the Free Starship User Guide (PDF):

https://www.spacex.com/media/starship_users_guide_v1.pdf

Video Credit: Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX)

Duration: 1 minute

Capture Date: Oct. 13, 2024

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #Mars #Moon #MoonToMars #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisIII #Starship #Starship5 #TestFlight5 #HeavyBooster #Spacecraft #SuperHeavyRocket #ElonMusk #SpaceTechnology #Engineering #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #Starbase #Mechazilla #BocaChica #Texas #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

SpaceX Starship Test Flight 5 Ready for Launch at Starbase Texas

SpaceX Starship Test Flight 5 Ready for Launch at Starbase Texas

Starship's fifth flight test is targeted to launch on Sunday, October 13, 2024. The 30-minute launch window opens at 7 a.m. Central Time. A live webcast of the flight test will begin about 35 minutes before liftoff. Watch here: 

https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-5

Since this is developmental testing, the schedule is dynamic and likely to change, so stay tuned for updates.

In this image, Starship is stacked ahead of its fifth flight test at Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas.

"Starship is essential to both SpaceX’s plans to deploy its next-generation Starship system as well as for NASA, which will use a lunar lander version of Starship for landing astronauts on the Moon during the Artemis III mission through the Human Landing System (HLS) program."

Key Starship Parameters:

Height: 121m/397ft

Diameter: 9m/29.5ft

Payload to LEO: 100 – 150t (fully reusable)

Satellites: "Starship is designed to deliver satellites further and at a lower marginal cost per launch than our current Falcon vehicles. With a payload compartment larger than any fairing currently in operation or development, Starship creates possibilities for new missions, including space telescopes even larger than the James Webb."

Super Heavy is the first stage, or booster, of the Starship launch system. Powered by 33 Raptor engines using sub-cooled liquid methane (CH4) and liquid oxygen (LOX), Super Heavy is fully reusable and will re-enter Earth’s atmosphere to land back at the launch site.

Starship's Engines: Raptors

"The Raptor engine is a reusable methalox staged-combustion engine that powers the Starship launch system. Raptor engines began flight testing on the Starship prototype rockets in July 2019, becoming the first full-flow staged combustion rocket engine ever flown."

Raptor Engine Parameters:

Diameter: 1.3m/4ft

Height: 3.1m/10.2ft

Thrust: 230tf/500 klbf

Learn more:

https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/starship/

Download the Free Starship User Guide (PDF):

https://www.spacex.com/media/starship_users_guide_v1.pdf

Image Credit: Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX)

Release Date: Oct. 12, 2024

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #Mars #Moon #MoonToMars #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisIII #Starship #Starship5 #TestFlight5 #HeavyBooster #Spacecraft #SuperHeavyRocket #ElonMusk #SpaceTechnology #Engineering #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #Starbase #BocaChica #Texas #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

The Science of the Aurora | BBC Sky at Night Magazine

The Science of the Aurora | BBC Sky at Night Magazine

The aurora are set to be at their best in the next few years, but what creates the light show in the first place?

Join us as we talk with aurora expert Melanie Windridge in Episode 2 of our Aurora special series of Star Diary podcast, from the makers of Sky at Night Magazine.

Melanie Windridge is a British plasma physicist and science communicator best known for her book Aurora: In Search of the Northern Lights.

On Earth, auroras are mainly created by particles originally emitted by the Sun in the form of solar wind. When this stream of electrically charged particles gets close to our planet, it interacts with the magnetic field, which acts as a gigantic shield. While it protects Earth’s environment from solar wind particles, it can also trap a small fraction of them. Particles trapped within the magnetosphere—the region of space surrounding Earth in which charged particles are affected by its magnetic field—can be energized and then follow the magnetic field lines down to the magnetic poles. There, they interact with oxygen and nitrogen atoms in the upper layers of the atmosphere, creating the flickering, colorful lights visible in the polar regions here on Earth.

Earth auroras have different names depending on which pole they occur at. Aurora Borealis, or the northern lights, is the name given to auroras around the north pole and Aurora Australis, or the southern lights, is the name given for auroras around the south pole.

Video Credit: BBC Sky at Night Magazine

Duration: 26 minutes

Release Date: Oct. 10, 2024

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Sun #Star #CME #Earth #Aurora #AuroraBorealis #NorthernLights #AuroraAustralis #SouthernLights #Skywatching #Cosmos #Universe #SolarSystem #BBC #Podcast #STEM #Education 

The Northern Lights & STEVE Arcs in France

The Northern Lights & STEVE Arcs in France

At the far left and right, arcs of light appear to be a phenomenon known as STEVE, short for Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement. Unlike auroras, the STEVE seems to form from a ribbon of hot gases.

Astrophotographer Julien Looten: ". . . It all started two days ago, when a huge X-class solar flare propelled a gigantic coronal mass ejection (CME) towards Earth. It hit our planet yesterday afternoon, generating polar auroras that have continued to light up the sky ever since. . ."

On Earth, auroras are mainly created by particles originally emitted by the Sun in the form of solar wind. When this stream of electrically charged particles gets close to our planet, it interacts with the magnetic field, which acts as a gigantic shield. While it protects Earth’s environment from solar wind particles, it can also trap a small fraction of them. Particles trapped within the magnetosphere—the region of space surrounding Earth in which charged particles are affected by its magnetic field—can be energized and then follow the magnetic field lines down to the magnetic poles. There, they interact with oxygen and nitrogen atoms in the upper layers of the atmosphere, creating the flickering, colorful lights visible in the polar regions here on Earth.

Earth auroras have different names depending on which pole they occur at. Aurora Borealis, or the northern lights, is the name given to auroras around the north pole and Aurora Australis, or the southern lights, is the name given for auroras around the south pole.

In the last photo of the series, at the far left and right, arcs of light appear to be a phenomenon known as STEVE, short for Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement. Unlike other auroras, the STEVE seems to form from a ribbon of hot gases.

Image Credit: Julien Looten

Release Date: Oct. 10, 2024

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Sun #Star #CME #Earth #France #Aurora #AuroraBorealis #NorthernLights #STEVE #CitizenScience #Astrophotographer #JulienLooten #Astrophotography #Cosmos #Universe #SolarSystem #STEM #Education

The Himalayas & Mount Everest | International Space Station

The Himalayas & Mount Everest | International Space Station

NASA astronaut Don Pettit: "Mt. Everest is in this photo; can you find it? It is the big mountain that sticks up high. Mount Everest is the tallest peak in a whole range of tall peaks and not easily found. We have a way of picking it out, sort of like a geographic mnemonic that serves to impress rookie crewmembers."

"As your orbit approaches the Himalayas, always from west to east, you can readily spy two nested lakes that look like 'wine glasses'. Now only 15 seconds away from Everest, you quickly search for “Bow Tie Lake”, seen in photo 2. To find Everest, go east from Bow Tie Lake to the first large drainage (about 3 Bow Tie lengths), drop down to the end of the right fork and move SE from that point about one Bow Tie and there be Everest!"

"Again, not easy to find when you have maybe 10-15 seconds to get a good photo. Photo 3 is an oblique and allows Everest’s peak to be spotted."

Image details: Nikon Z9, Sigma 50-500 lens f2.8 lens at 78mm, 1/2500 sec, f8, ISO 500

Mount Everest is Earth's highest mountain above sea level, located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas. The Himalayas, separating the Indian subcontinent from China, home to the South Asian nations of Nepal and Bhutan, and with Lakes Mansarovar and Rakshastal on the Chinese side, are pictured from the International Space Station as it orbited 261 miles above. The Himalayas, or Himalaya, is a mountain range in Asia. The range has a number of the Earth's highest peaks, including the highest, Mount Everest. Over 100 peaks exceed elevations of 7,200 meters (23,600 feet) above sea level in the Himalayas.

The Himalayas cross five countries: Nepal, China, Pakistan, Bhutan and India.

Expedition 72 Updates:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/

Expedition 72 Crew

Station Commander: Suni Williams

Roscosmos (Russia): Alexander Grebenkin, Alexey Ovchinin, Ivan Vagner, Aleksandr Gorbunov

NASA: Matthew Dominick, Mike Barrett, Jeanette Epps, Butch Wilmore, Don Pettit, Nick Hague

An international partnership of space agencies provides and operates the elements of the International Space Station (ISS). The principals are the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada. The ISS has been the most politically complex space exploration program ever undertaken.

Image Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)/D. Pettit

Release Date: Oct. 11, 2024

#NASA #Space #Science #ISS #Planet #Earth #Himalayas #Nepal #MountEverest #China #中国 #Asia #Astronauts #DonPettit #AstronautPhotography #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #Russia #Roscosmos #HumanSpaceflight #Expedition72 #STEM #Education

Preparing for SpaceX Starship Test Flight 5 at Starbase Texas

Preparing for SpaceX Starship Test Flight 5 at Starbase Texas

Starship is stacked ahead of its fifth flight test at Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas. Regulatory approval is expected as soon as October 13, 2024.

Find updates on Starship Test Flight 5 here:

https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-5

"Starship is essential to both SpaceX’s plans to deploy its next-generation Starship system as well as for NASA, which will use a lunar lander version of Starship for landing astronauts on the Moon during the Artemis III mission through the Human Landing System (HLS) program."

Key Starship Parameters:

Height: 121m/397ft

Diameter: 9m/29.5ft

Payload to LEO: 100 – 150t (fully reusable)

Satellites: "Starship is designed to deliver satellites further and at a lower marginal cost per launch than our current Falcon vehicles. With a payload compartment larger than any fairing currently in operation or development, Starship creates possibilities for new missions, including space telescopes even larger than the James Webb."

Super Heavy is the first stage, or booster, of the Starship launch system. Powered by 33 Raptor engines using sub-cooled liquid methane (CH4) and liquid oxygen (LOX), Super Heavy is fully reusable and will re-enter Earth’s atmosphere to land back at the launch site.

Starship's Engines: Raptors

"The Raptor engine is a reusable methalox staged-combustion engine that powers the Starship launch system. Raptor engines began flight testing on the Starship prototype rockets in July 2019, becoming the first full-flow staged combustion rocket engine ever flown."

Raptor Engine Parameters:

Diameter: 1.3m/4ft

Height: 3.1m/10.2ft

Thrust: 230tf/500 klbf

Learn more:

https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/starship/

Download the Free Starship User Guide (PDF):

https://www.spacex.com/media/starship_users_guide_v1.pdf

Image Credit: Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX)

Release Dates: Oct. 7-11, 2024

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #Mars #Moon #MoonToMars #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisIII #Starship #Starship5 #TestFlight5 #HeavyBooster #Spacecraft #SuperHeavyRocket #ElonMusk #SpaceTechnology #Engineering #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #Starbase #BocaChica #Texas #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Earth Aurora from Geomagnetic Storm | International Space Station

Earth Aurora from Geomagnetic Storm | International Space Station

NASA astronaut Don Pettit: "The sun goes burp and the atmosphere turns red. Spectacular not only from Earth but from orbit as well. This event caught both Astronaut Matthew Dominick and I off guard. Aurora had been just so-so; we were out of energy at the end of a long day and reluctant to once again set up our cameras up for yet another 'No Show'. We were just heading to some much needed sleep when we made the mistake of peeking out the Cupola windows." 

"Stunning was the word."

"It looked like the International Space Station had been shrunk to some miniature dimension and inserted into a neon sign. We were not flying 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘷𝘦 the aurora; we were flying 𝘪𝘯 the aurora. And it was blood red. Caught off guard, we hastily set up our cameras, four of them, all snapping shutters as fast as they could, creating a syncopated rhythm that accented Nature’s artistic display presented before us."

"Here is one of the shots."

Image details: Nikon Z9, Nikon 24mm f1.4 lens, 1/5 second, f1.4, ISO 3200, adjusted in Photoshop (noise reduction, color, contrast)

Expedition 72 Updates:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/

Expedition 72 Crew

Station Commander: Suni Williams

Roscosmos (Russia): Alexander Grebenkin, Alexey Ovchinin, Ivan Vagner, Aleksandr Gorbunov

NASA: Matthew Dominick, Mike Barrett, Jeanette Epps, Butch Wilmore, Don Pettit, Nick Hague

An international partnership of space agencies provides and operates the elements of the International Space Station (ISS). The principals are the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada. The ISS has been the most politically complex space exploration program ever undertaken.

Learn more about the important research being operated on Station:

https://www.nasa.gov/iss-science 

For more information about STEM on Station:

https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstation

Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM)

Image Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)/D. Pettit

Release Date: Oct. 11, 2024

#NASA #Space #Science #ISS #Sun #SolarSystem #SolarFlares #CME #Planet #Earth #Aurora #GeomagneticStorm #Astronauts #DonPettit #AstronautPhotography #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #Russia #Россия #Роскосмос #LongDurationMissions #HumanSpaceflight #Expedition72 #STEM #Education