Hi everyone, and welcome back to another episode of the Elon Musk
Podcast. Today we're diving into a topic
that's been at the forefront of headlines, debates and tech
conversation. The Federal Aviation
Administration's FAA recent closure of its investigation
into Spacex's Starship Launch Failure that occurred on April
20th, 2023 to tell it mishaps, triumphs and unyielding
aspiration and encompasses Spacex's mission to
revolutionize space travel. This show is made possible by
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On April 20th, 2023, SpaceX launched its first integrated
Starship and super heavy vehicle.
But instead of a grand success, the mission concluded in an
explosion, prompting an FAA investigation.
Starship is the cornerstone of Spacex's vision for the future
of space travel with its ability to carry a large payload and
humans to the moon into Mars. Now the recent investigation
looked into what went wrong and outlined 63 corrective actions
the SpaceX needs to implement before taking to the skies
again, the FAA made it clear that this isn't a complete green
light for SpaceX. They stated that SpaceX would
need to implement all corrective actions that impact public
safety and apply for and receive a license modification from the
FAA that addresses all safety, environmental, and other
application regulatory requirements prior to the next
Starship launch. Now, one of the critical issues
was the failure of the two stages of a Starship separate,
triggering Starships Autonomous Flight Safety System and causing
the vehicle to be destroyed. Moreover, the power of the Super
Heavies 33 Raptor engines resulted in damage to the
Starbase launch site, creating a crater and launching debris into
the air. These are among the aspects that
SpaceX will need to refine before the next test flight.
Now, Elon Musk, Spacex's head, took to social media to express
that the company has already made numerous improvements.
He noted that thousands of upgrades have been applied to
both the Starship and the launchpad, and one of the most
significant changes is the shift to hot staging, a complex
process where the second stage engines begin firing before full
separation from the first stage. Now this new strategy requires
SpaceX to install new hardware, including a heat shield and a
venting interstage. And another update involves
fortifying the ground beneath Starbase's orbital launch mount
with a steel plate that has a water spot or a deluge system.
This deluge system is intended to dissipate the extreme force
generated by super heavy 33 Raptors.
The idea is that the water will act as a cushion against the
engine power, reducing the chances of damaging the
launchpad as occurred during April mishap.
But the path to the next launch is not entirely free of
roadblocks. There's the FBA's expectation
that SpaceX will need to obtain a license modification, which
means proving that all safety and environmental protocols are
met. That's a tall order, and SpaceX
hasn't yet announced one they'll apply for this modification, or
when they expect to undertake another test flight.
Spacex's Starship program isn't just a lark or an ambitious pipe
dream, and has significant implications for the future of
space travel. NASA plans to use Starship and
its upcoming Artemis missions, which aim to return humans to
the moon. Moreover, Starship is critical
for Spacex's Starlink settling Internet service, currently
providing connectivity across 50 countries.
The legal landscape is equally complex.
Environmental and cultural heritage nonprofits have raised
questions about the environmental impact of Spacex's
test flights. SpaceX and the FAA are
defendants in a lawsuit alleging failure to conduct an
appropriate environmental review prior to the first Starship test
flag. This is Spacex's flagship
project aimed at creating a fully reusable spacecraft that
can carry humans to Mars and beyond, possibly to the outer
solar system. Is that just a concept?
On paper, it's an engineering marvel, the design to accomplish
tasks previously considered near impossible, the capacity to
carry up to 100 people. Eventually, along with ample
cargo space, this rocket can undertake long duration voyages.
Places like the Moon, Mars, and perhaps even more distant
celestial bodies. Imagine it as the foundational
block of Spacex's ambition to make life multiplanetary the
Super Heavy rocket. The first stage of the Starship
system comes with over 30 Raptor engines and serves as the
workhorse for getting the second stage Starship out of Earth's
gravitational pull by the height of about 230 plus feet.
Super Heavy is designed to be not just powerful, but also
efficient. Once it gets Starship to a
certain altitude, it disengages and returns to Earth, where it
can be refueled and launched again.
Now this reusability feature is crucial for reducing the cost of
space travel and making it more accessible to a broader
population. Now the second stage Starship is
not just a vessel for reaching other planets, It's essentially
a mini habitat that can sustain life for extended periods of
time. About life support, system
spaces for scientific research and cargo areas for essentials
like food and equipment. It's an all in one vehicle for
exploring the cosmos. The spacecraft will be designed
to execute pinpoint landings on celestial bodies that lack
atmosphere using its own propulsion system.
This provides the potential for establishing bases on the Moon
and Mars and facilitates the transportation of resources
between Earth and these extraterrestrial locations.
Together, Starship and Super Heavy aren't just rockets.
They are the cornerstones of a vision where interplanetary
travel becomes a common aspect of human civilizations.
Now, while the FAA recent decision marks progress, it
doesn't mean that SpaceX can proceed without obstacles.
Corrective actions need to be implemented and licenses need to
be updated, and multiple stakeholders from regulatory
agencies to environmental groups are keeping a watchful eye.
Space Texas Starship could launch anywhere between two
weeks or two months, so we're not exactly sure when this is
going to happen. After the FAA approval, maybe
there's going to be other environmental assessments and
possibly SpaceX could get those 63 items done faster than we
expect. So please stay tuned.
Hit the subscribe or follow button on whatever podcast
platform you're on right now to keep up to date with all the
latest Starship news. Also, please take care of
yourselves and each other and I'll see you in the next
episode.