Hey everybody, welcome back to the Elon Musk podcast.
This is a show. Where we?
Discuss. The critical crossroads, The
shape SpaceX. Tesla X, The Boring Company, and
Neuralink and I'm your host Will Walden If you want uninterrupted
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show notes. February may be a pivotal moment
for the SpaceX Starship with preparations underwear for this
underway for the Starship Systems third test flight
potentially launching from Texas in the coming month.
Now the successful conduct of the second test flight in
November of 2023, which left the launch of the structure
unscathed. His field expectations for an
expedited timeline for the forthcoming Integrated Flight
Test, or IFT 3, in the development that underscores the
growing anticipation within the aerospace community.
A report by Christian Davenport in the Washington Post says that
the Federal Aviation Administration or the FAA may be
on the cusp of granting a launch license for IFT 3 for Starship,
possibly in mid February. This period is notable because
it's congested with a series of significant space missions
marking a critical phase in US space endeavors.
Now the Starship Spacex's towering ambition is an
engineering feat, nearly 400 feet tall, composed of two
rockets, each capable of independent launch.
And the recent focus has been on testing the full stack powered
by the massive super heavy booster.
Although initial tests included the 2nd stages, independent
vertical takeoffs and landings. Now today's news cycle has been
dominated by Starship, the new reports highlighting the
Pentagon's outgoing interest in leveraging the Starship for its
diverse missions. Spacex's vision for Starship
extends to commercial aviation, which plans to use the second
stage for rapid passenger transport across the globe.
Now adding to the daily significant announcements,
Airbus has selected Starship for the ambitious task of launching
a space station in a single mission, which is key for SpaceX
and Starship because they've unmatched capabilities in the
current aerospace sector. They're the biggest rocket, most
powerful and can take the. Biggest payloads.
The largest payloads, the heaviest payloads to low Earth
orbit. But you know, the cadence of the
Starship test is driven by Spacex's obligations under
multibillion dollar contracts with NASA.
The 2024 testing campaign is set to prioritize the management of
cryogenic fuels in space, which is a critical component for the
success of extended missions for the Artemis program for NASA.
Now, an update from Christian Davenport VNX Post indicates
that the FA as approval for the Starship launch could arrive by
February 14th now. This timeline aligns with
Spacex's own projections and follows extensive upgrades to
the Texas launch site. Now, the inaugural Starship test
nearly about a year ago in April of 2023 was a partial success.
The rocket ascended and approached the second stage
point despite multiple failures of the engines.
However, the failed separation led to the vehicle's
destruction, which shows that the Starship isn't quite ready
to go fully orbital yet, and after the initial test inflicted
damage to the launchpad, SpaceX undertook significant upgrades
and secured necessary clearances, paving the way for a
successful execution of IFT 2. This test marked a notable
improvement with both steps performing the rules, Florida
State a crucial step towards operational readiness.
Now, the upcoming tests carry immense weight, as reaching
orbit with a second stage remains A crucial milestone for
SpaceX. And achieving this goal is
essential for the commencement of operational flights, which
will support significant payloads, including Starlink
satellites and NASA missions. Now the space community.
While we're watching this the progress of Starship on a daily
basis, it's a critical threshold in the annals of space
exploration. Its success could redefine the
parameters of space travel, opening new frontiers for
scientific research, commercial ventures and also interplanetary
journeys for robots and also humans.
Now, the FAA's forthcoming decision on the IFT launch
license represents more than a procedural hurdle, though.
It is a decisive factor that could either advance Spacex's
agenda or necessitate for the refinements the agency's
comprehensive review process. It ensures that such pioneering
endeavors adhere to the highest safety and environmental
standards. Now the Pentagon, they sustained
engagement with Spacex's Starship, and it's with
strategic significance of Spacex's advancements.
The military's interest suggests a range of potential
applications, from rapid global transport to the deployment of
critical payloads in support of National Defense.
The international collaboration with Airbus shows that SpaceX
can do things across the globe. They're entrusting Starship with
the launch of their space station.
Airbus is placing a significant bet on Spacex's promise to
revolutionize space launch capabilities, further weaving
commercial partnerships into the fabric of space exploration.
Let's go back to the management of cryogenic fuels in space,
what we talked about a little bit earlier about SpaceX doing
this for the I FT3 mission. It's a formidable challenge, one
that SpaceX is determined to tackle this upcoming tests.
Estering this aspect is crucial for the viability of long
duration missions. As SpaceX prepares for IFT 3
now, we're going to see if it's going to be a transformative
event, if they can hit all of their milestones, if they can
launch separate, do a kickback burn for the booster and send
the ship on its trajectory towards Hawaii.
They have two obligations here. One is to do in in orbit
transfer protocol and the other is a possible Starlink door
opening. So they're going to test some of
the systems for Starlink and also transfer fuel in space,
which is a huge deal. And there's broader implications
for this too. The future of humanity's
engagement with space is at stake.
A successful test could catalyze the paradigm shift in space
exploration, positioning Starship as a cornerstone of a
new epoch in human connectivity and discovery in our solar
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