SpaceX starship heads toward orbit for first time: Why it matters for NASA’s moon missions

Starbase, Texas: SpaceX launched its giant Starship toward orbit for the first time on Monday, in a crucial test aimed at demonstrating the spacecraft’s readiness for future NASA Artemis missions to the Moon.

The company planned to send Starship around Earth six times during a flight lasting nearly 10 hours. The spacecraft was expected to fly at an altitude of about 170 miles (275 kilometres) before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean near Chile.

First attempt at full orbital flight

The launch marked the 14th full-scale Starship flight from SpaceX’s Starbase facility at the southern tip of Texas in three years.

Earlier test flights travelled no farther than the Indian Ocean after reaching space, with several ending in fiery crashes. This mission was designed to take Starship around the globe multiple times.

The first-stage booster was not scheduled to return to Starbase. Instead, it was expected to fall into the Gulf of Mexico within minutes of liftoff.

26 starlink satellites on board

The latest Starship carried 26 advanced Starlink satellites, which will join the more than 11,000 satellites already providing internet connectivity.

SpaceX has stressed that the mission would proceed only if all critical systems were operating properly. A “no-go” decision would result in the flight being ended early over the Indian Ocean.

SpaceX tests reusability

The 407-foot (124-metre) Starship was designed to be fully reusable, with the goal of reducing launch costs.

SpaceX successfully recovered the previous Starship from the Indian Ocean in July. Engineers inspected the spacecraft and used information from the recovery to modify the heat shield of the newly launched vehicle.

If the orbital test succeeds, SpaceX plans to attempt a more ambitious recovery on a subsequent flight, with giant mechanical arms at Starbase intended to catch the returning spacecraft.
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Starship’s role in NASA’s Artemis missions

The orbital test is an important step in SpaceX’s effort to qualify Starship for missions to the Moon and eventually Mars.

NASA’s Artemis III mission could launch as early as next summer and is planned as a series of launches and an orbital docking involving an Orion spacecraft carrying astronauts and competing lunar landers.

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Moon lander is scheduled to launch first, followed by Orion and then Starship, which would dock with Orion.

The subsequent Artemis IV mission, currently planned for no earlier than 2028, is expected to include an astronaut lunar landing using either Blue Moon or Starship, depending on which system is ready.
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From Mars to the moon

Musk originally developed Starship primarily with Mars in mind, envisioning fleets of spacecraft carrying settlers to the Red Planet.

For now, SpaceX is focusing on lunar missions and satellite launches. The company also plans to use Starship to carry large numbers of satellites into orbit and eventually reduce its reliance on the Falcon 9.

A second Starship launch site is nearing completion at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, while a third site is planned for Louisiana.

(With AP inputs)