SpaceX’s Starship

Current Context : SpaceX’s Starship rocket returned from space and achieved a breakthrough landing demonstration in the Indian Ocean.

• Rocket completed a full test mission around the globe in the fourth try.
• Elon Musk’s space company to build a reusable satellite launcher and moon lander.
• The two-stage, rocket system, which stands nearly 400 feet (120-meter) tall, consists of the Starship vessel mounted atop its towering Super Heavy rocket booster.

ABOUT STARSHIP

• SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket, collectively referred to as
• It represents a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond.
• Starship is the world’s most powerful launch vehicle ever developed.
• Capable of carrying up to 150 metric tonnes fully reusable and 250 metric tonnes

ADDITIONAL FACTS

• Falcon 9 is also a reusable, two-stage rocket designed and manufactured by SpaceX for the reliable and safe transport of people and payloads into Earth orbit and beyond.
• It is the world’s first orbital class reusable rocket.
• Reusability allows SpaceX to refly the most expensive parts of the rocket, which in turn drives down the cost of space access.

ISRO IS ALSO DEVELOPING REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE – TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATOR (RLV-TD)

OBJECTIVES OF RLV-TD:

• Hypersonic aero thermodynamic characterisation of wing body.
• Evaluation of autonomous Navigation, Guidance and Control (NGC)
• Integrated flight management.
• Thermal Protection System Evaluation.