The first Starship orbital flight attempt happened on 4/20/2023. Unfortunately the rocket experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly due to a failure of stage separation. However, this was a monumental event and it accomplished the mission goal of getting off the launchpad.

https://www.youtube.com/live/-1wcilQ58hI?feature=share&t=2700

Video starts 45:00 - footage of launch

This YouTuber covers weekly rocket news and Starship in more depth if you are interested.

I am confident that SpaceX will continue to rapidly improve the Starship and bring costs down for space travel just as they did with Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy. SpaceX’s track record is simply mind-blowing. They have landed more than 60 Falcon 9 boosters consecutively, which beats the next closest record for the Soyuz-U at 45 successful launches (no landings).

The Launchpad

The amount of force blasting out of the Super Heavy booster is significant. In fact, it is the most powerful rocket ever built. This was the state of the launch pad after the test flight.

SpaceX is currently upgrading their launch pad to spray water from perforated steel plates during ignition. This is a common method called a water deluge system which shields against the immense propulsive forces.

Raptor V3 Engine

This is an even more powerful version of the previous engine for the Starship and Super Heavy booster. There are plans to extend the Starship another 10m taller so this would easily compensate for that.

The really useful thing about these Raptor engines is that it uses methane as a fuel. Methane can be easily made using the Sabatier reaction.

CO2 and H2 are incredibly abundant resources so fuel could be made off planet. The water by product would also be incredibly useful for life support systems.

Starlink V2

SpaceX has decided to create smaller versions of their Starlink V2 satellites to launch aboard Falcon 9 flights.

Already we are seeing mass adoption for Starlink. A large number of cruise ships have signed up for internet access and there are plans to open up service for airliners this summer. I can see the use cases rapidly expanding and satellite internet may become a new standard.

Variety of Telecommunications, Governmental & Other Services

Satellite Communications & GPS

Nowadays, we are seeing many companies start satellite internet services as launch costs decline.

This company is an example of geostationary satellite internet. In this type of orbit the satellite is much further out and stays static in relation to the Earth.

Returning to the Moon

Quite a few companies are involved in NASA’s return to the moon. Blue Origin has managed to secure a contract despite SpaceX Starship winning the initial moon lander contract. Personally I would say the Starship design is far beyond any other candidate due to reusability, power, and convenience.

Smaller companies like Rocket Lab play other crucial roles in the Artemis missions. In 2022, a CubeSat was launched around the moon to gather data for the upcoming program.

Private Aerospace Innovations

Rocket Lab

Virgin Orbit recently declared bankruptcy and began selling their assets. Rocket Lab announced they are acquiring some of these assets including a large factory for US$16 million.

Virgin Orbit’s launch business sold for parts to Vast, Stratolaunch, and Rocket Lab (TechCrunch, May 23, 2023)

Rocket Lab is continuing to show success and a clear competence over rivals.

What NASA TROPICS satellites enable:

They now have a long list of accomplishments and it seems they will continue to carve their own niche alongside SpaceX.

Stoke Space

The first reusable second stage. This would be the orbital, or top, part of the rocket.

Private Space Stations

Private companies are now announcing their plans for space stations. Long term concepts even include rotating portions of the space stations which will simulate gravity for passengers onboard. I think that this is great given that ISS (International Space Station) is retiring January 2031. Hopefully we will see a plethora of commercial spaceports accelerating us into a new space age! Once Starship becomes commercially viable the transportation costs to orbit will become more affordable and continue to decline: likely under US$100,000 a person.

VAST Space

Aerospatiale/BAC Concorde (Mach 2)

Operated between 1976 and 2003 the Concorde is still the fastest airliner in the history of humankind. Due to a number of complications including notorious accidents the program was cancelled, however ambitions for supersonic travel have not died.

21st Century Supersonic

Boom Supersonic

Virgin Galactic

NASA

US Air Force

Blackbird SR-71 (Mach 3.2)

Operated between 1964 and 1998, the Blackbird is still the most impressive plane ever practically utilized. To carry out long range reconnaissance missions the Blackbird flew at 85,000 feet (25,900 meters) at over Mach 3.2 making the plane near impossible to hit with surface-to-air missiles. These extreme circumstances made the plane notoriously difficult to operate, but it played an essential role in the Cold War.

X-Planes (Mach 5 - 10)

In collaboration with NASA, USN (US Navy), DARPA (Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency), and USMC (US Marine Corps), the US tests experimental planes since the 1940s. The purpose of this is to provide proof of concepts for new aerospace technologies, without the expectation that the prototypes will go into full-scale production.

North American X-15 (Fastest aircraft with human on board)

On 3 October 1967 the X-15 achieved Mach 6.7 for a brief period of time.

NASA X-43A (Fastest autonomous aircraft)

In March 2004 the X-43A achieved Mach 9.64 momentarily.

Boeing X-51 (Fastest sustained autonomous aircraft)

On 1 May 2013 the X-51 achieved Mach 5 for 210 seconds.

Hypersonic Air Travel (Mach 5+)

Hermeus

A new start up based out of Atlanta, Georgia (home of Georgia Tech: one of the best aerospace engineering departments in the world). Recently acquired US$100 million in funding and has won a US$950 million ceiling ABMS contract with USAF.

Chimera Engine

Quarterhorse (Small Autonomous Aircraft)

Darkhorse (Mid-Size Autonomous Aircraft)

Halcyon (Passenger Aircraft)

Undisclosed Challenges

Fuel economy/sustainability

Air friction/extreme heat/hull durability

Acceleration/deceleration phases

Airspace regulation

“We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win…” - John F. Kennedy

NASA Artemis Program

Artemis I

Scheduled for launch on August 29th 2022.

Artemis II

Scheduled for launch in May 2024.

Artemis III

Scheduled for launch in 2025.

Artemis IV

Scheduled for launch in 2027.

Space Launch System (SLS)

Lunar Gateway

Human Landing System (HLS)

NASA has selected SpaceX Starship for the crewed lunar lander

Artemis Base Camp

SpaceX 2022

Merlin Engine

These are the engines used in the Falcon 1, Falcon 9, and Falcon Heavy. They use RP-1 (rocket propellant-1) and LOX (liquid oxygen) in an open cycle.

Raptor Engine

These are the engines that will be used in the Starship. They use CH4(liquid methane) and LOX (liquid oxygen) in a full-flow staged combustion.

Starlink

Currently Starlink caters to rural areas with V1 and V1.5 satellites launched through Falcon 9 rockets. V2 satellites are currently being developed. They plan on launching these on Starship due to the increased satellite size. These V2 satellites will be able to communicate with each other through lasers and enable coverage in denser regions with greater bandwidth capacity.

Starbase (Boca Chica, Texas)

Starship

The most ambitious rocket made in the history of humankind.

After WW2 it was clear that rockets were the next evolution in weaponry. The 2 dominant powers at that time, the US and Soviet Union, battled to show the other that they were the superior military with bigger better missiles and warheads. Intercontinental ballistic missiles soon ensured MAD (mutually assured destruction). Beyond nuclear warheads, the 2 powers also fought to show dominance in space exploration. The Soviet Union got the first satellite in 1957 and the first human to space in 1961, but the US kicked into high gear and got the first human to the moon in 1969.

US Apollo Program (1961 - 1972)

US Space Shuttle Program (1972 - 2011)

Skylab (1973 - 1979)

ISS (International Space Station) (1998 - present)

The Death of the Space Race

Apollo/Saturn spacecrafts racked up bills of over US$10 billion dollars for the US government. While the Space Shuttles improved upon the Saturn rockets, they were still costing well into the billions to operate. It was just not sustainable to continue space exploration at these prices. Also, the Space Shuttle disasters did not help maintain a good public perception of the vasts amounts of public money being spent.

Soyuz Rockets

NASA, until very recently, collaborated with Roscosmos to launch American astronauts up to the ISS using Soyuz rockets (Russian made). In 2020 they charged about US$90 million for a seat to LEO (low Earth orbit); while it was a bargain compared to the space shuttles, it was not the best situation having to rely on Russia.

SpaceX (2002 - present)

Elon Musk made tens of millions after Paypal was sold to Ebay and decided to pour it all into Tesla and SpaceX. SpaceX faced failure after failure in the beginning, but Musk had conviction in his dream to revive the space race. On the brink of bankruptcy in 2008, the Falcon 9 rocket brought the $/kg to LEO down under US$5,000/kg (Space Shuttle: US$20,000 - 50,000/kg) with launches costing tens of millions and not billions. This breakthrough kept the company afloat and led it to be the titan in spaceflight that it is today. A new round of private funding values the company at US$127 billion (05, 2022).

With the Starship rocket in the works they could bring the $/kg to LEO down under US$125/kg with launches costing US$10 million or under, given proficient re-usability. Marks my words, SpaceX has the potential to become a US$10 trillion company.

US Artemis Program (2017 - present)

US Space Force (2019 - present)

Rocket Lab (2006 - present)

In all cities across the world there is a need for both buses and taxis. Similarly, we will need a taxi to the bus in space launches. SpaceX Falcon 9 carries about a 20 ton payload to LEO which is often split across several customers who have to share the same orbital path. Starships have a planned capacity of 100 tons to LEO so it intensifies the sharing situation. Rocket Lab is a company out of New Zealand, based in California now, that has more than 2 dozen successful launches to show their competency. Their current rocket Electron carries a 300 kg payload to LEO and costs about US$7.5 million per launch (US$25,000/kg). They plan to come out with a new rocket called Neutron which should carry a 8 ton payload to LEO (cost unknown). The big advantage here is that small payloads can have whatever orbital path they would like for the premium price.

Axiom Space (2016 - present)

Beyond 2022

There is an exciting world of satellites, Moon outposts, and Mars colonization to come. However, it all depends on whether NASA and SpaceX keep their promises. They are the foremost leaders in space exploration and all other countries will follow by example. ESA (European Space Agency), JAXA (Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency), and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) will likely always cooperate with NASA in future missions. Roscosmos (Russian Federal Space Agency), CNSA (China National Space Administration), and ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) may end up cooperating in some capacity and have programs of their own. I also see potential for Brazil and South Korea to join in space industrialization as things heat up.

Other Private Competitors

Northrup Grumman

Boeing

United Launch Alliance

Blue Origin

Virgin Galactic/Orbit

Relativity Space

SpinLaunch