Theoretically SPACEX could hold the StarShip SN10 apparatus jump on February 26, but on the eve of the test date shifted. The company Ilona Mask decided to carry out one more fire testing of the demonstrator, which was caused by the technical difficulties arising during previous tests.
Recall, on February 23, Spacex experienced three Raptor engines installed on the STARSHIP prototype. "One of the engines behaved suspiciously, so we will replace it," the head of Spacex wrote after the tests.
During new tests, the three Raptor prototype engine SN10 successfully worked for a few seconds at the Spacex site in South Texas, not far from the village of Boca Chik. This can be considered an indicator of the demonstrator readiness to the test start. According to the plan, the device must make a "jump" ten kilometers, after which it will land.
The tests of previous devices of the series - SN8 and SN9 - as a whole can be called successful, however, in both cases, problems occurred when landing, which ultimately led to the loss of demonstrators. Earlier, Spacex took into account all errors and made the necessary adjustments. Not so long ago, Mask stated that now the chances of a successful landing are 60%: it is much higher than before. Recall, watch StarShip SN10 testing you can on our website.
StarShip is the most ambitious project of Spacex. In the framework of it, a reusable spacecraft, acting as a second stage, as well as the Super Heavy super heavy carrier missile carrier is developed. It is assumed that StarShip will be able to bring more than 100 tons of payload to a low reference orbit.
Among the potential tasks of the system are manned flights to the Moon and Mars. It is impossible to exclude that in the future STARSHIP will become an important part of the new American Artemis program aimed at mastering the natural satellite of the Earth.
First, they plan to organize several flights to the moon, without landing onto the satellite: this will minimize the risks. As the date of the first landing of astronauts on the moon, 2024 was previously called, but due to the technical difficulty, it is extremely unlikely. Most likely, the disembarkation will be postponed to a later date.
We also note that within the framework of the US Artemis program and their partners want to build a lunar orbital station Gateway.
Source: Naked Science