SpaceX is developing a huge rocket called The Starship, which when finished, will hold the record for the biggest rocket ever known to humankind.--mila boyden, 6th grade
SpaceX is developing a huge rocket called The Starship, which when finished, will hold the record for the biggest rocket ever known to humankind. The Starship rocket will be around 400 feet tall. Its mission is to carry cargo, as well as a crew, to the moon and even mars. According to a Mike Wall article on space.com, “The company is developing a giant rocket known as Starship to help make Mars colonization and a variety of other ambitious exploration feats possible.”
“The system consists of two elements: a huge first-stage booster known as Super Heavy and an upper-stage spacecraft called Starship,” the same article reports. “When fully stacked, a Starship vehicle towers about 390 feet (119 meters) above the ground. That's taller than any other rocket ever built; the previous record holder, NASA's Saturn V moon rocket, stood 363 feet (111 m) tall.”
“The system consists of two elements: a huge first-stage booster known as Super Heavy and an upper-stage spacecraft called Starship,” the same article reports. “When fully stacked, a Starship vehicle towers about 390 feet (119 meters) above the ground. That's taller than any other rocket ever built; the previous record holder, NASA's Saturn V moon rocket, stood 363 feet (111 m) tall.”
The Starship is going to be a reusable transportation spacecraft designed to go to the moon and Mars. According to SpaceX.com, “SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket (collectively referred to as Starship) represent a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond. Starship will be the world’s most powerful launch vehicle ever developed, with the ability to carry in excess of 100 metric tonnes to Earth orbit.”
The article continues to state that, “The Starship is the fully reusable spacecraft and second stage of the Starship system. It offers an integrated payload section and is capable of carrying passengers and cargo to Earth orbit, planetary destinations, and between destinations on Earth.”
The engine of the Starship is one of the key things that will be used to make the Starship project work. The engine of the Starship will be called the Raptor. The Raptor is going to be reusable (like the Starship) and started testing in May 2014. In July 2019 the Raptor started flight testing the Starship prototype. The Raptor is a combustion engine (an engine that derives its motive force from the energy of combustion) powered by cryogenic liquid methane and liquid oxygen also called methalox. The Raptor is the first full-flow staged combustion rocket engine ever flown. The Raptors diameter is 1.3 meters (four ft.) and its height is 3.1 meters (10.2 ft.).
The article continues to state that, “The Starship is the fully reusable spacecraft and second stage of the Starship system. It offers an integrated payload section and is capable of carrying passengers and cargo to Earth orbit, planetary destinations, and between destinations on Earth.”
The engine of the Starship is one of the key things that will be used to make the Starship project work. The engine of the Starship will be called the Raptor. The Raptor is going to be reusable (like the Starship) and started testing in May 2014. In July 2019 the Raptor started flight testing the Starship prototype. The Raptor is a combustion engine (an engine that derives its motive force from the energy of combustion) powered by cryogenic liquid methane and liquid oxygen also called methalox. The Raptor is the first full-flow staged combustion rocket engine ever flown. The Raptors diameter is 1.3 meters (four ft.) and its height is 3.1 meters (10.2 ft.).
The Starship mission is also playing an important role in the Artemis mission. Paul Rincon reported on BBC News that, “Starship will also play a key role in NASA's Artemis programe, which aims to establish a long-term human presence on the Moon. In April 2021, the US space agency awarded SpaceX with a $2.89B contract to develop Starship into a lander capable of delivering astronauts to the lunar surface this decade.”
I think it’s safe to say that we’re all excited for what comes next with the Starship.
I think it’s safe to say that we’re all excited for what comes next with the Starship.