Let’s play a popular game in which I say a word and you have to tell me the first thing that comes to your mind after listening to that word. Now if I say Entrepreneur, which name comes to your mind first? If you are a tech enthusiast, you will probably say Elon Musk. And it makes sense because Elon Musk is not only the Most Innovative Leader of 2019 (acc. to Forbes) but also he is one of the most handsome Entreprenuers in the world.
Elon founded SpaceX in 2002 with the intention of creating a colony on Mars. The 17 year old company already has a lot of firsts in its pocket like the first private company to successfully launch, orbit and recover a spacecraft, first private company to send a spacecraft to the ISS (International Space Station) etc. And now the company has taken a giant step to achieve the goal of the company by unveiling the first iteration of interplanetary vehicle Starship.
Built to carry 100 passengers, Starship will serve as the spacecraft to shuttle both people and cargo to earth’s orbit and beyond. The thing that is most interesting about it is that it is made from Stainless steel rather than carbon fiber or aluminium alloy. Stainless steel has largely fallen out of use for propellent tanks since the 60’s because of its less strength to weight ratio. Strength to weight ratio is one of the most important things that is considered before choosing any material in making a spacecraft.
The reason for choosing Stainless steel was its maximum operating temperature. Here it outperforms carbon fibre and aluminum alloys by a significant margin. Starship will enter into the martian atmosphere at speeds of upto 21000 km/hr and will experience temperatures upto 1700 degrees. For this much temperature, they needed a material that has a good strength and high max. operating temperature. Also it will require significantly less heat shielding than an aluminium alloy or carbon fibre composites.
It is powered by 6 raptor engines, 3 for its time in the atmosphere and 3 for propulsion in space. Each engine is fueled with cryogenic methane (cryogenic means able to be kept at extremely low temperatures in order to maintain them in a liquid state) and liquid oxygen (which acts as an oxidizer). But the real power comes from the Super Heavy rocket which is 68 m high and generates 72 mega newtons of thrust at liftoff. Super Heavy can carry 100 metric tons because of its 37 raptor engines.
Once it reaches the earth’s orbit, booster and spacecraft will detach. Starship will continue towards its destination, while Super Heavy will return to earth landing vertically like the previous Falcons. As for Starship, when it returns from its galactic voyages, this behemoth of a spacecraft will re-orient itself and re-enter the upper atmosphere at around 60-degree angle. Then, as it nears just a few hundred meters from the ground, the ship will turn its engines on to adjust itself for a swift vertical landing.
Starship will continue to run resupply missions to the ISS, with the added bonus of being able to shuttle both crew members and cargo at a relatively lower cost than Falcon vehicles (forgot to mention that Stainless steel is also cheaper than carbon fibre composites or aluminium alloy). SpaceX will also continue to launch satellites, thanks to Starship's massive 9m diameter forward payload section.
Once developed, Starship and Super Heavy will be the world’s most powerful launch vehicle. Musk envisions Starship’s uncrewed orbital test flight could happen by the spring of 2020.
Untill then, it seems that Musk may be one step closer to his vision of getting humans to the red planet.
Elon founded SpaceX in 2002 with the intention of creating a colony on Mars. The 17 year old company already has a lot of firsts in its pocket like the first private company to successfully launch, orbit and recover a spacecraft, first private company to send a spacecraft to the ISS (International Space Station) etc. And now the company has taken a giant step to achieve the goal of the company by unveiling the first iteration of interplanetary vehicle Starship.
Built to carry 100 passengers, Starship will serve as the spacecraft to shuttle both people and cargo to earth’s orbit and beyond. The thing that is most interesting about it is that it is made from Stainless steel rather than carbon fiber or aluminium alloy. Stainless steel has largely fallen out of use for propellent tanks since the 60’s because of its less strength to weight ratio. Strength to weight ratio is one of the most important things that is considered before choosing any material in making a spacecraft.
The reason for choosing Stainless steel was its maximum operating temperature. Here it outperforms carbon fibre and aluminum alloys by a significant margin. Starship will enter into the martian atmosphere at speeds of upto 21000 km/hr and will experience temperatures upto 1700 degrees. For this much temperature, they needed a material that has a good strength and high max. operating temperature. Also it will require significantly less heat shielding than an aluminium alloy or carbon fibre composites.
It is powered by 6 raptor engines, 3 for its time in the atmosphere and 3 for propulsion in space. Each engine is fueled with cryogenic methane (cryogenic means able to be kept at extremely low temperatures in order to maintain them in a liquid state) and liquid oxygen (which acts as an oxidizer). But the real power comes from the Super Heavy rocket which is 68 m high and generates 72 mega newtons of thrust at liftoff. Super Heavy can carry 100 metric tons because of its 37 raptor engines.
Once it reaches the earth’s orbit, booster and spacecraft will detach. Starship will continue towards its destination, while Super Heavy will return to earth landing vertically like the previous Falcons. As for Starship, when it returns from its galactic voyages, this behemoth of a spacecraft will re-orient itself and re-enter the upper atmosphere at around 60-degree angle. Then, as it nears just a few hundred meters from the ground, the ship will turn its engines on to adjust itself for a swift vertical landing.
Starship will continue to run resupply missions to the ISS, with the added bonus of being able to shuttle both crew members and cargo at a relatively lower cost than Falcon vehicles (forgot to mention that Stainless steel is also cheaper than carbon fibre composites or aluminium alloy). SpaceX will also continue to launch satellites, thanks to Starship's massive 9m diameter forward payload section.
Once developed, Starship and Super Heavy will be the world’s most powerful launch vehicle. Musk envisions Starship’s uncrewed orbital test flight could happen by the spring of 2020.
Untill then, it seems that Musk may be one step closer to his vision of getting humans to the red planet.
It's good to think like we will gonna set ourselves up at the red planet but yet no survival exists there according to the latest studies of NASA as they conspired or theoritize the existence of water but a lot more resides ahead to achieve the feat. But yes, this level of thinking and implementation will indeed be applauded and yes one of the things, which I bet upon will gonna culminate with a boom! And that is space tour as this podium of Elon will gonna succeed. Yes.... we might not been able to have a look upon red soil but our successors might be or we will just doomed as the way we are treating our home soil. Better to focus on what we have and to make the most of it by utilizing resourcefully and precisely neither red soil will just gonna remains our Phoenix and we'll will deceased mercilessly.... signing off....
ReplyDeleteWe totally agree with you. Thanks for reading. We hope for your reviews and suggestions ahead as well.
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