Hello Friends, Welcome to Engineering Today
and hope you are having a great day so far. Today back-to-back SpaceX news
awaits for our SpaceX fans. Let’s talk about the starship SN15
update in our first segment of the news. As we know SpaceX previously rolled its
latest starship prototype serial number 15 to the launch pad. Now it is getting close
to conducting a high altitude flight test but before that SN15 have to go
through a series of other tests. SpaceX issued a notice to clear the
surrounding area regarding starship testing. Up until now, SpaceX conducted several
starship prototype high altitude flight tests but none of them managed to deliver
a perfect landing. Although last month SN10 landed on the pad successfully after
reaching a height of 10-12.5 km (6-8 mi). The celebration did not stay very
long as SN10 exploded a minute after touchdown. SpaceX’s SN11 flight test did not go as expected
because of a plumbing problem. Now only one question stays in everyone’s mind: does SN15
have what it takes to conduct a perfect landing. Three days ago, SN15 went through an ambient
pressure test. A twitter page named Starship Updates – Boca Chica stated on Saturday,
“SpaceX teams conducted an ambient pressure test of Starship SN15. Testing has concluded for
today and highway 4 and Boca Chica are now open.” Currently SpaceX started SN15’s
first cryogenic proof test in which the rocket is loaded with hundreds of
tons of supercool liquid nitrogen. “Starship SN15 is currently undergoing cryogenic proofing. This
test allows SpaceX to test the vehicle for any leaks or issues ahead of upcoming static fire
test,” twitted Starship Updates – Boca Chica. “Starship SN15 tanks are currently
being filled with liquid nitrogen and pressurised to flight levels to insure
the tanks can withstand the pressure needed. On this test however, a thrust ram is being
used to imitate the force of the raptor engines due to a new thrust
puck design,” the page twitted. The cryogenic proof testing is done in four
different phases, which includes LOX Tank Frosting, CH4 Tank frosting, Detanking and Final
Depress. During the test SN15 seen venting, which is to decrease the pressure in the
tanks. SpaceX’s 50m (165 feet) tall, starship SN15 developed a coating of frost as its super
cold cargo freezes the humid south Texas air. According to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, starship
SN15 is outfitted with “hundreds” of upgrades compared to its predecessors SN8, SN9, SN10 and SN11. Therefore, SN15 might have
the potential to deliver a perfect landing. This is all for starship cryogenic
proof, stay tuned for latest updates. Now let’s talk about another interesting
update regarding starship SN15. SpaceX installed a starlink dish
on its latest starship prototype SN15. This is completely different from
SpaceX’s previous starship prototypes. A starlink dish antenna has been
spotted on the steel structure of SN15. To operate starlink internet antennas on starship
SN15, SpaceX will need permission from the FCC. The company sent a short notice to FCC stating,
“SpaceX requests Special Temporary Authority to operate a single user terminal
within 5km of Boca Chica Village, TX (26.00°N, -97.16°W) on an experimental
basis at altitudes not to exceed 12.5 km.” The notice also says, “These operations will only occur on the ground or during test flights
of durations not to exceed eight minutes.” Last week when SpaceX rolled SN15 to the launch
pad, a 360 view of the starship revealed an unusual porthole-esque, located on its forward
tank dome. In the past SpaceX used that space in Starhopper to install avionics, Tesla batteries,
and a number of radio and GPS antennas, etc. While in SN15, an oval looking dish is located
between the rocket's tank and nosecone section. It is similar to a SpaceX starlink dish. Although
there was a confusion regarding its structure. Some believed it could be an upgraded S-band
antenna, which was used on SpaceX falcon rockets. S-band antenna is almost the same size
as the antenna located in starship SN15. However, onlookers later confirmed that
SpaceX placed a starlink dish in SN15. Now SpaceX is expected to begin testing SN15’s
starlink dish around the middle of next week. Let’s move to our next news based
on SpaceX’s catching towers. SpaceX will have some more uses from its
robotic arms. Yes, this is the same robotic arm they will use for catching boosters. Recently
released some regulatory information stated this further uses of robotic arms. Just a few months
before, SpaceX has revealed that they will catch up their Super Heavy boosters in the air using
huge robotic arms. Report also says that SpaceX might use the same concept for catching the
Starship vehicles instead of landing on legs. SpaceX has not clearly stated what sort
of design they’re going to follow for constructing the robotic arm, which will be
used for lifting vehicles and stacking and also for catching. The design should be such
that it can easily support some level of upward and downward mobility. There is also
a need for constructing a powerful elevator capable of lifting and withstanding the massive
tonnage of Starship vehicles. The catching of that bulky vehicle with substantial descent
momentum is an extreme challenge for SpaceX. Michael Sheetz, tweeted on 9th April, “SpaceX
is proposing to build a 469 ft tall steel launch tower for its Starship rocket in Texas,
which will also "catch the super-heavy booster upon return from launch," according to an
FAA filing”FAA has recently carried out an aeronautical study on the plans of SpaceX to
construct a launch tower with a height of 146m. The study also states that Starship launch
tower will pose no threats to aircrafts. The FAA document noted that “the tower will
be constructed out of structural steel trusses to allow the mechanical arms to lift vehicles.” For the time Starship will need
legs to land on other planets, they’ve to work upon to produce reliable landing
legs along with their risky concept of catching rockets in air. Catching a rocket of
such a heavy tonnage with some speed poses serious threats to those launch towers.
And any failure could delay next missions’ months or year-long, as building
such a huge tower takes much time. NASA has already awarded SpaceX $135 million in
a funding round to complete a design of reliable, long-lasting and durable Starship variant with
legs that could be used in missions within four to five years. So, SpaceX is also working hard
to complete a leg design capable of descending on rough terrain, an extremely necessary
step to reach and land on other planets. It would take several years time to
get reliable and durable landing legs. This would often make several minor to major
changes in Starship and Super Heavy designs, so landing legs is more challenging till now.
But SpaceX makes all impossible things possible, so we have hope. On the other hand using a
catching tower for recoveries and its reliability at the present time is unbelievable,
but with time it may become possible. Let’s move to our last news regarding the docking
of the MEV-2 servicer with Intelsat spacecraft. On 12th April, MEV-2 satellite servicer spacecraft
of Northrop Grumman got successfully docked with Intelsat’s 10-02 spacecraft, operational in
orbit. Tom Wilson, vice president of strategic space systems at Northrop Grumman, said, “The
success of this mission paves the way for our second generation of servicing satellites and
robotics, offering flexibility and resiliency for both commercial and government satellite
operators, which can enable entirely new classes of missions.” At 1:34p.m. Eastern Time,
the docking was completed. With completion, the satellite servicer vehicle becomes the first
to dock with an operational commercial satellite in Geo-synchronous Orbit. As stated earlier they
will stay docked together for next sixty months to increase the lifetime of IS-10-02. MEV-2
will then undock and move for another mission. Intelsat’s IS-10-02 spacecraft provides internet
connectivity and media distribution services to their clients all over South America,
Europe, the Middle East and Africa. From the beginning of March, MEV-2 has started
performing certain maneuver procedures in orbit to calibrate and
finally it got docked in April. Last year, Defense Advanced Research
Projects Agency (DARPA) had awarded a contract to Northrop Grumman to develop
a separate mission robotic vehicle (MRV). Northrop has announced that in 2024
they will launch MRV for repairing, relocating satellites and other in-orbit services.
Mike DeMarco, chief services officer of Intelsat, said, “Space servicing is a valuable tool for
Intelsat in extending the high-quality service experience that our customers depend upon.
Northrop Grumman’s MEV technology has helped us extend the life of two high-performing
satellites, while focusing our innovation capital on advancing the Intelsat next-generation
network – this technology is a ‘win-win’ for us.”
