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Space

SpaceX To Attempt Daring Orbital Refueling Test of Starship (gizmodo.com) 96

SpaceX plans an ambitious in-orbit refueling test between two Starships in March 2025. "The orbital demonstration is a major step for Starship, and a crucial part of SpaceX's capability of delivering NASA's Artemis mission to the Moon," reports Gizmodo. The plans were unveiled during Spaceflight Now's recent interview (source: YouTube) with Kent Chojnacki, the deputy manager for NASA's Human Landing System program. Gizmodo reports: SpaceX is under a $53.2 million contract with NASA, signed in 2020, to use Starship tankers for in-orbit propellant transfer. During its third test flight, SpaceX transferred around 10 metric tons of liquid oxygen from Starship's header tank to its main tank while it was in space. The upcoming demonstration, however, requires a lot more of the launch vehicle. Two Starships will launch to low Earth orbit around three to four weeks apart, the spacecraft will meet and dock in orbit, and one will transfer propellant to another. After the demonstration, the two Starships will undock from one another and deorbit.

"Once you've done that, you've really cracked open the opportunity to move massive amounts of payload and cargo outside of the Earth's sphere," Chojnacki said during the interview. The in-flight propellant transfer tests are set to conclude in the summer. With in-flight refueling, NASA is aiming to develop technologies to "enable long-term cryogenic fluid management, which is essential for establishing a sustainable presence on the Moon and enabling crewed missions to Mars," the space agency stated when the contract was signed.

SpaceX is developing a version of Starship to land humans on the Moon in September 2026 as part of NASA's Artemis 3 mission. To prepare for the Moon mission, SpaceX is expected to launch between eight and 16 propellant tanker Starships into low Earth orbit in rapid succession. Each of the tankers will carry around 100 to 150 tons of liquid oxygen and liquid methane and will dock with a larger fuel depot. The orbiting depot will then connect with the Human Landing System Starship, filling its massive 1,200-ton fuel tanks. Once refueled, the Starship lander will continue its journey toward the Moon.

SpaceX To Attempt Daring Orbital Refueling Test of Starship

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  • Jobs and Scully (Score:5, Interesting)

    by monkeyxpress ( 4016725 ) on Tuesday November 12, 2024 @07:28AM (#64939365)

    This is all great, but what I'm really worried about is when Elon and Trump have their falling out. Two rich sociopaths with immense power and gigantic egos is going to be epic. But as Elon has now alienated the left, regardless of the outcome he's going to end up putting SpaceX in a very difficult position politically.

    If you can bear to listen to them talking about teach other it reminds me a lot of when Steve Jobs hired John Scully. At the start they were best buddies, respecting what each one brought to the table, and by the end it was all out war. I doubt Elon has ever dealt so closely with another egotistical maniac that has real power that he cannot steamroll out of the way, so it's going to be an insane level of fireworks when it happens, but I think it could easily be the beginning of the end for Musk.

    • This is all great, but what I'm really worried about is when Elon and Trump have their falling out. Two rich sociopaths with immense power and gigantic egos is going to be epic. But as Elon has now alienated the left, regardless of the outcome he's going to end up putting SpaceX in a very difficult position politically.

      Why would it harm SpaceX? It would be better off without him at this point. Elon worked illegally in this country when he first came here, so he was never really eligible to get permanent resident status, and it's not too late for Trump to deport him for it, and use civil asset forfeiture to take Musk's stake in everything. Twitter becomes literal state media instead of the de facto kind like it is now, and in fact I bet Trump could figure out how to use his DOJ to "break it up" in some fake-ass way and han

      • Re: (Score:2, Interesting)

        Trump holds all the cards in this relationship, so it should be quick and easy to shed Musk.

        Kinda but that would require Trump to know stuff. Not really his jam.

        • that would require Trump to know stuff. Not really his jam.

          It only requires someone to tell him he can do it at some point when he's really pissed off at Leon.

      • Why would it harm SpaceX? It would be better off without him [Musk] at this point.

        If/when Trump and Musk fall out, it would probably harm SpaceX by losing its massive government contracts. The best thing then would be for Musk's companies to kick him out asap. That would be possible for Tesla, but I'm not sure about SpaceX as it is not a publically listed company with shareholders.

        • Your nuts. Boeing cannot keep a rocket program to/from IIS on time. NASA and its list of other contractors are better part of decade behind SpaceX on general lift and most likely more years on 50+tons to LEO. Boeing is at a point they are going to just buy space x rocket motors for their future projects. Musk is on timeline to the moon and mars. 2030-2034 was a good date in 1992 for mars, In general NASA/USA were behind in 2010, and are about caught up with 6 years to go. Moon landing in 3 year
      • I doubt that old misdemeanor can be used anymore. Also, isn't he an american citizen yet? You can't deport american citizens that easily.
        • The Republicans are going to make it easier, and you can quote me on that. If I was wrong I'll eat a jack in the box taco

        • You can't deport american citizens that easily.

          If Trump goes forward with his mass deportation scheme, hundreds, maybe thousands, of citizens are going to get deported. Probably not any who can afford top-notch law firms, though.

        • You can't deport american citizens that easily.

          Your aren't supposed to be able to execute them without due process either. But that didn't stop Barack Obama.

    • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

      by sams2100 ( 237327 )

      This is about mankind taking impressive first steps toward becoming an inter-planetary species. This is exactly the type of news we all want to see and read about here on Slashdot. And you still cannot think of anything else but politics.

      Anyone here who cannot separate their political opinions from the impressive technological advancement such as this, really needs to take a step back and have some self-reflection with your priorities in life.

      Go argue politics on some political site, embrace and enjoy the

      • This is about mankind taking impressive first steps toward becoming an inter-planetary species. This is exactly the type of news we all want to see and read about here on Slashdot. And you still cannot think of anything else but politics.... Go argue politics on some political site, embrace and enjoy the technology news here on Slashdot!

        Not sure how I fit in your sweeping generalisations, but if I were in the USA I would have voted for Trump as the lesser of two evils, but at the same time I have a stong aversion to salesmen (Musk is one), billionaires or not, and to megalomaniacs (if Musk isn't, who the hell is?).

        Anyway, the "first steps" towards and inter-planetary species, if any, were taken ~60 years ago, and SpaceX has not even got as far as they did then. I would be happier about the Starship inter-planetary project (if it is mor

      • Re:Jobs and Scully (Score:5, Insightful)

        by nevermindme ( 912672 ) on Tuesday November 12, 2024 @09:43AM (#64939679)
        About 40% of the US population has accepted the media is full of themselves. Another 20% want the stuff Space X is on track to do and can ignore negitive press coverager. The 30% who vote left and post anti Musk and anti-trump are addicted to hearing their own voice on the socials. Why bother listening to people who have proven they do not consider history in making future choices.
    • by GoTeam ( 5042081 )

      This is all great, but what I'm really worried about is when Elon and Trump have their falling out.

      Why? Will it impact the ability of SpaceX to complete the refueling test? Does it cause a technical issue for moving propellant from one vehicle to another? The election is over and some of us would like to go back to technical topics.

      I would say that the biggest challenge to completing this test next year (March 2025) would be that Musk always over-promises. He'll claim regulations are slowing him down (they do a little), but we constantly see Musk's promises run way past his designated delivery date.

      • Unfortunately, you can't easily separate politics from science and engineering, especially at this level.

        If Trusk break up, they're both vindictive assholes willing to burn the world down for some revenge.

      • Re:Jobs and Scully (Score:5, Insightful)

        by monkeyxpress ( 4016725 ) on Tuesday November 12, 2024 @09:55AM (#64939705)

        I would say that the biggest challenge to completing this test next year (March 2025) would be that Musk always over-promises. He'll claim regulations are slowing him down (they do a little), but we constantly see Musk's promises run way past his designated delivery date.

        All I'm saying is that I don't think that is the biggest challenge anymore, nor the technical stuff (which while not easy, I think they have a clear pathway on how to get there now). If Musk and Trump fall out, how exactly do you think SpaceX is going to manage being hated by politicians of all stripes, and having openly antagonised the civil servants who they rely on? He needs things to go well with Trump and I think he is incredibly naive to believe Trump (or any politician of any colour) feels any obligation to help him with his goals.

        I could easily see a lot of forces conspiring to push him out of SpaceX. He relies on a lot of other investors who will act much more rationally - i.e. ditch mars and suck on the govt teat for decades to come if the alternative is conflict with the entire US govt.

        I genuinely wish Musk had not bought that stupid Twitter and gotten involved in politics, but he did, and I don't see how this plays out well. When I was a young engineer, I hated all the politics, but as I got older, I realised that the world if full of brilliant engineers wasting their skills because of politics. It's an inescapable part of any human achievement.

      • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

        Depends how much you think Musk is involved in this. Apparently he has been hanging around Trump since he won. Might be looking for a job in his government, which would draw him away from SpaceX.

        Depending on your point of view, that may be a good thing, or it may be a bad thing. Or even both.

        • Depends how much you think Musk is involved in this. Apparently he has been hanging around Trump since he won. Might be looking for a job in his government, which would draw him away from SpaceX.

          Tell us you don't pay attention to current events without telling us you don't pay attention to current events.

          • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

            He's just been appointed joint head of the Department of Government Efficiency. They could start by cutting down the two people doing one job heading up the Department of Government Efficiency.

    • Two rich sociopaths with immense power and gigantic egos is going to be epic.

      Well, one of them is rich. I'm not so sure about the other.

  • Lots of parallels. Hopefully Elon doesn't turn into a drug addled recluse.
  • by Growlley ( 6732614 ) on Tuesday November 12, 2024 @10:15AM (#64939753)
    deconstruction make him liable for the entire clean up
  • Congratulations to the Spacex team and Elon Musk for getting this far. The work you've already done is incredible. Thank you, good luck and may your efforts see us this critical step closer to Mars!
  • I thought the best spacecraft we had were the kind that take weeks to move from one planet to another within a single star system. To me, the term "starship" implies the ability to travel to other star systems.
    • Welcome to marketing, where truth is a mere inconvenience.

    • We are fairly close (as in 'probably within your lifetime') to being able to build a fusion rocket (not a fusion power generator, that's far more difficult) that could get a probe to Alpha Centauri before the people who built it died of old age.

      I don't know if that's good enough to qualify as a 'starship' to people who grew up watching Star Trek, but it seems pretty impressive to me.

  • Boring. All of these things were tested and successful, as recorded in the documentary from 1998 titled "Armageddon".

What we anticipate seldom occurs; what we least expect generally happens. -- Bengamin Disraeli

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