First flight starship left a bittersweet aftertaste. On the one hand, that a rocket is installed on the ship super heavy The successful takeoff was a monumental achievement. However, its explosion before disengaging and entering low Earth orbit left mixed feelings. For this reason, SpaceX is already working to complete a second test flight as soon as possible.

And this second takeoff may happen faster than expected. Here’s how he stated Bill Nelsonadministrator of NASA, at a hearing before the Committee on Science, Space and Technology of the US House of Representatives.

As reported Wall Street Magazinethe official mentioned that SpaceX believes it may be ready for another Starship takeoff about 60 days later. If it does, it will be really impressive.

According to Nelson, the launch of the Super Heavy rocket was so strong that it created a hole in the launch pad. “To this day, SpaceX continues to state that it believes it will take at least two months to restore the launch pad, and at the same time, about two months to prepare its second ship,” the NASA top manager explained.

As of now, SpaceX has neither confirmed nor denied Bill Nelson’s comments. Elon Musk’s aerospace company is working with its engineers on analysis what went wrong during the launch of the first Starship. In addition, you must cooperate with various government agencies to determine the damage that occurred after takeoff.

SpaceX will need at least two months to prepare another Starship launch

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced this week that the takeoff of the Starship scattered crushed stone on an area of ​​almost 156 hectares. Objects blown up included large pieces of cement, metal parts, and stainless steel sheets. In addition, a fire broke out that affected just over 14 hectares. It’s worth clarifying that the various affected lands are in some cases owned by SpaceX; while the rest is from the US government.

The collapse of the cement platform is one of the major challenges that SpaceX must address for the next Starship launch. Elon Musk himself recently admitted that they mistakenly believed that Super Heavy engines corrodes the surface, but does not destroy it. This is because it resisted correctly during static ignition tests. However, only half of the engine power was used in these tests.

The mogul also explained that they were working on huge water-cooled steel plate place under the launch structure. However, they did not manage to finish it by the first flight of the starship.

It’s important to note that SpaceX’s timeline is not the same as that of the regulators. What does it mean? That even if the company manages to repair the launch pad and prepare the second car in just two months, must first obtain Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) clearance to take off. Therefore, the second test could face bureaucratic delays.

It remains to be seen how this story develops. The NASA administrator’s comments about SpaceX’s rush are also relevant, given that the lunar lander that will return astronauts to the moon will be based on a starship.

Source: Hiper Textual

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