The spacecraft can fly in a few days. SpaceX has tested the engines and is waiting for the last step that is not in his hands

SpaceX continues to try to test the revolutionary Starship rocket as quickly as possible and finally get it into orbit, or at least try.

The authorities and activists, meanwhile, are throwing trees at their feet, Reports to Ars Technica.

October 22, 2021 update:

Elon Musk just announced via Twitter that the Starship will be ready for its first orbital flight next month and that the company will only wait for permission from the Federal Aviation Administration.

At the same time, some predicted that the start would not take place until March next year. While this is possible because the FAA would love to continue, Musk also certainly has better and more up-to-date information, so it is likely that permission will be granted much sooner.

SpaceX conducted the first test of the R-Vac (Raptor Vacuum) engines installed directly on the rocket last night at Starbas, Ars Technica writes. It appears to have been a success and the company itself has bragged about it via Twitter.

The Starship S20 and its first stage of the Super Heavy B4 will face a few more tests, after which it can wait impatiently in Texas, while it will lack only one thing - permission to start.

If the flight does indeed come and ends successfully in reaching orbit, the spacecraft will overtake the SLS, which is in development for much longer and many of its components have been around since the time of the space shuttle.

Original article:

When will he get the license?

Musk still has a problem with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which needs to get a license. According to the original, they were to test the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy missiles in the area, but not the massive Starship.

This has raised environmental concerns while attracting opportunists who use the situation to discredit society. One of them is the person who stated while hearing public opinions about the environmental assessment that SpaceX is an oil company and that the authorities should treat it that way.

Starbase was also said to be a “bullshit factory”, which impressed many fans. The plant has already received a funny nickname in the past, which is responsible for rival Blue Origin. In its charts, Starbase is described as a “non-existent spaceport”.

Starship S20 - a little started

Of course, there was also constructive criticism from the public, environmentalists in particular mentioned the power plant and fuel plants, which were not taken into account by the FAA’s environmental assessment. At the same time, local residents complained about noise and constant road closures.

However, canceling the project in this area is practically impossible, and given the transformation that all of humanity can cause, slowing it down is not beneficial for everyone. SpaceX knows this well, and while waiting for permission to fly, it is actively testing its prototypes and building a launch pad.

The Starship S20, the first aircraft to fly into orbit along with the first stage of the Super Heavy B4, has finally started its engines. This is, at least in part, because instead of a full start, only a pre-combustion test (fuel combustion before the main chamber, whose power rotates the turbine to pump more fuel) was done. How do writes NASASpaceflightIn the meantime, a new factory of Raptor rocket engines is also growing, and the company will soon need hundreds.

Will they pick up the first orbital rocket yet?

The tall launch tower, which is used to support the rocket prior to launch and refueling, actually receives “chopsticks” to capture the first and second landing stages rather than forcing them to land on their feet. Because the tourists will also fly to Starship in the future, it is convenient to transfer some functions to ground equipment that is more reliable.

Musk has said in the past that the first orbital and Super Heavy spacecraft will not be intercepted and, for safety reasons, will attempt an easy landing at sea. Due to the fact that the first orbital flight is constantly delayed, it is likely that by the time of launch, the capture system will be ready.

Elon Musk / Twitter / SpaceX / Editing

The first stages of the Falcon 9 rocket land on its own landing gear, but according to Musk, the pickup has a huge advantage. The missile is lighter, so it can carry a larger load and at the same time can be reused faster. The spacecraft should be able to start over an hour after landing, that is, immediately after connecting to the first stage, loading cargo and refueling.