2023 was a year of highs and lows for SpaceX's ambitious Starship program. With two orbital launch attempts, both ending in fiery explosions, the year presented stark lessons but also glimmers of progress as the company strives to develop the world's most powerful rocket.
The first attempt on April 20th felt almost bittersweet. While the Starship and Super Heavy prototypes soared off the pad intact, a joyous occasion for Elon Musk, the four-minute flight ended with the two stages failing to separate, the vehicle veering out of control, and ultimately triggering onboard self-destruction systems. The launch pad lay in tatters, strewn with debris, and environmental groups were quick to file lawsuits against the FAA for allegedly lax oversight.
Musk, ever the optimist, declared the flight a success just for reaching liftoff without exploding. This "rapid unscheduled disassembly," in industry jargon, provided invaluable data for the Starship team. With this information, they implemented changes to improve the odds of reaching orbit the next time around. The launch pad was rebuilt, equipped with a water deluge system to mitigate future damage, and the design of the separation process was revamped.
On November 18th, the second attempt took place. Starship SN25 and Super Heavy BN9 rose, separated cleanly just minutes after launch, and seemed on track for success. However, disaster struck again at 3 minutes and 22 seconds. Instead of a gentle splashdown in the Gulf, the Super Heavy self-destructed. Despite this, the Starship continued its ascent, burning its engines for nearly six minutes and nearing orbit before losing contact with ground control at 8 minutes and 4 seconds. It reached an impressive altitude of 92 miles and a supersonic speed of 14,990 mph before succumbing to whatever technical gremlin caused its demise.
While both stages were lost, SpaceX called the day "an incredibly successful day" due to the significant progress made. Kate Tice, a senior manager on the team, emphasized the data gained and the milestones achieved. The investigation into the cause of the RUD (rapid unscheduled disassembly) continues, but the company hasn't been idle.
Starship SN28 and Super Heavy BN10 have already gone through a successful static-fire test, and Musk even tweeted about a successful test for Flight 3's Super Heavy booster. They're eager to move forward, but the FAA hurdle stands in their way. After a seven-month hiatus for investigations and corrective actions following the first attempt, SpaceX doesn't want to repeat such a delay. Lueders, Starbase's General Manager, aims for a launch in the first quarter of 2024, though environmental lawsuits and concerns from agencies like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service add more complexity to the picture.
The pressure is on not just for SpaceX, but also for NASA. Having awarded the company a $2.9 billion contract to develop Starship as the Artemis Human Landing System, they rely on its success for returning astronauts to the Moon by 2025. With the pace of orbital flight testing lagging behind schedule, this goal seems increasingly ambitious.
The future of Starship hangs in the balance. Two launch attempts, and two explosions, yet the dream of a fully reusable, heavy-lift spacecraft remains alive. The year 2023 provided the harsh reality of challenges faced, but also valuable lessons learned and resilience demonstrated. Whether 2024 ushers in the era of Starship or further delays lie ahead, one thing is certain: SpaceX's pursuit of its audacious ambitions continues, its fiery path illuminating the road to space exploration's next chapter.
