Article Image

IPFS News Link • Space Travel and Exploration

SpaceX May Test Propellant Transfer During the Next Starship Launch

• https://www.nextbigfuture.com, by Brian Wang

Lakiesha Hawkins, deputy associate administrator for NASA's Moon to Mars program office, one of her slides (at a Congressional Committee presentation) said SpaceX is moving quickly toward the third Super Heavy/Starship launch and that this flight will include a propellant transfer demonstration.

SpaceX Has a $52 million cryogenic fluid management NASA Tipping point award.

This test would involve transferring super-cold propellant from one tank to another inside a Starship spacecraft. It's a precursor to future, more complex demonstrations involving two giant Starships docked together in Earth orbit. Then SpaceX will be ready to send a Starship toward the Moon for a test landing without astronauts onboard.

The demonstration will include technology risk assessment, design and prototype testing, and in-orbit demonstration. It will also provide insights for larger vehicle-to-vehicle transfers, which is a key capability for SpaceX's lunar lander.

This is a critical capability to enable the landing on the moon with SpaceX Lunar Starship.


thelibertyadvisor.com/declare