How will SpaceX Starship get to the Moon?
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How will SpaceX Starship get to the Moon?
NASA is now working with SpaceX to turn Starship into a lunar lander. The plan is to fly astronauts to the moon using NASA’s Space Launch System, then dock to the Starship in lunar orbit so that the astronauts can switch spaceships.
How does SpaceX lunar lander work?
It will then return the crew to Orion in NRHO. In the third phase of its HLS procurement process NASA awarded SpaceX a contract in April 2021 to develop, produce, and demonstrate Starship HLS….Starship HLS.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Payload to Moon | |
| Mass | 100–200 t (220,000–440,000 lb) |
| Production | |
| Status | In development |
What is the purpose of the lunar optimized Starship?
– “A lunar optimized Starship can fly many times between the surface of the Moon and lunar orbit without flaps or heat shielding required for Earth return.
How will Starship refuel in space?
The way the Starship spacecraft refueling operation works, according to reports, is with a multi-vehicle system, including a repurposed Starship that essentially functions as a fuel depot. After this, it would dock with NASA’s Orion spacecraft carrying the astronauts and then land on the Moon with its crew.
How long will it take Starship to get to Moon?
about 3 days
It takes about 3 days for a spacecraft to reach the Moon. During that time a spacecraft travels at least 240,000 miles (386,400 kilometers) which is the distance between Earth and the Moon. The specific distance depends on the specific path chosen.
What will Starship enable?
On Wednesday, CEO Elon Musk outlined how the company’s under-development rocket will deliver a “high fly rate” of a dozen launches in 2022. This will enable the ship to deliver actual payloads in 2023 before moving on to more ambitious goals like sending humans to the Moon and Mars.
Is Starship going to the moon?
Elon Musk says SpaceX could launch a Starship to the moon ‘probably sooner’ than 2024: report. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk says he may be able to launch the company’s massive new Starship to the moon for NASA “probably sooner” than the space agency’s 2024 target even in the face of contract and other delays.
Can the starship land on the moon?
NASA last week announced it selected SpaceX’s Starship to land humans on the Moon as part of the agency’s Artemis program. Under the terms of the award, SpaceX will fly Starship to the lunar surface without a crew at least once before transporting astronauts.
How will Starship refuel on Mars?
To Mars and back Starship launches with Starship Super Heavy booster. Booster separates, returning to Earth. Starship enters Earths orbit while a refilling tanker launches to mate with Starship in orbit. When Starship lands on Mars it will be refueled using Mars local resources of H20 and CO2.
Which is more powerful SLS vs Starship?
The SLS will be capable of lifting 105 tonnes of payload into LEO, compared to the 100 tonnes of the Starship, so it looks pretty close. But as the orbital heights get greater, the SLS payload suffers until we get to payloads delivered to the moon, where the SLS tops out at 40 tonnes in cargo mode (less for crew).