SpaceX Did What No Other Company Can Do...HUGE SUCCESS!
Space Trends Space Trends
33.2K subscribers
69,309 views
0

 Published On Mar 11, 2024

Click here to generate your own space picture using Advanced AI: https://stockimg.ai/?via=Space

SpaceX has filed paperwork with international regulators to launch up to 30,000 additional satellites beyond the already approved 12,000, aiming for a mega-constellation of up to 42,000 satellites.
SpaceX will initially rely heavily on the Falcon 9 rocket, which has been the workhorse of SpaceX's launch fleet.
However, while the Falcon 9 has been key in establishing the Starlink network, its capacity limitations mean that deploying tens of thousands of additional satellites would require a considerable number of launches over many years.
The Falcon 9 can carry approximately 60 Starlink satellites per launch. If each Falcon 9 launch carries 60 satellites, SpaceX would need 700 launches to deploy the entire constellation. Given SpaceX's increasing launch cadence, assuming they can manage roughly 40 Falcon 9 launches per year dedicated to Starlink, it would take approximately 17 years to complete the constellation with Falcon 9 launches alone.
In contrast, the Starship has a much higher lift capacity. the rocket's payload capacity to low Earth orbit is up to 100 tons. Given the size and weight of a Starlink satellite, it's possible that Starship could carry several hundred satellites per launch, potentially around 400. If Starship can indeed carry 400 Starlink satellites per launch, SpaceX would need 105 launches to deploy the entire 42 thousand satellites.
Assuming Starship becomes fully operational and can launch once a month due to its reusable design and the logistics of preparing such a mission, it would take approximately 8 years to complete the constellation, marking a significant speed compared to Falcon 9.
Starship's capabilities are not just limited to its payload capacity. Its size, with a height of about 120 meters and diameter of 9 meters, makes it the largest and most powerful launch vehicle ever developed. This immense size and power enable Starship to carry larger payloads.

Some might argue that comparing Falcon 9 and Starship isn't entirely fair, given that Falcon 9 has been operational for years while Starship is still under development. It's true that Falcon 9 has a proven track record.
However, Although Starship is indeed still in the development phase, it's not as far from operational status as some might think. SpaceX has been conducting high-altitude flight tests and working through the complex challenges of developing a completely reusable launch system.
After conducting two orbital test flights that ended in explosions, SpaceX is now preparing for a third orbital flight test of the Starship on 14th of march.
An important aspect of the upcoming test flight is a demonstration of propellant transfer capabilities, a critical technology for the version of Starship that will be used for NASA's Human Landing System program, starting with the Artemis 3 mission. SpaceX plans to create a propellant depot in low Earth orbit, which will be filled by a series of Starship tanker launches, to fuel the lunar lander Starship for its moon mission. The number of these tanker launches required has been a subject of discussion, with estimates varying but expected to be around ten, depending on the outcomes of initial flight tests. The vice president estimates approximately 10 Starship launches might be needed to fully fuel an on-orbit tanker. This number could vary based on the performance and outcomes of the initial test flights. Looking ahead, SpaceX anticipates that Starship could land on the Moon as early as 2025, aligning with NASA's revised schedule for the Artemis 2 mission.

Keywords:-
Spacex rocket launch videos,Spacex falcon 9 launch video,spacex super heavyrocket,Super Heavy booster,Super Heavy booster engine fire,spacex fire test,super heavy engine fire,super heavy launch 2022,super heavy sapacex,SpaceX rocket launch,spacex starship,spacex super heavy,spacex,spacex amazing launch,SpaceX vs NASA

show more

Share/Embed