Humankind is known for its innovations and it is inevitable to build a good place and convert it into a better place. Space technology is a field where human findings are at the finest level. The prominent date associated with space technology is July 20, 1969. We all know the significance and importance of the date.
It was not just Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin who conquered the but the entire human civilization. Just like July 20, 1969, the entire human history will always remember the date October 13, 2024. On October 13, 2024, SpaceX successfully caught back its booster rocket mid-air with the help of mechanical arms called ‘Chopsticks’ and made a milestone in the space and technology arena.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX, a company that is responsible for numerous advancements in the space and technology field has celebrated another milestone in their history. The test flight conducted on October 13 in Texas was successful and opened the door for future possibilities of unimaginable rocket science innovations.
SpaceX: A Name that will be remembered beyond generations
SpaceX is an American private company that is owned by Elon Musk, who is a well-known businessman and industrial engineer who is actively involved in the space technology industry and its enrichment. Spacecraft launches and landings, spacecraft cargo, and rocket development are the main focused areas of SpaceX.
On Sunday, October 13, 2024, SpaceX launched its starship rocket and landed its booster stage on the same launchpad using mechanical arms. This was the result of nine years of combined efforts, SpaceX has been conducting smaller experiments with their Falcon 9 rockets in this manner to achieve this big dream. The previous experiments they conducted in this model were failures and yet they didn’t give up their efforts and dream.
The aim was to test for the future elope of humans from our planet and make the cross planetary living possible. In this mission, Starship separated and continued its journey to space and the super booster was tracked back onto the launching pad using the mechanical arms. After the separation, Starship traveled around the earth before reentering the atmosphere and going down in the Indian Ocean as planned and determined.
The Starship rocket they used to conduct the test flight an elevated 400 feet later was lifted from Texas. The rocket’s super heavy booster 232 feet tall, landed on the launchpad just seven minutes after the launch. To successfully launch the rocket, the company has used two mechanical arms named ‘chopsticks’ which are integrated into the launch tower.
Elon Musk who was present at the time of the launch has told the media that “the tower has caught the rocket”. The response from Dan Huot, who is a member of the SpaceX team was like this “Even in this day and age, what we just saw is magic. I am shaking right now”.
Also Read: Tesla Robotaxi Event: All You Need To Know
Booster Landing: The flight director’s determination pays off!
The booster landing decision was heavily dependent upon the real-time assessment and firm determination of the flight director. He had to analyze and ensure the condition of the launch tower. The stability of the launching bridge was analyzed by the director who decided to go on with the mission, otherwise, the landing mission was planned to be avoided. But the condition was fortunate and everything went according to the plan.
The mechanical arms played a crucial role in the success of the booster landing, if it was inefficient or unable to bear the load of the rocket, it would have ended up in the Gulf of Mexico. The brilliance of the flight director along with the other backroom staff made this mission successful and led SpaceX to one of its goals of reusable rockets. SpaceX believes that this could reduce the future cost of rocket manufacturing.
Read More: The New Fuel That Will Shape the Future
Conclusion
SpaceX is onto something that is even beyond our imagination and creativity, they are becoming a strong entity in the space and technology field. Even NASA is seeking help and resources from SpaceX to conduct experiments and research. NASA’s Artemis space plan is to send people to the moon, The Starship system is an integral part of the Artemis mission.
Elon Musk is a prominent and key figure who is responsible for the unprecedented growth of SpaceX. According to Musk, this is just the beginning footstep and more missions that make cross-planetary traveling possible in the easiest way possible. They are set to conduct hundreds of Starship tests like this, before the rocket launches with any crew.
The success of the latest Starship mission was from the bitterness of so many failed missions and tests. SpaceX had already conducted tests in April and November of last year and this March and June to analyze the process and study more.
This program aims to build a fully reusable starship system and bring a new method of flying cargo and people who are away from the Earth. The plan is futuristic yet promising, we need to wait and watch what Elon Musk is capable of and What SpaceX can do to improve and redefine the space and technology field.
