Yesterday we published photos and a video that showed the process of assembling the Starship rocket with both stages. As a result, SpaceX was able to successfully install a Starship 20 prototype on a Super Heavy Booster 4 launch vehicle using a 140-meter Starship maintenance tower with robotic arms called Mehazilla. This turret will be used to "catch" the Super Heavy launch vehicle and Starship spacecraft upon landing.

In August last year, SpaceX assembled a full-fledged prototype of the Starship rocket for the first time, after which it was dismantled for further testing. But if at that time the rocket was assembled simply to check that the Starship and Super Heavy connected well with each other, then this time the rocket was assembled before the first orbital launch. It was supposed to take place before the end of last year, but the local regulator did not issue the appropriate permission to SpaceX. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) now has until February 28 to issue a permit.

The launch tower at Starbase will help stack Starship and catch the Super Heavy rocket booster pic.twitter.com/xXmonamEDA

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) February 11, 2022The rocket, consisting of a Super Heavy booster and a Starship spacecraft, is designed to deliver cargo and people to the Moon and Mars. It will be able to deliver cargo weighing up to 150 tons to low Earth orbit with the return of both stages to Earth, as well as the possibility of docking and refueling in orbit.

In addition, they showed a video with tests of the Raptor 2 engine:

Raptor 2 generates more than 230 tons of thrust at sea level, up from Raptor 1’s 185 tons pic.twitter.com/o1Rqjwx6Ql

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) February 11, 2022 A spectacular computer-generated video demonstrating the use of the rocket has also been released.

bbabo.Net