On November 19, SpaceX successfully carried out its sixth test flight of the Starship vehicle. This mission was significant not only for its technological advancements but also for the challenges it presented, particularly in terms of reusability. The Starship upper stage achieved a successful engine relight, marking a crucial step forward. However, the Super Heavy booster did not manage to land back at the launch tower, highlighting ongoing challenges in achieving full reusability.

This test flight came at a time of substantial shifts within the broader context of space exploration, particularly as political landscapes evolve. The recent election of Donald Trump as President has the potential to significantly influence space policy. Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, has been a notable supporter of Trump, and this relationship could grant Musk considerable sway in shaping future space exploration policies.

Since the election, the incoming Trump administration has remained relatively silent on its specific plans for NASA or the Department of Defense’s space programs. There has been no announcement regarding an official "agency review team" for NASA, which is a group that typically enters the agency to gain insights into its operations and identify potential issues.

Scott Pace, director of the Space Policy Institute at George Washington University, has experience with NASA transition teams, having served during George W. Bush’s presidency. He explained that the primary role of these teams is to understand the current status of agencies. "Part of what you’re trying to do is figure out what are going to be some of the immediate landmines that are going to come up in the first six months. Political people hate surprises," Pace remarked.

An example of such a "landmine" is the persistent air leaks within a Russian module of the International Space Station (ISS). At a recent ISS Advisory Committee meeting, Bob Cabana, the new chair, highlighted disagreements between Russian and American officials regarding the cause and severity of these leaks. The debate centers on whether continued operations are safe, with both sides unable to conclusively prove their stance.

Pace emphasized the importance of addressing these safety concerns thoroughly, particularly for those involved in the transition. "If I was an incoming transition person, I would want to do my own forensics on that and understand very deeply what was going on because nothing will ratchet to the top of a list faster than anything involving human spaceflight safety," he said.

When it comes to Elon Musk’s ambitions for Mars exploration with the Starship, Pace expressed that placing a few Starships on the Martian surface is feasible and could be both inspiring and interesting. However, he expressed reservations about sending humans on these missions, indicating that more groundwork is essential first.

There is concern among some experts that Musk’s focus on Mars could come at the expense of the Artemis lunar exploration campaign. Jim Free, NASA’s associate administrator, prior to the election, cautioned against making substantial changes to the existing plans to return humans to the Moon. He stressed the importance of maintaining the current objectives from a human spaceflight perspective.

"We need to stick with the plan that we have. That doesn’t mean we can’t perform better," Free stated. "But we need to keep this destination from a human spaceflight perspective. If we lose that, I believe we will fall apart and we will wander, and other people in this world will pass us by."

Greg Autry, who served on the first Trump administration’s NASA transition team, shared a similar sentiment. He highlighted the strategic and economic importance of the Moon, suggesting that its resources, such as water ice, are critical for future space exploration. "Those are limited resources, and getting to them early is critical. So I honestly think we have to do both, and I think we can walk and chew gum at the same time," Autry said.

Autry also pointed out the need to address issues within the Artemis program, describing the system as complex and requiring simplification. He proposed that the Starship could play a significant role, possibly even replacing some elements of the current architecture, such as the Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft.

The discussion around the future of NASA under the Trump administration extended to international cooperation, a key component of space exploration. Lori Garver, a former NASA official, suggested that international collaboration might not be a priority for the new administration, as it is inherently slow. However, Pace argued that international engagement would remain important, aligning with broader national interests.

The question of who would lead NASA next was also raised, with many expecting Elon Musk to have a significant influence. Pace recommended that the next administrator should be someone with a strong focus on implementing programs, emphasizing the importance of project management and system engineering.

The recent Starship launch, despite its setbacks, could be indicative of a larger shift in U.S. space exploration strategy, driven by SpaceX’s technological advancements and the evolving political landscape.

Starship Flight 6: Progress and Challenges

Technical Achievements and Political Context

On November 19, SpaceX’s Starship embarked on its sixth test flight, capturing the attention of many, including President-elect Donald Trump, who attended the event alongside Elon Musk at SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Texas.

Trump expressed his enthusiasm for the launch on Truth Social, wishing Musk and the SpaceX team success. Post-launch, he shared photos and congratulated Musk, highlighting their close relationship, which has become more prominent since Trump’s election win.

The Starship/Super Heavy vehicle lifted off at 5 p.m. Eastern from SpaceX’s Starbase test site. The mission began without any major issues during the countdown. The Super Heavy booster, designated Booster 13, separated from the Starship upper stage about two minutes and 45 seconds after launch. However, shortly after, it was announced that the booster would not return to the launch pad due to a "booster offshore divert" decision.

The booster ended up performing a powered landing in the Gulf of Mexico, where it tipped over and exploded moments later. This represented a minor setback for SpaceX, considering they had successfully "caught" the booster during the previous test flight in October.

Despite the booster’s failure to land intact, the mission achieved several important milestones. The Starship upper stage, referred to as Ship 31, managed to reach a suborbital trajectory and reignite one of its Raptor engines in space, demonstrating its capability for future deorbit burns.

During reentry over the Indian Ocean, SpaceX intentionally stressed the Starship’s flap control systems and employed an older version of the thermal protection system compared to the previous flight. This was part of an effort to test and understand the vehicle’s limits as the company plans for future missions.

Starship survived reentry with visible damage to its flaps and heat shield. It made a powered soft landing in the ocean, floating on its side. The timing of the launch allowed for the splashdown to occur during daylight, providing better video coverage of the vehicle’s return.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson praised the mission on X, emphasizing the progress towards orbital flight and the connection between SpaceX’s commercial achievements and NASA’s Artemis program.

SpaceX announced that the next iteration of Starship would feature upgrades, including larger propellant tanks, a 25% increase in payload capacity, and redesigned forward flaps for better heat protection during reentry. No date has been announced for the next flight, but these improvements are planned to be incorporated before the next test.

The flight was conducted under SpaceX’s existing FAA launch license, which also covered the October mission. The FAA determined that the changes for Flight 6 were within the scope of previous analyses, allowing the company to proceed without modifying its license.

Key Facts About the Starship Test Flight on November 19

Mission Number: Sixth integrated flight of Starship and Super Heavy.

Launch Site: SpaceX Starbase, Boca Chica, Texas.

Launch Time: 5 p.m. Eastern.

Super Heavy Booster:

• Designation: Booster 13.
• The attempted landing was aborted; it diverted to the Gulf of Mexico, tipped over, and exploded.

  Starship Upper Stage:

• Designation: Ship 31.
• Successfully reignited a Raptor engine in space, demonstrating its capability for deorbit burns.
• Reentered the atmosphere over the Indian Ocean.
• Made a powered soft landing in the ocean and floated on its side.

  Flight Duration: 65 minutes, 30 seconds.

  Key Test Objectives:

• Stress testing flap control systems.
• Validating older thermal protection systems.

  Next Steps for Starship:

• Implementing larger propellant tanks to increase payload capacity by 25%, from 1,200 to 1,500 tons.
• Redesigning flaps for improved heat protection.

  Next Launch: No date announced; SpaceX plans to incorporate design upgrades before the next test flight.

  Regulatory Notes: The flight was conducted under the existing FAA license, which also covered the October test.

  This comprehensive assessment of the latest Starship flight illustrates both the progress and the remaining challenges faced by SpaceX as it continues to push the boundaries of space exploration. For more detailed insights, the original article can be found on The Space Review, with additional coverage published in the December 2024 issue of SpaceNews Magazine.

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