In an unprecedented operation, Elon Musk's SpaceX ed the Starship Rocket SN20 prototype to the Super Heavy booster. The work was carried out on Friday (06) at Starbase facilities, in the south of the US state of Texas, and the result was the highest rocket launching system in the world.
According to Musk, CEO of SpaceX, the assembly would be carried out on Thursday (05) but strong winds that hit the region prevented the service, which ended up being carried out successfully the next day. Together, the SN20 and the Super Heavy have a height of 120 meters, 10 meters more than NASA's Saturn V rocket, famous for having been used in the Apollo missions that took man to the Moon. The Starship System will be precisely used to, once again, take crew to Earth's natural satellite and to Planet Mars.
Starship Fully Stack pic.twitter.com/Fs88RNsmfH
- Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 6, 2021
The union of the two rockets aims to carry out tests and verifications of adjustments that according to the portal Canaltech, lasted about an hour. It is likely that the two parts will soon be separated for further analysis before the orbital test flight, with the Super Heavy undergoing pressurization and engine tests prior to launch. Musk said both the Starship and the Super Heavy still needed to meet significant milestones before flying, including a final rocket heat shield, thermal protection for the engines, more propellant tanks and a quick-disconnect system arm.
- Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 7, 2021
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SpaceX will also need a launch permit, which can only be granted after completing an environmental review by the Federal Aviation istration (FAA). According to the flight plan presented to the agency, the Super Heavy should fall into the Gulf of Mexico after launch and, meanwhile, the Starship will enter orbit, complete a lap around the Earth and, at the end of the flight, will return to land in the Pacific Ocean.
