Launch

Starship IFT3: Step-by-Step Progress

Published on 29 March 2024

For its third test flight on March 14, SpaceX's Starship is making further progress by entering the target suborbital trajectory and passing several tests. However, it was lost at an altitude of around 65 km during re-entry.

The world’s largest launcher, 5000 tonnes at take-off (including fuel), continues its test flight phase. Even though SpaceX insists on this qualification, expectations remain high due to both the craft’s potential (100 tons of payload in low Earth orbit) and its selection to serve as a lunar lander (a special version, not the one that has flown) as part of the Artemis program. It should be remembered that this return to the Moon initiated by NASA also involves the space agencies of Europe (ESA), Japan (JAXA), Canada (CSA) and, more recently, the United Arab Emirates (MBRSC).

STEP BY STEP PROGRESS

March 14 Update

Even if IFT3 (Integrated Flight Test No. 3) did not end with the expected splashdown of the Starship in the Indian Ocean, it is clear that the development of this extraordinary launcher is progressing step by step.

33 Engines Worked (Again)

After several postponements of the take-off time due to boats in the planned exclusion zone within the Gulf of Mexico off Boca Chica, Texas, the Starship fired all 33 Raptor engines in its Super Heavy first stage. Consuming liquid methane and oxygen, they functioned perfectly during this phase of the ascent, as in the IFT2 flight. It should be remembered that the first IFT1 test flight had shown serious shortcomings in this area. IFT3 thus confirms SpaceX’s mastery of the simultaneous operation of 33 thrusters.

Lift-off from SpaceX’s Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, took place at 8:25 a.m. local time.

Successful separation. In the foreground, the second stage Starship. It can be seen that the first Super Heavy stage is “crooked,” already separated in this image.

Hot Staging and the Return of Super Heavy

The hot staging separation between the Super Heavy first stage and the Starship second stage went much better than in the previous test. It occurred at an altitude of 72 km after 2 minutes and 50 seconds of flight. While this delicate technique of turning on the second stage without completely turning off the first stage has already been used, only SpaceX applies it to a craft of this size and power. The Super Heavy even began its return to the Gulf of Mexico, but showed stability problems at around 4 km altitude, before a signal loss at less than 1 km (destruction of the Super Heavy: reasons yet to be specified).

Several Successes in Space

For its part, the Starship crossed the edge of space (100 km) after 3 minutes and 34 seconds and, with its six Raptor engines on, managed to get to the target suborbital trajectory. Reaching a speed of just over 230 km and 26,000 km/h, the 50 m long and 9 m diameter machine has undergone several technical tests. First of all, the opening and closing of a door in the shape of a hatch in the cargo bay (this hatch will allow Starlink satellites from the American firm to be dropped). A transfer of fuel between the Starship’s tanks has also been initiated. The aim is to prepare the logistics for such a process between Starships in orbit (to go to the Moon, the Starship will have to be refuelled). On a few occasions the live feed also showed what looked like debris from the ship.

The Starship orbits the Earth, along its suborbital trajectory from Texas to the Indian Ocean.

Spectacular formation of plasma around the Starship as it begins its re-entry into the atmosphere.

A Spectacular re-entry

Finally, the Starship showed its ability to re-enter the atmosphere for the first time, testing its hexagonal tile-based protection and the way its four stabilisation flaps behave in hypersonic mode. On this occasion, an external camera transmitted very spectacular images of the hot plasma forming around the spacecraft, never before seen live. However, the signal was interrupted at an altitude of 65 km over the Indian Ocean. SpaceX later confirmed that it had lost the spacecraft.

As a result, the full IFT3 program was not completed. However, the reported flight plan was the maximum desired and what was achieved on 14 March shows significant progress compared to IFT2 on 18 November 2023. Concrete progress achieved in four months. With this in mind, SpaceX has announced that it wants to carry out more test flights in 2024.

March 15 Update

SpaceX published this first IFT3 report on its website. We learn (among other things) that the Super Heavy was destroyed at an altitude of 462 m in the Gulf of Mexico and that the re-ignition of a single Raptor was not accomplished due to the rolling of the ship.

Below is the article written before the IFT3 flight and which further details the context of this test.

New Flight Plan

The Flight will be Shortened by One Hour

For the first attempts, the flight was expected to last about two hours. The Starship was not supposed to reach orbital speed, but to complete its flight off the coast of Hawaii after a near orbit of the Earth. A change of program, this time, since the S28 is to head for the Indian Ocean. This is where it will try to land after the flight, all going well. Before that, the world’s largest rocket will have to go through a series of stages.

The Phases of Flight

As a first step, SpaceX must successfully fill its rocket in record time. Unlike the other two attempts, where the tank was refuelled in 1 hour and 30 minutes, the company is now counting on 42 minutes. Indeed, changes have been made to the fuel tank to speed up the independent filling of the booster and the spacecraft and keep the fuel cold and dense.
Then, of course, the goal is the successful take-off the S28 and its B10. This phase went well last November. The launch pad had also been preserved thanks to the deluge of water that was retained from its configuration last autumn. We also hope to see more images of this lift-off thanks to the integrated cameras on the spacecraft whose signal had been lost and which will be better protected for this new attempt.
“Hot Staging” remains the most delicate phase. It should occur after 2 minutes and 42 seconds. The two elements separated as planned in November, but caused damage on the B9, which exploded a few seconds later, and on the Starship S25, which then suffered a fuel leak, causing its loss too.

The Starship S28 spacecraft during the launch rehearsal on March 4. 4.5 million litres of propellant are needed for the spacecraft and its Super Heavy booster. The countdown was simulated up to T-10 seconds.

The Starship’s cargo door, the “Pez dispenser”, in reference to the candy distributor brand and which will be used for the deployment of Starlink satellites, will be open for about fifteen minutes.

Ambitious Tests

If This Whole First Part Goes Well, SpaceX is Considering New Tests

The Cargo Door

For the first time, the Starship’s cargo door will be functional. This is the airlock located at the top of the spacecraft which should allow the deployment of satellites in clusters. Almost twelve minutes after take-off, the door should open, then close again a quarter of an hour later.

Fuel Transfer

While the cargo door is open, Space X will attempt a technique to transfer ten tons of liquid oxygen between a tank located under the fairing and the main tank. This is a test that is of particular interest to NASA for its crewed flights. This is because the Starship, in its current configuration, would not have enough fuel to reach the Moon. The architecture of the Artemis program provides for several in-orbit refuelling operations with what is akin to an “orbital fuel station.” This test should be a kind of technology demonstrator.

Re-Igniting an Engine

Once these tests have been completed and if the Starship is still operational, one of the Raptor engines should re-ignite. This has never been achieved on this ship. This manoeuvre should allow it to brake and position itself ideally to begin its re-entry into the atmosphere and landing.

Splashdown

After precisely 1 hour 4 minutes and 39 seconds , an hour less than the previous attempts, the Starship is expected to splash down in the Indian Ocean.

The Starship in its HLS version is to serve as a lunar lander as part of the Artemis program, starting with the Artemis III mission.

SpaceX Is Risking a Lot

Another Failure Could Push Back Artemis’ Timeline Further

As part of its commercial contract with NASA, Elon Musk’s firm is to serve as an HLS (Human Landing System), a lunar lander as part of the Artemis program. Starting with Artemis III, now scheduled for 2026, astronauts will reach orbit around the Moon using the Orion capsule. There, they will dock with a Starship that will be used to descend to the lunar surface and take off again to orbit the Moon. Astronauts will return to their Orion capsule and return to Earth. Recently, the interface between the two ships has been finalised.

NASA’s Impatience

As early as last May, after the first failure of the Starship, NASA did not conceal its concern. Even if these tests are successful, we will be far from the Starship qualifying for human spaceflight. It will also be necessary to ensure the proper functioning of propellant refuelling in orbit, a process which is not yet clear. SpaceX must also, as part of its contract with NASA, succeed in at least one automatic moon landing and lift-off before Artemis III. If this third attempt fails, the scenario of turning to Blue Origin, the company of Jeff Bezos, the boss of Amazon, whose Blue Moon lander is to operate Artemis V and VI flights, could be strengthened.

At the end of February, NASA and SpaceX carried out qualification tests for the interface between the Orion spacecraft and the Starship spacecraft that will be in orbit around the Moon.