by Douglas Messier
Managing Editor

In an internal email to employees, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said that development of the Raptor rocket engine that will power the Super Heavy/Starship launch system is in “crisis,” adding the company risks bankruptcy if the company can’t turn the situation around, according to media reports.

The problems pose a risk not only to SpaceX and its multi-billion dollar Starlink satellite broadband program, but to Musk’s plans to colonize Mars and NASA’s Artemis program to return astronauts to the moon. The U.S. space agency has awarded SpaceX a $2.9 billion contract to develop a lunar lander based on the Starship vehicle.

This is the first time that SpaceX’s Starship was able to fire its Raptor engine successfully. And the vehicle is still standing at the company’s Boca Chica test facility in Texas. Three previous versions of the vehicle failed. The successful test paves the way for a flight test to 150 meters.

CHANTILLY, Va (TriSept PR) – TriSept Corporation, a leading provider of launch integration and mission management services, has signed comprehensive launch service agreements with Millennium Space Systems and Rocket Lab to support a unique mission aimed at helping to solve the ever-increasing low-Earth orbital debris challenge.

The test vehicle seemed to survive just fine. It looked worse than it was.

Hexagonal tiles on most of windward side, no shield needed on leeward side, transpiration cooling on hotspots — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 17, 2019 Only some of the hottest sections — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 17, 2019 Full size — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 17, 2019 We decided to skip building a new nosecone for Hopper. Don’t need it. What you see being built is the orbital Starship vehicle. — […]

Raptor reached 268.9 bar today, exceeding prior record held by the awesome Russian RD-180. Great work by @SpaceX engine/test team! pic.twitter.com/yPrvO0JhyY — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 11, 2019

Preparing to fire the Starship Raptor engine at @SpaceX Texas pic.twitter.com/8JCOi1BG6z — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 1, 2019

A view from martian orbit. (Credit: SpaceX)

by Douglas Messier
Managing Editor

Since Elon Musk unveiled his Big [Expletive] Rocket (BFR) in Adelaide last month, there has been a lot of analysis of the engineering aspects. Musk’s Ask Me Anything session on Reddit was an engineer’s dream, with the billionaire providing detailed answers about the Raptor engines, thrust to weight ratios and a host of other technical issues.

Amid all the technical talk, there has been little attention paid to what a giant leap this venture is for Musk, SpaceX and possibly the entire human race. Not only will BFR be larger and more powerful than any other rocket ever built, the audacious things Musk wants to do with it – ranging from point to point transportation on Earth to satellite delivery to sending colonists to the moon and Mars – are on a scale never before attempted. They are certainly beyond anything contemplated by the world’s space agencies.

(more…)

Raptor engine hot fire. (Credit SpaceX)

The U.S. Air Force has awarded an additional $40.8 million to SpaceX for the development of its Raptor rocket engine.

The funding, awarded under the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle program, involves the extension of a $33.7 million contract originally awarded in January. SpaceX agreed to spend $67.3 million under the jointly funded program under the original contract.

(more…)