SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said Friday local time that the company is working to solve the space refueling problem of its two-stage carrier rocket starship (Starship) by the end of next year and to advance the technology that will eventually send humans to Mars.
Musk wrote on X: "our goal is to solve the two basic technologies: the comprehensive, rapid and reusable use of booster and spacecraft and the refilling of spacecraft orbit by the end of next year."PokergamecubeHe added that these technologies are essential for achieving life on another planet other than Earth.
Musk often talks about building a self-sufficient city on Mars and bringing humans there through starships to allow life to survive on multiple planets. The reusability of the spacecraft is the key to reducing the cost of this dream.
At the same time, orbital refueling is a process designed to refuel the spacecraft in space using the tanker version of the starship ship on Earth. Musk said that while the process is not easy, it is still a better option than docking with the space station.
"it's just docking with ourselves," Musk wrote. "it's no small thing, but it's certainly much easier than docking with the space station, which is much more complicated."
The starship consists of two stages-the super heavy booster and the starship. Musk said in another post that a booster capture attempt is likely this year. In a speech at Starbase earlier this month, Musk said the company would try to land the booster on a virtual tower in an upcoming flight test. Once this goal is achieved, the company will try to land it on a physical launch tower in subsequent flights. Musk thinks there is an 80% to 90% chance of catching the booster with a robotic arm on the tower this year.
As for starship ships, Musk said the company does not plan to take it back to the launch site until it can land twice at a specific point in the ocean.Pokergamecube"for the spacecraft, we need to ensure that it survives re-entry and maintains air control, which means at least two successful landings at a precise point in the ocean," he wrote. "
