Important Innovations

  Starship Performs Well, Then Explodes on Landing                                                                                Source:  SpaceX CEO Elon Musk Learns and Moves Forward SpaceX's Starship launch vehicle is the centerpiece of CEO Elon Musk's dreams to take humanity on affordable trips to the Moon and Mars.  On December 9, 2020, the Starship prototype launched for a test flight.  The vehicle performed well and reached an altitude of  41,000 feet - it's highest as of that date.  And it performed record setting, acrobatic flips in the air before landing.  The test flight went perfectly until the landing, when the test vehicle blew up in a fiery explosion.  No one was hurt.  Entrepreneur/inventor/CEO Elon Musk had a uniquely scientific take on the episode.  He learned from the fiery landing, made conclusions based on data the test provided and found ample reasons to move forward.  His reactions provide insights into the way one of America's most successful inn

  CEO Elon Musk's Starship to Mars Source:  SpaceX Flight Test to 40,000 Feet Starship is Space X CEO Elon Musk's space vehicle designed to carry humans to the Moon and Mars.  The prototype has been tested twice before in so-called "hop" tests to 500 feet.  This week, Musk has been cleared by the FAA to test the vehicle at 40,000 feet, an altitude higher than most planes climb.   Musk Downplaying the Critical Test Interestingly, Musk is downplaying the critical test of the vehicle's aerodynamic design and flight capabilities.  He's calling it a learning experience. On the SpaceX website, Musk said "With a test like this, success is not measured by reaching specific objectives but by how much we can learn."  He predicts a 30% chance of its reaching 40,000 feet. Starship is SpaceX's Centerpiece to Travel to Mars & the Moon Starship is Musk's next generation, reusable launch vehicle.  It is the centerpiece of Musk's plans to make space t

Space X Starship Super Heavy Source:  SpaceX  Starship CEO Elon Musk on to Mars SpaceX CEO Elon Musk just unveiled his silver bullet:  a spacecraft to take you to Mars and beyond.  It's the new Starship Mk1 prototype, unveiled this weekend at SpaceX's South Texas test site in Boca Chico, TX.  Starship is a massive, reusable launch system.  When finalized, the vehicle will have a 387 foot Starship Super Heavy stack and be powered by six Raptor engines.  The spacecraft has room for 37 Raptor engines, depending on the mission needs and distance. Musk, a Visionary Thinker Starship will be capable of taking up to 100 people back and forth to space, including the Moon, Mars and other space destinations.  Musk says space travel has to be done like air travel.  He believes that is the first breakthrough needed to make humans a space-faring, multi-planet civilization.  He adds making space travel like air travel is "the fastest path to a self-sustaining city on

Starhopper Spaceship Aces Test Launch Source:  SpaceX Big Victory for SpaceX Elon Musk's SpaceX is on a roll with victory after victory in the commercialization of space.  It's latest success happened yesterday with the successful launch of its spaceship Starhopper.  For more details, go to Important Innovations Collection: SpaceX on Target for Mars : Starhopper Rocket Prototype Passes Highest & Final Test Source:  Space X Next: On to Orbital Prototypes for 2021 Launch Another ...

Starhopper Tests Successfully Source:  Space X Starship artist rendering Prototype Vehicle for Elon Musk's Starship Space X CEO Elon Musk scored another win today.  His Starhopper prototype spacecraft was successfully tested and lifted off 65 feet.  Within a week, Musk says he'll test again and is targeting a height of 650 feet.  This is the prototype vehicle of Starship which Musk intends to use for trips to the Moon and Mars.  For a great news blog, go to Important Innovations Collection: SpaceX Starhopper Test Success : Win for SpaceX's Elon Musk Source:  Space X Starhopper Next Generation Spacecraft "Water towers can fly!"  That's ...