SpaceX test fires a Raptor engine, simulating a lunar landing

When NASA astronauts return to the floor of the moon within the Artemis III mission, the plan is to make use of a modified SpaceX Starship as their lunar lander. NASA introduced final week that SpaceX has now demonstrated an essential functionality of the vacuum-optimized Raptor engine that can be used for the lander: an excessive chilly begin.

A take a look at final month efficiently confirmed the engine will be began within the frigid situations of space, even when the car has spent an prolonged time in space, the place temperatures will drop decrease than a shorter low-Earth orbit mission. The Raptor vacuum engine was chilled to imitate situations after an extended coast interval in space, after which was efficiently fired.

SpaceX has a video on X (previously Twitter) exhibiting the take a look at firing.

NASA stated that one problem that differentiates Artemis missions from these in low Earth orbit is that the landers might sit in space with out firing for an prolonged time frame, “inflicting the temperature of the {hardware} to drop to a degree beneath what they might expertise on a a lot shorter low Earth orbit mission.”

SpaceX signed a $2.89 billion contract with NASA to develop a human touchdown system (HLS) for Artemis 3, at present scheduled to land astronauts on the moon in 2025. Additionally, SpaceX signed one other $1.15 billion contract final yr for Artemis 4, which is able to tentatively happen 2028.

Artemis 2 is the second scheduled mission of NASA’s Artemis program and the primary scheduled crewed mission of NASA’s Orion spacecraft, at present deliberate to be launched by the House Launch System (SLS) in November 2024. Nonetheless, a number of indications level to that flight being delayed.

The Starship HLS can be powered by two variants of the corporate’s Raptor engines—one optimized to function in atmospheric pressure at sea-level and one optimized to function in space, or in a vacuum, the place there isn’t a environment.

SpaceX had beforehand examined that the engine might deal with the descent portion of the mission, firing repeatedly for 281 seconds, the approximate period of time for a descent burn to the lunar surface. That take a look at, in November 2021 additionally confirmed Raptor’s potential to alter the extent of engine energy over time, referred to as the throttle profile, and for the engine to burn the total size of time of the powered descent phase. NASA stated that profitable take a look at supplied NASA “with early confidence within the firm’s engine improvement.”

For Artemis III, the Starship HLS will land crew members at a area close to the lunar South Pole to conduct moonwalks and survey the seemingly space of a future moon base. SpaceX says on future missions, Starship will ship provides, gear, and science payloads wanted for in depth floor exploration.

Like every space {hardware}, testing vital applied sciences and {hardware} beneath simulated and precise flight situations is essential. On April 20, 2023, SpaceX performed the primary built-in launch of Starship and the Tremendous Heavy booster, probably the most highly effective rocket to ever launch. Nonetheless, after liftoff, the car skilled a number of anomalies together with the lack of a number of first-stage engines. After the second stage did not separate from the primary stage, the car’s flight termination system was activated.

SpaceX’s Raptor engines will subsequent be put to the take a look at in the course of the firm’s second built-in flight take a look at of Starship and Tremendous Heavy; the schedule for that take a look at is at present not identified.