SpaceX’ Starhopper Takes First Step Towards Its Mars Mission

SpaceX is known for its ambitious projects of colonizing Mars and other celestial bodies. The space organization is currently developing its Starship Mars vehicle which is a long-duration cargo and passanger carrying spacecraft. SpaceX also has designed a prototype of the vehicle dubbed Starhopper on which it is carrying out the tests. In the latest developments, the Starhopper has successfully completed one such test run.

Starhopper Successfully Completes Its Test Flight:

The prototype-spacecraft took a flight from the Boca Chica site, Texas after 5 pm local time (2.30 am IST). The spacecraft successfully completed its untethered flight test of 150 meters. Elon Musk congratulated the SpaceX team on the successful run of the Starhopper via Twitter and also shared an image of the touchdown.

The prototype spacecraft was cloaked in smoke and flames at first but then rose above the ground in a clear view. Notably, this the second attempt on the test run, the previous one was called off on 26th August to complete the last-minute check of spacecraft's igniters.

Just to recall, the Starhopper was first launched on July 25 and the prototype completed an untethered-flight of 65 feet (20 meters). The 150m untethered flight which it completed is a limit set by the US Federal Aviation Administration.

Musk has also revealed the plans of touching Earth's orbit with the next test runs. And for this, some advanced prototypes such as Starship MK1 and MK2 will likely be utilized. Both of them are under development. While the MK1 is being manufactured in the Boca Chica site, the MK2 is being constructed at the Florida Space Coast.

All these developments indicate SpaceX is working hard to find a way to colonize Mars. It is being suggested that the Starship might begin launching satellites by 2021 and carry people to space after two years (2023).