SpaceX's Starship marks a leap in space technology despite failure to land

Starship, launched into space on March 14, 2024, lost contact with Earth shortly after atmospheric entry, with control over the first stage lost near the landing's end. Despite this, the flight's overall accomplishment is significant - Dr. Bochiński highlights.

- I consider this event to be quite a success. It marks an advance towards creating a rocket capable of lifting incredible payloads into orbit. So far, during its tests, we've mainly witnessed explosions, which to those not well-versed in space exploration might seem like failures. However, in the eyes of those involved in space technologies, what SpaceX has achieved is indeed a major success – stated the expert, who is the director of the space technology products office at Creotech Instruments, an astronomer, educator, and science populariser.

Although rocket failures are often spectacular and associated with loss, Jakub Bochiński emphasizes that such events are not out of the ordinary. Losing rocket prototypes, he suggests, is par for the course and should come as no surprise.

- In the space industry, developing each new product usually involves building and potentially destroying up to three times as many prototypes as the final products made. For instance, we are currently assembling a trio of microsatellites at Creotech Instruments. By space industry standards, for this specific mission, we might need to construct and potentially lose as many as six prototypes to confidently launch three satellites into space. The norm in the space sector is to lose more prototypes than those that succeed – Dr. Bochiński pointed out.

Starship ventured beyond the traditional boundary of space, completed its planned tasks there, including opening the payload bay. It met its demise during one of the most perilous moments of the mission. This means SpaceX's trial can be viewed as a success.

- The re-entry into the atmosphere and the landing attempt represented one of the most hazardous sections of the test. This was Starship's initial trial of such a phase. Being the heaviest vehicle to re-enter from orbit, the challenge was exceptionally daunting. As control over the flight lasted for an extended period, it's probable that success in deorbiting – the flight's toughest segment – might be achieved in future trials – the expert elaborated.

In the meantime, SpaceX is preparing for more extensive tests. As Jakub Bochiński notes, the company often sets ambitious goals, sometimes even declaring it will meet them sooner than feasible. In 2024, three additional launches are on the schedule, offering numerous chances for testing the rocket and implementing further enhancements.

- Given the point reached this time, we might anticipate one of the later flights this year concluding with a successful test landing of the first stage on the ocean's surface. Following several ocean-landing simulations, the company will begin attempting landings on solid terrain. Currently, I don't foresee the option of booking orbital flights using Starship until at least 2028, but as the saying goes in the industry: never bet against Elon Musk - the expert commented during a chat with the Polish Press Agency.

Starship is set to transform the space program by lifting massive payloads, drastically cutting the cost of sending 1 kg into orbit, and enabling missions to the Moon and farther. However, other rockets are likely to remain in use.

- For space missions, Starship might end up akin to what the Airbus A380 is for the aviation sector. It's the largest aircraft to have carried passengers on commercial flights. But from a business perspective, it proved to be an overestimation - too large. The question now is whether Starship will also be deemed too large. Utilizing it for deploying a significant constellation of satellites, like Starlink, makes sense, but it may prove overly spacious for smaller payloads. The primary rocket for lifting satellites in the commercial market may continue to be the Falcon 9 or Falcon Heavy – Dr. Bochiński added.