TL;DR:
- SpaceX plans to conduct an orbital refueling test between two Starships in March 2025, a crucial step for NASA’s Artemis III lunar mission.
- The test will involve launching two Starships into orbit weeks apart, docking them, and transferring propellant from one to the other.
- This will be the first large-scale demonstration of ship-to-ship propellant transfer, enabling longer missions beyond Earth’s orbit.
- SpaceX is also preparing to test relighting a Starship engine in space, essential for controlled reentries, as early as November 18, 2024.
SpaceX is set to embark on a pivotal mission in early 2025 that could redefine the future of space exploration. The company, led by Elon Musk, plans to conduct an ambitious orbital refueling test involving two of its massive Starship spacecraft. This experiment, slated to begin in March 2025 and conclude by summer, marks a significant step towards demonstrating the spacecraft’s ability to support long-duration missions, including NASA’s Artemis III mission, which aims to return humans to the Moon.
The test will involve launching two Starships into low Earth orbit, spaced three to four weeks apart. The first Starship will remain in orbit, awaiting refueling from a second “chaser” Starship. Once the chaser reaches orbit, the two spacecraft will dock, and the chaser will transfer propellant to the first vehicle. After the refueling process is complete, both Starships will deorbit and return to Earth.
This mission represents the first time that propellant transfer between two spacecraft will be tested at such a scale. Kent Chojnacki, NASA’s deputy manager for the Human Landing System (HLS) program, emphasized the importance of this milestone in an interview with Spaceflight Now. He stated that mastering this technology would “crack open the opportunity to move massive amounts of payload and cargo outside of Earth’s sphere.” The success of this test could enable longer missions beyond Earth’s orbit by reducing the need for spacecraft to carry all their fuel from launch.
The refueling demonstration is part of SpaceX’s broader collaboration with NASA under a $4.05 billion contract awarded in 2020. This contract includes developing a variant of Starship known as the Human Landing System (HLS), which will be used for NASA’s Artemis III mission. Scheduled for 2026, this mission aims to land astronauts on the lunar surface for the first time since 1972.
SpaceX has made significant progress with Starship in recent months. In October 2024, during its fifth orbital flight test, Starship successfully executed a complex landing maneuver by guiding itself into “Mechazilla,” a set of mechanical arms on its launch tower that caught the rocket midair. This achievement demonstrated that Starship is well on its way to becoming a fully reusable launch system.
Before the orbital refueling test can take place, SpaceX plans another critical demonstration: relighting one of Starship’s engines while in space. This capability is essential for controlled reentries into Earth’s atmosphere and is expected to be tested as early as November 18, 2024.
The success of these tests will be crucial not only for NASA’s lunar ambitions but also for SpaceX’s long-term goal of enabling human missions to Mars. By developing in-space refueling technology, SpaceX aims to extend the range and duration of its spacecraft, allowing them to carry more payloads and support longer missions without needing additional fuel from Earth.
As SpaceX continues its rapid development and testing phase, all eyes are on 2025 as a defining year for space exploration. If successful, these tests could pave the way for humanity’s return to the Moon and beyond.
Source: Futurism
