Starship 3 is Almost Ready, and SpaceX is Still on a Roll

Happy Tuesday, everyone! This week’s newsletter is 808 words, a 6-minute read.

Table of Contents

• 1 Big Thing: Getting Close to Starship’s Next Laun …

• 2. Cool Stuff You Might Have Missed

• 3. Training AI Models with Satellite Data

• 4. A Wonderful Science Book You Should Read

• 5. SpaceX is on a Roll

1 Big Thing: Getting Close to Starship’s Next Launch

SpaceX’s Infamous Starship passed a critical fueling test on Monday (Mar. 4), a good sign for the company that their newest rocket is ready to attempt its 3rd test flight ever.

Insane Scale: During the fueling test, over 10 million pounds of liquid methane and liquid oxygen were pumped into the 400-foot-tall rocket. Starship’s first stage sports an absurd 33 engines which can lift up to 165 tons into earth orbit, burning through nearly all 10 million pounds of that fuel and oxidizer in less than 3 minutes.

Starting to Succeed: Starship has been in the works for years, but just last year started test flights. Its first test flight in April of 2023 saw limited success, but its second test flight in November of 2023 saw the rocket nearly reach orbit - a monumental achievement.

Optimistic Timeline: SpaceX is targeting an early-March test flight for the rocket, but they’re waiting on the FAA to give them the go ahead. The company hopes to reach orbit this time around, another important milestone in Starship’s development.

Momentous Occasion: Starship is the largest flying object ever created by humans. Its success would usher in a new era of spaceflight, where super-heavy payloads can be sent to and from the moon, Mars, and beyond, quickly and economically.

Future Importance: Starship promises to be the first fully reusable super heavy lift vehicle ever created by man. A successful launch this time around would mean a historic achievement on par with the first successful flight of the Saturn V moon rocket or the Space Shuttle.

2. Cool Stuff You Might Have Missed

1. SpaceX’s 8th crewed mission has successfully docked at the ISS. (NPR)

2. Aerospace company Astra will liquidate if its attempt to be taken private doesn’t work out. (SpaceNews)

3. Boeing won a $439 million contract to build a new communications satellite. (A&SF)

3. Training AI Models with Satellite Data

A Company Called BlackSky recently won a $2 million U.S. defense contract through another company called Axient to provide satellite data to train AI models.

Tracking Movement: Axient’s AI models will use BlackSky’s data to learn how to track moving objects from space. BlackSky calls these “moving target algorithms”.

What’s The Point?: One doesn’t have to think too hard to imagine why the military would want to improve its ability to track moving targets on the ground. The coolest thing about this story is that it’s yet another example of a space company’s data being used for something unexpected.

The Future: With constellations of satellites orbiting the earth, we’re accumulating more and more space data by the day. The companies that succeed in the future will be the ones that figure out how to use this data to benefit themselves and their customers.

There Are Thousands of untapped and unexplored industries and uses for satellites to take advantage of as humanity expands beyond the confines of the earth’s surface.

4. A Wonderful Science Book You Should Read

I’m Currently Reading Quantum Supremacy by Michio Kaku, and I can’t recommend it enough.

In His Newest Book, Michio Kaku writes about the history, present, and future of quantum computers - a technology set to change every facet of our lives in the next few decades. If you’re interested in space and technology, you’ll definitely like this book.

It Has 4.4/5 Stars on Amazon and is on sale for $16 right now. Check it out here:

5. SpaceX is on a Roll

SpaceX’s Pace of Launches this year is absolutely insane.

On Monday (Mar. 4), the company launched its 3rd mission in 20 hours, with the launch of 20 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral. Flying multiple missions in the same week is becoming commonplace for Elon Musk’s space behemoth.

Just to Recap:

• There have been 15 launches from Florida this year. 14 of them were SpaceX launches.

• The booster on the company’s latest mission was flying for the 13th time. That means it launched, landed, and was refurbished for use 12 times with no problems.

• Starship is trying its 3rd test flight in Texas any week now.

• SpaceX is launching the world’s first commercial space station next year, and plans to beat world governments to the surface of Mars.

Don’t Forget: If you refer 5 friends to the newsletter, I’ll send you a free copy of Neil deGrasse Tyson’s A Brief Welcome to the Universe. Use the link below to share and get credit for your referrals!

Thanks as always,

-Michael