SpaceX Receivs Approval To Test Starfall Capsule
Credit: SpaceX
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved test flights of SpaceX’s brand-new Starfall spacecraft. This specialized capsule will not only quickly return valuable cargo from orbit to Earth but also create a fully autonomous economy with factories operating right in space.
To begin, the FAA approved two test launches of the capsule, with splashdowns approximately 1,300 km off the California coast. The company also received permission to directly launch the capsule suborbitally to the splashdown site, which fits conveniently into the Starship test flight program.
As far as is currently known, Starfall is a compact, semicircular capsule approximately 3.1 meters in diameter, 0.75 meters in height, and weighing approximately 2,100 kg. It consists of a top plate and a heat shield, which is designed to separate before splashdown. The capsule will be capable of carrying up to 1,000 kg of payload in a volume of approximately 2.5 x 1.5 x 0.5 meters. Cold gas thrusters will be used for flight orientation, and the main, pilot, and drag parachutes will be used for braking during descent. After splashdown, the capsule will be recovered by SpaceX vessels.
The capsules will be able to remain in orbit for extended periods as mini-factories, then safely return their finished products to customers. SpaceX envisions this project as a mass-produced “successor” to the International Space Station (ISS).
Secondly, the development is planned to be integrated into the Pentagon’s rapid military cargo delivery system. Using Falcon 9 or Starship rockets, the capsule could be launched on a suborbital trajectory to anywhere on the planet in minutes.
