NASA Officially Announced NEW Lunar Cargo Starship Will Change Everything!

NASA Officially Announced NEW Lunar Cargo Starship Will Change Everything!
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0:00 - 0:25: Intro
0:26 - 6:33: Comparison Starship Crewed HLS vs Starship Cargo Landers
6:34 - 8:20: Starship Cargo Landers vs Blue Moon
8:21 - 10:22: Future vision of the Artemis program
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NASA Officially Announced NEW Lunar Cargo Starship Will Change Everything!
This is totally mind-blowing!
SpaceX and NASA have just shown off a new SpaceX Starship cargo lunar lander design, featuring many cutting-edge improvements compared to the previous variant we knew. This promises to help the United States establish a sustainable presence on the Moon within the next few years.
So, what makes this variant special compared to what we have known? What groundbreaking upgrades have been integrated, and how will they help NASA and SpaceX succeed in their future missions?
Let’s find out in today’s episode!
NASA Officially Announced NEW Lunar Cargo Starship Will Change Everything!
Comparison Starship Crewed HLS vs Starship Cargo Landers
In 2021, SpaceX secured a massive $2.9 billion contract from NASA to land the first crew on the Moon since the Apollo program and to develop cargo variants of the lander. Initially, NASA and SpaceX were primarily focused on the crew aspect of the HLS award. However, as SpaceX ramped up the development pace of Starship, NASA reported in April 2024 that work was underway on the cargo variant of the lander. NASA hopes that this variant will be ready for the Artemis VII mission, which is slated for September 2031.
NASA Officially Announced NEW Lunar Cargo Starship Will Change Everything!
Actually, before the fourth test flight of the Starship rocket, SpaceX had already begun work on developing this variant. However, information about the Starship variants serving the Artemis missions is pretty scarce. Until recently, NASA unveiled graphical images of the Starship Cargo Landers, giving us a glimpse into the future of lunar exploration.
This cargo variant of the Starship lander is a modified version of the human landing system currently being developed for Artemis III, it mirrors the Starship HLS in many ways. The shape of the Cargo Landers remains conical and tall, embodying the cutting-edge design that SpaceX is well - known for. Moreover, The Cargo Landers are painted white, just like the Starship HLS. Why white? White paint reflects sunlight far more effectively than darker colors, helping to keep the surface temperature of the spacecraft lower when it’s exposed to intense solar radiation.
This reflective quality is essential in space, where there’s almost no atmosphere to provide protection against the relentless bombardment of solar radiation and cosmic rays. By reflecting sunlight, the white paint plays a crucial role in maintaining a stable internal temperature. This, in turn, minimizes the negative impact on the spacecraft’s sensitive onboard electronics and systems, ensuring they operate efficiently and reliably.
One notable aspect of this variant is that it lacks a heat shield since it is designed for a one-way trip, and will not be reused. The spacecraft will not return to Earth but will remain on the Moon indefinitely. Because it doesn't need to re-enter the atmosphere, it also lacks flight control surfaces, which will reduce its mass and the number of Starship refueling launches needed. Specifically, this variant does not feature the flaps found on standard versions.
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