SpaceX loses contact with Starship rocket in new test flight (GS Paper 3, Science and Technology)
Why in news?
- SpaceX’s next-generation spacecraft Starship, developed to carry astronauts to the moon and beyond in the coming decades, set off in a repeat test launch from southern Texas recently.
- The launch presumed to have failed minutes after the ship reached space.
What happened?
- The rocket took off successfully, but Starship’s booster exploded shortly after it separated from the ship. The rest of the spacecraft appeared to continue on track.
- It said had received data that will help it improve for the next launch.
What changes did SpaceX make ahead of the launch?
- The first attempt to launch the massive two-part rocket system, which consists of the Starship spacecraft and a Super Heavy booster, measuring a combined 397 feet (121 meters), failed spectacularly back in April when the rocket blew up four minutes after launch.
- Aninternal fire damaged Starship’s engines and computers, causing it to stray off course, and that an automatic-destruct command was activated some 40 seconds too late.
- Back on the ground, the launch pad was shattered by the force of the blast-off, which also sparked a 3.5-acre (1.4-hectare) brush fire, although no-one was injured.
- Since then, the launch pad has been reinforced with a massive water-cooled steel plate, one of dozens of corrective measures that the US Federal Aviation Administration required before granting a launch license.
Primary objective:
- The primary mission objective this time around is to get Starship off the ground in Texas and into space, just shy of reaching orbit, before plunging back through Earth’s atmosphere for a splashdown off the coast of Hawaii.
- Starship’s towering first-stage booster, propelled by 33 Raptor engines, produces 16.7 million pounds (74.3 meganewtons) of thrust, making it twice as powerful as the Saturn V rocket that sent the Apollo astronauts to the moon half a century ago.
What’s next?
- SpaceX plans to conduct a series of test flights of the Starship Super Heavy rocket before using it to transport humans to space.
IMA, nurses association honoured with Indira Gandhi Peace Prize
(Miscellaneous)
Why in news?
- The Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development, 2022 was jointly awarded to the Indian Medical Association and the Trained Nurses Association of India as representatives of the COVID-19 warriors in the country.
- Former Vice-President Hamid Ansari presented the award to Sharad Kumar Agarwal, president, Indian Medical Association, and Roy K. George, president, Trained Nurses Association of India.
About the award:
- The Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development, is the prestigious award accorded annually by Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust.
- It is gievn to individuals or organisations in recognition of creative efforts toward promoting international peace, development and a new international economic order; ensuring that scientific discoveries are used for the larger good of humanity, and enlarging the scope of freedom.
- The prize carries a cash award of 2.5 million Indian rupees and a citation.
- A written work, in order to be eligible for consideration, should have been published.
