Elon Musk just posted a glimpse of the first test version of SpaceX’s Starship rocket. It was under construction for a very long time and now it’s ready for its very first test flight.
Previously known as the “BFR,” the Starship will be used in super heavy-lift launch vehicle that is meant for longer journeys to the moon and Mars.
Starship test flight rocket just finished assembly at the @SpaceX Texas launch site. This is an actual picture, not a rendering. pic.twitter.com/k1HkueoXaz
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 11, 2019
However, this test rocket won’t be flying through space for now. It will be used for suborbital test flights. Musk explained the reason behind it in a tweet:
“Orbital version is taller, has thicker skins (won’t wrinkle) & a smoothly curving nose section.”
So as you can see above in the image, the actual Starship has a lot more texture than the smooth computerized image which Elon Musk shared some time ago.
Starship test vehicle under assembly will look similar to this illustration when finished. Operational Starships would obv have windows, etc. pic.twitter.com/D8AJ01mjyR
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 5, 2019
The reason being this suborbital version is specially designed for vertical take off and landing tests.
Therefore the orbital version of the Starship will be taller and have thicker skins to avoid wrinkling, and a smoother nose as well. According to Musk, SpaceX will complete its first orbital prototype by June this year.
It will take some time before we can see the bigger and smoother Starship which will take planetary flights. Meanwhile, here are other pictures posted by rocket enthusiasts which you can check out:
— Evelyn Janeidy Arevalo (@JaneidyEve) January 10, 2019
SpaceX first Starship hopper under Texas Boca Chica Beach’s cloudy sky.@elonmusk #Starship #SpaceX pic.twitter.com/hVg5Ken7Vp
— Evelyn Janeidy Arevalo (@JaneidyEve) January 10, 2019
