SpaceX revealed NEW major design upgrade for thermal tiles on Starship flight #3…
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SpaceX revealed NEW major design upgrade for thermal tiles on Starship flight #3…
As the third launch of Starship approaches, in addition to the infrastructure serving the launch, which is constantly being upgraded, and the Starship prototypes, there is another equally important detail that we rarely pay attention to: The Starship’s heat shield system.
Why do I mention the heat shield system?
Because in all of Starship’s launches and tests, to a greater or lesser extent, there have been instances of heat shields falling off. Even in the two most recent Starship launched last year, the heat shield system of Starship still did not ensure resilience to vibrations when Starship was ignited. This can be easily observed with the naked eye.
On the other hand, heat shields are crucial for the operation of a reusable orbital rocket that must pass through the atmosphere to return to Earth.
When objects approach or reenter Earth’s atmosphere, they undergo acceleration due to gravity while simultaneously encountering atmospheric drag or friction. These factors subject the object to extreme mechanical stress and intense aerodynamic heating. This creates a spacecraft’s speed upon reentry of over 7 to 12 kilometers per second, along with temperatures exceeding 1,600°C.
This combination of forces can lead to mass loss, technically known as “ablation,” or even complete disintegration. The phenomenon of falling stars is a visible manifestation of this process. Its body glows bright red.
And spacecraft are no exception, they can melt if there is no protection. The most feasible way to dissipate this energy is through gradual slowing via atmospheric dissipation. This process effectively converts velocity and kinetic energy into heat, underscoring the need for robust heat shielding.
Some may wonder why retrorockets aren’t used to gently slow the vehicle for reentry. However, the forces involved are so immense that it would be virtually impossible for a space vehicle to carry enough fuel to slow down sufficiently for reentry. Until advancements such as nuclear space propulsion or antigravity engines become feasible, relying on heat shielding and gradual atmospheric friction remains the only practical method for completing the reentry process.
