Ameer Randolph
SpaceX's Starship spacecraft is designed with the goal of being fully reusable to reduce launch costs. The rocket consists of the Super Heavy booster and the Starship upper stage, which are powered by Raptor and Raptor Vacuum engines. The bodies of both rocket stages are made from stainless steel, with domes inside the spacecraft separating the methane and oxygen tanks. SpaceX has stated that the Starship, in its baseline reusable design, will have a payload capacity of 100–150 t to low Earth orbit and 27 t to geostationary transfer orbit. The final design will have a dry mass between 160 t and 200 t, with the tanks weighing 80 t. The Block 2 version of the Starship is composed of four general sections: the engine bay, the oxygen tank, the fuel tank, and the payload bay.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Payload capacity | 100-150 t (220,000-331,000 lb) to low Earth orbit |
| 27 t (60,000 lb) to geostationary transfer orbit | |
| Height | 121.3 m (398 ft) |
| Diameter | 9 m (30 ft) |
| Dry mass | 160 t (350,000 lb) to 200 t (440,000 lb) |
| Tank weight | 80 t (180,000 lb) |
| Interstage weight | 20 t (44,000 lb) |
| Engine count | 6 Raptor engines |
| Fuel | Methane/oxygen propellant |
| Fuel tank material | Stainless steel |
| Fuel tank cost | $3 per kilogram of steel |
| Total estimated cost | $14-20 million |
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What You'll Learn
The fuel tank's potential use as a habitat on Mars
The fuel tanks of the Starship spacecraft could potentially be used as habitats on Mars. SpaceX intends to make the Starship fully reusable to reduce launch costs. The spacecraft is planned to be refuelled in orbit by another Starship tanker variant.
The fuel tanks could be redesigned to become pressurised usable space. This could be achieved by cutting an access hole in the top of the tank upon landing, using a plasma cutter. Alternatively, a pre-installed hatch could be used, although this would degrade the maximum pressure the tank could withstand. The tanks could also be insulated and have floors added, creating up to eight new floors of habitable space.
The tanks could be used for various purposes, including oxygen production, plant growth, and storage. One proposal suggests using one tank for oxygen production, another for plants, and a third for storage. This would mirror the setup on the ISS, where four tanks, two O2 and two N2, are attached to the airlock to provide a breathable atmosphere for spacewalkers.
The Martian atmosphere contains nitrogen, which could be used to fill the former methane tank after landing. The tanks could also be used for water storage, although there may be concerns about radiation contamination. Burying the tanks underground could provide radiation shielding.
NASA is also exploring the possibility of using empty fuel tanks from rockets as space habitats. The agency has selected six partner companies to develop prototypes and concepts for deep-space habitats, with the eventual goal of deploying habitats near the moon as a stepping stone to Mars.
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The oxygen and methane tanks are separated by domes
The SpaceX Starship spacecraft has been designed with full reusability in mind to reduce launch costs. The rocket consists of the Super Heavy booster and the Starship upper stage, both powered by Raptor engines. The rocket is made from stainless steel, with the bodies of both rocket stages manufactured by stacking and welding stainless steel cylinders.
The dome design was changed after the Starship's second flight test to a more elliptical shape, which likely altered the propellant capacity of the tanks. The temperature within the tanks is critical, as methane and oxygen can only exist in a liquid state within a narrow temperature range. Maintaining this temperature range can be challenging, especially considering the shiny side of the Starship is uninsulated and has low emissivity, while the heat shield side is heavily insulated and has high emissivity.
Some have suggested that the Starship's fuel tanks could potentially be used as additional habitable volume upon landing on Mars. This would involve cutting access holes into the tanks and converting them into pressurised usable space.
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SpaceX's focus on mass-producing propellant storage tanks
SpaceX's primary focus is on mass-producing propellant storage tanks to prepare the Starship's orbital launch pad for flight tests involving Super Heavy. In April 2021, SpaceX rolled out the first of its massive ground support equipment (GSE) propellant tanks from its Boca Chica rocket factory to a nearby launch complex. This was followed by the completion of the second tank, which, along with the first, should be able to store enough propellant for two back-to-back orbital Starship launches. SpaceX's decision to use interchangeable Starship parts to build grounded storage tanks means that it can mass-produce these tanks at a low cost and in a short amount of time.
In August 2021, SpaceX retroactively decided to build a small prototype meant solely for testing, known as a 'test tank'. This test tank was rapidly assembled from parts of an older Ground Support Equipment (GSE) tank. SpaceX completed the first Starship-derived propellant storage tank in April 2021 and rapidly rolled it out, along with a second tank, to the orbital launch pad. SpaceX's custom-built launch pad propellant storage tanks are enclosed by "cryo shells" built by contractors to insulate their thin, single-walled steel propellant tanks and keep their cryogenic contents cryogenic for as long as possible.
As of April 2021, SpaceX's focus was on completing at least a barebones 'rough draft' of its planned orbital launch complex, including at least four Starship-style GSE tanks. The company intended to attempt Starship's first launch on a Super Heavy booster as early as July 2021. SpaceX's rapid construction of a brand new super heavy-class launch pad and a tank farm demonstrates its commitment to mass-producing propellant storage tanks for the Starship project.
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The Raptor engines' fuel usage during landing flip manoeuvre
The Raptor engines are an integral part of the Starship spacecraft, enabling it to perform complex manoeuvres such as the "landing flip". This manoeuvre is executed during the landing sequence, where the Raptor engines fire to flip the spacecraft from a "belly-flop" position into a vertical orientation for touchdown.
During the flip manoeuvre, the Raptor engines consume fuel from the header tanks. The fuel used by the Raptor engines is methane, which is stored in liquid form. As the engines ignite, the fuel is rapidly depleted, resulting in a significant loss of approximately 1.5 tonnes per second from each tank. This sudden decrease in fuel leads to an increase in the headspace within the spherical tank, creating a challenge in maintaining constant fuel pressure.
To address this issue, autogenous pressurization is employed. This involves tapping off hot gaseous methane and oxygen and feeding them back into their respective tanks at the appropriate temperature and pressure. This process helps to maintain the necessary pressure in the tanks. Additionally, some prototype Starships have utilised helium as a pressurant while SpaceX works on resolving the sloshing and condensation issues that occur during landing.
The landing flip manoeuvre is a critical aspect of the Starship's landing procedure. During the test flight of the Starship SN8, the craft successfully performed the flip manoeuvre, transitioning from a freefall "belly-flop" position to a vertical orientation. However, the fuel header tank pressure was low during the landing burn, resulting in a high touchdown velocity and a subsequent explosion upon landing.
Despite the outcome, Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, hailed the test as a success, as it provided valuable data. The data collected will aid in refining the Raptor engines' performance and addressing the pressurization issues to ensure a smoother landing in future attempts.
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The fuel tank's lightweight design
The fuel tanks of the Starship are integral to its design and functionality. The Starship spacecraft, developed by SpaceX, is a two-stage fully reusable super heavy-lift launch vehicle. The two stages consist of the Super Heavy booster and the Starship upper stage, both powered by Raptor engines. The Super Heavy booster is 71m tall and 9m wide, while the Block 2 version of the Starship is 52.1m tall and 9m wide.
The fuel tanks play a crucial role in storing and supplying propellant for the vehicle's operations. The Super Heavy booster's tanks can hold around 3,400 tonnes of propellant, including liquid oxygen and liquid methane. The tanks are separated by a common bulkhead, similar to those used in the Saturn V rocket's S-II and S-IVB stages. The design of the common dome has been modified to an elliptical shape, which may have slightly altered the propellant capacity of the tanks.
The fuel tanks contribute to the overall mass of the spacecraft. Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, has provided estimates for the dry mass of the final design, with the tanks accounting for a significant portion of the total weight. The lightweight design of the fuel tanks is essential to ensure the overall weight of the spacecraft remains within operational limits.
To achieve a lightweight design, SpaceX has opted for specific materials and construction methods. Initially, carbon fibre was considered for the fuel tanks, as seen in the giant black tanks showcased by Musk. However, they decided to move away from carbon fibre and utilize stainless steel for the construction of both rocket stages. This change in material offers advantages and contributes to the lightweight nature of the fuel tanks.
Additionally, SpaceX has explored the concept of using the fuel tanks as additional habitable volume on Mars. Some ideas include creating porous grids within the tanks to allow fuel flow while providing usable space. Upon landing, access holes could be cut into the tanks, and they could be pressurized for various purposes, such as plant growth or storage. These adaptations would enhance the livable area, particularly for Starships with extended stays on Mars.
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Frequently asked questions
The Starship spacecraft is a rocket designed by SpaceX with the goal of being fully reusable to reduce launch costs. It consists of the Super Heavy booster and the Starship upper stage, which are powered by Raptor and Raptor Vacuum engines.
The Starship spacecraft has a fuel capacity of 100-150 t (220,000-331,000 lb) to low Earth orbit and 27 t (60,000 lb) to geostationary transfer orbit.
The fuel tanks on Mars could be used as additional habitable volume. Porous grids could be put as levels within the fuel tank with a ladder on the side, and fuel would be able to flow around this. A plasma cutter could cut an access hole in the top of the tank, and the tank could become pressurised usable space.
The use of stainless steel in the redesign of the Starship spacecraft allows for a significant reduction in cost. Stainless steel costs $3 per kilogram, compared to $200 per kilogram for carbon composite. This results in a savings of $10-24 million on the cost of materials.
