Chapter 1: The Starhopper's Final Flight

SpaceX is gearing up for ambitious endeavors with its Starship, which aims to facilitate deep space exploration and the colonization of Mars. However, before these lofty goals can be realized, the design of the spacecraft must be finalized. The ultimate version of the Starship will be a stunning creation made from stainless steel, but for now, the Starhopper serves as its compact predecessor. Despite its smaller size, this prototype rocket embodies a futuristic vision.

In its recent and concluding test, the Starhopper achieved a remarkable hover hundreds of feet above the ground, successfully landing at SpaceX’s Boca Chica testing site.

The Starhopper is notable for being the first vehicle to utilize SpaceX's Raptor engine. While the final Starship will be equipped with six Raptor engines, the Starhopper is powered by just one. Nevertheless, this single engine is sufficient to lift the craft above the arid Texan terrain and ensure a smooth landing. Initial tests of the Starhopper took place in the spring of this year, but those were tethered flights, allowing the rocket to ascend only slightly before returning to the ground. In July, it completed its first genuine flight, reaching an altitude of 65 feet (approximately 20 meters).

The test conducted yesterday represents the pinnacle of the Starhopper's achievements and also marks its final flight. The rocket took off shortly after 5 PM local time, soaring to an impressive height of 500 feet (150 meters) and hovering there for several seconds before descending gently onto a nearby launch pad. The entire flight lasted just 57 seconds.

Chapter 2: Transitioning to New Prototypes

This test vehicle is essentially a modern-day counterpart to the earlier “Grasshopper” prototype that laid the groundwork for Falcon 9 landings. With its mission now complete, the Starhopper hands over its legacy to SpaceX's upcoming orbital prototypes, known as Starship Mk1 and Mk2. Currently, SpaceX is constructing Mk1 at Boca Chica and Mk2 in Florida. These new rockets are designed to resemble the envisioned sci-fi Starship more closely, though they may not be fully equipped with the complete set of Raptor engines. CEO Elon Musk has assured that at least three engines will be installed, which will be necessary to achieve orbit.

The test flights of Mk1 and Mk2 will provide SpaceX with crucial data required to finalize the first operational Starships, which could potentially begin their missions as early as 2021. Additionally, SpaceX is working on the launch platform for the Starship’s first stage, known as Super Heavy. The inaugural major test for the Starship is set to be a lunar orbit mission, financially backed by Japanese entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa, targeted around 2023. While Musk has expressed aspirations of sending humans to Mars by the mid-2020s, this timeline may be a bit overly ambitious.