Elon Musk, the chief of SpaceX, has given an extensive tour of the Starfactory in Boca Chica, Texas to Tim Dodd, the YouTuber known as Everyday Astronaut. The tour was shot on the day before the fourth test flight of the Starship megarocket.
The hour-long video takes viewers inside the facility where various rocket components are being built and the vehicle itself is being assembled. Musk envisions the new facility, parts of which are still under construction, to manufacture as many as 100 Starship spacecraft a year, with the ultimate goal to build as many as a thousand.
During the tour, Musk takes viewers to many parts of the Starfactory, including a room packed with the mighty Raptor engines that power the Super Heavy booster. He explains how the next-gen Raptor engine will fly without a heat shield and will require integral cooling circuits throughout all of the engine’s parts.
Musk also discussed rocket reusability, a central concept to the SpaceX system. His aim is to build a fully reusable rocket where both the first and second stages can be landed and quickly flown again, much like a large airliner.
Despite the ongoing tests and challenges, SpaceX is investing huge sums in the Starfactory as it seeks to build out its Starship system ahead of crew and cargo flights to the moon. The Starship is expected to embark on its fifth test flight as early as next month.
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