SpaceX Starship Prototype Nosecone Topples In High Texas Winds
Part of SpaceX's Starship prototype toppled over due to recent strong winds in Texas, causing damage that will take weeks to repair. The prototype spaceship is being built in southern Texas, where a storm recently caused 50MPH winds strong enough to break mooring blocks and knock over the test rocket's nosecone. The rocket's base remained undamaged, however.
News of the incident first appeared in a tweeted image by Chris B. of the NASA SpaceFlight website. The incident was confirmed in later tweets stating that the damage will take "a few weeks" to fix. Though it's a setback for the aerospace company, the damage won't ultimately have a huge impact on SpaceX's plans.
Whoops. Starship Hopper nosecone has been blown over in high winds.
📸NSF's BocaChicaGal https://t.co/liIk970sm5 pic.twitter.com/6rgGtZmAE2
— Chris Bergin – NSF (@NASASpaceflight) January 23, 2019
In its most recent update, NASA SpaceFlight states that the rocket fairing has been moved under a dome ahead of its planned repairs.
The Starship is made of stainless steel instead of carbon fiber due to a combination of its relative ease of use and lower cost. The prototype version of Starship is smaller than than the anticipated final rocket, and it'll be used for flights that don't go into orbit.
SpaceX is developing the Starship and Super Heavy Rocket as a reusable single system to eventually replace its Falcon 9, Heavy and Dragon products, the result being a single system for different types of space missions. SpaceX states on its website that Starship could be used for delivering satellite payloads, cargo and people to the ISS, and for deliveries to the moon and Mars.