Time flies, literally

SpaceX 2020 recap

Alejandra Yañez | THE RIDER

From explosions to successful launches, 2020 was full of unexpected ups and downs for SpaceX.

Although it may not always seem like it, Boca Chica Village has been home to SpaceX’s trials and tribulations, as well as its success, since 2016. 

With history taking place in the backyard of the Rio Grande Valley, it is surreal at times to imagine the plans that SpaceX has in store for the village. 

Last August, Elon Musk, the SpaceX CEO, announced on Twitter that he aims to turn Boca Chica Village into a “21st century Spaceport” for commercialized space travel and interplanetary civilization.

From the beginning of Musk’s operations in 2020, he made it clear that the primary goal for the Boca Chica location was to travel to Mars. 

The year started off with a bang for SpaceX when the Starship SN1 prototype exploded during a pressure test in February.

Later the Starship SN3 prototype, which was scheduled to run a series of tests during the spring, also exploded in April due to a leaky valve, according to space.com.

In May, the Starship SN4 prototype met a similar fate when it exploded a minute into its fifth static fire test with a single Raptor engine rocket. 

SpaceX also posted a job listing for a resort development manager in early August for the Boca Chica site.

“Boca Chica Village is our latest launch site dedicated to Starship, our next generation launch vehicle,” the job description reads. “SpaceX is committed to developing this town into a 21st century Spaceport. We are looking for a talented Resort Development Manager to oversee the development of SpaceX’s first resort from inception to completion.”

Evidently something was learned from the failed prototypes of the past because in August the Starship SN5 prototype successfully hopped 150 meters, which set the momentum for the rest of the year for the company. 

September held a prompt paralleled 150 meter hop for SN6, but later proved to set the company back when it purposefully ruptured the Starship SN7 prototypes tank during a pressure test. 

While November was a bit of a waiting game for the launch of the Starship prototype SN8, it was well worth the delay when the craft finally took flight on Dec. 9 making it the last launch of 2020 for the Boca Chica launch site. 

The Starship SN8 prototype was equipped with three Raptor engines, a feat that had not been attained until SN8. Aside from the three Raptor engines, SN8 was also equipped with a nose cone for aerodynamics and sported body flaps on its side to increase stability during the flight. 

SpaceX described the launch as follows, “Starship serial number 8 (SN8) lifted off from our Cameron County launchpad and successfully ascended, transitioned propellant, and performed its landing flip maneuver with precise flap control to reach its landing point. Low pressure in the fuel header tank during the landing burn led to high touchdown velocity resulting in a hard (and exciting!) landing.”

After a year of trial and error, SpaceX ended 2020 with a victory not only for space travel but also for Cameron County and the rest of the Valley as many residents gathered to watch the spectacle take flight. 

“Thank you to all the locals supporting our efforts in Cameron County and beyond,” reads the SpaceX website. “Congratulations to the entire Starship and SpaceX teams on today’s test! Serial number 9 (SN9) is up next – Mars, here we come!”

Prospects for the SN9 launch are expected to take place as early as this month, according to the SpaceX website. 

“Today at SpaceX is about practicing Starship engine starts,” Elon Musk tweeted Wednesday. “Ship is held down by massive pins while engines are fired. Two starts completed, about to try a third.”

According to the Cameron County website, road closures were scheduled from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. last Thursday and today for the launch of SN9.