Space X achieves success with its new Raptor engine for the Starship rocket

Space X is one of the world’s most important companies focused on space exploration and the study of the universe through private funding. This company, founded by entrepreneur Elon Musk, has achieved a new success with its new Raptor engine for its next ambitious rocket called Starship.

Elon Musk will do whatever it takes to get his rockets off the Earth. Mars is the famous billionaire’s main ambition, and his dreams for the red planet are, to say the least, ambitious.

The planet that has been the basis of so many films of the genre and has sparked all kinds of ideas in our imagination is very far away, which is why implementing the technology of the new Raptor engine may work.

First firing of Starship Raptor flight engine! So proud of great work by @SpaceX team!! pic.twitter.com/S6aT7Jih4S

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) 4 February 2019

SpaceX has created this enormous engine, which will be integrated once construction of the new, ambitious and surprising rocket named “Starship” is completed.

In the last few hours, Elon Musk’s company has successfully tested the first ignition of the new Raptor engine. Through posts on Twitter by the billionaire himself, we have been able to see two videos of the engine in operation, and honestly, it looks like something straight out of a science fiction film.

pic.twitter.com/ChEGbjTGKZ

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) 4 February 2019

What can be seen in the videos is the definitive version of the Raptor engine, which began testing 3 years ago, specifically in 2016.

Its operation is based on methane, a substance that was not chosen by chance, since it is in fact abundant on the red planet, which could allow it to be refuelled there without any problems.

Obviously the idea is to touch Martian soil and study the surface in a primitive and limited way during the first missions, before returning home. It is clearly a smart strategy to use as the main energy source an element that is abundant in a hostile, uninhabited and unexplored country.

Musk’s most optimistic predictions suggest that by 2022 the company could send its first crewed mission to Mars. Only time will tell whether they were right, although, to be fair, what is clear is that this achievement will take place within the next 30 years.