VFX artist Alexander Svan has created a 3D CGI rendering of a Starship’s ascent phase, this animation is so good that even SpaceX CEO Elon Musk couldn’t resist but comment “Wow!” on the video (watch below).
Alexander says that this was the hardest VFX he has ever worked on. He has included the background commentary voice of SpaceX webcast host John Insprucker which makes the video even more interesting. John’s voice is not new to anyone following SpaceX launches and watching live webcasts.
This Starship animation shows the spaceship with the Super Heavy rocket booster, so this is a depiction of it aiming for space and beyond, not a regular high-altitude test.
SpaceX is currently working on the SN15 and SN16 Starship prototypes simultaneously. Since the last SN15 successful launch and landing, this existing prototype is constantly under repairs, further development, and upgrades.
“We might use SN16 on a hypersonic flight test,” Elon Musk said in a tweet while explaining the possible use of the Starship SN16 prototype. Musk’s reply came in when most SpaceX enthusiasts were speculating that SN16 is retired even before getting tested for a launch or landing as it was placed on a display stand near the SN15 prototype at the Rocket Garden, SpaceX Starbase Boca Chica launch site.
“Let’s just skip original video games & movies & go straight to the sequel,” this is another tweet posted by Elon Musk last week, for many, it hints at the SN20 orbital test flight, the one illustrated in the rendering video animation above.
The fast-paced development of the SpaceX orbital launch tower at Starbase, Boca Chica, Texas suggests that the timeline for the Starship orbital launch test flight test will happen this year. The Verge first reported that SpaceX plans the first Starship orbital flight from Boca Chica, Texas to Hawaii.
SpaceX is also ramping up the count of Raptor engines on the Starship prototypes, according to Elon Musk, this count will increase to 32 Raptors this year.
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