Worldsteel Association has highlighted that world’s richest person Mr Elon Musk’s innovative space programme SpaceX is relying on the unique qualities of steel for its plans to make Mars colonization a reality. With the aim of reducing space flight costs, SpaceX is developing a fully reusable, privately funded launch system Starship for interplanetary and orbital spaceflight. The body of the Starship rocket & its Super Heavy Booster, originally slated to be constructed from carbon fibre, SpaceX announced that this would be replaced with gleaming 300-series stainless-steel. This marks the first use of this material in a rocket since failed attempts in the Atlas intercontinental ballistic missile programme in the 1950s.With Starship intended for interplanetary travel, however, material selection is a significant factor in the success of Spacex’s attempts to reach the fourth planet from the sun. Stainless-steel’s high melting point is a major advantage when it comes to space travel. Aluminium or carbon fibre are limited to a steady-state operating temperature of 150 degree Celsius, with short periods operating at around 180-200 degree Celsius, but which lead to a weakening of the material. Some carbon fibers can operate continuously at 200 degree Celsius, but these come with compromises in strength.Steels, with appropriate heat dissipation controls, can perform at temperatures as high as 820-870 degree Celsius. As such, an innovative steel-built system will be used for the Starship’s heat shield, which protects the vessel from the high temperatures experienced during entry into a planet with an atmosphere such as Mars or Earth. The heat shield features two stainless-steel layers joined with stringers, with water flowing between them. The exterior has micro-perforations which then allow for water to bleed out, keeping temperatures low through transpiration cooling.Lowering the cost of travel to Mars is crucial to the project’s overall success and here stainless-steel vastly outperforms its competitors. Carbon fibre costs USD 135 per kilogram, and more than a third of the material is scrapped during the production process, meaning the real-terms cost is around USD 200 per kilogram. The equivalent amount of stainless steel will set you back just USD 3.When launching a vessel out of Earth’s atmosphere, every gram must be considered and eliminated where possible. Traditionally, steels would not be considered a lightweight option, but stainless-steel’s unique attributes actually make it the best choice for keeping weight down. In the cold darkness of space, the temperature sits at a frosty minus 270 degree Celsius. At these cryogenic temperatures, stainless steel’s strength is increased by 50%. The chrome-nickel content in its make-up means it does not become brittle even at very low temperatures.For an interplanetary rocket, high ductility, high toughness, and very little chance of fractures when operating in cryogenic environments, makes for the perfect material. These properties mean that less material can be used, lowering the weight and making stainless-steel highly viable for space travel. The company’s materials teams have been working on a new stainless-steel alloy with higher chromium content. This 304L alloy is even more resistant to both corrosion and degradation making it perfect for the continued re-use planetary colonization would require
Worldsteel Association has highlighted that world’s richest person Mr Elon Musk’s innovative space programme SpaceX is relying on the unique qualities of steel for its plans to make Mars colonization a reality. With the aim of reducing space flight costs, SpaceX is developing a fully reusable, privately funded launch system Starship for interplanetary and orbital spaceflight. The body of the Starship rocket & its Super Heavy Booster, originally slated to be constructed from carbon fibre, SpaceX announced that this would be replaced with gleaming 300-series stainless-steel. This marks the first use of this material in a rocket since failed attempts in the Atlas intercontinental ballistic missile programme in the 1950s.With Starship intended for interplanetary travel, however, material selection is a significant factor in the success of Spacex’s attempts to reach the fourth planet from the sun. Stainless-steel’s high melting point is a major advantage when it comes to space travel. Aluminium or carbon fibre are limited to a steady-state operating temperature of 150 degree Celsius, with short periods operating at around 180-200 degree Celsius, but which lead to a weakening of the material. Some carbon fibers can operate continuously at 200 degree Celsius, but these come with compromises in strength.Steels, with appropriate heat dissipation controls, can perform at temperatures as high as 820-870 degree Celsius. As such, an innovative steel-built system will be used for the Starship’s heat shield, which protects the vessel from the high temperatures experienced during entry into a planet with an atmosphere such as Mars or Earth. The heat shield features two stainless-steel layers joined with stringers, with water flowing between them. The exterior has micro-perforations which then allow for water to bleed out, keeping temperatures low through transpiration cooling.Lowering the cost of travel to Mars is crucial to the project’s overall success and here stainless-steel vastly outperforms its competitors. Carbon fibre costs USD 135 per kilogram, and more than a third of the material is scrapped during the production process, meaning the real-terms cost is around USD 200 per kilogram. The equivalent amount of stainless steel will set you back just USD 3.When launching a vessel out of Earth’s atmosphere, every gram must be considered and eliminated where possible. Traditionally, steels would not be considered a lightweight option, but stainless-steel’s unique attributes actually make it the best choice for keeping weight down. In the cold darkness of space, the temperature sits at a frosty minus 270 degree Celsius. At these cryogenic temperatures, stainless steel’s strength is increased by 50%. The chrome-nickel content in its make-up means it does not become brittle even at very low temperatures.For an interplanetary rocket, high ductility, high toughness, and very little chance of fractures when operating in cryogenic environments, makes for the perfect material. These properties mean that less material can be used, lowering the weight and making stainless-steel highly viable for space travel. The company’s materials teams have been working on a new stainless-steel alloy with higher chromium content. This 304L alloy is even more resistant to both corrosion and degradation making it perfect for the continued re-use planetary colonization would require
