Head for Mars! Starworm completed the second suspension experiment and successfully returned to the ground.

Mars, as the planet with the highest similarity to the Earth in the solar system, has always aroused people's great desire to explore. Since the 2th century, the United States and Russia (Soviet Union) have started to explore Mars successively, but up to now, although the two countries have conducted more than 3 Mars exploration missions, the success rate of the missions is only about 37%. From this, we can easily see the difficulty of exploring Mars.

In fact, in the matter of Mars exploration, in addition to the national team represented by the United States and Russia, many private enterprises are also making efforts. According to foreign media reports, Musk, the boss of SpaceX, a famous American space exploration company, announced yesterday that his newly developed aircraft "Starworm" successfully completed the second free suspension experiment in Texas. After flying into the air with a height of about 15 meters, it landed slowly with an engine and finally returned to the ground safely.

It is understood that the Starworm aircraft tested this time is actually a prototype tester, and its main function is to verify the possibility of developing a "starship". According to SpaceX, the "starship" can carry 1 people to the moon or Mars, and when it reaches the sky above Mars, it will use the technology of vertical landing to slowly stop on the surface of Mars. It is this technology that Starworm tested this time.

In fact, strictly speaking, SpaceX is a little different from most private rocket companies, because most private rocket companies boast loudly, but few products can really come up with their hands. Relatively speaking, SpaceX is more pragmatic. Its self-developed Falcon 9 rocket has carried out more than 6 missions and successfully put satellites in many countries into orbit.

It is particularly noteworthy that SpaceX has changed some rules of the aerospace industry with its own strength. Before Falcon 9, rockets in all countries were basically disposable, and they were completely scrapped after completing a launch mission. When SpaceX's recoverable Falcon 9 rocket came out, everyone was surprised to find that recycling rockets could save a lot of costs, so now all the space powers around the world have begun to study rocket recycling technology.

However, it should be pointed out that although SpaceX is definitely a leader among private space enterprises, sending satellites into space and exploring the moon or Mars with rockets is not a concept at all, and the technology that SpaceX currently takes out is only rocket recycling technology. Rockets going to the moon or Mars need a large thrust engine and a completely different structural design. These SpaceX companies don't have it. Therefore, SpaceX has a long way to go before it can complete its goal of landing on Mars.

However, it is understood that at least five landers will be launched to Mars next year, including the Mars 22 rover of NASA, the rosalind Franklin jointly developed by the European Union and Russia, and the Mars probe Hope of the United Arab Emirates. Of course, China will officially start to implement the Mars exploration program next year.

In fact, the requirements for exploring space have always been very strict. It requires not only powerful technology, but also courage to forge ahead. Although it is almost impossible to successfully reach Mars with SpaceX's current technology, in a sense, they have great courage to explore space, which is worthy of praise. (Xiang Jian)