Sloshing some propellant around
Propellant transfer demo complete
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) March 14, 2024
Another important milestone was the propellant transfer demonstration, which SpaceX conducted under its $53 million “Tipping Point” contract with NASA. For the test, SpaceX shifted super-cold liquid oxygen between tanks while the vehicle was in space. SpaceX’s future deep space missions, like landing astronauts on the Moon, hinge on transferring large amounts of cryogenic propellant between Starships in orbit. This capability is crucial for Starship’s success—especially for meeting the demands of NASA’s Artemis 3 mission, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon in late 2026.
