【环球时报特约记者 晨阳 环球时报记者 刘扬】直接关系到美国载人登月计划进度的"星舰"超重型火箭 V3版本再传故障消息。路透社22日称，该火箭的第一级助推器21日在得州星舰基地进行测试时外壳突 然破裂，"可能会使该公司向NASA证明该火箭登月能力的努力变得复杂"。 报道称，美国太空探索技术公司（SpaceX）于20日将升级后的这种超重型火箭的第一级助推器竖立在 测试台上，并表示将测试其重新设计的燃料系统和结构强度。然而在正式开始测试之前，目击者发现该 助推器侧面突然扭曲并喷出大量气体，表明它的外壳严重破裂。SpaceX随后在声明中承认遭遇"气体系 统压力测试异常"，幸运的是无人受伤。该公司表示，团队需要时间进行事故原因调查。 按照原先计划，SpaceX准备"星舰"V3版本在2026年2月实现首飞，但最新的助推器事故可能会使这一目 标受阻。路透社称，目前尚不清楚该公司是否能立即找到另一个助推器来恢复测试，也不清楚此次事故 会给"星舰"计划造成多长时间的延误。 中国空间探测技术首席科学传播专家庞之浩23日告诉《环球时报》记者，2025年以来，"星舰"的研制屡 次遭遇挫折，"星舰"超重型火箭V2版本全部5次飞行测试 ...

Core Insights - The competition in space exploration has intensified, with China's manned lunar program making significant progress, particularly with the successful tests of the Long March 10 rocket, raising concerns in the U.S. about potentially falling behind in the lunar race [1][3] - The U.S. Artemis program, intended to be a grand initiative for manned lunar missions, faces criticism for its complex processes and heavy reliance on SpaceX's Starship, leading to delays and uncertainty [1][5] - China's achievements in space, including the successful testing of the lunar lander "Lanyue" and the "Dream Boat" spacecraft, highlight its technological advancements and set the stage for future lunar base construction [5][7] U.S. Response and Strategy - In response to China's advancements, U.S. officials have announced plans to reopen contracts for lunar lander development, aiming to involve more companies in the competition, indicating a sense of urgency and concern [3][5] - Experts have called for a "Plan B" for the U.S. lunar missions, suggesting that allowing other aerospace companies to bid for lunar lander contracts could expedite the development of reliable landing solutions [3][5] - The U.S. faces challenges in quickly developing new lunar landers due to limited technological capabilities of companies like Blue Origin and potential cost issues with Lockheed Martin, compounded by government budget constraints [5][7] Geopolitical Implications - The lunar race is not just a technological contest but also a geopolitical struggle, with implications for national prestige and strategic positioning in the coming decades [7] - The outcome of the lunar missions could significantly influence the future dynamics of international space relations and the balance of power in space exploration [7]

Core Points - The U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the reopening of contracts for NASA's Artemis lunar program due to SpaceX falling behind schedule [1][3] - The Artemis program aims to establish a long-term human presence on the Moon and prepare for future manned Mars missions, with multiple contractors involved, including Blue Origin, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman [1][2] Group 1 - SpaceX won the NASA lunar landing project contract in 2021 to execute the Artemis 3 mission, originally scheduled for 2024, but has faced delays, with Artemis 2 now pushed to April 2026 and Artemis 3 to 2027 [2] - Duffy expressed hope that Artemis 2 could be advanced to early February next year and aims for a Moon return by 2028, potentially involving two companies in the execution [2] - Blue Origin is highlighted as a promising competitor for taking over some of the contracts [2] Group 2 - Duffy emphasized the urgency to return to the Moon within the current presidential term, reinforcing the decision to reopen contracts [3] - Since stepping down as Amazon CEO in 2021, Jeff Bezos has focused more on managing Blue Origin [4] - SpaceX has a significant advantage over Blue Origin in securing NASA contracts, although there are indications of Bezos seeking closer ties with the Trump administration for more government contracts [5]

Core Viewpoint - NASA's manned lunar landing program is facing significant delays, primarily due to challenges with the SpaceX "Starship" system, which may not be ready until 2028 or 2029 [4][6][10]. Group 1: NASA's Lunar Program Challenges - NASA's selection of SpaceX's "Starship" for the Human Landing System (HLS) has encountered major difficulties, leading to potential delays in the lunar landing timeline [4][6]. - The Artemis program's focus on the lunar south pole and the associated Gateway space station has added complexity to the HLS, requiring more intricate maneuvers compared to previous lunar missions [10][11]. - NASA's decision to procure HLS through commercial means was intended to reduce costs and political risks, but it has resulted in increased complexity and challenges in execution [12][24]. Group 2: Historical Context and Previous Plans - The Artemis program is built on a history of lunar exploration efforts, including the 2005 Constellation program, which faced financial and technical challenges leading to its cancellation in 2010 [7][9]. - The Space Launch System (SLS) was developed as a successor to earlier plans, but its high costs and slow production have raised concerns about its effectiveness in supporting lunar missions [9][10]. Group 3: SpaceX's "Starship" Development Issues - The "Starship" system has faced significant weight issues, with its current versions underperforming in terms of payload capacity compared to initial claims [24][25]. - The complexity of in-orbit refueling and the need for multiple launches to support a single HLS mission have raised concerns about the feasibility of the "Starship" system [25][27]. - SpaceX's timeline for achieving a manned lunar landing has been pushed back, with the need for extensive testing and validation before the 2028 target [28][37]. Group 4: Competitive Landscape - Blue Origin has been awarded a second HLS contract for the "Blue Moon Mk2" lander, aimed at enhancing competition and reducing costs for NASA's lunar missions [28][29]. - The "Blue Moon Mk1" lander is set to launch in 2026, with plans for a crewed version under consideration, indicating a potential alternative to SpaceX's "Starship" [33][35].

Core Points - NASA has revived the "VIPER" lunar rover project, aiming for a 2027 launch alongside Blue Origin's "Blue Moon" lander to explore the lunar south pole [1][4] - The lunar south pole is believed to contain significant water ice resources, which could support human survival and be converted into rocket fuel [3][4] - The project was initially canceled in 2024 after incurring costs of approximately $450 million, with plans to save about $84 million by halting it [3][4] Summary by Sections - **Project Revival** - NASA has entered a new agreement with Blue Origin worth $190 million to integrate and deliver the VIPER rover to the lunar south pole by the end of 2027 [4] - The mission will last for 100 days, focusing on mapping ice deposits and collecting samples for data accuracy [4] - **Challenges and Delays** - NASA officials have warned that the Artemis crewed lunar landing program may face delays due to setbacks in SpaceX's Starship development, potentially impacting the timeline and allowing China to gain an advantage in lunar exploration [4] - **Global Lunar Exploration Context** - The lunar south pole has become a hotspot for exploration, with India's Chandrayaan-3 being the first to land there, although it did not confirm the presence of water ice [5] - Upcoming missions include China's Chang'e 7 in 2026, which aims to conduct flyby exploration to locate water ice [5]

Core Insights - SpaceX's Starship experienced a significant failure during a static fire test on June 18, resulting in an explosion and destruction of the launch pad, but no injuries or community hazards were reported [1][2] - The explosion is the fourth major incident since the first test flight in 2023, raising concerns about the reliability of the Starship's systems [1][2] Group 1: Incident Details - The explosion occurred during preparations for the tenth flight test, with preliminary analysis suggesting a potential failure related to the Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessel (COPV) [1][2] - SpaceX has established a safety zone around the test site, confirming that the explosion posed no chemical, biological, or toxicological risks to the surrounding community [1][2] Group 2: Technical Specifications and Challenges - Starship features a fully reusable design, measuring approximately 120 meters in length, with a thrust of 7,500 tons, aimed at delivering over 100 tons to low Earth orbit at a cost of under $2 million [2] - Technical challenges include the coordination of 33 Raptor engines, the thermal separation mechanism of the two-stage rocket, and the heat protection system during atmospheric re-entry [2] Group 3: Impact on Future Missions - The explosion has delayed the planned tenth flight test originally scheduled for June 30 [2] - Starship is a critical component of NASA's Artemis program, which aims for a crewed lunar mission in 2026; delays in testing could impact NASA's deep space exploration timeline [2]