SpaceX's Starship close to orbital launch

Plus: A small tweak to genes may finally enable us to regrow cartilage. Dec 06, 2022 [Blueprint]( Elon may be facing a Twitter storm here on Earth, but his [space-based plans are all systems go](. That is to say that SpaceX’s massive Mars-bound Starship rocket has now conducted a “static fire” test, which means it’s nearly ready for an orbital maiden test flight. After that, it will be ready for its first crewed mission. When Starship does launch into orbit, it will probably use Booster 7 and Ship 24, which are prototypes of Starship's 165-foot (50-meter) upper stage — the craft that will also be modified for use as a lunar lander for NASA's Artemis III mission. And speaking of NASA, we've got a cracking video from them that we think you might enjoy. [This video]( shows a former NASA engineer dropping an egg from space, without a single crack. Eggcellent. Good morning. I’m Alice, an Editor at IE. This is The Blueprint. Let’s get started. [How did we get to the Moon? Propulsion technology and space shuttles.]( [premium] The Shuttle was powered by the Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSMEs), which consisted of three Aerojet Rocketdyne RS-25 thrusters that used a combination of liquid hydrogen (LH2) and LOX to generate a combined 5,250 kN (1.18 million lbf) of thrust. [Play]VIDEO OF THE DAY [Watch: Former NASA engineer drops an egg from space without a crack.]( [Former NASA engineer drops an egg from space without a crack.]( I wonder how much they shelled out for this. [Must Read]MUST READ [SpaceX's Starship may be just one static fire test away from an orbital launch.]( [SpaceX's Starship may be just one static fire test away from an orbital launch.]( The orbital maiden test flight of SpaceX’s massive Mars-bound Starship rocket is [edging ever closer](. It has now conducted a “static fire” test at its South Texas facility. In doing so, it ignited 11 of 33 next-gen Raptor engines on its Starship first-stage Super Heavy prototype, Booster 7. SpaceX's fully reusable Starship rocket has been tested via several “hop” trials so far, during which it has flown to high altitudes and performed impressive “belly-flop” maneuvers. On several occasions, the Starship rocket crashed on landing, but it has also aced a couple of landings The next step will be to test Starship in orbit, before eventually performing the first crewed mission, which will take Polaris Program civilian astronauts to orbit. → Starship's orbital launch has been delayed many times, but static fire engine tests are generally the last big test before an orbital launch, meaning the big day for Starship can't be too far off. [READ MORE [Arrow]]( [Facebook]( [HEALTH]HEALTH [A small tweak to genes may finally enable us to regrow cartilage.]( A study has revealed that future treatments for cartilage injuries and degeneration could benefit from new methods for producing cartilage cells. If they’re right, we may be able to [rebuild cartilage with a simple change to our genes](. In particular, the study focuses on two groundbreaking discoveries – the first of which is that it was previously considered that the Wnt signal transduction pathway determined whether a cell became bone or cartilage. β-catenin is the master factor that converts Wnt signals. But now researchers have realized that β-catenin also acts as a cell adhesion molecule to facilitate cell-cell interaction at the same time. [READ MORE [Arrow]]( [INNOVATION]INNOVATION [Germany to arm Ukraine with fifth generation tank-like drones to battle Russia.]( Contracts have been signed to [deliver 14 THeMIS fifth-generation unmanned ground vehicles]( (UGVs) to Ukraine. Robotics and autonomous systems developer Milrem Robotics and the German defense company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) are the two providers in question, and this is being funded by the German Ministry of Defence. THeMIS Cargo is designed to reduce the cognitive load of soldiers and provide a means to carry and utilize extra gear and firepower. It increases the mobility of dismounted units and makes them more effective. The tank can reach 20 km per hour, has a maximum payload of 1,200 kg, and runs on a diesel and electric generator. It has three cameras: IR (MIL-STD-810G), Thermal, and HDR. [READ MORE [Arrow]]( [SCIENCE]SCIENCE [Researchers have discovered a way to produce cocaine from a tobacco plant.]( Scientists have [genetically modified a tobacco plant to produce cocaine](. Why would they want to do this? Because the breakthrough could lead to a way to produce chemically similar compounds for medicinal purposes. Cocaine is a naturally occurring tropane alkaloid that is produced in the leaves of the Erythroxylum coca plant. While notorious for its abuse, cocaine and its derivatives have been used by humans for centuries. In the 19th century, cocaine was used as effective local anesthesia for eye surgery, solving the dilemma of ocular surgery without anesthetics. More recently, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of cocaine as a topical anesthesia of mucous membranes. [READ MORE [Arrow]]( [MAIL & MUSINGS]MAIL & MUSINGS SpaceX's Starship close to orbital launch. Do you think SpaceX will get itself back on schedule in light of this positive development? [Yes, they’re on a roll now]( [Unlikely, these things are complicated]( [No, not a chance]( [I am unsure either way]( YESTERDAY'S RESULTS Yesterday, we asked you if you’d take an elevator into space, and 38 percent of you said yes, once it’s safe – but 35 percent of you also said “sign me up, let’s do this”. So overall, it’s a big fat yes from you. 38% Once it’s safe, sure 35% Yes, sign me up 21% No way Jose 7% I am unsure either way [THINGS WE LOVE]THINGS WE LOVE [image]( [Adiding Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaner]( [image]( [YouthWhisper Headphones]( [image]( [Holiday Living Pre-Lit Pine Christmas Tree]( [image]( [HP ScanJet Pro Flatbed Scanner]( [AND ANOTHER THING]AND ANOTHER THING - Technology reveals the [secrets of ancient Egyptian tattoos](. [premium] - A natural gene drive could steer [invasive rodents on islands to extinction](. (Science News) - Wreck diver describes finding part of the [Space Shuttle Challenger](. [premium] - How did so many [giant, meat-eating dinosaurs co-exist]( in the Jurassic? (New Scientist) - China's planned ['nuclear island' is taking shape]( with the installation of its first reactor. - [Bacterial ‘living wires’]( could help protect the seas and climate. (SN Explores) - Researchers discover the [never-before-seen mechanism]( bacteria use to resist antibiotic treatment. [Subscribe to IE+ today.]( Prepared by Alice Cooke Enjoy Reading? Forward this email to a friend. Was this email forwarded to you? [Join Free!]( [About Us]( [Advertise]( [Contact Us]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Youtube]( [Linkedin]( [Instagram]( You are receiving this email because you have subscribed to our newsletter. Manage you e-mail preferences or unsubscribe [here](. © Copyright 2022 | The Blueprint is by Interesting Engineering, Inc. 205 Hudson St New York, NY, 10013, USA [Interesting Engineering]