SpaceX’s Starship Completes In-Orbit Engine Test | Resuscitating Shipwrecked Rye Seeds

Nov 22, 2024

Charles Bergquist, a Science Friday contributor passionate about space exploration, joins Chad Munger, CEO of Mammoth Distilling, who focuses on local ingredients in craft distilling. They discuss SpaceX's successful in-orbit engine test of the Starship, which could revolutionize lunar travel. The conversation shifts to a fascinating story about reviving rye seeds from a shipwreck, potentially transforming whiskey production. They also touch on the loudness of rocket launches and breakthroughs in science from saber-toothed kitten discoveries to using light to combat PFAS chemicals.

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ANECDOTE

Starship's Sixth Test Flight

SpaceX launched its Starship spacecraft for the sixth time, testing in-orbit engine restart.
They chose not to attempt the booster-catching maneuver from October, prioritizing safety.

INSIGHT

Starship Launch Noise

Starship's launch is significantly louder than other rockets due to its 33 engines.
Researchers found that the sound is comparable to 10 Falcon rocket launches or five Space Launch System launches.

ANECDOTE

Shipwrecked Rye

In 1878, the James R. Bentley sank in Lake Huron carrying rye, which Chad Munger wants to revive.
This rye is historically significant for Michigan and fits into Mammoth Distilling's local ingredient focus.

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This was the sixth test launch of the Starship vehicle, which could eventually carry humans and cargo to the moon. It was extremely loud. Also, divers have recovered seeds of a long-lost rye variety from a 146-year-old shipwreck in Lake Huron. Scientists hope to bring it back to life.

SpaceX’s Starship Completes In-Orbit Engine Test

On Tuesday, the rocket company SpaceX conducted another test flight of its Starship spacecraft. In the uncrewed mission, the sixth test of the system, the company was seeking to test its ability to restart the Starship engines while in orbit, a function that’s necessary for in-space maneuvering. The rocket did launch successfully, and the engine test worked. However, at the last minute the company elected not to try to repeat an October maneuver in which it caught a returning SuperHeavy rocket booster at the launch tower, citing safety concerns.

SciFri’s Charles Bergquist joins guest host Kathleen Davis to talk about the launch, and related research into the tremendous sound created by the system’s launch and reentry. They also discuss other stories from the week in science, including the discovery of a saber-toothed kitten in Siberian permafrost, efforts to use light to help destroy PFAS chemicals, a company using Pokemon Go game data to train an AI, and more.

Michigan-Based Team To Resuscitate Shipwrecked Rye Seeds

In 1878, a wooden schooner named the James R. Bentley set sail from Chicago to Buffalo, New York. But strong winds and rough waters damaged the ship, and it sank to the bottom of Lake Huron. The crew was saved, but the ship’s cargo—a large shipment of rye—sank with it. In the years since the shipwreck, that particular variety of rye has faded out of existence.

Now, almost 150 years later, a Michigan-based team is trying to bring the long-lost rye back to life. They dove to the shipwreck, retrieved a tube full of seeds, and are planning to use gene technology to recreate the rye variety. Their goal is to encourage farmers to grow it, so that distillers can use it to make whiskey.

SciFri producer Kathleen Davis talks with Dr. Eric Olson, professor of wheat breeding and genetics at Michigan State University, and Chad Munger, founder and CEO of Mammoth Distilling.

Transcripts for each segment will be available after the show airs on sciencefriday.com.

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