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After it shipped its first and second stage rockets to the launch site earlier this week, SpaceX successfully tested all six engines on its Starship second stage rocket in the evening yesterday. SpaceX is developing the Starship rocket in Boca Chica, Texas, and the ambition of the project is to make the rocket the largest of its kind in history. The second stage Starship is also the only rocket of its kind that is designed to be fully reusable apart from its heatshield tiles. It is also a part of NASA's Artemis program that plans to land the first humans on the Moon this millennium, making these tests quite important.
SpaceX Speeds Ahead With Starship Tests Ahead Of Third Orbital Test Flight
When compared to the second Starship test flight last month, SpaceX is moving fast with the third test. The second test came after considerable regulatory delays after SpaceX had to secure the FAA and FWS's approval for the rocket and the launch pad. It launched the rocket as soon as the approval was granted, and the nature of the second test flight limits the firm to working only with the FAA.
This shortens the timeline on which SpaceX and FAA can clear the rocket for its third test flight. The government agency was quick to start its Starship mishap investigation on the eve of the second flight in November. A month after the agency kicked off the investigation, it has not provided any updates, making it safe to assume that SpaceX has not received the regulator clearance to fly the fully stacked Starship system for the third time.
However, this hasn't stopped SpaceX from working on and testing its rockets. As is characteristic of the test campaign before launch, SpaceX has started to prepare for the third Starship test flight by testing the second stage of the rocket.
Flight 3 Starship completed a full-duration static fire with all six of its Raptor engines pic.twitter.com/Mxn8faKcEv
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) December 20, 2023
SpaceX conducted what was most likely a test of the Starship second stage's pumps earlier this week, and while the firm did not share any details of this test, it followed up yesterday evening with a full duration static fire. A static fire tests all of the rocket's engines at varying power levels to countless systems and ensure that there are no glitches at the time of launch.
According to SpaceX, the test was a success, which now turns our attention to the star of any orbital test flight, the Starship Super Heavy booster. The second orbital test flight was quite successful for the Super Heavy. Not only did it clear the pad without causing any damage, but none of its engines shut off during the ascent portion. The engines also successfully relit after stage separation, with the booster nevertheless failing to descend.
Amidst speculation that SpaceX did not fire the Super Heavy's engines to their full thrust in November, the Super Heavy's ability to complete the descent portion of its journey, coupled with the first stage's ability to reach orbit, will be crucial milestones for the third Starship test flight. The bit about the booster is quite important since the Super Heavy is markedly different from SpaceX's workhorse, the Falcon 9.
While the Falcon 9 is capable of landing on its own courtesy of its landing legs, the Starship Super Heavy will instead be 'caught' by the launch tower. This is a risky endeavor since any anomaly with the 233 feet tall rocket at the pad during descent carries the risk of damaging the tower. SpaceX appears to be aware of this risk, as the firm might have started building a second tower at its site, according to footage from local media. A second tower would protect the Starship program from any mishaps and ensure that SpaceX is able to rapidly test its rockets.
2nd piece of a new Starbase Orbital Launch Tower just arrived from Florida.
11/16/23https://t.co/qn7TnVzx7p pic.twitter.com/7W3s9Q7lbK
— Starship Gazer (@StarshipGazer) November 17, 2023
About the author: Ramish is a seasoned technology writer and editor with more than a decade of experience. He specializes in semiconductor fabrication and market analysis. With a background in finance and supply chain management - via his bachelors in Finance and a micromasters in supply chain management from MIT - Ramish combines financial rigor with deep industry insight to deliver accurate and authoritative coverage.
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