This is not investment advice. The author has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Wccftech.com has a disclosure and ethics policy.
SpaceX has transported its Starship Flight 7 booster to the launch pad for pre-flight tests. Starship Flight 7 will start the next phase of tests, where SpaceX will fly an upgraded upper-stage spacecraft and start to prepare to catch it with the launch tower. The test will also see yet another attempt by the firm to catch the 232-foot tall Super Heavy booster with the launch tower after an abort during Flight 6. Footage from local media shows that Starship Flight 7 Super Heavy booster made its way to the pad late at night yesterday, with SpaceX yet to confirm the move on its next page or indicate whether it is planning any tests for the rocket.
SpaceX Starts Pre-Flight Test Campaign For Starship Flight 7 Super Heavy Booster
Since the flight profiles for Starship Flight 5 and Flight 6 were identical, SpaceX flew the two missions within a month in the fastest turnaround time for its Starship test flights. Both the tests used similar first- and second-stage rockets, and they relied on similar splashdown sites for the two rockets.
However, with Flight 7, SpaceX will fly its upgraded second stage Starship for the first time. This rocket has redesigned upper stage flaps, larger tanks, improved heat shield tiles and other upgrades to improve its performance in flight. The second-stage's fins have been quite troublesome during some Starship test flights as they have caught fire during atmospheric reentry.
SpaceX tested the upper stage to the limit during Starship Flight 6 by using tougher reentry angles to exert more force on the fins than it plans for in a typical reentry profile. Flight 6 was also the first time that an upper-stage Raptor engine was reignited in space as part of a key test to inform the ship's design and ensure that it could be deorbited during an orbital flight.
Now, with Starship Flight 7 potentially planned for January, SpaceX appears to have started its pre-flight test campaign. These tests often fire the first and second-stage rockets' engines during static fires and pressurize their tanks to ensure all systems are in working order ahead of time. Footage from local media covering SpaceX's Texas facilities shows that the firm has transported Flight 7's Super Heavy booster from its processing facilities to the launch pad.
SpaceX typically confirms these events through social media, but the firm is yet to do so this time around. Since the booster was transported to the launch pad, it is likely that a static fire test might occur soon. Notices posted on Cameron County's website share that "SpaceX non-flight testing activities" on December 7th have led to highway and beach closures in Boca Chica.
Starship Flight 7 will prove to be an important stepping stone for the test campaign. SpaceX can test catch hardware for the upper stage Starship during the test, and if it can land the ship successfully again in the water, then Flight 8 should see the first tower catch attempt of an upper stage. Additionally, a tower catch for the booster will be important as well since SpaceX skipped the complex maneuver during Flight 6 due to problems with hardware on the tower.
Booster 14 has made the journey from Megabay to the launch pad ahead of upcoming testing prior to flight 7, speculated to be early January. pic.twitter.com/BYdbo4SN9V
— LabPadre Space (@LabPadre) December 6, 2024
Follow Wccftech on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds.
