SpaceX‘s Starship upper stage successfully completed a full-duration static fire test on Monday at its Starbase facility in South Texas.
What Happened: The 165-foot-tall vehicle fired all six of its Raptor engines, a crucial step before its fourth test flight, potentially in May.
These static fires, where engines are ignited while the vehicle remains anchored, are standard prelaunch tests. This one specifically prepared Starship for its upcoming flight.
SpaceX is still analyzing data from the third Starship flight, which launched on March 14. The 400-foot-tall megarocket, consisting of the Ship and the Super Heavy booster, performed well during the initial ascent, according to SpaceX.
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However, the booster’s landing burn failed, causing it to disintegrate about 1,650 feet above the waves. While the Ship flew for about 50 minutes and achieved several milestones, it also disintegrated during its reentry to Earth’s atmosphere.
Why It Matters: Despite the unsuccessful landing of the third flight, SpaceX plans to conduct six or more Starship test flights this year to get the fully reusable vehicle operational as soon as possible. However, the timing of flights is still subject to regulatory approvals, particularly launch licenses from the FAA.
This latest test signifies progress toward SpaceX’s ambitious goals. Earlier this year, Elon Musk revealed plans to build space stations on Mars and the Moon, ultimately aiming to establish a self-sustaining city on Mars. The successful completion of the fourth Starship test flight will be a significant step towards realizing these dreams.
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Image: Created with artificial intelligence on MidJourney and Official SpaceX Photos on Flickr
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