SpaceX has successfully unveiled a new Starship prototype Raptor engine, which puts the company on track for its second Starship hop test this week.
The milestone comes not long after SpaceX Starship serial number 6 (SN6) completed its first cryogenic proof, a liquid nitrogen pressure test (LN2) used to safely check the structural integrity of tanks (and rockets, in particular) . Measuring 9m (30 ft) wide and some 30m (~ 100 ft) long, RollX rolled Starship SN6 from its Boca Chica, Texas brand to a nearby test and launch facility on August 11 and took its first acceptance test on August 16.
Now, just seven days after its cryo-proof, SpaceX has installed a new Raptor engine (SN29), SN6 is preparing for a very risky test round, and completed a static fire with the named engine, leaving just one important step between it Starship and her hop debut. Of course, the process still had its fair share of hiccups.
SpaceX’s first SN6 static fire test window – published by Cameron County in the form of road closure notices – was set for 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CDT (UTC-5), Aug. 23, a few days after the Starship’s cryo-evidence. The first test attempt began at 9:30 a.m., but was recently aborted when SpaceX employees returned to the launch pad to (often) resolve issues. The second attempt started at 2.30pm, leaving a little less than half of the test window available.
Attempt # 2 almost managed to win a static fire, and could break down a second or less before Raptor ignition was around 3:41 p.m. Once again, SpaceX crews returned to the path after Starship was disconnected and secured, briefly inspecting the general location of the rocket’s Raptor engine before clearing the path again at 6:30 p.m. Finally, Starship SN6 started a smooth and fast stream that culminated in the ignition of Raptor SN29 at 7.45am, just 15 minutes before the end of the SpaceX test window.
As with all SpaceX static fires, engineers still need to analyze the data produced – and possibly inspect pad or rocket hardware – to check the health of the car before proceeding with launches. Unlike all other SpaceX static fires, the company announces the results of those tests – even the enhanced launch window – during prototype development programs. In the context of iterative development of aviation, although there may be such a thing as a “good” or “bad” test, all tests – as long as they are performed safely and a large amount of useful data produce – essentially successful.
As such, it is probably for the best that SpaceX does not put the public focus on the “success” of any given test. However, this means that unofficial guesswork is typically the only way to determine the results of any given test and how these results affect the next steps. For SN6, the broad-based conclusions that can be drawn from unofficial livestreams suggest that the first static fire of the Raptor’s Starship was a success. Assuming that the unknown cause (s) of the two previous abortions of the day were minor and easily corrected, SpaceX is probably just on schedule for the first hop attempt of Starship SN6.
The first flight of SN6 is expected to be an almost identical copy of Starship SN5’s highly successful August 4 debut, following the same 150m (~ 500ft) parabolic trajectory. Locked up for SN6’s August 23 static fire, SpaceX has pen fights for Starship SN6’s own hop debut on Friday, August 28. Thanks to the fact that SpaceX was able to fulfill both the cryo-proof and static fire of SN6 on the first day of its respective test windows, August 28th is probably well within reach. Stay tuned for updates as Starship SN6’s hop debut schedule solidifies.
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