Image: SpaceX
In what is likely the biggest week in Starship development since the last full rocket flight, SpaceX completed two static launches of its next-generation Starship rocket at Starbase, Texas. Both tests represent a major step forward in getting both the booster and the upper stage, known as the ship, ready for Starship Flight 12.
On Tuesday, April 14, SpaceX conducted what it called a “full-time static fire” of 39 of its ships at Starbase. This was the first static fire to occur at SpaceX’s Massey test outpost after the test stand was destroyed during the Ship 36 test.
A day later, SpaceX conducted another static fire test on Booster 19, which was installed on Starbase’s new Launch Pad 2. This short static fire tested all 33 engines in the bottom of the booster, as well as the new launch pad’s deluge and detonation system.
These two tests were completed and both vehicles returned to their respective Megabays. Megabay 1 for Booster 19 and Megabay 2 for Ship 39. SpaceX will now perform a final checkout of the vehicles before sending both vehicles to Launch Site 2 for full-stack integration prior to launch.
Both of these vehicles are Starship’s first V3 configurations. The third generation of SpaceX’s Starship rockets are taller, more capable, and hopefully more reliable than the previous two generations.
One of the big upgrades to the V3 Starship is the third generation of SpaceX’s Raptor, a methane-fueled engine used in both stages of the rocket. These engines are simplified and are much more reliable. When you look at these engines side by side, it is hard to tell that they are the same engine.
The engine is also much more powerful than previous Raptor versions. SpaceX wants to extract up to 300 tons of power from each engine. So far, its weight has reached up to 280 tons.
Starship V3 would be a major step forward for SpaceX’s Moon and Mars programs, which now have a new focus on the Moon. Starship V3 will allow SpaceX to begin testing in-orbit refueling. This should be the version that launches the HLS version of NASA’s Starship vehicle for the future Artemis moon landing and begins the deployment of the next generation Starlink satellites.
Space Explored opinion
In recent weeks, NASA has focused on Artemis 2, the first manned mission to orbit the moon since Apollo. With that done, the focus returns to the lunar module, the next step in moving Artemis forward.
SpaceX, in typical Elon Musk fashion, has surpassed every milestone it was told it could achieve, making it the biggest sticking point for Artemis’ success. Starship hasn’t reached orbit yet, and humans are less than two years away from landing on the moon. We have yet to test the most important part of making the HLS variant work: in-orbit refueling.
Here comes a company you should never bet on. But more and more I want to do that. This either means that SpaceX isn’t slowly losing its edge, or that it’s about to do some absolutely amazing things.
Regardless of the outcome, Starship Flight 12 will be a major step forward for the company, which has not launched a Starship rocket in six months. We spent a lot of time refining the production and launch infrastructure necessary for the program to be a long-term success. So getting back in the saddle and starting a fresh start only helps the idea that the program is not stagnant.
Starship Flight 12 is expected to be the first of many flights from Texas this year.
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