SpaceX’s next-generation Starship spacecraft has fired up in one other take a look at as the corporate prepares for its ninth flight. Starship performed a full-duration static hearth of its higher stage on the Starbase facility in South Texas on Could twelfth. The 171-foot-tall (52-metre) automobile fired all six of its mighty Raptor engines for the full-duration burn, which took about 60 seconds. This marked the third such static hearth for this particular ship, which is now present process remaining checks. SpaceX shared video and pictures of the trial in a submit on X the next day.
Starship Nears Ninth Launch as SpaceX Advances Towards Mars-Prepared Reusability
As per a House.com report, the static hearth is likely one of the final key milestones earlier than the automobile’s upcoming launch, although no date has but been introduced. The booster assigned to Flight 9 has already performed a static hearth take a look at, sparking speak it might solely be weeks from flight. Absolutely stacked, Starship stands 403.5 ft, making it probably the most highly effective rocket system ever assembled. Its super-heavy booster and ship higher stage are supposed for full reuse, a requirement for voyages to the moon, Mars, and past.
Starship has accomplished eight take a look at flights to date, two of them in 2025. Although the missions themselves blasted off with no hitch, the ship’s higher stage flubbed each instances shortly after arriving in space. Throughout these flights, Tremendous Heavy managed to fly again to Starbase and land with the help of its big launch tower’s “chopstick” arms in a dramatic manoeuvre that was considered one of a sort for SpaceX’s rocket-catching system. However each instances the ship exploded lower than 10 minutes after launch, a failure that has raised issues concerning the stability of that higher stage.
SpaceX Starship, the Mars colonisation spacecraft, has now accomplished multiple full static hearth take a look at run, and it’s anticipated to be a totally reusable spacecraft after the following take a look at flight. Till then, house watchers should maintain ready for progress at Starbase. The ninth launch of this big automobile might be not too far off if SpaceX continues to evolve and take a look at on the tempo they’re going.
