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SpaceX engineers are working around-the-clock to prepare Starship for Flight 4, which will be the fourth fully-integrated flight test (IFT-4). They conducted another milestone static-fire test with the latest Super Heavy rocket test vehicle, identified as Booster 11, at the Starbase facility located in Boca Chica Beach, Texas.
The test, which took place on Friday, April 5, saw the Super Heavy rocket come to life with the roar of 33 Raptor engines. Fueled with cryogenic liquid Methane (CH4) and liquid oxygen (LOX), the engines briefly ignited while the vehicle remained anchored to the launch mount. Combined, the 33-Raptor engines are capable of generating over 16 million tons of thrust. The company shared an incredible video of the testing operation, shown below.
Static fire of the Flight 4 Super Heavy booster pic.twitter.com/6KMgvKSmSK
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) April 6, 2024
The upcoming flight, targeted for next month (May), will see Starship SN29 paired with Booster 11. Standing at about 400 feet tall, this duo features upgrades to accomplish more objectives than previous flights. Starship SN29, the 165-foot-tall upper-stage spacecraft, already underwent a static-fire test of its six Raptor engines and has been rolled back to the Starbase factory High Bay for final preparations, including the installation of Starlink internet antennas on the nose-cone section, which are used to maintain reliable communications with the spacecraft during flight.
SpaceX founder Elon Musk recently highlighted the main goal for Flight 4: to navigate the main peak heating portion of reentry successfully and achieve performing a controlled landing over the Indian Ocean’s waters. During the previous flight, Starship experienced issues and SpaceX lost the ship soon after reentry.
Key among the final preparations is the testing and improvement of Starship’s heat shield, Thermal Protection System (TPS), also known as “Starbrick.” The hexagonal TPS ceramic tiles are capable of withstanding extreme atmosphere reentry heat of over 2,600 degrees Fahrenheit (~1,699 Kelvin). Because stainless-steel is already heat resistant, Starship only has a heat shield on one side for extra protection when it reenters Earth’s atmosphere at high speed. The panels are hexagonal to ensure there is no straight path through which hot gas could accelerate through the gaps.
One of the most critical moments of the previous test flight occurred during reentry, as Starship experienced its first-ever entry from space during Flight 3, which provided valuable data on vehicle control during hypersonic reentry, as well as seeing how the heatshield tiles withstand extremely hot temperatures as it crossed our planet’s atmosphere. Incredible live views of the entry were made possible by Starlink antenna terminals operating on Starship, as shown in the breathtaking video clip shown below. “Reliable high-speed, low-latency internet around the world—even while traveling at 27,000 km/h [kilometers per hour] through a plasma field,” shared Starlink representatives.
Starship re-entering Earth's atmosphere. Views through the plasma pic.twitter.com/HEQX4eEHWH
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) March 14, 2024
Musk, known for his visionary goals, recently discussed SpaceX’s plans for Starship development with Starbase employees, emphasizing the ambitious objective of making life multiplanetary. The company shared a video of the presentation, linked below.
With each milestone, SpaceX moves closer to realizing this bold vision, pushing the boundaries of space exploration and paving the way for humanity’s journey beyond Earth.
At Starbase, @ElonMusk provided an update on the company’s plans to send humanity to Mars, the best destination to begin making life multiplanetary pic.twitter.com/PiX8XOgQs5
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) April 6, 2024
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