SpaceX fired up its newest Starship prototype on Wednesday, January 13, not only once or twice but for three times within four hours, Ars Technica reported. SpaceX engineers and technicians fueled and test-fired the SN9 prototype and its Raptor rocket ahead of its launch from Boca Chica Beach, South Texas.
SpaceX founder and chief engineer Elon Musk posted on Twitter, "Today at SpaceX is about practicing Starship engine starts. Ship is held down by massive pins while engines are fired. Two starts completed, about to try a third."
After the third test, Elon Musk once again tweeted an update saying that all three tests were successful and completed without a major issue.
Today at SpaceX is about practicing Starship engine starts. Ship is held down by massive pins while engines are fired. Two starts completed, about to try a third.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 13, 2021
Purpose of Launch Tests
According to Ars Technica, completing the launch tests in rapid succession is a notable achievement, which means the spaceship hardware, ground systems, and procedures used in the Starship launch program of SpaceX is maturing.
Musk has said before that the goal is to reach a point where one could "hop in and go" to Mars. Of course, that goal is still years into the future if it is ever realized. But SpaceX is committed to that goal and seems to be making a lot of progress toward a robust launch system.
The report said that the next step for SN9 is to go and fly once the engine tests were favorable. Since the spacecraft is already on its launch stand, Musk and his engineers are ready to conduct a readiness review in advance to another test flight to about 12.5 km, just like the flight performed last December 2020 by the SN8 vehicle.
SpaceX Gets Approval to Launch SN9
SpaceX receives approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to launch its SN9 spacecraft either on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday from Boca Chica Beach, South Texas. That means the vehicle could have an early test flight on Thursday but not later than Saturday.
The company would have to consider first the high wind levels, that are likely to remain hostile until Saturday, which might affect the test launch, Entrepreneur reported.
There is pressure to launch SN9 because SpaceX has just recently completed the assembly of the next Starship prototype, the SN10. The spacecraft is located near the high bay. Possibly by the end of this month, the SN10 would be tested since the company insists on carrying out the activity and they have other prototypes in different states.
More so, the immediate term objective of Starship is to demonstrate the orbital flight capacity of the spacecraft but for SpaceX to do that, they have to build and test a Super Heavy rocket first. The spacecraft will function as the first stage of the Starship.
The test will involve a Starship aerospace vehicle that will be launched into orbit to know whether it can safely return to Earth with a combination of heat shield plates facing the atmosphere and a complex strategy that will slow it down as it descends back to Earth and makes a safe landing.
SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell said in an interview that the orbital test flight would most likely happen within this year.
Check out more news and information on SpaceX on Science Times.
