SpaceX has finally tested all the engines of the first stage of the Starship , the rocket with which it hopes to reach the Moon and Mars.
SpaceX ‘s Starship prototype interplanetary craft has just taken a big step toward its first orbital test flight, which Elon Musk plans to carry out in March.
A version of the first stage of the Starship , known as Booster 7 , ignited 31 of its 33 Raptor engines during a “static fire” test conducted on February 9 at SpaceX ‘s Starbase facility in South Texas.
“The team shut down one engine just before launch and another stopped itself, so in total 31 engines were turned on. But there are still enough engines to reach orbit,” Musk himself said, via Twitter after the test.
If this doesn’t motivate you, I don’t know what does.
33 boosters have been successfully tested and now it’s time to launch Starship to orbit!#SpaceX pic.twitter.com/hbwTTTgIn1
— Teslaconomics (@Teslaconomics) February 10, 2023
Fireproof
The static shot lasted about seven seconds, the duration that SpaceX had anticipated in advance. Upon completion, the huge cloud of smoke formed by the activation of the engines dissipated and Booster 7 reappeared in apparently undamaged condition, reports Space.com.
This engine starting test is a key step for the first launch of Starship , which will consist of a one-orbit flight around the Earth.
The Starship vehicle being prepared to launch into space consists of a Super Heavy prototype called Booster 7 and the Ship 24 upper stage variant, which was removed from the rocket for this latest test.
On its first flight into space, Starship is scheduled to fly around Earth once, with a splashdown target in the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii. Booster 7 will return to Earth in the Gulf of Mexico shortly after liftoff.