SpaceX
SpaceX Starship 6 Super Heavy booster completes static fire test
On October 24, 2024, SpaceX completed a static fire test for Starship 6 Super Heavy booster. The test went well and the rocket is now eligible for a flight.
Yesterday, SpaceX moved Booster 13 out of the Starfactory to the Starbase launch pad. The visuals shared online showed this giant launch vehicle transporting to the test area. Prior to engine ignition, the SpaceX team started the water deluge system to manage heat and vibration at the test site.
Super Heavy is the first stage for the integrated Starship flight that powers the flight to the upper atmosphere. It generates 7,590 tf of thrust with 33 Raptor engines. The first stage consumes cooled liquid methane and liquid oxygen with a total propellant capacity of 3,400 tons.
This booster is 71 meters tall and 9 meters wide. It is designed for reusability and returns to the launch pad after hot staging.
STATIC FIRE! Booster 13 fires up ahead of Flight 6 of Starship. Its partner, Ship 31, has already been Static Fired.
This has happened less than two weeks after Flight 5.
Live on X and YT: https://t.co/JYgUHWAJm7 pic.twitter.com/5lmDfRnL49
— Chris Bergin – NSF (@NASASpaceflight) October 25, 2024
Tests
The company fills the rocket with cryogenic propellants and then pressures it to simulate launch conditions. This process verifies its temperatures and ability to endure a similar environment during a real launch.
Static fire test ignites engines for several seconds while the booster remains on the launch pad. This allows the company to check engine issues and fix them before the final test. Such tests allow SpaceX to check launch pad stability and patch them.
Starship 5 launch recap
The latest static fire comes after Flight 5 on October 13. The test was successful and the mission concluded with the company catching the booster with the launch tower arms.
This was the first time SpaceX attempted this booster catch and caught it. The second stage also marked a targeted landing in the Indian Ocean, which will pave the way for a future mission to land the second stage on the launch pad.
Flight 5 completed this test within the scope of FAA’s license approval and it has pre-approval to fly Flight 6 if it doesn’t make any major changes in the mission’s milestone.
