SpaceX reveals Starship Flight 7 design and technology upgrades

SpaceX has announced that Starship Flight 6 could fly as early as November 18 and also revealed some key details about Starship 7, which will launch probably next year.

SpaceX designed Starship to send maximum payload into orbit and other planets. It consists of two stages a booster (first stage) and a ship (second stage), which is called an integrated flight.

These two stages are designed for full reusability, which means the booster and the ship can return to the launch pad after completing their tasks.

SpaceX has been testing this integrated flight since April last year. To date it has conducted five tests and the sixth is coming this month. Each of these flights has achieved new milestones.

The first flight lifted off from the launch pad and reached a high altitude before blasting at hot staging. Reflecting on flight 1 data, the company improved the design and ignited all 33 of Booster’s Raptor engines with the second flight.

The 2nd flight also achieved hot staging but booster and the second stage didn’t make it to their end quite well. During the third test, SpaceX sent the ship into orbit and splashed the booster in the ocean. However, the second stage didn’t survive the reentry.

The fourth test successfully splashed down the first and second stages in the ocean. The fifth test has its own milestone of catching the first stage with mechazilla and the second stage achieved a better landing.

Through these tests, the SpaceX team and engineers kept improving the vehicle’s design and ground systems to become eligible for a commercial mission. In that case, Flight 7 could make things better for the company.

Starship Test Flight 4 Lifting Off (Image Source – SpaceX)

Starship 7

The rocket maker has confirmed that future Starships, starting with Flight 7 will carry major design upgrades. That includes new forward flaps, large propellant tanks, and new heat shields.

The ship will have a secondary thermal protection layer to support heat shield reusability. The company has planned even more upgrades, which will be made after receiving new flight data.