SpaceX
SpaceX brings Booster 13 to the launch site for Starship Flight 6
SpaceX has rolled out booster 13 to the launch site at Starbase Boca Chica ahead of Starship Test Flight 6 targeted on November 18. This mega test will enable the rocket maker to validate new changes made to this new space vehicle.
Last month, SpaceX launched Starship Flight Test 5, which achieved a massive milestone in reusability by catching the booster with the launch tower arms.
The company had a fail-safe mechanism to cancel the catch prior to landing vertically on the launch site. However, everything went well and the catch was successful.
The Flight 5 catch is led by the success of Flight 4 with the booster landing in the sea after exhausting the final burn. The flight data recorded from Starship 5 helped the company polish booster 13.
Visuals coming via NASAspaceflight, Starshipgazer, and LabPadre showed SpaceX carrying this mega-rocket on transportation vehicle from Mega Bay to the launch site.
Two days after S31 arrived to Launch Pad A, B13 was rolled to the launch site to join it as SpaceX continues to prepare for their potential launch on Starship flight 6 in just over 108 hours from now.@NASASpaceflight
Starbase Live https://t.co/1bbXAEmS9g pic.twitter.com/xKSawgcQnJ— Elisar Priel (@ENNEPS) November 14, 2024
The Super Heavy booster is designed as the first stage and the powerhouse of the entire Starship integrated flight. It equips 33 Raptor engines using sub-cooled liquid methane and liquid oxygen.
Booster 13 has arrived at the launch complex.
11/14/24 pic.twitter.com/KOlTAr3Zfx
— Starship Gazer (@StarshipGazer) November 14, 2024
It is 71 meters tall and 9 meters wide. It has a total propellant capacity of 3,400 tons and generates 7,590 tf of thrust at liftoff.
En route to the launch site, the first stage fires 13 raptor engines to slow down the rocket and land between the launch tower’s robotic arms.
Starship Flight 6 will also focus on the second stage’s reentry phase and you can check its details here.
