SpaceX
SpaceX rolls out Booster 14 for static fire prior to Starship Flight 7
SpaceX has rolled out the Booster 14 for a static fire test ahead of Starship Test Flight 7 early next year. Visuals coming from Nasaspaceflight and Starshipgazer confirmed that the company has rolled out the booster to the launch pad at Starbase, Texas.
The booster is now standing on the launch pad waiting for its term to fire the engines.
The Starship stands tall at 121 meters with a 9-meter diameter. It has a payload capacity of 100 to 150 tons to take large cargo to orbit and beyond.
SpaceX showing no signs of slowing down, rolling out Booster 14 to the launch pad for its first round of testing ahead of Flight 7 early next year.@NASASpaceflight pic.twitter.com/XRphzdloWc
— Elisar Priel (@ENNEPS) December 6, 2024
The super heavy leads clear the ground with its 33 Raptor engines burning at full power and generating 7,590 tf of thrust. It has a propellant capacity of 3,400 tons and a massive 71-meter height.
It burns sub-cooled liquid methane and liquid oxygen to generate that thrust at liftoff and take the integrated flight at high altitudes.
At hot-staging the first stage separates from the second stage and the booster performs a boostback maneuver to head back to Earth. Both stages are designed for full reusability and vertical landing.
During Flight 5, the first stage completed its final burn and landed between the launch tower’s robotic arms, completing the first-ever booster catch. The company tried to repeat the catch with Flight 6 but due to some technical issues, the booster deflected to the Gulf of Mexico for splashdown.
However, Flight 7 will attempt this catch again and we have a shot at seeing the catch for the second time.
A recent request application was filed with the Federal Aviation Administration revealing that Flight 7 could happen as soon as January 11, 2025. Until then, the company will perform different tests on the first and second stages to launch proof of their functionalities.
