Tag: Raptor
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Elon Musk offers update on SpaceX’s Starship mega-rocket
File photo of SpaceX founder, CEO and chief engineer Elon Musk. Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani SpaceX founder Elon Musk detailed progress on the company’s next-generation Starship program Monday, saying the huge rocket could “probably” attempt its first launch into Earth orbit next year, and adding that the Starship will fly hundreds of missions before SpaceX puts…
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Starship SN5 conducts successful 150-meter flight test
The Starship SN5 prototype has successfully conducted a 150-meter test flight on Tuesday from SpaceX’s Boca Chica test site in Texas. Monday’s opening attempt was scrubbed after the Raptor SN27 engine aborted at ignition. Following an abort early in the window on Tuesday, the attempt late in the window saw SN5 take to the air…
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SpaceX Starship test vehicle explodes moments after test-firing
A full-size prototype of SpaceX’s Starship violently exploded in South Texas moments after a test-firing of its Raptor engine Friday, dealing a setback to the company’s next-generation reusable rocket program. A prototype of SpaceX’s Starship violently exploded in South Texas moments after a test-firing of its Raptor engine Friday, dealing a setback to the company’s…
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SpaceX test-fires Raptor engine on Starship test rocket
Video credit: SPadre / YouTube A test-firing of a Raptor engine on the latest in a series of Starship test rockets Tuesday night in Texas moved SpaceX closer to performing a low-altitude “hop” to gather data on the vehicle’s launch and landing characteristics. The single methane-fueled Raptor engine on the bottom of the Starship…
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SpaceX beginning final assembly of Starship SN1 ahead of roll to the pad
SpaceX teams have begun stacking Starship SN1 in Boca Chica, Texas. The rocket is gearing up for its first flight, which will see the vehicle fly to around 20 kilometers in altitude and then propulsively land back at the launch facility. (Lead Photo by Jack Beyer for NSF) SN1 is SpaceX’s second Starship vehicle to…
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SpaceX set to activate additional test stands ahead of busy 2020
SpaceX’s McGregor test facility is about to open two new test stands to accommodate increased Raptor engine production and a busy Falcon 9 manifest in 2020. Recent aerial images of the McGregor Texas-based facility show that both of the test stands are nearly ready for activation – with the first firings expected to occur this…
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SpaceX renovating former Falcon 9 test stand at McGregor
SpaceX is renovating the former Falcon 9 first stage test stand at their McGregor, Texas test site. Recent aerial photos show that workers have installed scaffolding near the stand, and have removed the large tower formerly used to access stages on the stand. Elon Musk confirmed the work is related to converting the stand to…
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SpaceX launches Starship “hopper” on dramatic test flight
STORY WRITTEN FOR CBS NEWS & USED WITH PERMISSION SpaceX launched its sub-scale Starship “hopper” spacecraft on a brief unpiloted up-and-down test flight at the company’s Boca Chica, Texas, test facility Tuesday, a dramatic demonstration of rocket technology intended to pave the way to a new, more powerful heavy lift booster and, eventually, crew-carrying interplanetary spacecraft. Running…
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Starhopper successfully conducts debut Boca Chica Hop
SpaceX’s Starhopper has successfully undertaken its first real hop into the Texas air on Thursday. The Hop saw the vehicle rise under the power of its Raptor (SN6) engine, around 20 meters in altitude, before translating several meters from where it launched. Elon Musk said the hop was successful and next will be a hop…
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Starhopper conducts Raptor Static Fire tests
Testing of SpaceX’s Starhopper suborbital vehicle in Boca Chica, Texas, achieved a new milestone on Wednesday evening with a Static Fire test of its Raptor engine. The test comes after over a week of Wet Dress Rehearsals (WDR) and pre-burner tests. Thursday would have technically resulted in its first hop, albeit by just inches due…