Tag: Starship
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Ship 20 prepares for Static Fire – New Raptor 2 factory rises
The new Raptor factory is now rising out of the ground at SpaceX’s Rocket Development and Test Facility in McGregor, Texas. Tasked with supplying Raptor 2 engines to the Starship Program, SpaceX is laying the foundations for its rapidly reusable rocket. With the Launch Tower in the process of gaining its “Mechazilla” stacking and catching…
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Ship 20 begins path to Static Fire test milestone
Despite the lack of hops over recent months, SpaceX Starbase continues to be a hive of activity with preparations ongoing for both the upcoming orbital test flight of Booster 4 and Ship 20 and the future acceleration of launch cadence with follow-on vehicles. Most of the recent focus has been directed at the Orbital Launch…
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New Raptor Factory under construction at SpaceX McGregor amid continued engine testing
SpaceX’s engine testing facility on 4,300 acres of land in McGregor, Texas, just south of the city of Waco, is undergoing new development and testing related to the Raptor engine for Starship and Super Heavy. With five test bays, the facility will soon become a hub for Raptor 2 engine assembly, with a new factory…
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SpaceX continues forward progress with Starship on Starhopper anniversary
At ~5:02 pm CDT on August 27, 2019, SpaceX successfully launched its Starhopper test vehicle on a 150-meter flight test. After ascending to 150-meters, Starhopper successfully landed at a landing pad ~160-meters away. The 150-meter flight was the last of a long line of tests that Starhopper, the first vehicle in the Starship program, conducted.…
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SpaceX achieves Fully Stacked Starship milestone
Super Heavy Booster 4 and Ship 20 were mated for a short while on Friday, marking the major milestone of a fully integrated Starship stack. While the orbital launch attempt is not imminent, the duo is expected to undergo a series of ground testing objectives, including multiple Static Fire tests for the booster. This will…
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Super Heavy Booster 3 fires up for the first time
Following a rigorous test campaign with the Starship prototype vehicles, SpaceX has turned its immediate attention to the booster that will loft its interplanetary spacecraft to new heights. Booster 3, the first prototype Super Heavy to roll to the launch site, conducted a three-engine Static Fire test on Monday. The testing at the suborbital site…
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Super Heavy Booster 3 fires up for the first time
Following a rigorous test campaign with the Starship prototype vehicles, SpaceX has turned its immediate attention to the booster that will loft its interplanetary spacecraft to new heights. Booster 3, the first prototype Super Heavy to roll to the launch site, conducted a three-engine Static Fire test on Monday. The testing at the suborbital site…
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SpaceX prepares for first Super Heavy static fire
SpaceX is readying for the first static firing of Raptor engines connected to the base of a Super Heavy booster, known as Booster 3. The test is a critical step in verifying and validating Super Heavy’s initial design for the first series of test boosters, including Booster 4, which is expected to launch Ship 20…
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Booster 3 opens Super Heavy test campaign as orbital vehicles prepare to stack
Following a test campaign focused on SpaceX’s Starship vehicle, the Super Heavy booster is now taking up the mantle of testing at the Starbase launch site. Booster 3 rolled out of the High Bay on Thursday, taking the trip down Highway 4 before being placed on suborbital Pad A’s modified mount for a series of…
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Laying the groundwork for Super Heavy amid Raptor Ramp Up
Just one year after losing Starship SN4 after a Static Fire test, SpaceX’s progress at its Starbase site in South Texas has allowed the company to focus on the debut of its Super Heavy booster. With Starship SN15’s successful landing appearing to conclude the high altitude hop tests, the vast majority of preparation work is…