Tag: Starship
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NASA Selects Blue Origin, Dynetics, and SpaceX Human Landers for Artemis
NASA has selected three companies to develop Human Landing Systems (HLS) to support future crewed moon landings. Blue Origin, Dynetics, and SpaceX will develop their designs over a ten month period, before a down-selection to one or two vehicles that will fly uncrewed demonstration missions. The Artemis III mission will then utilize one of these…
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Starship prototype clears cryogenic pressure test
SpaceX founder Elon Musk said a prototype for the company’s planned Starship launch vehicle passed a cryogenic proof test Sunday night in South Texas, clearing the way for teams to install a Raptor engine this week for a test-firing. The Starship test vehicle, designated SN4, was loaded with super-cold liquid nitrogen Sunday night in a…
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SN4 becomes first full-scale Starship prototype to pass cryogenic proof test
Starship SN4 became SpaceX’s first full-scale Starship prototype to pass a cryogenic proof test on Sunday evening at SpaceX’s launch site in Boca Chica, Texas. The cryogenic proof is one of the first tests necessary to prove the vehicle’s flight-worthiness. With the successful test, SpaceX teams will now work towards a static fire, and then…
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Starship SN3 failure due to bad commanding. SN4 already under construction
SpaceX Starship SN3, the latest iteration of Starship test vehicles, was lost during testing at the launch site in Boca Chica, Texas. The incident occurred during proof testing on Friday morning. However, Elon Musk has since clarified the issue was the result of incorrect commanding resulting in the loss of pressure, as opposed to any…
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SpaceX loses third Starship prototype in cryogenic ground test
A prototype for SpaceX’s Starship space vehicle collapsed during pressure testing early Friday at the company’s facility in South Texas — the program’s third failure during such testing since November — but assembly of a new version is already underway. The stainless steel cylinder appeared to rupture near its top after filling with super-cold…
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Second Starship test article implodes during pressure test
A prototype for SpaceX’s Starship vehicle imploded during a pressurization test at the company’s facility in South Texas Friday night, an event captured on video by local residents. The stainless steel structure ruptured after being loaded with cryogenic fluid at SpaceX’s seaside launch complex at Boca Chica, Texas. SpaceX was testing the test article’s…
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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 Transports Starship Hardware with Addition of New Ship
Following changes in the development plan of their next generation Starship launch vehicle, SpaceX is in the process of completing deliveries of several Starship components from Florida to Texas using a vessel named GO Discovery, a new addition to SpaceX’s ever-growing fleet of ships. SpaceX has stopped construction of hardware at its Cocoa Beach, Florida…
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SpaceX pausing some Starship work in Florida
SpaceX’s Starship Mk1 vehicle at Boca Chica, Texas. This Starship test article was damaged Credit: SpaceX SpaceX says it is temporarily halting some activity on the company’s next-generation Starship program in Florida, allowing teams to focus on building a new Starship test vehicle in Texas. But the company says it has not laid off any…
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SpaceX expediting Mk3 construction in Texas, pausing Florida-based Starship builds
SpaceX is adjusting its Starship plans to expedite development, after the first prototype vehicles – designated Mk1 and Mk2 – proved not to be flightworthy. The company now wants to build the improved Mk3 prototype as quickly as possible, with the hope that it will be able to perform the first Starship flight. As late…