World News – USA – SpaceX Starship plans to conduct its first high-altitude test flight next week

SpaceX fired the engines of its Starship SN8 prototype on Tuesday evening. Billionaire CEO Elon Musk tweeted that the resulting « good static fire » vehicles produced during the last test had likely paved the way for the vehicle’s first test flight next week.

The proposed test flight of 5 km (50. 000 feet) would break the previous record for the vehicle, a hop test that maxed out at a maximum of 500 feet.

In his tweet, Musk indicated that the test flight date for next week is tentative as a review of the dates has yet to be completed, and said the goal of such an excursion is « 3 engines » test ascent, body flaps, transition from main tank to collecting tank & landing flap. In response to the question of the likelihood of a successful landing, Musk assessed the odds of a conservative « 1/3 chance » and acknowledged that « [many] things have to go right. ”

The high potential for a crash landing, Musk wrote, is « why we have SN 9 & SN10 » – the next two generations of Starship prototypes that SpaceX will be operational in the event the SN8 test flight fails. SpaceX has long pursued the strategy of sister vehicles waiting in the wings, ready to use data from previous failed prototypes to improve their successes and learn from the mistakes of previous launches.

While an enthusiastic audience will undoubtedly look forward to a decent descent to a landing pad as a token of success, Musk has previously attempted to temper expectations of a fruitful start to the SN8, reminding everyone that “it would be understood a big win with the body flaps steering the pitch and yawing & during the descent so the ship is well positioned to re-light & land. ”

I know it’s because it’s bare metal, but I can’t help but believe that it looks like some madman is building his farm instead of a real rocket.

SpaceX, Elon Musk, Launching Vehicle System Tests, Rocket