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SpaceX’s SN11 Starship on Pad B in South Texas awaiting launch. From a distance, the first Super Heavy reinforcement prototype (BN1) continues stacking operations.
Trevor Mahlmann
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A photo of the rocket on March 16.
Trevor Mahlmann
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Close-up picture of the nose cone flaps.
Trevor Mahlmann
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The SN11 may be ready to fly on March 26.
Trevor Mahlmann
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A view with a beautiful sky.
Trevor Mahlmann
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SN11 under the lights on March 25, the night before the second static fire.
Trevor Mahlmann
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SN11 gets a new Raptor engine on March 25th.
Trevor Mahlmann
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Friday will be the day?
Trevor Mahlmann
SpaceX looks set to fly the latest prototype of its Starship vehicle – nicknamed SN11 – as early as Friday afternoon. Local residents were informed of the test as part of the mandatory evacuation from the village of Boca Chica.
This test flight for about 10 km would be SpaceX’s fourth attempt to launch a full-scale version of its spacecraft vehicle to a high altitude and then land. During the first two attempts, the vehicle failed shortly before landing, resulting in an accident. During a third flight, on March 3, the vehicle landed and stabilized, but exploded about 10 minutes later due to a fuel leak.
The latest starship prototype came quickly. He rolled onto the launch pad on March 8 and passed his first static fire test on March 22. During this test, one of the three Raptor engines apparently failed, so it had to be replaced. That done, SpaceX completed a second static fire test on Friday morning.
After this test, a preliminary review of the data apparently gave the launch team enough confidence to proceed with a flight attempt later in the day. The launch window extends to 8 pm local time in South Texas, or 1 am UTC on Saturday. The local sunset will take place around 7:45 pm.
SpaceX has a lot to gain from this test flight, as it is the fourth time that the company has attempted to demonstrate in-flight control of the large vehicle and the ability to bring it in for a safe landing. Failures are expected with such a hurried development program, but sooner or later, the company would like to actually land the starship and move on with the program.
The launch comes when SpaceX is nearing completion of the first prototype of the Super Heavy booster, which will be used to launch the spacecraft into orbit. The first version of this rocket, BN1, will not fly, but will serve as a demonstration vehicle to be moved to the launch site and tested with ground support equipment. The next reinforcement, BN2, is expected to fly and may do so this spring.
SpaceX would also like to be able to demonstrate success with Starship for NASA, which in about a month is expected to select two companies to come up with versions of a Human Landing System as part of the Artemis Moon program. SpaceX, with its Starship vehicle, is among the three competitors – alongside Blue Origin and Dynetics – and is the most advanced in the development of real hardware.
List image by Trevor Mahlmann