SpaceX’s Starship prototype Ship 28 conducts successful static fire test
SpaceX has successfully conducted a “static fire” test with its Starship upper-stage prototype Ship 28, marking a significant step forward for the company’s ambitious spaceflight goals.
The test, which took place at SpaceX’s Starbase site in South Texas on Dec. 20, saw the vehicle’s Raptor engines briefly ignited while it remained anchored to the pad. Ship 28 is being prepared for Starship’s third test flight, which SpaceX intends to launch in the coming weeks.
“Flight 3 Starship completed a full-duration static fire with all six of its Raptor engines,” SpaceX announced in a post on X (formerly Twitter), accompanied by a video of the test.
The Starship vehicle, which consists of a first-stage booster called Super Heavy and a 165-foot-tall upper-stage spacecraft, is designed to be fully and rapidly reusable, powered by SpaceX’s next-generation Raptor engine.
Starship has undergone two test flights to date, in April and November of this year, both of which encountered various issues and did not achieve their intended goals. SpaceX is now gearing up for a third test flight and has been conducting tests on Ship 28 and its flight partner, Super Heavy prototype Booster 10.
However, the timeline for the next launch remains uncertain, as SpaceX will need to obtain a launch license from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) before proceeding. The FAA is currently overseeing an investigation into the issues encountered during the second test flight and will not grant a license until corrective actions, if any, are implemented.
Despite these challenges, SpaceX’s successful static fire test is a promising sign for the future of the Starship program, demonstrating the company’s dedication to making space travel more accessible and efficient.