New Delhi: SpaceX has conducted a static fire test of the Starship, with all six Raptor engines. In a static fire test, the rocket remains on the launch pad or a test stand, with the engines being ignited, but the vehicle not lifting off. The rocket was clamped to the launch pad for the test.
Static fire of Flight 5 Starship’s six Raptor engines pic.twitter.com/UiF5UG432F
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 8, 2024
The main purpose of a static fire test is to very the readiness and functionality of the engines of a rocket. It ensures that the engines can ignite, operate at full thrust, and shut down when needed. These tests are essential for safety and performance considerations.
SpaceX has conducted three integrated flight tests so far. The Super Heavy booster and the Starship spacecraft were destroyed during the third flight test. During the fourth test flight, the Raptor engine will be cutoff and reignited in space, and SpaceX hopes for the Starship to survive the atmospheric reentry this time. The booster will return with a soft splashdown, slowing down its descent, while the Starship will return with a hard splashdown.
The first crewed flight of the SpaceX Starship is expected to be the Artemis III mission, that will see American boots returning to the surface of the Moon after a period of over 50 years. The Artemis III mission is currently slotted for 2025, but the timeline is unrealistic, and NASA is expected to revise them. SpaceX and other private contractors are not meeting their developmental milestones according to the planned schedule.
In fact, senior officials at NASA are mulling plans to shift the first crewed landing under the Artemis programme to the Artemis IV mission, allowing NASA and its partners more time to prepare for the return to the Moon.
Watch: SpaceX conducts static fire test of Starship
19
0
09.05.2024
New Delhi: SpaceX has conducted a static fire test of the Starship, with all six Raptor engines. In a static fire test, the rocket remains on the launch pad or a test stand, with the engines being ignited, but the vehicle not lifting off. The rocket was clamped to the launch pad for the test.
Static fire of Flight 5 Starship’s six Raptor engines pic.twitter.com/UiF5UG432F
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 8, 2024
The........
© News9Live
visit website
login
who are we?
contact us
qosheapp
Toi Staff
Gideon Levy
Belen Fernandez
Rami G Khouri
Mort Laitner
Rachel Marsden
Donald Low
Bradley Blankenship
Ali Fathollah-Nejad
Nikkei Editorial
Abbas Juma
Michael Kwet
