This week was big at SpaceX. Preparations for the Flight 12 launch and landing test (IFT-12) have moved into the next gear as the company performed successful static fire tests on both Ship 39 and Super Heavy Booster 19 at Starbase, Texas.
On Wednesday, 15th April, SpaceX conducted a 6-engine static fire test on the upper stage Starship 39 spacecraft. The very next day, a massive 33-engine static fire test was successfully conducted on the Booster 19 lower stage rocket (Thursday, 16th April).
Starship 39 and Booster 19 combined form the Flight 12 Starship. Ship 39 is the first V3 Starship prototype. This was the first time Raptor 3 engines (both vacuum and sea-level) were fired for a full duration while installed on a V3 Starship.
These static fire tests are a major step toward the upcoming Starship Flight 12 launch, targeted for May. SpaceX performed even more ground testing on both of these vehicles after the static fire tests (videos below).
Starship 39 Static Fire Test
Ship 39 is the first V3 upper stage prototype spacecraft. The upgraded V3 Starship also uses the latest Raptor 3 generation engines for thrust on sea-level and in space (vacuum-level).
A total of six Raptor 3 engines are installed on a Starship V3 upper stage. Three sea-level (smaller thrust bells) are installed in the inner circle, and three vacuum-level Raptor 3 engines (wider bells) are installed on the outer circle of the aft section.
SpaceX has developed a steel truss structure integrated with a test stand at the Massey’s Outpost, Starbase to perform various tests on the upper stage V3 Starship. Interestingly, the 6-engine Ship 39 static fire test lasted the full duration of 60 seconds.
Super Heavy Booster 19 Static Fire Test
Last month, SpaceX conducted a 10-engine static fire test on Booster 19. This limited static fire test ended abruptly, signaling a problem.
However, SpaceX readied the Super Heavy Booster 19 rocket in less than a month for a full 33-engine static fire test and performed it yesterday.
For a series of pre-flight tests, SpaceX transported Booster 19 from the production site to the launch site at Starbase, Texas. It was mounted on the newly developed and improved orbital launch mount (OLM) Pad 2.
The design of the Pad 2 OLM is very different from its predecessor, Pad 1 OLM for V2 Starships. Pad 2 features a dual-way flame trench and an improved water deluge system. It also features a new detonation suppression system (DSS) to disperse oxygen under the launch pad to mitigate the expansion of fire and heat.
Clouds of mist and gases covered the sides of Pad 2, and ground cameras weren’t able to capture the 33-engine static fire test. However, SpaceX posted the following video from a distant camera that shows the static fire performed on Booster 19 yesterday.
The full duration of this static fire test was set at 15 seconds. Booster 19 completed the static fire test for the entire 15-second duration.
A single Raptor 3 engine delivers a 280 tonne-force (tf) of thrust. 33-engines firing at once ideally create a thrust of 9,240 tf (~20.3 million pound-force/lbf). SpaceX has designed and engineered Pad 2 to handle around 10,000 tf of thrust during testing and Starship liftoff.
With the full-scale, full-duration 33-engine static fire test, Pad 2 has also proven itself as flight-ready for the 12th Starship launch expected in May.
“Starship V3 booster & ship will be ready for their first test flight in a few weeks,” Elon Musk announced on X yesterday.
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Related Starship News, Videos, and Informative Articles
- SpaceX conducts successful static fire tests on Starship 39 and Booster 19, Flight 12 happening in a few weeks
- Starship Flight 12: Booster 19’s 10-engine static fire ends abruptly, SpaceX prepares for a 33-engine static fire test
- Starship Flight 12: V3 Booster 19 shows better propellant load speeds, static fire next with only 10 Raptor 3 engines
- Starship Flight 12: SpaceX to test Raptor 3 engines on the V3 Booster 19 for the first time
- Flight 12 Starship V3 (Ship 39) survives three cryo tests (videos)
- SpaceX prepares for Flight 12 Starship prelaunch testing, the first V3 Starship 39 (Starbase updates)
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