SpaceX is gearing up for the second high-altitude flight check of its next-generation Starship rocket.

As a part of pre-flight preparations, the industrial area transportation firm fired up the SN9 prototype’s three Raptor engines a complete of 3 times at its facility in Boca Chica, Texas, on Wednesday afternoon.

With SN9 anticipated to move skyward within the coming days, SpaceX is ensuring the rocket is in full working order earlier than the check flight.

SpaceX boss Elon Musk tweeted that the three checks befell with the rocket “held down by huge pins,” including later that the static fires completed with none points.

Starship SN9 Static Fireplace (THIRD of the day!)

Hopefully we'll get some phrase all went nicely at this time and so they can launch this week!

➡️https://t.co/eRoZBqx27y pic.twitter.com/f0qAztXoyQ

— Chris B – NSF (@NASASpaceflight) January 13, 2021

The Starship prototype’s first-ever high-altitude flight check befell in December 2020, sending the rocket to an altitude of round 40,000 toes — just like that of a industrial passenger jet.

As deliberate, its engines reduce out to permit it to descend again to Earth. The plan was for a mild touchdown similar to how SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rockets return, however its pace of descent was too quick and the prototype exploded in a spectacular fireball when it hit the bottom tougher than it might deal with.

Nonetheless, Musk was happy with the general effort, tweeting shortly after: “We bought all the information we wanted!” including, “Congrats SpaceX staff hell yeah!”

Now all eyes are on whether or not SpaceX can deliver the Starship down gently sufficient to keep away from one other fireworks present.

When the know-how is totally developed, SpaceX plans to launch Starship — which acts as spacecraft in addition to a second-stage booster — atop the large first-stage Tremendous Heavy rocket that’s powered by 31 Raptor engines.

The long-term aim is to make use of the Starship and Tremendous Heavy rocket as a completely reusable area transportation system carrying as many as 100 individuals and cargo to Earth orbit, the moon, Mars, and probably past.

In October, Musk mentioned an uncrewed spherical journey to Mars could take place as soon as 2024, although like so many space-related plans, that date might nicely slip.

Preliminary Starship testing during the last couple of years concerned extra fundamental prototypes being subjected to numerous strain checks, and so-called “hop” tests that despatched the car a number of hundred toes into the air earlier than touchdown again on the bottom with various levels of success.

There’s no affirmation but on the date of the following Starship flight however we’ll make sure you publish about it as quickly because the information comes by way of.

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