Another day, another fixed fire test, another milestone on the road to area! For months, crews at the SpaceX Starbase near Boca Chica, Texas, have been conducting fixed fire tests of the B7 Super Heavy booster prototype. In previous tests, the landing crew test-fired 7 to 14 of the B7s Raptor 2 engines for periods lasting 7 to 13 seconds. Today, the teams prepped the BN7 Booster for the very first static fire test, where all thirty-three engines would fire simultaneously. While 2 of its Raptors did not fire, the test was a success and set a brand-new record for the quantity of thrust produced in a single booster fire.
The occasion, live-streamed by NASA Spaceflight and several media outlets, started with the announcement of a roadway closure that would last from 8:00 am to 08:00 pm CST (06:00 am to 06:00 pm PST). An overpressure notice was likewise provided to the citizens of Boca Chica village, informing citizens to the possibility that failure might result in shocks that could shatter windows. The rest of the morning included the B7 being and venting sustained with liquid oxygen and methane till frost formed on its exterior.
At 3:13:53 pm CST (1:13:53 pm PST), the boosters engines were fired up and burned for over five seconds. According to SpaceX, a successful test would have generated over 7.9 million kg (17.5 million pounds) of thrust, making the B7 the most powerful booster ever checked.
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Group turned off 1 engine prior to start & & 1 stopped itself, so 31 engines fired overall.But still enough engines to reach orbit! https://t.co/QYx3oVM4Gw— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 9, 2023
The successful test also places SpaceX closer to a possible orbital launch by March. It is unclear at this time if SpaceX will try to develop on this success by conducting that long-awaited flight or attempt another fixed fire with all 33 Raptor engines.
After a little bit of a lull, the Starship is back on track and set to end up being the most powerful launch system ever built!
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While not all the engines fired, this test set a new record for thrust and sneak peeks what the fully-stacked Starship will be capable of.
Musk took to Twitter shortly after and shared the outcomes from the ground team, specifying that 31 engines fired given that one engine was shut off prior to ignition was attempted while a second shut down automatically. It is unclear at this time if SpaceX will attempt to develop on this success by carrying out that long-awaited flight or attempt another static fire with all 33 Raptor engines.
Today, the teams prepped the BN7 Booster for the first fixed fire test, where all thirty-three engines would fire at the same time. While two of its Raptors did not fire, the test was a success and set a brand-new record for the amount of thrust produced in a single booster fire.
As part of NASAs Artemis Program, this mission (Artemis I) saw the heavy launch system effectively send an uncrewed Orion spacecraft on a circumlunar flight. This flight, and the crewed Artemis II mission, will prepare NASA and astronauts for a crewed flight in 2025 (Artemis III) that will land astronauts on the Moon for the very first time since the Apollo Era. The flight was likewise notable for breaking all previous records for distance took a trip from Earth. While not all the engines fired, this test set a brand-new record for thrust and previews what the fully-stacked Starship will can.
SpaceX immediately required to Twitter to reveal success and mentioned that the engines had fired for a “Full period.” Musk took to Twitter soon after and shared the outcomes from the ground group, specifying that 31 engines fired since one engine was shut off prior to ignition was tried while a second shut down instantly. Still, Musk emphasized that the successful shooting of 31 Raptor engines were “still sufficient engines to reach orbit!”
