SpaceX recently achieved a significant milestone as both prototypes of their colossal new rocket triumphantly passed a crucial test. In a momentous event, the propellant was meticulously loaded into Booster 9 and Booster 10, the awe-inspiring “Super Heavy” first stages of the grand Starship deep-space vessel.
The highly-anticipated Booster 9 fueling operation occurred on the orbital launch mount at SpaceX’s Starbase site in South Texas, while the Booster 10 test was meticulously conducted at the nearby Massey’s Test Facility.
Exciting news emerged as SpaceX declared, via X (formerly Twitter), the successful completion of propellant load tests for the remarkable Starship Super Heavy Boosters 9 and 10, today (July 25).
The post was accompanied by captivating photographs of the stainless-steel boosters, beautifully adorned with frost from the supercold propellants, namely liquid methane and liquid oxygen.
While SpaceX refrained from disclosing the precise date of these significant tests, it can be deduced that they were carried out in the past few days, at least for Booster 9, as it was ceremoniously transported to the orbital launch mount on July 20.
These momentous fueling tests represent crucial strides in SpaceX’s diligent campaign to prepare both boosters for an imminent flight.
The much-anticipated liftoff may not be far away, especially for Booster 9, which is slated to undertake the next Starship test flight, as confirmed by none other than the visionary founder and CEO of SpaceX, Elon Musk. Musk enthusiastically mentioned that this flight could very well occur during this very summer.
However, while the timeline is undeniably ambitious, there might be potential regulatory challenges that SpaceX needs to navigate. A coalition of passionate environmental groups is presently embroiled in a legal battle with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, which is the authority responsible for granting launch licenses.
These groups have raised concerns, asserting that the agency inadequately assessed the potential harm that Starship liftoffs could inflict upon the delicate South Texas ecosystem and its communities.
Starship is an extraordinary marvel, composed of the powerful Super Heavy booster and an impressive 165-foot-tall (50 meters) upper stage spacecraft aptly named Starship, albeit somewhat perplexingly.
Both these elements are ingeniously designed to be completely and expeditiously reusable, and they are propelled by the mighty new Raptor engine developed by SpaceX.
Notably, this powerful engine differs from the Merlin engine utilized in SpaceX’s existing operational rockets, namely Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy.
The all-encompassing Starship, with its two prototypes, has only taken to the skies on a solitary occasion in a momentous test flight that occurred on April 20. During this ambitious mission from Starbase, Booster 7 and Ship 24 prototypes were involved in the grand endeavor.
The aim was for Ship 24 to complete a partial circuit of Earth and ultimately make a triumphant splashdown near Hawaii. However, fate had other plans, as the stages encountered difficulties during the separation process, compelling SpaceX to take decisive action and command a self-destruct sequence. Regrettably, the vehicle met its fate, detonating approximately four minutes after liftoff.
Undeterred by this setback, the upcoming test flight featuring Booster 9 and Ship 25 will strive to achieve objectives similar to the memorable April 20 mission, as stated by the indefatigable Elon Musk.