SpaceX recently completed the second “static fire” test of its Starship Super Heavy booster. The test, which took place at the company’s Starbase site in South Texas, involved the ignition of the booster’s Raptor engines while it remained on the orbital launch mount. This test lasted approximately six seconds, in line with the planned duration.

Booster 9 previously underwent a similar test on August 6, during which 29 of its 33 Raptors were ignited. It is currently unclear how many engines were engaged in the second test. SpaceX representatives have stated that data regarding the number of engines lit will be shared at a later time.

These static fire tests are part of the preparations for the upcoming second test flight of a fully stacked Starship. Booster 9 will be used in this mission, along with the upper-stage prototype known as Ship 25. The first Starship test launch, which took place on April 20, encountered issues when the vehicle’s stages failed to separate as planned. SpaceX initiated a self-destruct command to destroy Starship mid-flight.

Elon Musk, founder and CEO of SpaceX, has revealed that the company has made more than 1,000 design changes to Starship in response to the failed debut flight. These changes include implementing a “hot staging” strategy, where the upper stage will begin firing its six Raptor engines before separating from the Super Heavy booster. Additional modifications to Booster 9, such as a venting system and a heat shield, have also been made. SpaceX has installed a water-deluge system beneath the orbital launch mount to prevent damage following liftoff.

While Musk is eager for the launch of Booster 9 and Ship 25, the timeline is subject to approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which is currently reviewing SpaceX’s mishap report from the first launch.

Sources: SpaceX

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