SpaceX
Watch Starship 5 engine close-up during a static fire in slow motion
SpaceX has performed a static fire test on Starship Flight 5 spacecraft and published a slow-motion video of this event on social media site X.
Starship consists of two stages and the spacecraft occupies the first stage. It is 50 meters tall and 9 meters wide with 1,200 tons of propellant capacity. The upper stage contains six engines including 3 raptors and a vacuum (RVac).
The video gave an up-close look at the engine while burning the propellant, it also shows how it gradually activates the RVacs.
Slow motion view of Flight 5 Starship’s six Raptor engines during static fire pic.twitter.com/5395Vmq2j4
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) July 27, 2024
SpaceX has designed this giant spacecraft to send the heavy payload to orbit and beyond with 100-150 tonnes capacity. The company will expand this capacity in the future with new designs.
The first stage kick-starts the flight and sends it into the upper atmosphere. Here, Starship performs hot-staging and ignites the second stage’s engines.
In the past two flights, the company has tested both of these stages in action but 5th test will be crucial. This time, the booster will call for a controlled landing directly on the launch tower and chopsticks will catch it in the air.
Bottom View of Starship 5 Spacecraft during Static Fire Test at Boca Chica Starbase (Source – SpaceX)
This will be the first time Space attempt to land Super Heavy on a real tower. On the other hand, Starship will again face max heat during reentry and the company has upgraded the heat shield tiles to improve heat endurance until it reaches the landing zone.
Unlike booster, SpaceX will not perform a launch tower landing for Starship. Instead, the vehicle will maintain its trajectory and fire a landing burn before splashing into the sea.
