SpaceX is poised for the forthcoming Starship flight test, with the objective of progressing toward complete reusability of the launch system as the year unfolds, which appears to be monumental for the launcher.
The launch from Starbase Orbital Launch Pad A in South Texas is now slated for 5:00 p.m. Eastern (2200 GMT) on Jan. 10. The launch window will remain open for 97 minutes, with backup dates extending to Jan. 16. You will be able to watch the livestream on Space.com, should SpaceX provide it as usual.
Starship comprises the colossal first stage known as Super Heavy and an upper-stage vehicle termed Starship, or simply “Ship.” The launch from Boca Chica Beach is set to showcase several new enhancements and goals, building upon the impressive Flight Test 6 conducted in November of the previous year.
Most importantly, this will mark the initial occasion SpaceX endeavors to deploy payloads with Starship, utilizing 10 Starlink simulators to evaluate the system’s capability to deploy operational next-generation Starlink satellites in future missions. The deployment of these advanced, heavier Starlink satellites will serve as one of the applications for Starship.
The simulators will follow the same suborbital path as the Starship upper stage, with Ship aiming for a splashdown in the Indian Ocean.
In terms of advancements, the flaps on the Starship upper stage have been reduced in size and positioned closer to the tip of the vehicle, minimizing their exposure to heat and simplifying the protective tiling. Additionally, modifications to the propulsion system permit a 25% increase in propellant capacity, SpaceX disclosed in a statement.
“The ship’s heat shield will also incorporate the latest generation tiles and includes a backup layer to safeguard against missing or damaged tiles,” the statement indicates.
Super Heavy, on the other hand, will reemploy Raptor engine number 314, which previously flew on Booster 12 and was remarkably caught by the tower chopsticks during Flight Test 5, representing a small step toward reusability.
The objective is for Super Heavy — the 14th booster of its kind — to return to the pad for a catch attempt. However, if the required conditions are not met, the booster will instead proceed to the Gulf of Mexico for a landing burn and gentle splashdown.
The tower has also undergone upgrades. It will test radar sensors for enhanced accuracy when calculating the distances between the chopsticks and the returning craft, and there are also improved sensor safeguards to mitigate damage seen in prior launches.
“This new year will be revolutionary for Starship, with the ambition of making reuse of the entire system operational,” SpaceX stated in the release. The company aims to conduct progressively ambitious missions, working toward sending humans and cargo into orbit around the Earth, and eventually to the moon and Mars.