SpaceX sets the stage for a third Starship launch later this week

In the midst of what appears to be Starship SN10’s first cryogenic proof test, SpaceX has filed Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) with the FAA for a third Starship launch as early as this week.

I’m still waiting for a good cryogenic stress test and a static fire so I would take all flight dates with a grain of salt until those two things happened.

– Michael Baylor (@nextspaceflight) February 8, 2021

Effectively identical to the last Starships SN8 and SN9, both of which suffered last-second failures that resulted in severe impacts and explosions on December 9 and February 2, Starship SN10 is a prototype steel rocket and reusable top stage measuring 50m high, 9m (30ft) wide, and some 1,350 metric tons (three million pounds) – about as much as Falcon Heavy – fully powered.

Like its predecessors, the Starship SN10 was fitted with a three Raptor engine group producing up to 600 metric tons of thrust (~ 1.3 M lbf) and was built as part of a series of four designed prototypes to prove a new rocket method. recovery.

As previously reported on Teslarati, SpaceX unexpectedly distributed security “alerts” to residents of the village of Boca Chica on Sunday, February 7, an act that only ever meant plans to (attempt to) statically fire. a prototype spaceship. However, Starship SN10 hasn’t even completed cryogenic stress testing yet, referencing a common practice SpaceX has used to check vehicle health with liquid nitrogen, simulating the extreme cold of liquid methane and propellant. oxygen without risk of violent fire or explosion.

At the moment, SpaceX is in the process of putting the Starship SN10 through its first attempt (s) of LN2 cryogenic proof. SpaceX appeared to abandon an attempt around 1:15 p.m. CST and launched a second attempt at the time of this article’s publication (~ 2 p.m. CST). If SN10 does manage to pass cryo proof in the early afternoon, there’s a chance – albeit limited – that SpaceX will then attempt to recycle for a live wet dress rehearsal (WDR; replace LN2 with methane and gas). oxygen) and a possible static fire attempt later in the day.

Even try – let alone finish – an inaugural cryoproof and a static fire on the same day would be an unprecedented feat, so the process is much more likely to take a few days. Even if it does, however, there is still a possibility that SpaceX will prepare the Starship SN10 for another high altitude launch attempt as early as this week. Stay tuned for updates!