SpaceX Achieves Second Successful Starship Prototype Hop Test in Texas
SpaceX completes a 500-foot test flight of its SN6 Starship prototype, marking the second successful hop in under a month. These rapid iterations pave the way for future high-altitude and eventual orbital flights.
SpaceX successfully flies its SN6 Starship prototype to a height of around 500 feet at its Boca Chica, Texas development site. This short hop test marks the second time in less than a month that the company achieves a controlled, upright landing, demonstrating clear progress after earlier prototypes experienced pressurization failures under load.
The current test vehicles operate using just one Raptor engine, but the final production version of the Starship spacecraft will feature six engines total. Three of these engines are designed specifically for atmospheric flight, while the other three will handle operations in the vacuum of space.
These low-altitude flights provide SpaceX with valuable data about Raptor engine performance and overall prototype handling, even without the nosecone and final landing legs attached. This rapid iteration development approach builds directly toward upcoming sub-orbital tests and an eventual orbital launch, which is currently slated for next year at the earliest.