SpaceX Moves to Next Phase of Starship Testing After Successful Hop
Following a successful 500-foot hop test, SpaceX prepares for higher-altitude Starship flights and begins work on the massive Super Heavy booster. The company also ships its first vacuum-optimized Raptor engine to Texas for testing.
SpaceX successfully completes a 500-foot hop test with its Starship prototype SN6 at the Boca Chica facility in South Texas. This flight mirrors a similar hop achieved by the previous SN5 prototype in early August, demonstrating the consistency of the stainless steel vehicle's single-engine design. The company now shifts its focus to the next major milestones in the Starship development program.
The next steps involve ground testing a new propellant tank called SN7.1, which features a different stainless steel alloy that engineers will push to its bursting point. After this tank test, SpaceX plans to fly prototype SN8, which represents a significant leap in capability. Unlike previous test vehicles, SN8 includes a nose cone, aerodynamic flaps, and three Raptor engines that enable much higher-altitude and higher-speed flights.
SpaceX simultaneously advances the hardware needed for orbital missions by shipping the first Raptor Vacuum engine from California to Texas for test-firings. This engine variant features a much larger nozzle optimized for the vacuum of space. Additionally, founder Elon Musk indicates that production begins soon on the first Super Heavy booster prototype, the massive first stage rocket designed to eventually lift the Starship upper stage into orbit.