Starship, reusable spacecraft and second stage of the SpaceX BFR, SpaceX, Hawthorne, California, USA

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Starship | SN15 | High-altitude flight test

Streamed live May 5, 2021

As early as Wednesday, May 5, the SpaceX team will attempt a high-altitude flight test of Starship serial number 15 (SN15) – our fifth high-altitude flight test of a Starship prototype from Starbase in Texas. SN15 has vehicle improvements across structures, avionics and software, and the engines that will allow more speed and efficiency throughout production and flight: specifically, a new enhanced avionics suite, updated propellant architecture in the aft skirt, and a new Raptor engine design and configuration.

Similar to previous high-altitude flight tests of Starship, SN15 will be powered through ascent by three Raptor engines, each shutting down in sequence prior to the vehicle reaching apogee – approximately 10 km in altitude. SN15 will perform a propellant transition to the internal header tanks, which hold landing propellant, before reorienting itself for reentry and a controlled aerodynamic descent.

The Starship prototype will descend under active aerodynamic control, accomplished by independent movement of two forward and two aft flaps on the vehicle. All four flaps are actuated by an onboard flight computer to control Starship’s attitude during flight and enable precise landing at the intended location. SN15’s Raptor engines will then reignite as the vehicle attempts a landing flip maneuver immediately before touching down on the landing pad adjacent to the launch mount.

A controlled aerodynamic descent with body flaps and vertical landing capability, combined with in-space refilling, are critical to landing Starship at destinations across the solar system where prepared surfaces or runways do not exist, and returning to Earth. This capability will enable a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry both crew and cargo on long-duration, interplanetary flights and help humanity return to the Moon, and travel to Mars and beyond.

Given the dynamic schedule of development testing, stay tuned to our social media channels for updates as we move toward SpaceX’s fifth high-altitude flight test of Starship!

 

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Article "SpaceX Starship SN15 finally nails first landing without exploding"
It's the first time a flight of Elon Musk's Mars rocket prototype didn't end in a huge kaboom.

by Eric Mack
May 5, 2021

 

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SpaceX Starship! FIRST orbital flight explained

Aug 30, 2021

SpaceX is taking humans back to the moon and could one day take us to Mars. But before all that, its massive Starship rocket is gearing up for its first orbital flight. Claire Reilly breaks down how we got here and why this is such a big deal.

 

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Starbase | Gateway to Mars

Nov 1, 2021

 

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Article "SpaceX could launch 1st Starship to orbit in January, Elon Musk says"
The company hopes to conduct a dozen or so orbital Starship flights next year.

by Mike Wall
November 17, 2021

 

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Article "Elon Musk says SpaceX will launch its Starship mega-rocket to orbit for the first time this year"

by Morgan McFall-Johnsen
February 10, 2022

 

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SpaceX Starship update explained: THREE rocket launches a day

Feb 11, 2022

A new rocket built every month, refilling the Starship mid-orbit -- Elon Musk has mapped out SpaceX's vision for the future of human spaceflight and he's not aiming low.

 

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Watch Elon Musk's SpaceX Starship presentation in less than 10 minutes

Feb 11, 2022

At a SpaceX starship update event, CEO Elon Musk offers an update on his Starship rocket for an eventual trip to the Moon and Mars.

 

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SpaceX Booster 7 experiences explosion

Jul 12, 2022

Multiple angles of Booster 7 experiencing an unexpected ignition during Raptor engine testing.

Video and Pictures from the NSF Robots. Edited by Jack (@theJackBeyer).

 

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Starship mission to Mars

Apr 11, 2023

 

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Article "SpaceX postpones Starship orbital launch attempt"

by Michael Sheetz, Sara Salinas
April 17, 2023

 

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Starship first launch

Apr 20, 2023

For the first time, SpaceX used a Super Heavy rocket booster to launch a Starship upper stage, from Starbase in Texas, on 20 April 2023, at 13:30 UTC (08:30 CDT). According to SpaceX, Starship is a fully reusable transportation system, designed to carry both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond.
Credit: SpaceX
SpaceX Starship Flight Test
Super Heavy launches Starship

 

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Article "Highlights From SpaceX’s Explosive Starship Rocket Test Launch"
The most powerful rocket ever built achieved important milestones during its first full test flight, which had no people aboard, but fell short of other goals.

April 20, 2023

 

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Starship second launch

Nov 18, 2023

For the second flight test of a fully integrated Starship, SpaceX used a Super Heavy rocket booster to launch a Starship upper stage, from Starbase in Texas, on 18 November 2023, at 13:00 UTC (07:00 CST). According to SpaceX, Starship is a fully reusable transportation system, designed to carry both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond.

 

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Second Starship launch anomaly

Nov 18, 2023

The Starship upper stage experienced an unknown problem and seems to have been destroyed, approximately 7 minutes after being launched by a Super Heavy rocket booster from Starbase in Texas, on 18 November 2023, at 13:03 UTC (07:03 CST).

 

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"SpaceX Starship rocket lost in second test flight"

by Jackie Wattles
November 18, 2023

 

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Starship’s third launch

Mar 14, 2024

For the third flight test of a fully integrated Starship, SpaceX used a Super Heavy rocket booster to launch a Starship upper stage, from Starbase in Texas, on 14 March 2024, at 13:25 UTC (08:25 CDT). According to SpaceX, Starship is a fully reusable transportation system, designed to carry both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond.

 

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Article "SpaceX’s Starship notches major flight test milestones, breaks up over Indian Ocean in final moments"

by Michael Sheetz
March 14, 2024

 

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Starship’s failed re-entry

Mar 14, 2024

The Starship upper stage experienced an unknown problem during re-entry and appears to have been destroyed, approximately 50 minutes after being launched by a Super Heavy rocket booster from Starbase in Texas, on 14 March 2024, at 13:25 UTC (08:25 CDT), for its third flight test.

 

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Starship launch and Super Heavy landing 6 June 2024

Jun 6, 2024

For the fourth flight test of a fully integrated Starship, SpaceX used a Super Heavy rocket booster to launch a Starship upper stage, from Starbase in Texas, on 6 June 2024, at 12:50 UTC (07:50 CDT).