SpaceX Fires Up Starship Upper Stage for Ninth Test Flight in Static Fire Trial

SpaceX’s next-generation Starship spacecraft has fired up in one other check as the corporate prepares for its ninth flight. Starship performed a full-duration static fireplace of its higher stage on the Starbase facility in South Texas on Might twelfth. The 171-foot-tall (52-metre) car fired all six of its mighty Raptor engines for the full-duration burn, which took about 60 seconds. This marked the third such static fireplace for this particular ship, which is now present process remaining checks. SpaceX shared video and pictures of the trial in a put up on X the next day.

Starship Nears Ninth Launch as SpaceX Advances Towards Mars-Prepared Reusability

As per a House.com report, the static fireplace is among the final key milestones earlier than the car’s upcoming launch, although no date has but been introduced. The booster assigned to Flight 9 has already performed a static fireplace check, sparking speak it could solely be weeks from flight. Totally stacked, Starship stands 403.5 toes, making it probably the most highly effective rocket system ever assembled. Its super-heavy booster and ship higher stage are meant for full reuse, a requirement for voyages to the moon, Mars, and past.

Starship has accomplished eight check flights to date, two of them in 2025. Although the missions themselves blasted off with out a hitch, the ship’s higher stage flubbed each instances shortly after arriving in space. Throughout these flights, Tremendous Heavy managed to fly again to Starbase and land with the help of its big launch tower’s “chopstick” arms in a dramatic manoeuvre that was certainly one of a form for SpaceX’s rocket-catching system. However each instances the ship exploded lower than 10 minutes after launch, a failure that has raised issues concerning the stability of that higher stage.

SpaceX Starship, the Mars colonisation spacecraft, has now accomplished a couple of full static fireplace check run, and it’s anticipated to be a completely reusable spacecraft after the following check flight. Till then, house watchers should maintain ready for progress at Starbase. The ninth launch of this big car might be not too far off if SpaceX continues to evolve and check on the tempo they’re going.