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SpaceX has now accomplished the first-ever static hearth of a flown Tremendous Heavy Booster, Booster 14, which is ready to fly on Flight 9. Ship 35, which can also be set to fly on Flight 9, is predicted to be the following milestone forward of flight, because it waits to finish engine testing at Masseys doubtlessly as quickly as subsequent week.
Booster 14 Static Hearth
On April 1, SpaceX rolled Booster 14 out to the launch website and positioned it on Orbital Launch Pad A. That is the primary time this booster has been exterior Mega Bay 1 since returning after being caught on Flight 7. SpaceX didn’t waste any time on testing this booster, when simply two days later, Booster 14 accomplished a 33-engine static hearth, marking a big milestone within the Starship Program.
The static hearth had a standard length of round eight seconds, and all three banks of engines could possibly be seen igniting in the course of the static hearth. This turns into the primary already flown Tremendous Heavy Booster to finish a static hearth take a look at, and it is part of a launch marketing campaign for flight. As confirmed by SpaceX, Booster 14 can be reused and flown on Flight 9, and it’ll fly with 29 reused engines, having solely 4 new Raptors.
Booster 14 being lifted onto the OLM (Credit score: Tough Riders Present for NSF)
This can be a main step within the Starship Program’s path to reusability. Going ahead, every of the final 4 Block 1 Boosters must be reused at the very least as soon as. At present, these are Booster 14, Booster 15, Booster 16, and Booster 17. Booster 18 is predicted to be Block 2, the following technology of Booster design.
Reusing these boosters and engines means SpaceX can concentrate on constructing these next-generation autos and engines whereas reusing the older-generation {hardware} to proceed amassing flight take a look at information. This flight can even assist SpaceX collect information on booster reuse to higher inform any design modifications with newer-generation boosters down the road.
As for bringing again Booster 14 for a second time, SpaceX hasn’t confirmed if groups will attempt to carry the booster again or presumably splash it down within the Gulf of Mexico. There have been some rumblings that SpaceX won’t intend to catch Booster 14 however carry out high-stress testing on it. Nevertheless, SpaceX has confirmed nothing concerning what groups plan to do with Booster 14 after its ascent burn.
Booster 14 earlier than its milestone static hearth (Credit score: BocaChicaGal for NSF)
Ship 35
Ship 35 continues to be tucked away inside Mega Bay 2 since finishing its cryogenic proof assessments on March 11 and 12. If this ship follows Ship 34’s readiness timeline, it could be set to static hearth on April 4. Given the ship just isn’t at Masseys, this didn’t occur.Â
The ship itself won’t be prepared but and wishes extra time to complete up meeting and upgrades, presumably associated to Ship 34’s failure. The opposite motive could possibly be that the Masseys Static hearth trench isn’t prepared after getting work completed following Ship 34’s 60-second static hearth. Both approach, Ship 35 might roll out to Masseys subsequent week for engine testing. There’s now a highway closure that could possibly be for Ship 35’s journey to the take a look at website as quickly as April 8.
Ship 35 at Masseys for Cryo with Booster 16 (Credit score: BocaChicaGal for NSF)
It’s unknown if SpaceX will do one other 60-second static hearth or if crews will strive a unique take a look at to confirm any modifications made to forestall one other failure. At present, April just isn’t off the desk for Flight 9 as groups have been in a position to end Ship 34 in 24 days after it accomplished its static hearth. Nevertheless, it’s possible that Flight 9 will occur someday in early Could.
Regulatory
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has closed the Mishap investigation into Flight 7. In response to the FAA, SpaceX recognized 11 corrective actions to forestall a reoccurrence of the occasion and carried out them previous to Flight 8. It’s at present unknown what the precise reason behind Flight 8’s failure was in comparison with Flight 7, however each occurred at across the similar time in flight and each led to the entire lack of the automobile.
SpaceX shouldn’t want a license modification for this upcoming flight. Nonetheless, it requires both a security dedication or a closure of the mishap investigation into Flight 8 for return to flight. At present, the standing of both of those choices is unknown.
The @FAANews has confirmed each the mishap in Starship flight 7 and New Glenn Flight 1 are closed.
Each are closed with none security influence.@NASASpaceflight pic.twitter.com/cPOoQXtQVc
— Adrian Beil (@BCCarCounters) March 31, 2025
Orbital Launch Pad A
On condition that the launch pad that may host Flight 9 simply supported a static hearth from Booster 14, there can be a number of extra steps to refurbishment earlier than the pad is able to host an precise launch. Prior to now, indication was the portray of the Orbital Launch Mount legs, however SpaceX hasn’t painted these since earlier than Flight 7.
Earlier than this static hearth, one of many hold-down arms reverse the Booster Fast disconnect was changed, which SpaceX hasn’t completed throughout previous refurbishments. The 16 static fires and eight launches might have began to put on down the booster take a look at stand, turned Orbital Launch Mount.Â
(Credit score: Tough Riders Present for NSF)
A brand new addition to the Launch Pad is a high-pressure fuel line operating up the again aspect of the launch tower to the Ship’s Fast Disconnect. This could possibly be a Carbon Dioxide line for a more recent hearth suppression system on the ship, this might exchange the nitrogen system that was put in for Flight 8. If that is for a purge system it would point out that the system on Flight 8 didn’t precisely do its job.
Featured Picture: Booster 14 Second Static Hearth (Credit score: BocaChicaGal for NSF)
