SpaceX Prepares for Starship’s Seventh Test Flight
SpaceX is readying for the seventh test launch of its Starship/Super Heavy vehicle, with many new improvements slated for the flight. The company’s goal is to launch as soon as January 10th, and will also conduct the first payload deployments from the Starship. The upgrades include changes to the forward flap design to reduce heat and bigger fuel tanks.
SpaceX confirmed this information in a statement on January 3rd. The launch will also be the first of a block upgrade of the Starship upper stage.
“The upcoming flight test will launch a new generation ship with significant upgrades, attempt Starship’s first payload deployment test, fly multiple reentry experiments geared towards ship catch and reuse, and launch and return the Super Heavy booster,” the company said.
Among the Starship upgrades are modifications to the forward flap design to reduce heating and enlarged propellant tanks that have 25% more volume than beforehand. The vehicle now includes a totally redesigned avionics setup with new computers, antennas, and power distribution. Also improved is the thermal protection system, with advanced tiles. Some tiles will be purposely removed to test areas, and the metal tile options will undergo water cooling.
The Super Heavy booster for this mission will be the first using previously flown hardware. The booster will use a single Raptor engine that first flew on the fifth Starship/Super Heavy test flight in October. The last flight was highlighted by a successful return.
The Starship upper stage will fly a suborbital trajectory like several recent flights, splashing down in the Indian Ocean. While in space, Starship will release 10 “Starlink simulators” that are similar in size and weight to next-generation Starlink satellites. These mass simulators will not stay in orbit.
Once Starship starts its orbital flights, deploying the V3 Starlink satellites will be critical. Each V3 satellite weighs about two tons and can carry one terabit per second of downlink capacity, ten times greater than the V2 Mini Starlink satellites that SpaceX is now launching. They will also be capable of 160 gigabits per second of uplink capacity, which is 24 times more than the V2 Mini satellites.
SpaceX has not given a specific launch date for the next Starship flight, however, airspace restrictions are in place from January 10th through January 16th. The launches will happen in the late afternoon, except for a morning launch on January 11th.
