SpaceX It was done again – the second ‘Hope’ flight in a month for the starship prototype. It was a test flight 150 meters (below 500 feet) from Boca Chic at a Texas development site. The prototype used in this case was the SN6, a newer model than the SN5 test article used by SpaceX to complete a similar experiment in early August.

Hope Flight is an important part of the testing program and starter engine for the StarShip. These prototypes are equipped with only one such engine, but the final production version will have six, three of which are designed to fly in Earth’s atmosphere and will be used when three vehicles are in space.

SpaceX The rapid pursuit of these two flights with controlled and straight landings is a very good indication for the spacecraft’s development plan, as there have not been many previous prototypes, and it has not yet arrived. Previous versions failed under pressure under load while mimicking what the fuel condition of the board would be.

SpaceX successfully flies its starship prototype to 500 feet

These short hops support the SpaceX data boot raptor performance and performance of a full-size prototype starship (although there are no components, including the nosecon and landing legs). All of these will gradually inform subsequent tests, including the high sub-orbital atmospheric flight intended to fly as high as commercial aircraft fly, and finally, the launch of the first orbital starship, which is likely to take place as early as next year.

SpaceX is pursuing a rapid recurring development plan for the starship, creating multiple generations of prototypes simultaneously on its Boca Chica site, with the goal of exploring and improving the design quickly, and learning from failures. The goal was to carry out the starship’s first operational missions sometime next year, but it would be incredibly remarkable if the company were to manage where they are in the development cycle of the rocket.