Updated 28.1.

Updated 18:35 The flight seems to have been postponed to exactly tomorrow.

Updated 18:05 Today’s airline cancellation:

The question now is whether a new one with modified parameters can be approved quickly. However, some sources claim that this was due to strong winds. If so, it will not fly.

Updated 17:15 Duane Majer stated that, given the current work on the ramp, it does not look like a start will be made in the near future. So the start of the broadcast was temporarily postponed to 19:45.

SpaceX on its website AnnouncedThe long-awaited test flight of the SN9 prototype will take place today, viz. Thursday, January 28th.

According to published information, this will be similar to the flight of the previous prototype. So the SN9 must first climb to an altitude of 10 km, after which there will be a “controlled aerodynamic descent”.

This launch already has the status of “Go to launch” on the SpacePlease launch server. Our time begins live broadcast at 5:45 pm with Duson Major’s Czech commentary:

Updated 26.1.

The test flight did not take place yesterday, and most likely it will not happen today. Space Space Launch Now server currently displays 27.1, but status still needs to be “confirmed”. According to available information, the reason for the postponement this time was the weather, especially strong winds.

However, the start of the live broadcast has been postponed to tomorrow (our time is 20:00).

Updated 25.1.

The SN9 prototype is ready for flight after replacing two Rapouter engines and other statistical ignition tests. Elon Musk tweeted on Saturday morning that the event was expected to take place earlier this week:

According to the provisional flight control document published by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), we can only imagine this today.

According to the lookout, which aims to warn pilots to avoid the area – there are two other dates to play: tomorrow and Wednesday.

Updated 18.1.

Elon Musk said on Twitter on Friday that the two SN9 prototype engines needed minor repairs and therefore needed to be replaced. The engineers came to this conclusion based on the analysis of data collected in previous tests.

The local photographer was able to take a detailed picture of one of the suspicious engines, Raptor No. 44:

He also shared a short video of the engine being transported from the launch pad to a nearby rocket factory:

Of course, after the new engines are installed, more static ignition tests and pre-flight preparations will follow. It is not yet clear when the planned 12.5-kilometer “jump” will take place.

Updated 14.1.

Elon Musk announced on his Twitter account yesterday that the SN9 prototype has successfully passed its fourth consecutive static ignition test:

However, not all tests end there. Off Available information It follows that next week (Monday, January 18 to Wednesday, January 20) additional dates will be set and more will happen.

This indicates that the upcoming flight at an altitude of 12.5 km will not be seen until the end of the month. Depending on the server Space Space Launch Now Theoretically it could happen tomorrow but this date will be postponed again.

Updated 1/8/2021

The SN9 prototype passed a static ignition test a few days ago. Below you will find the course documents taken by Boka Chikka residents.

Three Raptor engines are alive for a moment for SpaceX engineers to evaluate their performance:

If there are no complications, a test flight of 12.5 km will take place in the coming days. It is tentatively scheduled for the night from Sunday to Monday of our time.

Updated 1/4/2021

Elon Musk has confirmed that two prototypes of the Starship spacecraft will soon be on display at the launch pad. SN9 should be added to SN9. Then it will look similar to the following edited photo:

The SN10 now assembles at a rocket factory less than 5 km from the ramp. One of the residents of Boka Chika village took the following picture over the weekend:

It is clear that SN10 will be completed soon and will be restored in the coming days.

Updated 12/29

The SN9, a prototype of the upcoming Starship spacecraft, is awaiting pre-flight tests. You accordingly Available information Planned for the period from December 29, 2020 to January 6, 2021.

Cryogenic testing is expected to come first. Then static test ignitions of the three Rapter engines must be performed.

If all goes well, we can expect another exciting flight in January, similar to the previous SN8 prototype. But this time with a better ending.

Updated 12/26

A prototype of the starship SN9 is already on the launch pad. However, it is not yet clear when he will begin his first test flight.

Depending on the server Teslarathi This is likely to happen this year. This indicates the road closure plan.

However, the flight is likely to take place sometime next year. Nasal space light SN9 states that a cryogenic test must first be successful.

Updated 16.12.

SN9 may be on the launch pad tomorrow. This can be seen from the current review of the planned road closure in Cameroon County, Texas, where the SpaceX test facility is located.

NASA spacepace reporter Michael Baylor said the deadline could be set for the SpaceX, which runs Dec. 17-18 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Therefore, it seems that there was no significant damage to the starship prototype in the weekend event described below.

The prototype of the upcoming Starship spacecraft crashed into the wall of the Assembly building over the weekend. The server pointed this out Teslarathi.

From the photo posted on Twitter, it can be concluded that aerodynamic flaps were the most “removed” part of the accident:

A giant crane was called to the site, which confirmed the 50-meter-high stainless steel prototype: