SpaceX performed a single-engine static fire test with its newest Starship spacecraft at the Starbase facility in South Texas, preparing for the 10th test flight scheduled for August. The test involved igniting one of the six Raptor engines on the 171-foot-tall upper-stage vehicle for a brief duration, marking a key step in preflight preparations. This follows the successful static fire of the Super Heavy booster, equipped with 33 Raptor engines, on June 6, 2025. The current Starship, the second designated for Flight 10, replaces an earlier prototype that exploded on June 18 during a test stand incident. Flight 10 will feature a fully stacked vehicle, combining the upper-stage spacecraft and Super Heavy booster, both made of stainless steel. This test flight aims to build on previous missions, with Starship having launched nine times since April 2023, achieving four successes and five failures. Recent flights, including Flight 9 on May 27, 2025, reached space but lost control due to propellant leaks, with the upper stage breaking apart over the Indian Ocean. The Super Heavy booster has shown progress, successfully returning and being caught by the launch tower’s ”chopstick” arms in Flights 7 and 8, though Flight 9 resulted in a breakup during a landing simulation. SpaceX plans to conduct Flight 10 with enhanced safety measures, including a water deluge system observed during the static fire, and aims for a launch window in early August. The company continues to refine the reusable rocket system, targeting future missions to orbit, the Moon, and Mars.
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