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SpaceX is one step closer to launching its Starship SN8 prototype 50,000 feet in the sky.
The Elon Musk-owned company fired the rocket’s raptor engines for a second time during a static fire test at the company’s Texas facility.
SN8’s engines ignited, releasing debris, orange smoke, and flames from the base that lit up the night sky at around 7:10 pm ET on Tuesday night.
After the fire went out, onlookers could hear the roar of the birds of prey engines before the rocket went out for the night.
This prototype is the first of SpaceX to make its first test flight with the nosepiece attached at the top, suggesting that Musk may soon send one of the massive rockets into space.
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SpaceX is one step closer to launching its Starship SN8 prototype 50,000 feet in the sky. Elon Musk-owned company fired the rocket’s raptor engines for a second time during a static fire test at the company’s Texas facility
Tuesday’s test marks the eight successful static fire tests to date for the raptor engines, however it is the second attempt for the SN8.
The initial event took place on November 9, but was canceled with the minutes left.
However, Tuesday was a success, as SpaceX was able to complete all the tasks that led to the static fire.
One of the three raptor engines fired first, followed by the other two seconds later.
SN8’s engines ignited, releasing debris, orange smoke, and flames from the base that lit up the night sky at around 7:10 pm ET on Tuesday night. After the fire went out, viewers could hear the roar of the raptor engines before the rocket went out for the night
SN8’s 50,000-foot jump (pictured) is speculated to take place this week, as documents show SpaceX has requested that roads in the area be closed. This would be the third spaceship to leave the launch pad: SN6 and SN5 are the only other rockets to achieve this feat.
All of this created a huge plume of smoke, in addition to what appeared to be fragments flying out of the base.
About five seconds after the event, the engines shut down and the ship was stationary, still intact.
Teslarati reports that the debris was likely erosion of the concrete, nothing deemed alarming.
SN8’s 50,000-foot jump is speculated to take place this week, as documents show SpaceX has requested that roads in the area be closed.
This would be the third spaceship to leave the launch pad – SN6 and SN5 are the only other rockets to achieve this feat.
The huge craft is SpaceX’s next-generation fully reusable launch vehicle and is the center of Musk’s ambitions to make human space travel accessible.
Musk previously said that the lifespan of each starship will be around 20-30 years, “like a plane”.
According to the billionaire, about three Starship flights will be launched from Earth per day, or about 1,000 flights per year, and each will have a capacity of over 90,000 lbs.
Continuously transporting people 180 million miles to Mars, Musk predicts 1,000 human inhabitants by 2030 and “maybe around” a million by 2050.
The huge craft is SpaceX’s next-generation fully reusable launch vehicle and is the center of Musk’s ambitions to make human space travel accessible.
Musk unveiled the first prototype spaceship in 2019 and had hoped the rocket would fly into low orbit by March this year and have people inside by the end of 2020.
However, the Starship program has seen a number of obstacles along its journey, which Musk has touched in the past.
“I hope we do a lot of flights,” Musk said. ‘The former may not work. This is uncharted territory.
‘No one has ever made a fully reusable orbital rocket. So just having it is pretty significant. ‘
Although there have been numerous setbacks, Musk is now aiming for the rocket’s first orbital test flight in 2021.
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