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Starship flight test 6

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This article is about the planned sixth flight-test of the integrated Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle full stack. For the 2021 launch of SN9, the 6th test flight of Starship, see List of Starship upper stage flight tests.

Starship flight test 6
Mission typeFlight test
OperatorSpaceX
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftStarship Ship 31
Spacecraft typeStarship
ManufacturerSpaceX
Start of mission
Launch dateNET 2024[1]
RocketSuper Heavy (B13)
Launch siteStarbase, OLP-A

Starship flight test 6 will be the sixth flight test of a SpaceX Starship launch vehicle. The prototype vehicles expected to be flown are the Ship 31 upper-stage and Booster 13.[2][3]

SpaceX is expected to perform the flight test in late 2024, however, this estimate has not been confirmed by SpaceX.[1] As of October 2024, the flight profile for flight 6 is expected to be similar to flight 5.[4] SpaceX has stated that they will attempt to "catch" the upper stage, Starship, for the first time in early 2025.[5][6] Because this test is likely to fly a similar profile to flight 5, it is unlikely to include the catching of Starship by catch towers.[4]

Background

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Vehicle testing ahead of launch

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Starship Ship 31 (S31) was rolled to Masseys Test Site at SpaceX Starbase in Texas for cryogenic testing on May 11.[7] During its first cryogenic test on May 12, an electrical anomaly occurred,[8] and Starship Ship 31 was rolled back to the production site for repairs on May 15.[9] S31 completed a successful cryogenic test in early July.[10] S31 completed a successful static fire on September 18.[11]

Super Heavy Booster 13 (B13) was moved to the Orbital Launch Pad on October 22. While on the launch pad it conducted a static fire of all 33 of its Raptor engines on October 24.[12]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Starship-Super Heavy (Prototype) Flight 6". Next Spaceflight. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  2. ^ SpaceX Revving Up for Starship Flight 3: | Starbase Update, January 29, 2024, archived from the original on January 29, 2024, retrieved February 13, 2024, Then there's Flight 6, which if all of the other numbers line up as we suspect, is slated to be flown by Booster 13 and Ship 31.
  3. ^ Weber, Ryan (May 16, 2024). "Starship Flight 4 begins Wet Dress Rehearsal campaign". NASASpaceflight. Retrieved July 17, 2024. Ship 31's other half, which is assumed to be Booster 13
  4. ^ a b Weber, Ryan (October 12, 2024). "Starship Flight 5 The Catch". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved October 12, 2024.
  5. ^ Wall, Mike (April 4, 2024). "SpaceX moves Super Heavy booster to pad ahead of 4th Starship flight". Space.com. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
  6. ^ Wall, Mike (October 16, 2024). "SpaceX plans to catch Starship upper stage with 'chopsticks' in early 2025, Elon Musk says". Space.com. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
  7. ^ Bergin, Chris (May 11, 2024). "With Booster 11 (Flight 4) now at the launch site. Ship 31 (Flight 6) is preparing to roll to Masseys". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved May 11, 2024.
  8. ^ Ship 29 Rolled Out for Full Starship Stack Testing. Retrieved May 14, 2024 – via YouTube.
  9. ^ NASASpaceflight (July 12, 2021). Starbase Live: 24/7 Starship & Super Heavy Development From SpaceX's Boca Chica Facility. Retrieved May 15, 2024 – via YouTube.
  10. ^ WAI Plus (July 4, 2024). SpaceX' Tower 2 is getting Ready for Stacking! - Ship 31 Cryo Test. Retrieved July 7, 2024 – via YouTube.
  11. ^ NASASpaceflight (September 21, 2024). Booster 12 and Ship 30 Roll Out For Testing, Ship 31 Static Fires and Rolls Back | SpaceX Boca Chica. Retrieved September 30, 2024 – via YouTube.
  12. ^ NASASpaceflight (October 24, 2024). SpaceX Tests Super Heavy 13 Booster for Starship Flight 6. Retrieved October 25, 2024 – via YouTube.
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