SpaceX Readies For Fourth Starship Test & Ships Rocket To Launch Site!
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In the wake of a partially successful third Starship test flight less than three weeks ago, SpaceX appears to be moving full speed ahead with its fourth Starship test flight attempt later this month. After it had to deal with a long and arduous regulatory approval process in 2023 that caused a considerable delay for the second Starship IFT in November, SpaceX picked up the pace and tested the full stack rocket for the third time last month.
Immediately after the test, SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell shared that the firm plans to test Starship later this month, and considering the progress made at the test sites in Texas, it appears that the fourth Starship stack might fly soon.
Related Story SpaceX Gears Up For Fourth Starship Test Flight – Might Fire Up Test Rocket Today!
SpaceX Ships Booster To Launch Pad For Potential Key Test Before Launch
Before it can launch a rocket, particularly one that is still under development, SpaceX must run a variety of tests. These include pressurizing the rocket's tanks to ensure they can handle the correct propellant pressures, checking different systems at the launch pad and firing up the engines to see if they can handle the stresses of flight. The engine tests are called static fires, and the rockets are either shifted to the launch site or a test mount.
SpaceX has sped up its pre flight Starship tests for IFT-4, and within weeks of IFT-3, it static fired the second stage Starship's engines twice. The first test was a full stack firing and the second was for a single engine. Both of these are crucial for an orbital test attempt, as while the second stage Starship fires all its engines at the time of stage separation, SpaceX will also test a single engine in space as part of an additional test during IFT-4.
Seemingly all done with testing the second stage Starship rocket, SpaceX now appears
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