SpaceX’s technicians and engineers have been carrying out comprehensive engine tests on its next Starship rocket and there had been reports that a May launch of Test Flight #9 would be delayed. Local rumours now suggest that the pessimists were wrong, and that a flight on May 19th or possibly May 20th was now possible.

The ‘proof’ for the dates is first, an email from a NASA staffer who talks about allocating frequencies for the launch event “which opens on May 19th”. The second is a warning from the US Coast Guard to boat-owners that a hazard notice is in place for the period.

SpaceX shipped the upper-stage Starship that can fly on the next flight to its test stand on April 29th and reportedly filled its tanks with propellant. However, the tanks were then emptied without a static fire for the rocket. That test-firing took place on April 30th and although it lasted some 30 seconds it did not go well, according to observers.

Theories abound including that the test engineers were trying to replicate on the ground what has happened twice in orbit with the two previous flights. Some observers reported “lots of metal parts at the end of the test flying around”. A blog report talked of the static fire anomaly being caused by a clogged drain that started a fire in an engine joint, eventually leading to an explosion.

Another report says a replacement engine has arrived at the South Texas Starbase, and this will enable another static test to take place.

SpaceX had redesigned the upper-stage of the two-part rocket since it flew in January with Flight #07 but which also suffered problems. The test saw the upper stage explode during flight, with debris raining over the Caribbean. An update from SpaceX after the anomaly revealed that vibrations in the ship’s propulsion system had led to a fire in its rear section which led to an engine shutdown. Test flight #08 ended in similar fashion.

The upcoming Flight #09 will reuse the lower booster stage which was successfully ‘landed’ and captured by the ‘chopstick’ arms on the launch platform.

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Categories: Articles, Satellite

Tags: spacex, starship