SpaceX swapping out engine on Starship SN10 prototype earlier than test flight

SpaceX is switching out undoubtedly one of the most three Raptor engines on its Starship SN10 prototype, doubtless pushing the vehicle’s excessive-altitude test flight assist a exiguous.

The swap dedication used to be made the day earlier than at the present time (Feb. 23), quickly after SN10 (“Serial No. 10”) ignited its engines for the first time all the way via a “static fire” test at SpaceX’s South Texas facilities. 

“One in every of the engines is suspect, so we’re swapping it out,” firm founder and CEO Elon Musk acknowledged by way of Twitter the day earlier than at the present time. 

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The static fire used to be portion of SN10’s prep work for a roughly 6-mile-excessive (10 kilometers) test hop into the Texas skies, which may possibly possibly presumably have took space as early as Thursday (Feb. 25). The engine swap will potentially extend the flight a exiguous, on the other hand it’s unclear how necessary; Musk did no longer cloak a brand contemporary timeline.

SN10 will be the third Starship prototype to fly so excessive. The SN8 and SN9 autos completed comparable flights on Dec. 9, 2020, and Feb. 2, respectively. Every flew well unless the end, checking off many milestones sooner than crashing at the touchdown zone.

Love SN10’s, SN9’s direction to flight integrated an engine swap. SpaceX replaced two of SN9’s three engines after the vehicle completed three static fires in posthaste succession on Jan. 13.

SpaceX is developing Starship to acquire of us and cargo to the moon, Mars and beyond. The machine contains two reusable facets: a 165-foot-colossal (50 meters) spacecraft referred to as Starship and a necessary rocket referred to as Gigantic Heavy. The final Starship will have six Raptors, and Gigantic Heavy will be powered by about 30 of the engines, Musk has acknowledged.

SpaceX needs a Starship prototype to connect an orbital test flight in the future this yr. And Musk no longer too long up to now acknowledged that he thinks the ultimate vehicle will be operational by 2023.

Mike Wall is the creator of “Out There” (Extensive Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by Karl Tate), a e book relating to the learn alien existence. Practice him on Twitter @michaeldwall. Practice us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Fb.