The latest development from SpaceX shared that there is an upcoming venture for its Starship program where thecompany is now preparing for its Flight 7, a.k.a. its seventh test flight for the fully-stacked rockets. At present, the Super Heavy Booster rocket, its first stage, is already at its renowned Starbase, Boca Chica launchpad for its pre-flight testing to ensure its systems work from top to bottom.
It has been a frequent outing for SpaceX's Starship for the entirety of 2024, particularly as the company made significant headway this year with its successes in its tests, with every triumph inching them closer to actual missions.
SpaceX Starship Flight 7: Super Heavy Pre-Flight Tests
SpaceX is not holding back and the company is looking to take advantage of its successful roll in its Starship program as it officially announced its preparations for the upcoming Flight 7. As was apparent on previous missions, the company focused on transporting the Super Heavy to the Boca Chica launchpad and stood the rocket up beside Mechazilla where it will undergo pre-flight testing.
Elon Musk and his company are yet to share details on the pre-flight tests for the Super Heavy and the second-stage ship, the Starship, especially with what the company altered or improved since its last outing.
For now, the company is set to commence its pre-flight testing of the first-stage rocket which is a known crucial aspect of its mission as it is the workhorse to propelling the rocket to orbit for its second-stage separation.
Read Also: SpaceX Successful in 6th Starship Test Flight, Now Firing Ship's Raptor Engine to Change Flight Path
Is Starship's 7th Test Flight Coming This 2024?
The massive question remains now as to when SpaceX will hold its Flight 7 for the Starship, especially as the calendar for 2024 is running out and the company is still in its pre-flight testing. According to The Launch Pad via X, SpaceX is targeting an early 2025 launch for the Starship Flight 7 that will commence by January 11, as per NASA's latest FAA filing.
It was also revealed in the filing that the space agency's NASA 5, a Gulfstream V, will be used to observe Ship 33's re-entry.
SpaceX and its Starship Program
It was a long and winding road for SpaceX but the company was able to prevail in its many programs, particularly with the Starship which saw the modern trial and error for a spacecraft of its caliber. From Starship's first to fourth test flight, the company faced tremendous challenges which resulted in losing all of the rockets and ships it launched, leading to the program being grounded by the FAA.
That being said, the company did not call quits on this and went forth to improve more of its rocket, and SpaceX had it ready for another test flight by early October to try its capabilities in an actual fully-stacked launch. SpaceX then saw tremendous success with Starship's fifth test flight where the company did not lose any rockets in the process and werealso able to catch Super Heavy using Mechazilla on their first try.
It was not long before SpaceX went forth to conduct its sixth test flight which also saw significant success where bothrockets landed via its splashdown method, with Starship using its Raptor engines to alter its flight path. SpaceX nailed two out of six test flights for the Starship program in its past missions, but the company wants to immediately follow itup with the seventh test flight, possibly coming by early to mid-January.
