SpaceX Starship (spacecraft)

Starship is a spacecraft currently under development by American aerospace company SpaceX. Stacked atop its booster, Super Heavy, it composes the identically named Starship super heavy-lift space vehicle. The spacecraft is designed to transport both crew and cargo to a variety of destinations, including Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars, and potentially beyond. It is intended to enable long duration interplanetary flights for a crew of up to 100 people. It will also be capable of point-to-point transport on Earth, enabling travel to anywhere in the world in less than an hour. Furthermore, the spacecraft will be used to refuel other Starship vehicles to allow them to reach higher orbits and other space destinations. Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, estimated in a tweet that 8 launches would be needed to completely refuel a Starship in low Earth orbit, having extrapolated this by using Starship's payload to orbit and combining it with how much fuel a fully fueled Starship contains. [3] To land on bodies without an atmosphere, such as the Moon, Starship will fire its engines and thrusters to slow down.[4]

This article is about the second-stage of the vehicle also named Starship. For the entire vehicle, see SpaceX Starship.
Starship
Starship prototype SN20 at the SpaceX Starbase in Boca Chica (Texas). The distinctive stainless steel structure is visible as well as the edges of the dark thermal protection tiles that cover the other side of the vehicle.
ManufacturerSpaceX
Country of originUnited States
Applications
Websitehttps://www.spacex.com/vehicles/starship/
Specifications
Spacecraft typeCrewed, reusable
Launch mass1320 tons (120 tons dry)
Payload capacity100 - 150t (fully reusable)[1] 250 - 300t (expendable)[2]
Crew capacityUp to 100 (planned)
Dimensions
Height50 m (164 ft)
Diameter9 m (30 ft)
Wingspan17 m (56 ft)
Production
StatusIn development
Launched1
Retired2
Failed0
Lost1 (Prototype)
Maiden launchApril 20, 2023
Related spacecraft
DerivativesStarship HLS
Flown withSpaceX Super Heavy

Development began in 2012, when Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, described a plan to build a reusable rocket system with substantially greater capabilities than the Falcon 9 and the planned Falcon Heavy. The rocket evolved through many design and name changes. On July 25, 2019, the Starhopper prototype performed the first successful flight at SpaceX Starbase near Boca Chica, Texas.[5] The SN15 prototype became the first full-size test spacecraft to take off and land successfully in May 2021.[6] On April 20, 2023, Ship 24 and Booster 7 lifted off the pad, the first time the booster and starship flew together as a fully integrated stack.

History
Further information: SpaceX Starship § History

The first concept of a spacecraft as part of a larger super heavy-lift launch system by SpaceX was announced in 2012. This launch system, dubbed the Mars Colonial Transporter, hoped to be able to send 100 tonnes (220,400 pounds) to low Earth orbit.[7] Its second stage spacecraft was internally referred to as the Big Fucking Ship.[8]

Design

The Starship spacecraft is 50 m (160 ft) tall, 9 m (30 ft) in diameter, and has 6 Raptor engines, 3 of which are optimized for usage in outer space.[9][10] Future vehicles may have an additional 3 Raptor Vacuum engines for increased payload capacity. The vehicle's payload bay, measuring 17 m (56 ft) tall by 8 m (26 ft) in diameter, is the largest of any active or planned launch vehicle; its internal volume of 1,000 m3 (35,000 cu ft) is slightly larger than the ISS's pressurized volume.[11] SpaceX will also provide a 22 m (72 ft) tall payload bay configuration for even larger payloads.[12]

Starship has a total propellant capacity of 1,200 t (2,600,000 lb)[13] across its main tanks and header tanks.[14] The header tanks are better insulated due to their position and are reserved for use to flip and land the spacecraft following reentry.[15] A set of reaction control thrusters, which use the pressure in the fuel tank, control attitude while in space.[16]

The spacecraft has four body flaps to control the spacecraft's orientation and help dissipate energy during atmospheric entry,[17] composed of two forward flaps and two aft flaps. According to SpaceX, the flaps replace the need for wings or tailplane, reduce the fuel needed for landing, and allow landing at destinations in the Solar System where runways don't exist (for example, Mars).[18]: 1  Under the forward flaps, hardpoints are used for lifting and catching the spacecraft via mechanical arms.[19] The flap's hinges are sealed in aero-covers because they would be easily damaged during reentry.[20]

Starship's heat shield, composed of thousands[21] of hexagonal black tiles that can withstand temperatures of 1,400 °C (2,600 °F),[22][23] is designed to be used many times without maintenance between flights.[24] The tiles are made of silica[25] and are attached with pins rather than glued,[23] with small gaps in between to counteract heat expansion.[20] Their hexagonal shape facilitate mass production[20] and prevent hot plasma from causing severe damage to the vehicle.

Diagram of Starship's internal structure. Not shown in this diagram are the flaps: the aft flaps are placed at the bottom (or left in this orientation), and the forward flaps are placed at the top (here, right) portion of the spaceship. From the FAA environmental reassessment.

Variants

For satellite launch, Starship will have a large cargo door that will open to release payloads and close upon reentry instead of a more conventional jettisonable nose-cone fairing. Instead of a cleanroom, payloads are integrated directly into Starship's payload bay, which requires purging the payload bay with temperature-controlled ISO class 8 clean air.[12] To deploy Starlink satellites, the cargo door will be replaced with a slot and dispenser rack, whose mechanism has been compared to a Pez candy dispenser.[26]

Crewed Starship vehicles would replace the cargo bay with a pressurized crew section and have a life support system. For long-duration missions, such as crewed flights to Mars, SpaceX describes the interior as potentially including "private cabins, large communal areas, centralized storage, solar storm shelters, and a viewing gallery."[12] Starship's life support system is expected to recycle resources such as air and water from waste.[27]

Starship Human Landing System (HLS) is a crewed lunar lander variant of the Starship vehicle that is extensively modified for landing, operation, and takeoff from the lunar surface. It features modified landing legs, a body-mounted solar array, a set of thrusters mounted mid-body to assist with final landing and takeoff, two airlocks, and an elevator to lower crew and cargo onto the lunar surface. Starship HLS will be able to land more than 100 t (220,000 lb) of payload on the Moon per flight.[28]

Starship will be able to be refuelled by docking with separately launched Starship propellant tanker spacecraft in orbit. Doing so would increase the spacecraft's mass capacity and allow it to reach higher-energy targets,[lower-alpha 1] such as geosynchronous orbit, the Moon, and Mars.[29] A Starship propellant depot could cache methane and oxygen on-orbit, and will be used by Starship HLS to replenish its fuel tanks.[30]

Development
For a list of test flights of the vehicle, see SpaceX Starship flight tests
Videos of Starship flight tests
From NASASpaceFlight.com and SpaceX
video icon Starhopper 150m hop
video icon Starship SN5 150m hop
video icon Starship SN6 150m hop
video icon Starship SN8 12.5km test flight
video icon Starship SN9 10km test flight
video icon Starship SN10 10km test flight
video icon Starship SN11 10km test flight
video icon Starship SN15 10km test flight
video icon Starship S24/B7 Orbital test flight

Starship's development is iterative and incremental, using frequent—and often destructive— tests on a series of rocket prototypes.[31][23][32]

SpaceX prototypes are subjected to many tests before they can be launched. Proof pressure tests come first. The tanks are filled with a liquid or gas to test their strength and safety factor. SpaceX tests some tanks beyond the specified limit, to find the point at which they burst. The engines were tested in later prototypes, while the vehicle remained tethered to the ground (static fire). After passing these tests vehicles launch, either flying within the atmosphere, or reaching orbit.[33]: 15–19 

List of Starship prototypes
Name First spotted[lower-alpha 2] First static fire Maiden flight Decommissioned Construction site Status Flights
Starhopper December 2018[34] April 3, 2019[35] July 25, 2019[36] August 2019[37] Boca Chica, Texas Repurposed[38][39] 2
Mk1 December 2018[40] — — November 20, 2019[41] Boca Chica, Texas Destroyed 0
Mk2 May 2019[42] — — November 2019[43][44] Cocoa, Florida Scrapped 0
Mk3/SN1 c. October 2019[45] — — February 28, 2020[46] Boca Chica, Texas Destroyed 0
Mk4 c. September 2019[45] — — November 2019[43][47] Cocoa, Florida Scrapped 0
SN3 March 2020[48] — — April 3, 2020[49] Boca Chica, Texas Destroyed 0
SN4 April 2020[50][51] May 5, 2020[52] — May 29, 2020[53] Boca Chica, Texas Destroyed 0
SN5 April 2020[51] July 27, 2020[54] August 4, 2020[55] February 2021[56] Boca Chica, Texas Scrapped 1
SN6 May 2020[57][58] August 23, 2020[59] September 3, 2020[60] January 2021[61][56] Boca Chica, Texas Scrapped 1
SN8 July 2020[62] October 20, 2020 December 9, 2020[63] December 9, 2020[63] Boca Chica, Texas Destroyed 1
SN9 August 2020[64] January 6, 2021[65] February 2, 2021[65] February 2, 2021[65] Boca Chica, Texas Destroyed 1
SN10 September 2020[66] February 23, 2021[67] March 3, 2021[68] March 3, 2021[68] Boca Chica, Texas Destroyed after landing[lower-alpha 3] 1
SN11 September 2020[69] March 22, 2021[70] March 30, 2021[71] March 30, 2021 Boca Chica, Texas Destroyed 1
SN12 September 2020[72] — — February 2021[73] Boca Chica, Texas Scrapped[lower-alpha 4][73] 0
SN13 October 2020[76] — — February 2021[73] Boca Chica, Texas Scrapped[73] 0
SN14 October 2020[77] — — February 2021[73] Boca Chica, Texas Scrapped[73] 0
SN15 November 2020[78] April 26, 2021[79][80] May 5, 2021[81] May 31, 2021 Boca Chica, Texas Scrapped 1
SN16/Ship 16 December 2020[82] — — May 10, 2022 Boca Chica, Texas Scrapped[83] 0
SN17 December 2020[84] — — May 2021 Boca Chica, Texas Scrapped[85] 0
SN18 January 2021[86] — — June 2021 Boca Chica, Texas Scrapped 0
SN19 February 2021[87] — — June 2021 Boca Chica, Texas Scrapped 0
SN20/Ship 20 March 2021[88] October 21, 2021 — — Boca Chica, Texas Retired at the Rocket Garden[89] 0
Ship 21 July 3, 2021[90] — — — Boca Chica, Texas Scrapped 0
Ship 22 September 2021 — — — Boca Chica, Texas Scrapped[91] 0
Ship 23 October 2021 — — — Boca Chica, Texas Scrapped 0
Ship 24 November 2021 August 9, 2022[92] April 20, 2023 April 20, 2023 Boca Chica, Texas Destroyed during flight 1
Ship 25 March 2022 June 26, 2023[93] Not yet Not yet Boca Chica, Texas Stacked on B9 0
Ship 26 May 2022 Not yet Not yet Not yet Boca Chica, Texas At Suborbital Pad B for static fire testing 0
Ship 27 June 2022 — — July 20, 2023 [94] Boca Chica, Texas Scrapped 0
Ship 28 July 2022 Not yet Not yet Not yet Boca Chica, Texas On engine installation stand at the Sanchez Site 0
Ship 29 July 2022[95] Not yet Not yet Not yet Boca Chica, Texas At the Rocket garden, awaiting engine installation 0
Ship 30 September 2022 Not yet Not yet Not yet Boca Chica, Texas In High Bay, stacking complete 0
Ship 31 August 2022 Not yet Not yet Not yet Boca Chica, Texas In High Bay, stacking complete 0
Ship 32 February 2023 Not yet Not yet Not yet Boca Chica, Texas In High Bay, stacking underway 0
Ship 33 ? Not yet Not yet Not yet Boca Chica, Texas Parts under construction 0
Ship 34 ? Not yet Not yet Not yet Boca Chica, Texas Parts under construction 0
Ship 35 ? Not yet Not yet Not yet Boca Chica, Texas Parts under construction 0
Ship 36 ? Not yet Not yet Not yet Boca Chica, Texas Parts under construction 0
Ship 37 ? Not yet Not yet Not yet Boca Chica, Texas Parts under construction 0
  1. Synonymous with increasing the delta-v budget of the spacecraft
  2. May just be a part rather than complete vehicle.
  3. Landed successfully after 10 km test flight, but exploded during vehicle safing procedures on landing pad
  4. Never completed as flight vehicle. Repurposed as a structural testing unit in March 2021[74][75]

Starhopper
Starhopper in March 2019
Starhopper configuration as flown in August 2019

Construction on the initial steel test article—Starship Hopper,[96] Hopper, Hoppy, or Starhopper[97][98] began at Boca Chica in 2018. Starhopper had a single engine and was test flown to develop landing and low-altitude/low-velocity control algorithms.

Starhopper used LOX and liquid methane fuel.

Testing

It passed tanking tests, wet dress rehearsals, and pre-burner tests.[99] A storm blew over and damaged Starhopper's nose cone. SpaceX continued testing without one.[99]

It then passed a static fire test,[100] and in a tethered test reached 1 meter altitude.[101][102][99] On July 25, a Starhopper test flight reached about 20 m (66 ft) altitude,[103] followed by a August 27 test that rose to 150 m (490 ft)[104] and landed about 100 m (330 ft) from the launchpad, the Raptor's first use in flight.

Mark series (Mk1 – Mk4)

SpaceX began building two high-altitude prototypes simultaneously, Mk1 in Texas and Mk2 in Florida, using competing teams that shared progress, insights, and build techniques.[105][101] These vehicles featured three Raptor methalox engines and were meant to reach an altitude 5 km (3.1 mi).[106][107] An Mk3 prototype began construction in late-2019.[108]

Starship Mk1 in September 2019

Mk1 was 9 m (30 ft) in diameter and about 50 m (160 ft) tall,[108] with an empty mass of 200 t (440,000 lb). It was intended for testing flight and reentry profiles, in pursuit of a suborbital flight. When announced, it boasted three sea-level Raptors, two fins each at the front and back, and a nose cone containing cold-gas reaction control thrusters,. all of which were removed thereafter.[109][110][111]

Mk4 construction began in Florida in October,[112] but was scrapped after a few weeks.[43]

On November 20, 2019, Mk1 blew apart during a pressure test.[113][114] Mk2 was never completed.[43][44][115]

In December 2019, Musk redesignated Mk3 as Starship SN1 and predicted that minor design improvements would continue through SN20.[116] In January 2020, SpaceX performed pressurization tests in Boca Chica.[117] One test intentionally destroyed the tank by over-pressurizing it to 7.1 bar (103 psi).[118] Another tank underwent at least two pressurization tests; the first failed at 7.5 bar (109 psi).[119] After repairs the tank was cryogenic pressure tested (January 29), and ruptured at 8.5 bar (123 psi).[120] The test was considered a success as 8.5 represented a safety factor of 1.4 times the 6 bar (87 psi) operational pressure.[121][122]

SpaceX began stacking SN1 in February 2020 after successful pressurization tests on propellant tank prototypes. SN1 was destroyed during a cryogenic pressurization test (February 28) due to a design flaw in the lower tank thrust structure.[123][124]

SN3 and SN4
Static fire of SN4

SN3 was destroyed during testing on April 3, 2020[125][49] due to a bad testing configuration.[33]

SN4 passed cryogenic pressure testing (April 26)[126] and two static fires (May 5 and 7): one tested the main tanks, while the other tested the fuel header tank.[127] After uninstalling the engine, a new cryogenic pressure test was conducted (May 19). A leak in the methane fuel piping ignited, causing significant damage to the rocket's base, destroying the control wiring.[128] SN4 was destroyed (May 29), due to a failure with the Ground Support Equipment's quick-disconnect function.[129]

SN5 and SN6

After a static fire test (July 30),[130] SN5 completed a 150-meter flight (August 4) with engine SN27.[55][131] SN6 completed a static fire (August 24) and a 150-meter hop test flight with engine SN29 (September 3).

In January 2021, SN6 was scrapped,[132] followed by SN5 in February.[133]

High-altitude test flights (SN8 – SN15)
SN8 shortly after taking off during its test flight
Photograph of Elon Musk alongside the remains of Starship
Starship SN8 remains after it crashed to the ground
SN9 on Suborbital Pad B, with the production facility in the background

SN8 and SN9

SN8 was planned to be built out of 304L stainless steel,[134] although some parts may have used 301 steel.[135] In late October and November, SN8 survived four static fires. During the third test (November 12), debris from the pad caused the vehicle to lose pneumatics.[136] Launch took place on December 9. Launch, ascent, reorientation, and controlled descent were successful, but low pressure in the methane header tank[137] kept the engines from producing enough thrust for the landing burn, destroying SN8 on impact.[138]

On December 11, the stand beneath SN9 failed, causing the vehicle to tip and contact the walls inside the High Bay.[139] SN9 then required a replacement forward flap.[140] SN9 conducted 6 static fires in January 2021,[65] including three separate static fires.[141] Engines 44 and 46 had to be replaced.[142] After struggling to gain FAA permission,[143] SN9 conducted a 10 km (6.2 mi) flight test (February 2). Ascent, engine cutoffs, reorientation and controlled descent were stable, but one engine's oxygen pre-burner failed, sending SN9 crashing into the landing pad.[144] The landing pad was then reinforced with an additional layer of concrete.[145] After the SN9 failure, all three engines were used to perform the belly flop landing sequence. This offered a failsafe should one fail to ignite.[146][73]

SN10 – SN14

SN10's first cryogenic proof test succeeded (February 8), followed by a static fire (February 23).[67] After an engine swap came another static fire (February 25).[147]

Two launch attempts were conducted on March 3. The first attempt was automatically aborted after one engine produced too much thrust while throttling up. After a 3-hour delay to increase the tolerance,[148] the second attempt landed without exploding. The test ended with a hard landing-at 10 m/s-most likely due to partial helium ingestion from the fuel header tank. Three landing legs were not locked in place, producing a slight lean after landing. Although the vehicle initially remained intact, the impact crushed the legs and part of the leg skirt. Eight minutes later the prototype exploded.[149][150]

SN11 accomplished a cryogenic proof test (March 12) that included a test of the Reaction Control System (RCS),[151][152] followed by a static fire test (March 15). Immediately after ignition, the test was aborted.[153] Another static fire attempt[154] led to reports that one of the three engines had been removed for repairs.[155] A replacement engine was installed[156] and a third static fire was attempted (March 26).[157] A 10 km flight test was conducted in heavy fog (March 30). The test included engine cutoffs, flip maneuver, flap control and descent, along with a visible fire on engine 2[158] during the ascent. Just after the defective engine was re-ignited for the landing burn, SN11 lost telemetry at T+ 5:49 and disintegrated.[159] SN12 through SN14 never launched.[160]

SN15 – SN19

SN15 introduced[161] improved avionics software, an updated aft skirt propellant architecture, and a new Raptor design and configuration.[162] A Starlink antenna on the side of the vehicle was another new feature.[163] SN15 underwent an ambient temperature pressure test (April 9),[164] A cryogenic proof test (April 12), and a header tank cryogenic proof test (April 13).[165][166] Then a static fire (April 26)[79][80] and a header tank static fire (April 27) followed.[167] A 10 km (33,000 ft) high-altitude flight test was conducted in overcast weather on May 5, achieving a soft touchdown. A small fire near the base was controlled shortly after landing.[168] After its engines were removed, it was retired on May 31, the first Starship prototype to fly, land and be recovered. It took its place in the Rocket Garden.[169] SN16[85] and SN17 were scrapped, and SN18 and SN19 were never completed. On July 26, 2023, SN15 was scrapped. [170]

SN20/Ship 20 – Ship 23
SN20 getting its heat shield inspected
Static fire test of SN20 on November 21, 2021

SN20 (Ship 20) resides in the Rocket Garden, previously planned to be launched atop the Super Heavy booster. SN20's thermal protection system covers much of the vehicle.

SN20 rolled out to the launch mount on August 5, 2021, and was the first to be stacked on a booster. It used Booster 4 for a fit test.[88][171][172] FCC filings in May 2021 by SpaceX stated that the orbital flight would launch from Boca Chica. After separation, Starship would enter orbit and around 90 minutes later attempt a soft ocean landing around 100 km off the coast of Kauai.[173]

Ship 21 was scrapped, Ship 22 moved out to the Rocket Garden in late February 2022. Ship 23 was scrapped and partially recycled in Ship 24 which was targeted for an orbital flight as of September 2022.[174] As of July 31, 2023, Ship 22's forward flaps have been attached to Ship 29's nosecone.

Ship 24
Further information: SpaceX Starship Integrated Flight Test

As of December 2022, Ship 24 was planned to make an orbital test flight atop Booster 7.[175] It was first spotted in November 2021, and made cryogenic proof tests on 2, 6, and June 7, 2022. Starship 24 then conducted spin prime tests on 18, 20, and July 21, 2022, with an additional one on August 8, 2022. It was static fired with two engines on August 9, 2022.[176] On September 8, 2022, Ship 24 underwent a static fire test where all six of its engines; three sea level and three vacuum engines, endured an 8-second test. The test damaged/destroyed around 30 of its 25,000 ceramic tiles.[177] The ship went through repairs and was subsequently stacked on top of Booster 7 in late October ahead of further testing. As of January 26, 2023, Ship 24 was rolled back to the production site for final TPS work for orbital test flight. On April 20, 2023, it was intentionally destroyed in flight along with Booster 7 after spinning out of control.[178][179]

In response to the launch damage caused by the first orbital flight attempt, SpaceX plan to put steel plates cooled by a water-system underneath the launch mount for the next Starship launch.[180] According to Elon Musk, the launch tower has no meaningful damage although it was struck by large chunks of concrete.[180]

Ship 25

Ship 25 is a Starship prototype very similar to the destroyed Ship 24, currently slated to fly on the second Integrated Flight Test with Booster 9. Like Ship 24, it features a heat shield. A payload bay was also built, but it was permanently sealed shut.[181] To test its cryogenic testing equipment, it resided for a time at the Massey's site, a former nearby gun range.[182] During the third week of May 2023, Ship 25 was moved to the launch site and lifted onto the suborbital pad B platform in preparation for engine testing. On 21 June 2023, Ship 25 performed a successful spin prime test.[183] On June 24, 2023, it was announced that S25 would be the first vehicle to utilize hot staging (when the ship fires its engines when some of the boosters engines are still firing).[184] On June 26, 2023, Ship 25 underwent its first static fire test, igniting all six engines.[185] On August 5, 2023, it was moved to the Rocket Garden for final TPS work. On September 5, 2023, it was moved back to the Orbital Launch Site, followed by stacking onto B9. On September 14, 2023, it was removed from B9. On September 27, 2023, it was lifted back onto B9, before being destacked on October 5, 2023. It was then restacked on October 16, 2023, only to be destacked the next day. [186] This was followed by a restack three days later. On October 24, B9 and S25 completed a WDR.[187]

Ship 26 and 27

Ship 26 and 27 are expendable Starship prototypes, as they lack heat shield tiles and flaps. Ship 26 has no payload bay door, whereas Ship 27 does feature a reinforced payload dispenser designed to carry Starlink satellites. Ship 26, after several cryo tests, was moved to the engine install stand. Ship 27 was scrapped on July 20, 2023. After S27 scrapping was complete, S26 moved to the rocket garden. On September 9, 2023, S26 was moved to Suborbital Pad B for static fire testing. It underwent a cryogenic test on October 9, 2023. It then underwent a preburner test with a single engine of October 18, 2023, a first for vehicles equipped with Raptor 2 engines. This was followed by a single engine static fire on October 20, 2023, simulating a deorbit burn.[188]

Ship 28 and subsequent

Ships 28 through 31 feature heat shield tiles, as well as reinforced Starlink dispensers. In July 2023, S28 underwent cryogenic testing, before being moved onto the engine install stand. On August 18, 2023, S28 began to have its engines installed. [189] On September 22, 2023, S29 was moved to Masseys for cryogenic testing. On September 26, 2023, S29 was cryogenically tested. On October 13, 2023, S29 was moved to the rocket garden.

Test articles
Starship test articles
Name First spotted Decommissioned Construction site Cur. Location Status Tests
TT1 January 2020[190] January 10, 2020[191] Boca Chica, Texas — Intentionally destroyed 1
LOX HT January 2020[192] January 25, 2020[193] Boca Chica, Texas — Intentionally Destroyed 2
TT2 January 2020[194] January 29, 2020[195] Boca Chica, Texas — Intentionally Destroyed 2
SN2 February 2020[196] March 2020[197] Boca Chica, Texas Production site Retired 1
SN7 May 2020[198] June 23, 2020[199] Boca Chica, Texas — Intentionally Destroyed 2
SN7.1 July 2020[200] September 22, 2020[201] Boca Chica, Texas — Intentionally Destroyed 2
SN7.2 December 2020[202] May 22, 2021 Boca Chica, Texas Production site Retired 2
GSE 4.1 August 2021 January 18, 2022 Boca Chica, Texas — Intentionally destroyed[203] 2
EDOME 2022 Late October 2022 Boca Chica, Texas — Intentionally destroyed 2
S26.1 November 2022 September 2023 Boca Chica, Texas — Intentionally Destroyed 3
S24.2 June 2023 Not yet Boca Chica, Texas Masseys Awaiting testing at Masseys 0
EDOME 2 September 2023 Not yet Boca Chica, Texas Masseys Awaiting testing at Masseys 0

General test articles

Test Tank 1 (TT1) was a subscale test tank consisting of two forward bulkheads connected by a small barrel section. TT1 was used to test new materials and construction methods. On January 10, 2020, TT1 was filled with water and tested to failure as part of an ambient temperature test, reaching a pressure of 7.1 bar (103 psi).[204]

Test Tank 2 (TT2) was another subscale test tank similar to TT1. On January 27, 2020, TT2 underwent an ambient temperature pressure test where it reached a pressure of 7.5 bar (109 psi) before a leak occurred.[205] Two days later, it underwent a cryogenic proof test to destruction, bursting at 8.5 bar (123 psi).[206][207]

GSE 4.1 was first spotted in August 2021, and was the first ground support equipment (GSE) test tank built, made from parts of GSE 4. It underwent a cryogenic proof test (August 23) before it was rolled to Sanchez site.[208] It was rolled back to the launch site in November 2021 and underwent an apparent cryogenic proof test to failure (January 18), where it burst at an unknown pressure.

EDOME is a test tank created to test flatter domes, which was later used on Starship prototypes. It was moved to the launch site in July 2022, and back to the production site the next month, and never received testing. It was later moved from the production site to the new Masseys site on September 22, 2022, which conducts non-flight hardware testing. On September 30, 2022, it burst during a cryogenic pressure test to failure. After repairs, it was tested to destruction in late October 2022.

EDOME 2 is a test tank likely designed to further test the flatter dome design. As of October 4, 2023, it's official designation is unknown.

Starship-based test articles

Liquid Oxygen Header Test Tank (LOX HTT) was similar to TT1, but was based on the LOX Header tank inside a nosecone section. On January 24, 2020, the tank underwent a pressurization test which lasted several hours.[209] The following day it was tested to destruction.[210]

SN2 was a half-size test tank used to test welding quality and thrust puck design. The thrust puck is found on the bottom of the vehicle where in later Starship tests up to three sea-level Raptor engines would be mounted. SN2 passed a pressure test on March 8, 2020.[211][212]

SN7 was a pathfinder test article for the switch to type 304L stainless steel.[213] A cryogenic proof test was performed on June 15, 2020, achieving a pressure of 7.6 bar (110 psi) before a leak occurred. During a pressurize to failure test on June 23, 2020, the tank burst at an unknown pressure.[214][215]

SN7.1 was the second 304L test tank, with the goal of reaching a higher failure pressure.[213] The tank was repeatedly tested in September, and tested to destruction on September 23.[216] The bulkhead came apart at a pressure of 8 bar (115 psi) in ullage and 9 bar (130 psi) at base.[217][218]

SN7.2 was created to test thinner walls, and therefore, lower mass. It is believed to be constructed from 3 mm steel sheets rather than the 4 mm thickness of its predecessors.[219] On January 26, 2021, SN7.2 passed a cryogenic proof test. On February 4, during a pressurize to failure test, the tank developed a leak.[220][221] On March 15, SN7.2 was retired.[222][223]

S26.1 is a test tank designed to test the aft section of ships after S24. It conducted two tests on the can-crusher, before being moved off in July 2023.[224] On September 21, 2023, it was tested to destruction.[225]

S24.2 is test article designed to test the payload bay of Starlink dispenser vehicles.[226] On September 28, 2023, it was moved to the Masseys test site.


See also

References
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