• 2 min read
SpaceX Fully Fills Booster 21 Ahead of Mechazilla Catch Try
SpaceX has fully loaded Super Heavy Booster 21 with cryogenic propellant at Starbase as it prepares for Starship’s 14th test flight.
Image: iXBT
SpaceX has carried out a full cryogenic propellant loading of Super Heavy Booster 21 at Massey’s Outpost in Starbase, Texas, marking another step toward the 14th integrated Starship test flight.
According to the source, the test followed two partial cryogenic loading attempts earlier in the weekend. This time, engineers checked the booster’s structural integrity under a full load. A photo published by observer Max Evans (@MaxQ) shows the rocket covered in a thick layer of frost.
Cryogenic tests like this are used to assess:
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- tank tightness
- fuel system performance
- structural behavior at extremely low temperatures
Those checks come before static-fire testing and, ultimately, launch.
Booster 21 is slated for the next Starship test mission, where SpaceX will continue working on reusability technologies and improving the reliability of what the source describes as the most powerful rocket system in the world.
SpaceX is planning to try catching Super Heavy with the Mechazilla launch tower during the 14th flight, but that decision will depend on the outcome of the 13th flight, currently expected on July 24.
Frontier Editor
Dan is our resident futurist, covering electric mobility, space exploration, and the smart home. He's interested in atoms just as much as bits. Whether it's a new battery chemistry, a reusable rocket, or a protocol that finally makes IoT devices talk to each other, Dan breaks down the engineering that pushes humanity forward.
via iXBT
