• 2 min read
Starship launch could happen July 24
SpaceX has returned Super Heavy Booster 20 to Pad 2 after engine swaps, with Starship’s 13th test flight now possible on July 24.
Image: ITzine
SpaceX has moved Super Heavy Booster 20 back to Pad 2 at Starbase, putting the vehicle into final preparations for Starship’s 13th test flight. If the schedule holds, the launch could take place as soon as July 24.
Photos show the booster being transported across Starbase in the evening before reentering its normal prep flow. Earlier, Booster 20 completed cryogenic strength testing and, on July 10, a static fire in which all 33 Raptor engines were ignited at the same time.
SpaceX now has to complete its last prelaunch procedures and resolve the engine issue that forced a recent scrub. According to the source, some engines had to be replaced after that cancellation.
For Starship, this is starting to look routine. SpaceX is moving hardware back to the pad quickly rather than allowing long gaps between test campaigns. The source notes that other companies in the heavy-lift space race typically face much longer pauses.
Starship remains the largest rocket currently being prepared for flight, and the pace of its ground operations has become a key advantage for SpaceX. If the remaining checks go smoothly, the company could get another chance by the end of the week to show that the Super Heavy-Starship stack is getting closer to regular test flights.
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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 ITzine
