SpaceX Starship Testing Continues Before Next Launch
An intricate dance of preparation and testing is unfolding at SpaceX's South Texas facilities. To ready Ship 25 for its star turn in the next integrated flight test, the teams have thrown themselves into a thorough engine test campaign. They're leaving no stone unturned, from a spin prime test all the way to a six-engine static fire test of the ship's formidable Raptor engines. Learning from the first flight's successes and challenges, the engineers have made tweaks to the ship's engine shielding and internal tank structure. Using the robust SpaceX LR11000 crane for additional support to the tanks during the alterations, they've ensured the vehicle is primed for testing. Upon completing the necessary modifications, the engineers removed the crane and freed the aft flaps. The stage was then set for the spin prime test on June 14, where propellants were loaded onto the ship. The process simulates the start-up sequence of the engine, spinning the engine oxidizer pump to full power — minus the actual ignition. This sequence is expected to repeat several times before moving onto the static fire tests. If all goes according to plan, the ship's engines should soon get the green light for flight, an important marker on the path to the second integrated test flight.