SpaceX fires up prototype 'Starhopper' engine for the first time
Test caused windows to rattle in homes located near SpaceX's Boca Chica, Texas facility
SpaceX has fired up the engine on its 'Starhopper prototype vehicle for the first time at its Boca Chica facility in Southern Texas.
"Starhopper completed tethered hop," SpaceX founder Elon Musk said in a tweet, while also sharing a video of the test.
"All systems green," he added.
The ignition test was conducted at 8.56 pm Eastern Time and lasted for less than a minute. The primary aim of the test, called static fire, was to see the performance of the engine while the Starhopper remained tethered to the ground.
The video footage of the test showed the massive rocket emitting fire and smoke, and briefly lifting off the launch pad. The test generated a loud roar that rattled the windows of the homes located close to the test site.
While only one Raptor engine was used in the current test, the company expects to use three engines for tests in the coming months.
SpaceX is currently working on its fully reusable Starship rocket that. it claims, will be able to carry up to 100 people to Moon and Mars, unlocking Elon Musk ' s vision of making spaceflight much like air travel. The spacecraft will launch atop a Super Heavy booster. After completing journey in deep space, it will return to Earth just like SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
When complete, Starship will be one of the most powerful rockets ever created, capable of carrying up to 100,000 kilograms into low Earth orbit.
SpaceX has been building a suborbital prototype Starhopper at its Boca Chica facility for the past several months. The "hopper" version of Starship is meant to test the mechanics, design and other technologies for the full version of the vehicle.
Starhopper has a diameter of nine metres and is made of stainless steel. It was transported to the test launchpad in March, and a Raptor engine was added at its base only recently. It also had a nose cone initially, but that was blown off by strong winds. Last month, Musk said that the nose cone was not needed for the first tests.
SpaceX is also working to develop a next-generation series of engines, called Raptors. The first test of a full-scale version of the Raptor engine was completed in February.
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