SpaceX Starship SN8 preparing for the start of its test series; Read details

SpaceX Starship SN8 has finally arrived at the launch site and is getting reading for its test campaign. This prototype will start going through a series of tests which will be the first since its development. The SN8 will get tested and launched with 3 Raptor engines on a changed test flight of 15km. This will be the first time in the Starships league that a vehicle will test the launch, return, and landing ability before getting launched into the orbit in 2021. Read on:

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SpaceX Starship SN8 is in Preparation

In two of the latest tweets by Elon Musk, he mentioned that the flight with the SN8 will max out at 50,000ft, which is 15km. Previously, it was 18km or 60,000ft. Elon Musk then later on also added in the second tweet that in the next week, the SN8 rocket will get its nosecone and front flaps.

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If the high-altitude test of this vehicle becomes a success, it will be a lot closer to providing an entirely operational rocket. SpaceX just wants to prove that Starship can do a lot more than just short hops made by SN5 and SN6. Even though this is one of the major milestones for the company, the hopes of enabling space tourism and interplanetary trips will not be possible without it. SN8 will have many other milestones to achieve which includes filling the prototype with Liquid Nitrogen at ambient and cryogenic temperatures.

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After this, three Raptor engines will be installed on the SN8 before its Static Fire test. Following that, SN8 will be launched into the air for its newly-evolved test flight as compared to the SN5 and SN6's 150-meter hops. The SN8 just needs enough height to test the body flaps and the drawing of propellant from headers versus the main tanks.

Elon mentioned later on that this was the reason for the refined flight target from 18km to 15km. After doing several flights to confirm the working of SN8, heat shield and go high Mach will be installed. Also, the flaps will now be directly driven by electric motors with a gearbox, so hydraulics won't be needed anymore.

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Promo Image Credits: nasaspaceflight.com