SpaceX is gearing up for its seventh integrated flight test of the Starship launch system, an ambitious next step on the path to making Starship fully reusable and making humans interplanetary. Scheduled for no earlier than January 11th, 2025, this test flight will introduce Starship 33, the first Block 2 model, with several new advancements and Super Heavy booster 14, Block 1.
The primary goal of this flight, as outlined by SpaceX, is to perfect the process of recovering and catching the Super Heavy booster. Known as “Mechazilla,” the system involves the launch tower’s mechanical arms that aim to grasp the returning booster, enhancing the reusability aspect of the Starship system. This system of recovery makes it possible to save weight and fuel on the rocket by not having to add landing legs and supporting systems.
Another focal point will be the in-space relight of a Raptor engine aboard Starship 33. This test is not just a technical challenge but a necessity for future missions requiring in-orbit maneuvers or deorbiting procedures. Previous flights have tested the relight of the Raptor’s engines just short of orbital velocity, 17,500mph, which would allow the vehicle to fall safely back to Earth in the Indian Ocean and not be stranded in orbit if the relight failed. Integrated Flight Test 6 conducted on November 19, 2024, followed a suborbital flight profile. Starship upper stage performed a successful in-space, above the Kármán line but not orbital velocity, Raptor engine relight before splashing down in the Indian Ocean. SpaceX’s upcoming Integrated Flight Test 7 will also follow a suborbital trajectory like previous flights, with Starship 33 reaching space but not achieving the velocity necessary to sustain a stable orbit.
The primary difference between IFT-7 and IFT-6 lies in the hardware being tested. IFT-7 will introduce the Block 2 Starship upper stage, featuring design enhancements such as; redesigned forward flaps, increased propellant capacity, and advanced thermal protection systems, over the Block 1 version used in IFT-6. These upgrades aim to improve performance and reusability. Starship 33 will also carry experiments on its heat shield to test areas of the heat shield that have been intentionally left exposed to simulate future configurations where catch hardware might be integrated. This alteration aims to collect crucial data on how the spacecraft manages the intense heat of atmospheric reentry with modified thermal protection.
Moreover, this flight introduces a new element of collaboration with NASA. A specially equipped Gulfstream V aircraft will capture thermal imagery during Starship 33’s nighttime reentry over the Indian Ocean. This partnership underscores the broader implications of the test for space exploration, providing invaluable data that could benefit future missions, including those under NASA’s Artemis program.
During Integrated Flight Test 6 on November 19, 2024, the Super Heavy booster 13, was programmed to return to the launch site for a mid-air capture using the launch tower’s mechanical arms, however, approximately four minutes into the flight, the attempt was aborted due to a loss of communication with the launch tower’s computer systems. Elon Musk, SpaceX’s CEO, noted that while the catch might have succeeded despite the communication issue, the team prioritized safety and opted to divert the booster.
The booster executed a controlled descent, culminating in a soft splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico. Moments later when the propellant tanks raptured, a fire ball could be seen raising above the horizon.
The implications of a successful Flight Test #7 are profound. If SpaceX can demonstrate the reliable recovery of both Starship and its booster, it would significantly lower the cost barrier for space travel, potentially accelerating human missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
