Tag: McGregor
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Starship Block 3 development continues at Starbase and McGregor
SpaceX is gearing up for the next evolution of Starship, with Block 3 hardware on display at Starbase amid a flurry of engine testing at McGregor, highlighting both breakthroughs and challenges. SpaceX is set to begin launches with the Block 3 vehicle in 2026. Glimpses of Ship 39, the inaugural vehicle from the Block 3…
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SpaceX McGregor looks to the future, from Raptor 3 to potential HLS testing
SpaceX’s engine development and testing site in McGregor—the world’s most active rocket engine test facility—continues to be a hive of activity. Recent updates reveal intensified Raptor engine trials and the construction of a large-scale rig, the latter having ignited speculation about its potential ties to Starship’s Human Landing System (HLS) for NASA’s Artemis program. Since…
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Raptor 3 testing ramps up at SpaceX McGregor
SpaceX has ramped up its engine testing efforts at the McGregor test facility this past week, conducting a total of 24 Raptor engine firings and achieving multiple milestones in engine performance and durability. The activity highlights SpaceX’s ongoing push to refine its next-generation Raptor engines, crucial for the Starship program. See Also SpaceX Starship Program…
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Mystery Raptors spotted arriving at McGregor
A curious delivery caught the eyes of NSF’s cameras at SpaceX’s McGregor test site in Texas: three battered and heavily damaged Raptor engines, potentially from either the aft of recently recovered Booster 13, or the debris of Ship 36, which blew up during testing at Masseys. SpaceX’s McGregor facility is the beating heart of the…
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Starship enters business end of pre-launch testing
The Starship test program has hit the ground running in 2023, with the full-stack partnership of Booster 7 and Ship 24 entering a pre-launch test flow at Starbase. With Elon Musk confirming the possibility of launching the world’s largest and most powerful rocket in a matter of weeks, several key milestones are being worked on…
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Booster 7 resumes static fire testing as SpaceX ramps up Starship production
Booster 7 resumed its static fire test campaign Monday with a full-duration firing of 14 Raptor engines in a significant event before the long-awaited 33-engine static fire test. This milestone puts the Super Heavy booster one step closer to being ready for Starship’s first orbital flight. While this flight is currently targeting no earlier than…
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Amid Starship milestones, Booster 7 set to return for pre-launch testing
SpaceX’s Starship program continues to march through a fluid set of milestones, ranging from a new record number of Raptor engines firing simultaneously, to the anticipated presence of a vehicle on the Starship pad at Florida’s historic LC-39A by the second quarter of 2023. Booster 7 achieved the seven-engine static fire test milestone before rolling…
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Starship vehicles move to next phase of testing despite issues
SpaceX continues to make progress with its orbital test flight duo, with Ship 24 completing a six-engine static fire test, followed by Booster 7 conducting a 33-engine spin prime milestone. As that launch inches closer, teams ready multiple vehicles for future launches and near completion of major construction at their Starship Florida launch site. See…
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Awaiting Static Fire as SpaceX sets up Starship’s test campaign
It was December 29 of last year when Ship 20 performed its fourth and final static fire test. That was the last time any Starship vehicle had performed a static fire test. However, Ship 24 is now being readied to undergo a similar test campaign in preparation for the launch of Starship’s first orbital test…
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Starship undergoing full-stack cryoproofing while Florida ramps up
Preparations are underway for the next milestone for the Starship program, following the stacking of Ship 20 atop Booster 4. For the third time, the second using the Mechazilla chopstick system, Starbase has a full-stack at the Orbital Launch Site, this time setting up a cryoproofing test with both the Booster and Ship stacked together.…