Everything is set at Starbase, Texas, for the seventh launch of Starship, which is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 10, at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT. This launch will mark the first time the rocket will deploy a payload and reuse an engine that has flown previously.
First payload deployment. For Flight 7, Starship will deploy a payload for the first time. The cargo consists of ten simulators that approximate the size and weight of next-generation Starlink satellites. These satellites will enable symmetrical Internet connections of 1 Gbps.
SpaceX will release the simulators through a slot at the top of the Starship spacecraft using a mechanism that the company refers to as a “PEZ dispenser,” in homage to the famous candy. The simulators will follow the same suborbital trajectory as the spacecraft and will ultimately splash down in the Indian Ocean shortly after launch.
First engine reuse. Flight 7’s Super Heavy booster will utilize one of the engines recovered by SpaceX during Starship’s fifth launch. This engine, a Raptor with serial number 314, is notable for having a pie illustrated on its nozzle, a reference to the mathematical constant pi.
This flight will mark the first instance of SpaceX reusing hardware that has already been tested in the Starship program. The ultimate ambition is to achieve full and rapid reusability for both the Super Heavy booster and the Starship spacecraft.
A new Starship. The seventh flight will also feature the debut of the Starship Block 2 spacecraft, which includes a variety of design improvements. Among the most apparent changes are the new forward flaps, which are smaller and positioned away from the heat shield to minimize their exposure during reentry.
Additionally, SpaceX engineers have enhanced the heat shield itself with new-generation heat tiles and a backing layer designed to protect the spacecraft in cases where tiles may be missing. Arguably, the most significant upgrades are found within the spacecraft. Starship now features larger tanks that can hold 25% more propellant and new fuel lines for the vacuum engines. It also has a revamped avionics module that improves control over the spacecraft’s valves and sensor readouts.
New capture attempt. SpaceX had to cancel the Super Heavy’s landing during the sixth flight due to a loss of communication with the launch tower. Despite reusing an engine for the first time, the company remains optimistic about the seventh flight.
Engineers have upgraded the Mechazilla launch tower and capture hardware to improve the reliability of the Super Heavy landings. The tower’s robotic arms, commonly referred to as “chopsticks,” now feature protective measures for the sensors damaged during liftoff on the sixth flight.
A promising launch. You’ll be able to follow the launch live via SpaceX’s website and the company’s X account. The Starship spacecraft is capable of transmitting high-definition video at 120 Mbps through its Starlink antennas, even during reentry when it’s enveloped in plasma.
These high-quality images, along with the substantial amount of telemetry data received from the spacecraft, provide the engineering insights necessary for SpaceX to iterate on the Starship’s design rapidly.
Image | SpaceX
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