SpaceX is gearing up for a crucial test launch of its Starship spacecraft, with the seventh test expected to take place as early as January 11. The upcoming test will involve a new generation of prototypes dubbed “Block 2,” which includes significant design changes such as a forward flap design, updated heat shield layout, and increased propellant capacity.
The prototype, Ship 33, completed an early cryogenic test in October, but its performance during the next test remains uncertain. In previous launches, Starship has experienced scorching temperatures during reentry, prompting concerns about its ability to withstand the stresses of launch and return.
For Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, this test will be a critical evaluation of his company’s ambitious heavy-lift launch platform. “The biggest technology challenge remaining for Starship is a fully & immediately reusable heat shield,” he tweeted recently. The successful completion of this test could pave the way for NASA to use Starship for its first human landing on the Moon since the 1970s.
Source: https://futurism.com/the-byte/video-shows-robot-welding-spacex-starship