SpaceX To Hold Seventh Starship Flying Test On January 10

Starship flight test illustration (photo: Doc. SpaceX)

JAKARTA SpaceX is preparing a next flight test for the Starship spacecraft. The company owned by Elon Musk said it would conduct its seventh flight test on January 10.

Starship's launch target will be increased in the upcoming trial. The company not only flew Starship into space, but also distributed Starship's first payload. SpaceX also plans to launch and return the Super Heavy booster.

At the launch this time, SpaceX used the latest generation Starship which has been upgraded in several parts. The front flip of the vehicle has been reduced in size and the propulsion system has been redesigned by increasing the propellant volume by 25 percent.

The upgrade to the propulsion system also includes, "vacuum coating on the feed channel, a new fuel feed channel system for the vehicle Raptor vacuum engine, and an upgraded avionic propulsion module to control the vehicle valve."

All of these changes are claimed to be an additional performance for vehicles and Starship is able to carry out missions longer. To further improve its performance, SpaceX will also use the latest generation tiles on the aircraft's heat shield.

On January 10, Starship will fly with 10 Starlink simulators of size and weight similar to the next generation Starlink satellites. This is also the first exercise in the deployment of the latest generation Starlink.

In addition to flying Starlink, SpaceX will focus on several things in this test. They will release a large number of tiles at the top stage of Starship to test the pressure of vulnerable areas. They will also test alternative materials to protect Starship when it returns to Earth.

"This new year will be a transformation year for Starship, targeting to bring back the entire system online and fly an increasingly ambitious mission as we strive to be able to send humans and cargo into Earth, Moon and Mars orbits," SpaceX said on its official website.