Amid Starship milestones, Booster 7 set to return for pre-launch testing - NASASpaceFlight.com - NASASpaceflight.com
September 29, 2022.
September 26, 2022.June 30, 2022.June 22, 2022.October 1, 2022.October 1, 2022.June 30, 2022.June 22, 2022October 1, 2022September 26, 2022October 1, 2022September 26, 2022September 24, 2022Booster 7 achieved the seven-engine static fire test milestone before rolling back to the Production Site for “robustness upgrades.” It is set to return for its pre-launch flow this coming weekSpaceX chief engineer Elon Musk also confirmed Starbase would produce the initial vehicles for its KSC launch site, shipped to Florida by barge from Texas, as an interim measure before production comes online at the company’s under-construction Roberts Road facilityBooster 7 and Ship 24 continue to be cited as the pairing that will conduct the orbital test flight, with Musk citing the latest schedule as “late next month (October) maybe, but November seems highly likely.”Schedule clarity will be gained via the upcoming return to Booster 7 from its time back in the Mega Bay (High Bay 2) after it was transported away from its perch on the Orbital Launch Mount (OLM) in the middle of September— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 19, 2022It’s currently yet to be seen if Booster 7 and Ship 24 will complete a full-stack mating once the vehicles are reunited at the Orbital Launch Site before the next Static Fire milestoneThis vehicle was rolled to the launch site during Booster 7’s upgrades
This may be in part related to a potential refocus on Booster 9 being the vehicle to follow up on Booster 7’s flightBooster 9 has already begun stacking at the production site and has been confirmed as sporting a number of upgrades, per Musk – who has now made several references to Booster 7’s test flight and the upgrades that will fly with Booster 9“Our focus is on reliability upgrades for flight on Booster 7 and completing Booster 9, which has many design changes, especially for full engine RUD isolation,” Musk noted in a tweetOur focus is on reliability upgrades for flight on Booster 7 and completing Booster 9, which has many design changes, especially for full engine RUD isolation— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 21, 2022— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 21, 2022