SpaceX marked a significant milestone in its Starship program by conducting its ninth test flight from Texas.
Key Achievements of the Flight
SpaceX launched Starship 9 in its ninth test flight from the Starbase in Texas. The rocket reached space and, according to the company, this was a significant progress compared to previous flights. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk noted that the Starship successfully went through the planned engine cutoff, indicating improvements. No significant loss of heat shield tiles was observed during ascent. However, during the flight, leaks occurred, leading to a loss of pressure in the main tank during the coast phase.
Flight Errors and Consequences
Despite the success in some aspects, the flight also encountered serious issues. The payload bay door of the Starship failed to open, preventing the deployment of the planned Starlink satellites. There was also an attitude control error that led to the Starship failing to reach its planned reentry position. After approximately 46 minutes into the flight, contact with the rocket was lost.
Future Plans
SpaceX emphasizes that the ninth test flight was an important milestone for the company. They plan to perform a new data review and use the findings to improve the reliability of Starship. It was also announced that the next three test flights would take place every 3 to 4 weeks. NASA has also requested significant changes to Starship over the next year to fulfill its goal of landing astronauts back on the moon.
Thus, the ninth test flight of Starship demonstrated both achievements and shortcomings, which will contribute to further development and enhancement of future flights.
