SpaceX Opens Third Starship Engine Test Suite

Elon Musk presented the concept of the interplanetary spacecraft Starship, formerly called BFR, in 2016.

It is planned that Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa will use it to fly to the Moon as a space tourist in 2019.

Starship is the name of the second stage and at the same time a spaceship, and the first stage is called Super Heavy. Previously SpaceXheldfirst successfully tested the Raptor engine in Super Heavy, and then tested the engine for Starship.

The third test complex for the apparatus will be equipped with nine similar engines. Another 37 engines will be installed on the Super Heavy class launch vehicle and tested in flight.

Third Raptor test stand activated at SpaceX’srocket development facility in McGregor, Texas. In the past year, the Raptor team has accumulated over 3,200 seconds of testing across 18 engines, including multiple full-power firings pic.twitter.com/YFi9PMLPgv

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) February 27, 2020

The company said that the total duration of engine tests for 2019 was 53 minutes. In 2020, SpaceX intends to increase testing intensity.

Previouslywas reportedthat during the tests the pressure in the chamberThe internal combustion engine of the Raptor, developed by SpaceX for the Starship interstellar spaceship, reached 268.9 bar. This is more than the record value set by the Russian RD-180 engine.