Starbase, Texas
overcast clouds
Wind: 12.2 knots
73.1 °F
22.9 °C
Hardware
Starship SN15
Test Vehicle
Starship SN15 was a prototype Starship vehicle that conducted a test flight to 10 kilometers in altitude. It became the first prototype to softly land following a high-altitude test flight. SN15 featured hundreds of upgrades over previous prototypes, including an upgraded thrust puck and Raptor engines. It remained on display for over 2 years after its flight, but was finally cut in half on July 26, 2023.
Retired
Starship SN9
Test Vehicle
Starship SN9 was a test vehicle designed to attempt a high-altitude test flight similar to the one conducted by Starship SN8. SN9 tipped over while undergoing processing in the High Bay on Dec. 11 – colliding with a wall and sustaining damage. As a result, two flaps were replaced before the vehicle was rolled to the pad for flight. Starship SN9 experienced a hard landing during its test flight.
Destroyed
Starship SN8
Test Vehicle
Starship SN8 was a test vehicle designed to perform a 12.5 km test flight. It became the first Starship to be outfitted with three Raptors (SN30, SN32, and SN39). After the first static fire, SN39 was replaced by SN36. After the third static fire, Raptor SN32 was removed due to an anomaly and replaced by Raptor SN42. Thus, SN30, SN36, and SN42 are the Raptors that performed the eventual test flight. During the flight, Starship SN8 was lost due to an anomaly with header tank pressure but completed many test objectives.
Destroyed
Starship SN4
Test Vehicle
Starship SN4 was the first full-scale tank section to pass a cryogenic proof test. It then went on to complete several successful static fires, before being lost in an explosion after a quick disconnect issue, following a successful static fire. It used Raptor engine SN18 for the first round of static fire testing and Raptor SN20 for the second round.
Destroyed
Starship SN2
Structural Test Article
Starship SN2 was originally planned to be a full-scale Starship tank section which would conduct a hop to 150 meters. Following the loss of Starship SN1, plans for SN2 changed to be only a smaller scale test tank. This allowed SpaceX to quickly verify that the design changes to the thrust section worked as intended. SN2 successfully passed a cryogenic proof test with simulated engine thrust loads.
Retired