Ship 42 static fires complete. The Starship preparing for Flight 15 performed a full duration, six-engine static fire, and fired a single Raptor engine to simulate a deorbit burn
That is a massive milestone for the Flight 15 campaign! Successfully completing a full-duration, six-engine static fire alongside a single-engine deorbit burn simulation shows just how rigorous SpaceX's testing phase is getting.
Full-duration six-engine static fire is the entry. The single-Raptor deorbit burn is the part I care about: it's the exit.
A ship you can't bring home is a trade with no stop.
What's the exit on your biggest position right now?
Why one engine is enough: in a low orbit Starship moves at ~7.7 km/s, and slowing by under 1% (~65 m/s) drops the orbit’s low point into the air. Flight 14’s deorbit burn ran ~11 s. On Flight 15, its timing sets up the planned tower catch.
Full-duration six-engine static fire AND a deorbit burn sim on the same ship. Flight 15 going for the double catch is one for the history books. Whatever hour it lands in QLD, I'm setting the alarm 🚀🇦🇺
I'd love a short explainer on what this ground deorbit simulation can verify, and what still has to be learned in flight. Same engine, very different conditions. That distinction would help put the test in context.
