The upgraded Super Heavy booster planned for SpaceX's upcoming Starship flight has successfully completed cryogenic proof testing, overcoming a challenge that previously led to the destruction of the company's earlier booster.
SpaceX shared the achievement in a social media update on Tuesday, stating: “Cryoproof operations complete for the first time with a Super Heavy V3 booster. This multi-day campaign tested the booster’s redesigned propellant systems and its structural strength.”
At Starbase, Texas, ground teams transported the 237-foot-tall (72.3-meter) stainless-steel booster from its factory to Massey’s Test Site over the past week. During testing, the crew conducted a pressure test at ambient temperatures and then loaded the rocket with super-cold liquid nitrogen four times over six days. These procedures subjected the booster to repeated thermal and pressurization cycles, with nitrogen simulating the cryogenic methane and liquid oxygen intended for the propellant tanks during launch.
This proof test represents a significant step forward for engineers, bringing them closer to launching an upgraded version of SpaceX's colossal rocket, known as Starship V3 or Block 3. While SpaceX launched the previous Starship V2 model five times last year, the initial three test flights were unsuccessful. However, the last two tests met SpaceX's objectives, prompting a transition to version V3.
Better Results This Time
The initial Super Heavy booster designated for the first Starship V3 test flight failed during a pressure test last November when its liquid oxygen tank ruptured. SpaceX subsequently discarded the booster and shifted focus to the next in line, Booster 19. This Super Heavy vehicle has successfully passed stress testing, leading to its return to the factory early Monday. There, technicians will fit 33 Raptor engines onto the booster and attach the grid fins.
This version features several enhancements over the Starship V2. The Raptor engines, set to debut on Starship V3, deliver increased thrust and have undergone modifications to enhance reliability, according to SpaceX. The Raptor 3s are also lighter, with plumbing and sensors integrated into the engine’s main structure, removing the need for independent heat shields between the engines at the rocket's base.