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IPFS News Link • Space Travel and Exploration

SpaceX Fixing Starship to Reach Rapid Reusability

• Next Big Future - Brian Wang

Here is what has been learned and fixed after the third flight.

Super Heavy Booster:
• Second successful ascent.
• Initiated boostback burn; 13 engines started successfully, but six shut down early due to filter blockage.
• Attempted landing burn with only seven engines starting; contact lost at 462 meters altitude.

Identified issue: Filter blockage in liquid oxygen supply.
• Fix: Adding hardware in oxygen tanks for better filtration which will increase startup reliability of Raptor engines.

Starship's Coast Phase
• Flight 3: First test of payload door in space, successful propellant transfer demonstration with two tanks in the same Starship.
• Loss of attitude control led to skipping planned on-orbit relight.
• First reentry from space; valuable data collected despite high heating and loss of telemetry at 65 kilometers altitude.