SpaceX Starship sent on second 150m test flight in Texas

The prototype completed another hop test
Jack Webb @JackWebb924 September 2020

SpaceX's Starship SN6 craft has successfully completed another 150-metre hop test in Boca Chica, Texas.

Just like the first hop test and short flight conducted by the SN5 in August, this latest feat is aimed to refine SpaceX's launching and landing capabilities.

Based on the video above, it appears as though the test was as success as the SN6 rose into the air, hitting a height of 150 metres.

The prototype rocket was filled with liquid oxygen and methane before it was launched by the power of SpaceX's single Raptor engine.

As you can see, the craft then gracefully floats back down to the landing pad without much incident.

In a tweet, Elon Musk likened the shape of the craft to a flying water tower, said: “Turns out you can make anything fly haha.”

Musk told CNet earlier this month that future prototype test flights aiming higher than just a "hop" will "probably [come] next year."

Following on from that, Musk said the next step will be to apply the missing flaps and attempt more intensive, high altitude tests.

Starship is being designed as a long-duration cargo carrier, and at some point, there are plans to eventually kit it out to ferry passengers to and from Mars, being capable of multiple flights in one day.

Obviously, that dream is a long way off, but these tests are being carried out to perfect the process.

SpaceX first hopped its smaller prototype, Starhopper, in July 2019, which was the first time ever the Raptor engine was used to make a free flight.