SpaceX recently installed the brand new hot staging ring atop Booster 9 that can attempt this latest stage separation method.
The recent staging ring has passed through its own test campaign, including being connected to the “can crusher,” which simulates stresses on the rocket during liftoff and, having passed that test, was then installed.
Hot staging is when the 2nd stage, on this case, Starship, ignites its engines while still connected to then draw back from Booster 9, which may even still be firing a few of its own engines but with those throttled down. The recent staging method isn’t a brand new idea, because it has been utilized by Russian rockets for years now and likewise by older American rockets similar to the Titan II.
The ring features mostly vents on the edges and a stainless-steel dome, but underneath is heavily reinforced with a purpose to withstand the forces from the Raptor engines firing above it during hot staging.
SpaceX has yet to substantiate which of the Starship Raptor engines will ignite first, but with the ocean level (3 center) Raptor engines sitting extremely near the highest of the dome, it wouldn’t be surprising if the outer three vacuum Raptors ignited first followed by the three center engines shortly after.
Back on the launch site, the Starship quick disconnect arm that’s used to fuel Starship has already been adjusted and raised higher to account for the addition of the new stage ring.
Irrespective of which way they ignite engines, it’ll actually be an insane view if the rocket makes it to the staging phase of flight, which will likely be expected.
SpaceX also recently shared a video from their McGregor Test Facility showing a Raptor engine firing while gimbaling 15 degrees. Elon Musk said that it was to simulate the landing burn at “max gimbal deflection.”
Long duration test fire of Raptor while gimbaled 15 degrees pic.twitter.com/HuYqmtE8fc
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 17, 2023
On the production site, the corporate recently demolished considered one of the production tents and commenced taking down the mid-bay to make room for a brand new improved production facility after recently demolishing the windbreak that had been standing for the reason that early days of Starbase.
Booster 9 is predicted to move back to the Orbital Launch Mount sometime this week. Nevertheless, the tropics are picking up, which can force SpaceX to maintain it protected within the high bay until the trail of the storms is clearer.