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SpaceX continues to move towards its second orbital test flight as it conducted an important test earlier today to test the Super Heavy booster's pumps and turbines. This test, called a spin prime test, sees the rocket gush super cool propellants from its engines as they are pumped out without igniting them. The previous Starship booster, which was destroyed during flight, also ran a similar test, and it came with some fireworks that saw a large fireball light up at its bottom. However, SpaceX has learned from experience this time as the test went without a hiccup to allow the firm to check off another item before more important tests, such as a static fire and a potential wet dress rehearsal which are the final few steps before a launch.

Starship's Spin Prime Test Sees Clouds of Propellants Cover The Rocket's Base

The test started at roughly 10:13 am local time after Starship's Super Heavy booster had started venting out its propellants earlier. It lasted for roughly twelve seconds and saw plumes of cold propellants surging from the bottom of the rocket as it appeared that SpaceX had tested several engines on its rocket to ensure that their performance would be up to the mark when it comes to the second Starship orbital test flight.

Upgrades to the Raptor engines are one of the most important on the Starship vehicle after the first flight attempt in April. While most attention during the test was focused on the world's largest rocket doing cartwheels in the air, Starship's engines continued to turn off as it ascended after liftoff.

The engine which powers the rocket, SpaceX's Raptor 2, is a big upgrade over the Merlin engines that power the Falcon 9 regarding its thrust, fuel efficiency, and cleaning capability. While the Merlin engines use kerosene which causes carbon buildup inside the engines, the Raptor's fuel of choice, methane, is a clean burn that leads to an easier-to-maintain engine. This maintenance is crucial since SpaceX has big plans for Starship that envisage dozens of launches to fill up orbital fuel depots and conduct other missions.

The Starship Super Heavy booster's first static fire test attempt was in August 2022. Image: SpaceX

Another crucial upgrade, and perhaps the most important, is the hot staging ring that SpaceX will add to the top of the Super Heavy booster. This piece is important since it will protect the top of the Super Heavy booster from the exhaust plume and forces from the second-stage engines as they light up for stage separation. The upgrade is crucial since the second Starship test flight will see the second-stage spacecraft's engines fire up to jettison away from the booster after SpaceX's earlier stage separation design failed during the April launch.

Footage from SpaceX's facilities in Texas shows that the first test article for the hot staging appears to be in the final stages of development. Whether SpaceX discards it or builds a new one is unknown, but the firm should test it for compression strength to ensure that it can bear the forces of a rocket pushing on it from both the top and the bottom.

After today's spin prime test, the Super Heavy booster should undergo more tests, out of which the static fire is perhaps one of the most important. This will test Starship's engines by lighting them up to certify the system as ready for launch. However, before Starship can launch, SpaceX has to go through the April launch with the FAA to ensure all systems are ready to launch the world's largest rocket once again.

You can take a look at the latest Starship spin prime test below at around the 10:13 CDT mark.