Starship SN8 Successfully Completes Final Testing Ahead of Flight

upstart writes in with an IRC submission for c0lo:

Starship SN8 successfully completes final testing ahead of flight - NASASpaceFlight.com:

Following a slightly convoluted engine testing campaign, Starship SN8 is working through the final steps to finalize its pre-flight requirements, which included a triple Raptor Static Fire test on Tuesday. Should this test go to plan - via the results of the data review - the path will be cleared for SN8 to conduct a test flight to 15 km (50,000 ft) as soon as November 30.

This three-engine firing was expected to be the final major test ahead of the highly-ambitious flight, controlled belly flop" return, and potential landing.

The first-ever triple Raptor test was conducted over a month ago, albeit shortly after SN8 had taken up residence on the launch mount. The path towards flight was always going to involve additional first-time milestones.

Firstly, a second triple Raptor firing was added to forward planning due to an engine swap conducted after the initial test.

After that first test with Raptors SN30, SN32, and SN39, engineers then uninstalled SN39, replacing it with SN36. From that moment, an additional three-engine firing was going to be required.

However, that was added to the end of SN8's testing milestones. The decision was taken to progress towards nosecone installation to allow for two tests (single and dual engine) utilizing the liquid oxygen, or LOX, Header Tank located at the tip of the nose.

The first Header Tank Static Fire, involving one Raptor engine, was successfully conducted, although sparks" were noticeable immediately after ignition. The debris was initially understood to be surface material instead of a problem with the engine - the latter confirmed by the push toward the second Header Tank test without an engine swap.

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