Here is complete drone video of the SpaceX Starship 26 single engine static fire test from 2023-10-20. This was described as simulating the engine start sequence for the deorbit burn of Starship. Starships number 26 and 27 are the odd pups of the litter, designed for expendable missions and thus not equipped with either heat shield tiles or aerodynamic flaps. Ship 27 was scrapped in July 2023, but Ship 26 continues to be tested. The video includes a slow motion replay of the test. The “raptor honk” at engine shutdown is apparent in this test.
Ellie in Space has prepared this 22 minute excerpt of the 2023-10-17 U.S. Senate hearing where executives from SpaceX and Blue Origin testified about the risks posed to U.S. commercial space ventures by the Federal Aviation Agency’s commercial space office’s glacial launch licensing procedures.
