SpaceX is preparing for the seventh test flight of the Starship/Super Heavy system. The flight will include testing the ship's improvements, first payload deployment and some experiments, related to re-entry and re-use of the device.
Major updates include:
- Changes in the design of the front flaps to reduce heating.
- Extended fuel tanks (+25% volume).
- New avionics with advanced computers, antennas and power system.
- Updated thermal protection system with the latest tiles and an additional layer of protection.
The ship will perform a suborbital flight with a landing in the Indian Ocean. During this, the deployment of cargo is tested for the first time: Starship will release 10 simulators of Starlink satellites, similar in size and mass to future V3 satellites. The simulators will not remain in orbit, and will return to the atmosphere together with the ship.
Companions Starlink V3 will be a key payload for the Starship. These devices, by weight 2 tons each, will have much higher bandwidth:
- 1 terabit/s to download (v 10 times more, than the V2 Mini).
- 160 gigabit/s for download (v 24 times more).
- Almost 4 terabits/s for feedback via radio frequencies and lasers.
This mission will also be the first, where already tested equipment will be used. The Super Heavy booster will include the Raptor engine, which successfully returned to earth on a previous flight in October. SpaceX plans to repeat this maneuver and make a new attempt to "capture" the booster.
The exact launch date has not been confirmed, but airspace restrictions are set for January 10-16.
