This morning, SpaceX conducted the second flight test of the Starship. According to the original plan,The Starship will fire up and take off from the Boca Chica Starship Base in Texas, USA, at 7:30 (5:30 pm Central Time on March 3). But during the 40-second countdown to the live broadcast, the starship flight test was stopped.SpaceX officially announced that this test flight was cancelled. The Starship team is determining the next best flight opportunity, and the next launch time will be no earlier than March 6 (Thursday).
It is understood that this test flight mission is similar to the previous one. The Starship's super-heavy booster B15 attempts to achieve air capture and recovery through the "chopstick arm" of the launch tower.If successful, this would be the third successful demonstration of this technology, further advancing the goal of rapid rocket reuse.
At the same time, the S34 starship used this time is a second-generation model. The main improvements include the adjustment of the front flap position (closer to the head and smaller and thinner), the upgrade of the heat insulation tiles (adding a backup protective layer and active cooling function), the design of the vacuum insulation layer of the fuel pipeline, etc., to optimize thermal protection and propulsion system stability.
This time, the test flight also deployed simulated payloads of four next-generation Starlink satellites to verify the satellite launch process; and tested the re-ignition capability of the Raptor engine in space to provide technical support for deep space missions (such as Mars landing).