SpaceX's Upgraded Starship to Conduct First Payload Deployment on Jan. 10, Releasing 10 Starlink Simulators

Jan 3, 2025, 04:48 PM

SpaceX's seventh flight test of its Starship spacecraft is preparing to launch on January 10, 2025, at 4 PM CST from Texas. For the first time, Starship will deploy payloads in space by releasing 10 Starlink simulators, which are similar in size and weight to next-generation Starlink satellites. These simulators will test the pez-style deployment system but will be incinerated upon reentry as they are on a suborbital trajectory. The flight will also test a series of significant upgrades, including redesigned forward flaps for improved heat resistance and simplified mechanisms, a 25% increase in propellant capacity for longer missions, an advanced heat shield with a backup system, and upgraded propulsion systems and avionics as part of the V2 design. Additionally, the Super Heavy booster will launch and return, and the mission will conduct multiple reentry experiments aimed at ship catch and reuse. Raptor engines from Booster 12, used in Flight 5, will be reused on Booster 14. This mission represents a major step towards achieving rapid reusability and advancing the Starship program.