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SpaceX Trio of Raptor Engines Ignited Simultaneously For the First Time Ever
SpaceX carried out its first ever static fire test of three Raptor engines at once, in a prelude to its upcoming SN8 spacecraft flight. Read more to find out.
Science & Tech
SpaceX's next Starship spacecraft prototype, the SN8, is likely to be launching from the space company's South Texas launch facility very soon.
The company carried out its first-ever triple Raptor engine test, which saw all three massive SN8 test vehicle's engines roar to life in a burst of orange cloud. Each Raptor can create over 200 tons of thrust.
The test took place on Tuesday morning at approximately 3:13 AM CDT, per Tesmanian.
The static-fire test, which saw all three Raptors come to life simultaneously, is a regular part of pre-flight testing. The Starship SN8 prototype was filled with a propellant that was made up of cryogenic methane and liquid oxygen. Then, the Raptors were ignited for just a few seconds as the SN8 remained on the test pad on the ground, per Teslarati.