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martyb [soylentnews.org] writes:

SpaceX Starship now has Three Monster Raptor Engines Installed [cnet.com]:

Elon Musk's Mars rocket is really coming together. Construction of the interplanetary spaceship [cnet.com] is taking place at SpaceX's [cnet.com] Boca Chica facility in Texas and, after giving us a glimpse of the prototype's fins [cnet.com] on Monday, the SpaceX CEO has pulled back the curtain on the Starship Mk.1 fitted with three Raptor engines.

The Raptor engines are monstrous liquid-liquid rocket engines which use methane and oxygen to power SpaceX's upcoming launch vehicles. They will be used in SpaceX's next-generation rocket, which contains two stages: The Super Heavy first stage, which lifts it into orbit, and the Starship second stage, which takes it through the void of space.

[...]The SpaceX CEO has discussed the Raptor engine requirements in the past [cnet.com], explaining how the proposed interplanetary Starship requires an engine that can put out at least 170 tons of force. Previous testing showed a single engine reaching 172 tons of force, but it's now pushing 200. The Starship will be attached to the top of the Super Heavy rocket, which will likely have up to 31 Raptor engines strapped to its bottom. Crazy to think about.

Relatedly, SpaceX has filed with the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) an application for Special Temporary Authority (STA) [fcc.report]:

*SPOILER* (click to show) *SPOILER* (click to hide)

This STA is necessary to authorize Starship suborbital test vehicle communications for SpaceX Mission 1569 from the Boca Chica launch pad, and the experimental recovery following the suborbital launch. Recovery is limited to 2 functions: (1) prelaunch checkout test of the TC uplink from the ground station at Boca Chica (less than five minutes in duration) and (2) experimental uplink testing from the ground station at Boca Chica during descent. Trajectory data will be provided directly to NTIA, USAF, and NASA. All downrange Earth stations are receive-only. Launch licensing authority is FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation.

Of note is that the Suborbital Test Vehicle Maximum Altitude is specified as 22.5km. (That's just under 14 miles or ~74,000 feet. Long-haul commercial airliners typically cruise [usatoday.com] at about 36,000 feet; private jets at ~41,000.)

By the way, this prototype is being constructed in the open air without benefit of any kind of hanger or outbuilding to protect it during assembly.

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