Super Heavy rocket gets even more powerful - SpaceX tests Raptor V3 engine, delivering 269 tonnes of thrust
While the FAA is investigating the explosion of the Starship rocket system, SpaceX is not sitting idle. Elon Musk has announced a successful test of a new engine.
Here's What We Know
Starship consists of two parts: the rocket and the spacecraft itself. The Super Heavy rocket will be the most powerful in the world. It is equipped with 33 Raptor engines, which create a thrust of 7,500 tons, which is 3,500 tons more than the Space Launch System (SLS). Technically, it is the SLS that is now the world's most powerful rocket.
Raptor V3 just achieved 350 bar chamber pressure (269 tons of thrust). Congrats to @SpaceX propulsion team!
- Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 13, 2023
Starship Super Heavy Booster has 33 Raptors, so total thrust of 8877 tons or 19.5 million pounds. pic.twitter.com/ZlskpCXUmu
As for Super Heavy, SpaceX is developing Raptor V3 engines for it. Elon Musk said that the propulsion system operated at 350 bar and produced a thrust of 269 tonnes. This means that 33 Raptor V3 engines will provide a thrust of 8,877 tonnes, which is about 1,400 tonnes more than the current version.
Source: @elonmusk
