Currently, there are five phases of the SpaceX flight test program. These phases are not in any way official and do not follow a standardized terminology. However, they are helpful to understand the different objectives of the different tests conducted.
Phase names on this wiki with the respective prototypes (planned):
- Phase I Suborbital Test Program: Starhopper
- Phase II Suborbital Test Program: SN5, SN6
- Phase III Suborbital Test Program: SN8, SN9, SN10, SN11
- Phase IV Suborbital Test Program: SN15, (SN16, SN17)
- Phase V Suborbital Test Program: (SN20)
The criteria used to categorize the tests into the phases are:
- Prototype assembly (1): How far is the prototype developed?
- Flight objectives:
- Apogee/Flight height (2)
- Engine performance (3)
- Flight Profile (4)
Phase/Criteria | Prototype assembly | Apogee | Engine performance | Flight Profile |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Upper stage Tank section; not yet with final dimensions | Suborbital Hop | Ignition and shutdown | Hop and land |
2 | Upper stage Tank section with mass simulator; final dimensions | Suborbital Hop | Ignition and Shutdown | Hop and land |
3 | Upper stage fully stacked incl. nosecone and flaps; final dimension | Suborbital Flight | Ignition, successive shutdown, reignition, shutdown | Flight, Belly flop maneuver, Land1 (not achieved) |
4 | Upper stage fully stacked; upgrades | Suborbital Flight | Ignition, successive shutdown, reignition, shutdown | Flight, Belly flop maneuver, Land1 (achieved) |
5 | Fully stacked; Both stages | Orbital Flight | Ignition, Super Heavy shutdown, Starship Ignition, Super Heavy reignition, shutdown, Starship shutdown, Starship reignition, shutdown | Super Heavy flight, Starship flight, Super Heavy splashdown, Belly Flop maneuver, Starship Splashdown |
1: While in Phase 3, SpaceX's main objective was to gather flight data and didn't expect to land, Phase 4 testing objectives thought to be increasing reliability (engine and maneuver) and achieving successful landings.