Starship SpaceX Wiki
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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.

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