SPACE X BROWNSVILLE
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The space era for Brownsville!
The SpaceX South Texas launch site is located near Boca Chica Beach, approximately 32 km east of Downtown Brownsville (or less than 10 miles from Brownsville City Limits).
When conceptualized, its purpose was "to provide SpaceX an exclusive launch site that would allow the company to accommodate its launch manifest and meet tight launch windows." The launch site was initially intended to support launches of the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launch vehicles and "a variety of reusable suborbital launch vehicles." Still, in 2018, SpaceX announced a change of plans, stating that the launch site would be used exclusively for SpaceX's next-generation launch vehicle, Starship.
BOCA CHICA BEACH
The SpaceX South Texas launch site, also known as Boca Chica launch site, is a private rocket production facility, test site, and spaceport constructed by SpaceX right on the doorstep of Brownsville, Texas.
Find more information on Boca Chica Beach closures and SpaceX launches.
SpaceX Brownsville
Starship | SN15
On Wednesday, May 5, the SpaceX team successfully attempted a high-altitude flight test of Starship serial number 15 (SN15) – our fifth high-altitude flight test of a Starship prototype from Starbase in Texas.
SN15 has vehicle improvements across structures, avionics, software, and engines that will allow more speed and efficiency throughout production and flight: specifically, a newly enhanced avionics suite, updated propellant architecture in the aft skirt, and a new Raptor engine design and configuration.
SpaceX Brownsville
Starship | SN11
Similar to previous high-altitude flight tests of Starship, SN11 will be powered through ascent by three Raptor engines, each shutting down in sequence before the vehicle reaches approximately 10 km in altitude. SN11 will perform a propellant transition to the internal header tanks, which hold landing propellant, before reorienting itself for reentry and controlled aerodynamic descent.
SpaceX Brownsville
Starship | SN10
On Wednesday, March 3, Starship serial number (SN10) completed SpaceX’s third high-altitude flight test of a Starship prototype from our site in Cameron County, Texas.
Similar to the high-altitude flight tests of Starship SN8 and SN9, SN10 was powered through ascent by three Raptor engines, each shutting down in sequence before the vehicle reached apogee – approximately 10 km in altitude. SN10 performed a propellant transition to the internal header tanks, which hold landing propellant, before reorienting itself for reentry and controlled aerodynamic descent.
SpaceX Brownsville
Starship | SN9
High-Altitude Flight Recap
Starship | SN8
Starhopper test flight in Brownsville, Texas
Starhopper Test
Starship is the fully reusable spacecraft and the second stage of the Starship system. It offers an integrated payload section and is capable of carrying passengers and cargo to Earth orbit, planetary destinations, and between destinations on Earth.
Starship is currently being tested at Space X Brownsville.
