SpaceX Preparing For Raptor Engine Testing | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

 Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-07.07.25

Airborne-NextGen-07.08.25

AirborneUnlimited-07.09.25

Airborne-FlightTraining-07.10.25

AirborneUnlimited-07.11.25

Fri, Aug 12, 2016

SpaceX Preparing For Raptor Engine Testing

First Rocket Motor Shipped To McGregor, TX Facility For Firing

SpaceX is preparing to test its latest rocket motor, the Raptor. Company president Gwynne Shotwell said in a speech at the 30th annual Conference on Small Satellites at Utah State University that the first such full engine had been shipped to its McGregor, TX test facility for firing.

Spaceflight Insider reports that Shotwell said that test firing would occur "soon" in the speech.

In January of this year, the U.S. Air Force awarded a contract worth $33.6 million to develop a prototype upper stage version of the Raptor engine. the oxygen preburners of the engine have been tested by NASA in some 76 hot-fire tests totalling about 400 seconds of firing time.

The Raptor's specs have not yet been finalized, but SpaceX founder Elon Musk said last year that engineers are targeting about 510,000 pounds of thrust, or about three times the thrust of the Merlin 1D engines currently boosting Falcon rockets. But still only about a third of the power of the Saturn V's F-1 engine.

(NASA image of Raptor preburner test)

FMI: www.spacex.com

Advertisement

More News

Airborne 07.11.25: New FAA Boss, New NASA Boss (Kinda), WB57s Over TX

Also: ANOTHER Illegal Drone, KidVenture Educational Activities, Record Launches, TSA v Shoes The Senate confirmed Bryan Bedford to become the next Administrator of the FAA, in a ne>[...]

Airborne-Flight Training 07.10.25: ATC School, Air Race Classic, Samson School

Also: Sully v Bedford, Embraer Scholarships, NORAD Intercepts 11, GAMA Thankful Middle Georgia State University will be joining the Federal Aviation Administration’s fight ag>[...]

Airborne Affordable Flyers 07.03.25: Sonex HW, BlackShape Gabriel, PRA Fly-In 25

Also: DarkAero Update, Electric Aircraft Symposium, Updated Instructor Guide, OSH Homebuilts Celebrate The long-awaited Sonex High Wing prototype has flown... the Sonex gang tells >[...]

Airborne-Flight Training 07.10.25: ATC School, Air Race Classic, Samson School

Also: Sully v Bedford, Embraer Scholarships, NORAD Intercepts 11, GAMA Thankful Middle Georgia State University will be joining the Federal Aviation Administration’s fight ag>[...]

Rick Kenin New Board Chair of VAI

30-Year USCG Veteran Aviator Focusing On Member Benefits The Vertical Aviation International Board of Directors announced its new leadership officers in April, and all began their >[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Change Display

Headlines Only | Headlines w/ Teasers | View Everything

Advertisement

Top Videos

Airborne 07.11.25: New FAA Bos, New NASA Boss (Kinda), WB57s Over TX

Airborne-Flight Training 07.10.25: ATC School, Air Race Classic, Samson School

Airborne 07.09.25: B-17 Sentimental Journey, Airport Scandal, NORAD Intercepts

See All

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC