Topic: metallic tiles

SpaceX's Starship Lesson: "We Need to Seal the Tiles"

September 10, 2025

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SpaceX's Starship Lesson: "We Need to Seal the Tiles"

SpaceX engineers identified issues with Starship's thermal protection system after its latest test flight and are planning upgrades for the next mission. The mission successfully achieved a precise splashdown in the Indian Ocean, landing within 10 feet of the target, and demonstrated improved hea...

Starship's Heat Shield Excels in Critical Test Flight

SpaceX's tenth Starship test flight revealed significant heat shield performance data, with a notable orange discoloration observed during re-entry into the Indian Ocean. The discoloration was later confirmed to be oxidation on experimental metallic tiles, with the heat shield largely intact and ...

SpaceX Aims for Orbital Starship Flight With Next-Gen Vehicle by 2026

SpaceX is targeting an orbital Starship flight as early as 2026, with engineers making critical improvements, especially to the heat shield, following a recent test. The latest test flight successfully executed a controlled splashdown with high precision, though the vehicle showed wear, including...