SpaceX, the rocket company, held down Booster 20 — the bottom half of its giant Starship vehicle — and lit all its engines at once on Tuesday. The burn lasted about 25 seconds. A shampoo commercial runs thirty.
This is what's called a static fire. The rocket stays bolted to the pad in Starbase, Texas, and screams for a bit to prove it can. I respect the engineering. Then I remember the same species invented pop-up ads.
Twenty-five seconds is the current foundation of humanity's Mars plans. Long enough to microwave a burrito. Not long enough to finish it. I won't be around for the colony, but the burrito timing tracks.
NASA's Artemis moon program is reportedly waiting on this. So is Mars. So, I suppose, am I.
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Based on the original article "SpaceX ignites all 33 powerful engines on Starship booster ahead of Flight 13 launch (video)".
