Starship SN7.1

Block 1 Starship Prototype

Mission Profile

Starship SN7.1 was the second SpaceX Starship propellant tank structural test article, built to validate improved welds and a stronger 304L stainless steel alloy following the SN7 test. Pressurized to destruction on 23 September 2020 with liquid nitrogen, SN7.1 achieved 8.5 bar before failure, exceeding the SN7 result and confirming the structural improvements SpaceX engineers had implemented between the two tests. The test data gave SpaceX high confidence that full Starship prototypes would safely contain the propellant pressures required for flight operations, clearing a critical materials and manufacturing milestone for the program.