StarHopper
SpaceX's StarHopper program was a test article for the development and testing of launch and landing ready for 'Starship' production, StarHopper is currently being built at their private launch site in Boca Chica Beach in South Texas.
Since its last hop in August 2019 Starhopper has be retired to be a stationary raptor engine test stand at Boca Chica.
SpaceX's Starship is intended to be a Mars Lander as well as a lunar lander. Since the StarHopper is a prototype of the Starship, it actually is a prototype lunar lander, confirmed by Elon Musk.
StarHopper is being tested for landing in 1/6th and 1/3rd G for Lunar and Mars landing capability.
The StarHopper is a low fidelity prototype of SpaceX's next generation StarShip and is being constructed of stainless steel and will be first powered by a single Raptor engine and then upgraded to 3 Raptor engines. The testing campaign could last many months and involve many separate engine and flight tests before this first test vehicle is retired. A higher fidelity test vehicle is currently under construction at Boca Chica called Starship ORBITAL prototype, which will eventually carry the testing campaign further.
Starhopper 150m Test flight success Tuesday 27th August 2019
This was the last Starhopper test flight as the new Starship ORBITAL MK1 and MK2 prototypes will then be used, the Starhopper will then only be used as a Raptor engine test stand.
150 Meter Starhopper Test
Stearhoper whats next
SpaceX Starhopper Drone cam - Starship Prototype - first successful untethered hop attempt, 25-7-2019 to 20m and a short transversal to the landing pad nearby.
The Second untethered hop is due in early August 2019 that will launch starhopper higher at 200m and faster.
StarHopper successfully achieved is first Tethered Hop on the 5th April 2019 using 1 Raptor Engine (SN2)
StarHopper construction 21 Jan 2019 (Click on picture to enlarge)
The plan is to fly this test article starting in February 2019 to a height for a few meters progressing upto 5km using 3 of the new dual Bell 'Raptor' engines.
Elon 'Starship Hopper will do vertical flight tests similar to the Falcon 9 Hopper'
SpaceX StarHopper First Static Fire Test 3rd April 2019
Next StarHopper had a tethered limited flight to stop a full launch of StarHopper Test fire.
The Tests are being carried out at SpaceX's new launch site at Boca Chica Beach in South Texas where the Starhopper and Starship ORBITAL prototype are being constructed.
StarHopper
StarHopper 8 Jan 2019
The StarHopper test article was designed to do some control system tests with, Prove that the engines don't pogo, tune the control system algorithms so that the first flight of the real deal doesn't crash land.
StarHopper not designed to go into space
A full size of an Orbital prototype of Starship is set for June 2019. SEE Starship ORBITAL prototype.