PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - SpaceX flight testing in South Texas
View Single Post
Old 16th July 2022 | 20:18
  #254 (permalink)  
ORAC
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Community Influencer
 
Joined: Jul 2000
: Spotter
Posts: 24,662
Likes: 7,349
From: Peripatetic
https://gizmodo.com/spacex-super-hea...nch-1849179366

SpaceX could try to grab Starship during its first launch

Documents filed with the US Federal Communications Commission It indicates that SpaceX can use the Mechazilla launch tower and its arms known as “chopsticks” to catch the booster section of the spacecraft on its first orbital flight test.

The original plan of the fully stacked Starship system submitted to the FCC in May 2021, stated that the two stages of the rocket would end in the ocean; The fuel will fall into the Gulf of Mexico about 32 km From the coast, while the upper stage, after completing a partial orbit would splashdown to the northwest coast of Kauai, Hawaii.

This scenario is still possible, but the amended plan submitted to the FCC suggests a different outcome to the boost phase where the Super Heavy booster will detach from the upper stage and then perform a return to launch site burn and either land in the Gulf of Mexico or return to Starbase and be captured by the launch tower.

https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/els/repor...ion_seq=116809

https://apps.fcc.gov/els/GetAtt.html?id=301648&x=.

….”FLIGHT PROFILE

The Starship-Super Heavy test flight will originate from Starbase, TX. The booster stage will separate and will then perform a partial return and land in the Gulf of Mexico or return to Starbase and be caught by the launch tower. The orbital Starship spacecraft will continue on its path to an altitude of approximately 250 km before performing a powered, targeted landing in the Pacific Ocean”…..



ORAC is offline  
Reply