SpaceX flight testing in South Texas
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From: Peripatetic
Surprised it's that long, seeing as they've done their cryo-testing and the pyros have been delivered for the FTS. Still, nice to get a date.
Musk:
Musk:
Next flight of Starship and first flight of V3 ship & booster is 4 to 6 weeks away.
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From: Peripatetic
tarship V3 has a very new look!
Docking aerocovers, nice ablative coating below the forward flaps, new square tiles patches on the leeward side, tiles on the leeward side of the aft flips, and a bunch more
Docking aerocovers, nice ablative coating below the forward flaps, new square tiles patches on the leeward side, tiles on the leeward side of the aft flips, and a bunch more
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From: Peripatetic
Starship and Super Heavy move out to continue preflight testing
Less than 24 hours after Ship 39 made its way to Massey's it performed what looked to be a possible Spin Prime test.
Video
Booster 19 is alive!
Booster 19 was stacked earlier today and is already performing tests, here you can see the 4 vents at the very top of the booster venting. There is a beach closure tomorrow morning at 8AM untill 8PM for possible Static fire testing!!
Booster 19 was stacked earlier today and is already performing tests, here you can see the 4 vents at the very top of the booster venting. There is a beach closure tomorrow morning at 8AM untill 8PM for possible Static fire testing!!
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From: Peripatetic
Starship 39 and Booster 19 both underwent cryogenic testing today in preparation for full static fire testing in the coming days.
Video
SpaceX just tested the top deck deluge with the booster on the launch mount.
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From: Peripatetic
Video
Starship 39 performed a long duration static fire test at the Starbase Massey's test site today firing 6 Raptor 3 engines in preparation for upcoming Starship test flight 12. Awesome!
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From: Peripatetic
Full-duration static fire for the first time on Starship V3.
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From: Peripatetic
Video
Video
First 33-engine static fire for Super Heavy V3
Video
Booster 19 has been static fired for the second time! This oneis much, much more powerful than the last!
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From: Norfolk, UK
The pad, booster and ship looking so much more "Finished" than even the late model V2s. Anyone heard any rumbles of what the flight plan is yet?
Going to be good...
Going to be good...
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From: Peripatetic
The pad, booster and ship looking so much more "Finished" than even the late model V2s. Anyone heard any rumbles of what the flight plan is yet?
Doesn’t actually say the Starships will achieve orbit, but they have to if they want to RTLS.
Previous word was that they would to do at least two Starship water landings to test systems and accuracy before going for a catch, so I expect planned catches for the boosters with off-shore diversion if there are issues and water landings for the Starships.
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From: Peripatetic
BREAKING: Starship Flight 12 NET May 12, 22:30 UTC / 17:30 CDT
An advisory has appeared on the CADENA Operational Information System.
- NEW Trajectory
- Afternoon Launch Window
The window spans 22:30 - 00:43 UTC, which is 17:30 - 19:43 Starbase local time.
Instead of flying the corridor between Florida and Cuba, Starship Flight 12 appears to be targeting a more inclined corridor, threading the needle between Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, Cuba, the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic.
Despite this change in launch trajectory, splashdown remains in the Indian Ocean, with a corridor running through Madagascan, Mauritian, and Australian airspace.
CADENA Operational Information System
Credit to @NeedPizza42 for spotting
An advisory has appeared on the CADENA Operational Information System.
- NEW Trajectory
- Afternoon Launch Window
The window spans 22:30 - 00:43 UTC, which is 17:30 - 19:43 Starbase local time.
Instead of flying the corridor between Florida and Cuba, Starship Flight 12 appears to be targeting a more inclined corridor, threading the needle between Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, Cuba, the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic.
Despite this change in launch trajectory, splashdown remains in the Indian Ocean, with a corridor running through Madagascan, Mauritian, and Australian airspace.
CADENA Operational Information System
Credit to @NeedPizza42 for spotting
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From: Peripatetic
Video
Up close with Starship 40 rolling out to Starbase Massey's test site tonight for initial cryo proof testing.
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From: Peripatetic
Depending on the level of damage the opinion is that this could cause a 1-2 week delay to the next launch.
Videos
Videos
During a deluge test today, what seems to be an explosive event was observed in the deluge farm followed by the deluge shutting down.
An additional 2 views.
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From: Germany
Now that is a pity for me. I will be in South Africa the next weeks and hoped I could see this ship sailing overhead in the african early morning. While not yet deep enough in the atmosphere to cause some plasma shine, it might be already glistering in the sunshine. May 12th would have fit nicely, but well, patiently waiting for official statements...
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From: Peripatetic
Instead of gravity feed SpaceX now has a deluge system powered by nine Methane-LOX gas generators for greater water volume. It looks like one of the gas generators blew it's top off and the took the roof overhead with it.
No apparent damage to the other pumps or surroundings, so seems simple to replace (if they have a spare).
What does have to be considered are the ramifications if one blows it's top during a launch with any debris hitting the booster and starship......
No apparent damage to the other pumps or surroundings, so seems simple to replace (if they have a spare).
What does have to be considered are the ramifications if one blows it's top during a launch with any debris hitting the booster and starship......
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From: Peripatetic
Videos:
My goodness that was incredible!!
Booster 19 performed a ~14 second static fire test. That looked much better and the deluge system seems to have lasted for the full duration.
Great progress!
Booster 19 performed a ~14 second static fire test. That looked much better and the deluge system seems to have lasted for the full duration.
Great progress!
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From: Brisbane
A simple question from a simple mind:
When they do a full burn, especially the booster and all 33 of its Raptor 3 engines - how do they hold the craft down?
One assumes it has 'holding clamps', but 33 engines going full blast. Doesn't the whole thing (with starship), weigh 5000tons, so the engines have to - at least - be able to move 5000tons. So the holding clamps can handle 5001 tons...?
When they do a full burn, especially the booster and all 33 of its Raptor 3 engines - how do they hold the craft down?
One assumes it has 'holding clamps', but 33 engines going full blast. Doesn't the whole thing (with starship), weigh 5000tons, so the engines have to - at least - be able to move 5000tons. So the holding clamps can handle 5001 tons...?
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From: Peripatetic
They have to be able to handle the difference between the weight and the thrust at the moment of release.
You will not the initial slow acceleration of the Statship/booster as opposed to those with side solid fuel boosters.
You will not the initial slow acceleration of the Statship/booster as opposed to those with side solid fuel boosters.