General / Off-Topic Starship SN8 Live At SpaceX Boca Chica Launch Facility

Arry

Arry
I have just had a thought about the SN type of rocket.

How much fuel have they been carrying? I ask, because the 'tests' have only been low flights, 10km approximately. So how do the fair, when filled up with fuel, for orbital flight?
 

insanephoton

insanephoton
Most likely not due to fly until sometime next month at the earliest. NASA have chalked in using assets like WB57s for studying re-entry sometime in March. Also still waiting for FAA approval and sorting out issues with the Raptor engines.
 

insanephoton

insanephoton
Looks like the Starship orbital test light could happen this week, maybe even as early as tomorrow morning Boca Chica time. Technically won't be an orbit as such even if all goes to plan, but should prove that orbit is possible. No plans for soft landing of Starship 24, but splash down near Hawaii assuming everything works.
 

insanephoton

insanephoton
Monday's launch attempt was scrubbed due to last minute pump anomaly. Estimates at the time were at least 48 hours before next attempt. Latest news the next launch attempt is slated as Thursday 20th or Friday 21st
 

Fnord Velkor

Fnord Velkor
Well it went up over 37 km, tried to separate in vain and then it went BOOM!

The live stream from SpaceX would be much more enjoyable without all the rabid cheering from the assembled Musk drones in HQ.
 

insanephoton

insanephoton
It seems that a lot of problems came from the launch pad. As SpaceX skimped on having stuff like flame diverters or water suppression systems the blast chewed up the launch pad. Its seems likely that some of the debris thrown up probably struck the rocket and caused damage
 

Fnord Velkor

Fnord Velkor
insanephoton said:
It seems that a lot of problems came from the launch pad. As SpaceX skimped on having stuff like flame diverters or water suppression systems the blast chewed up the launch pad. Its seems likely that some of the debris thrown up probably struck the rocket and caused damage...
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Well, apart from several of the engines not working (there was a graphic on screen of the engine constellation state), it seemed to me that the problem was just that "starship" did not detach from "super heavy" - you could see them tumble. I presumed the igniting of the "starship" engines caused the resultant boom but it seems it was deliberately blown up by ground control.
 
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metatheurgist

metatheurgist
Fnord Velkor said:
Well, apart from several of the engines not working (there was a graphic on screen of the engine constellation state), it seemed to me that the problem was just that "starship" did not detach from "super heavy" - you could see them tumble. I presumed the igniting of the "starship" engines caused the resultant boom but it seems it was deliberately blown up by ground control.
Click to expand...
According to one ex employee, the 2nd stage was supposed to detach in thinner air. The extra air pressure may not have enabled the separation, this being due to the entire assembly being lower in the atmo due to 8 engines being dead.
 

insanephoton

insanephoton
It appears that there could be a launch fairly soon. Depending on whether the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the FAA give permission, a launch could happen next week. There is a Notice to Mariners in place around Boca Chica on November 6th. There is also a WB-57 booked for imagery flights between November 3rd and November 10th.
 
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