[SpaceX] Starship Flight Test

[6Foot2]

 

SpaceX is targeting as soon as Thursday, April 20 for the first flight test of a fully integrated Starship and Super Heavy rocket from Starbase in Texas. The 62 minute launch window opens at 8:28 a.m. CT and closes at 9:30 a.m. CT.

 

Starship is a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, help humanity return to the Moon and travel to Mars and beyond. With a test such as this, success is measured by how much we can learn, which will inform and improve the probability of success in the future as SpaceX rapidly advances development of Starship.

 

To date, the SpaceX team has completed multiple sub-orbital flight tests of Starship’s upper stage from Starbase, successfully demonstrating an unprecedented approach to controlled flight. These flight tests helped validate the vehicle’s design, proving Starship can fly through the subsonic phase of entry before re-lighting its engines and flipping itself to a vertical configuration for landing.

 

In addition to the testing of Starship’s upper stage, the team has conducted numerous tests of the Super Heavy rocket, which include the increasingly complex static fires that led to a full-duration 31 Raptor engine test – the largest number of simultaneous rocket engine ignitions in history. The team has also constructed the world’s tallest rocket launch and catch tower. At 146 meters, or nearly 500 feet tall, the launch and catch tower is designed to support vehicle integration, launch, and catch of the Super Heavy rocket booster. For the first flight test, the team will not attempt a vertical landing of Starship or a catch of the Super Heavy booster.

 

A live webcast of the flight test will begin ~45 minutes before liftoff. As is the case with all developmental testing, this schedule is dynamic and likely to change, so be sure to stay tuned to our social media channels for updates.

 

Scheduled lift off UK time: 2.28 pm.

[Dos_Box]

Watching this now. Two mins to go and fingers crossed!

[Dos_Box]

It looks like it's being launched from a stool

[6Foot2]

"Rapid unscheduled disassembly"

[Dos_Box]

Ah, a Rapid Unscheduled Dissasembly once more.

I really hope they get this sorted out, but let's face it, this is what testing is for.

[JJonas]

It did launch. It was the bit after launch that did not go to plan.

[6Foot2]

It did launch. It was the bit after launch that did not go to plan.

 

Booster separation was unsuccessful, by the look of things. It began tumbling when the two sections should have separated.

[Andrew_C]

Whoops. Well, Musk can probably afford it.

[AlistairB1983]

Booster separation was unsuccessful, by the look of things. It began tumbling when the two sections should have separated.

Sounds similar to what Top Gear experienced when they tried to make a shuttle. Albeit, one would hope, with a lot more scientific experience behind it.

[mikes]

Amazing to watch. If I ever win the lotto big, I promise in 10 years time I'll give any takers here a free ride on one of Elon's Starships around the Earth, or where-ever they may be going in 10 years time. Any takers?

[6Foot2]

Amazing to watch. If I ever win the lotto big, I promise in 10 years time I'll give any takers here a free ride on one of Elon's Starships around the Earth, or where-ever they may be going in 10 years time. Any takers?

 

Me, though I may be too to board old by then?

[jthompson]

It performed exactly like some of my efforts in Kerbal Space Program.

[6Foot2]

Me, though I may be too to board old by then?

 

* I may be too old to board by then.

 

** Having said that, I may be too old already, going by my last post!

 

[6Foot2]

 

SpaceX launched its Starship rocket and caught the returning booster with giant mechanical arms. The empty Starship blasted off at sunrise from the southern tip of Texas near the Mexican border

[synaesthesia]

Well that was bloody spectacular. Such a shame innovative, driven companies like this end up with having to endure the likes of Musk hanging onto their coat tails

[6Foot2]

Well that was bloody spectacular. Such a shame innovative, driven companies like this end up with having to endure the likes of Musk hanging onto their coat tails

 

The SpaceX video covering this event had Musk talking (at length) after the robotic arms captured the booster.

 

[6Foot2]

Well that was bloody spectacular. Such a shame innovative, driven companies like this end up with having to endure the likes of Musk hanging onto their coat tails

 

Link: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6899871472341393409/ [LinkedIn]

 

 

*¡Cada día es un día más serca a Marte! = Every day is one day closer to Mars!

[synaesthesia]

Awesome team of people without a shadow of doubt!

I mean for crying out loud, I can't even watch a "basic" drone ship landing without feeling impressed. I'm still flabbergasted at the dual pad landings for the Heavy. But they've gotten it nailed so hard, it's "just another Tuesday" for those wonderful folk!

[PotNoodleTech]

It's insane completely mental that they have got all this working when NASA can barely manage to launch a rocket nowadays.

 

It does confuse me all the incessant musk bashing though. his companies continues to achieve amazing things. I look at the tech on my 2012 generation Tesla and it literally is STILL superior in almost every way to all of the modern leccy cars that have had 12 years to catch up or god forbid actully improve.

[Andrew_C]

It does confuse me all the incessant musk bashing though.

 

Maybe because he's gone full Nazi? Company may be fine, but the bloke is certifiable.

[synaesthesia]

Maybe because he's gone full Nazi? Company may be fine, but the bloke is certifiable.

 

This. He's a hardened Trumper, anti immigration (irony noted!), extremely poor employment practices and whilst is absolutely intelligent and quite likely of genius level, none of that is related to the products produced by SpaceX or Tesla. The guy's a nutter - and I used to be quite a fan.

[PotNoodleTech]

Problem is theres so much absoloute baloney out there from AI images to made up text I think you really gotta be careful what you believe about somebody nowadays because the internet is just 75% made up AI rubish noawadays.

 

I did see a video of him, talking about having a fine for not employing immigrants in spacex, but they could not employ immigrants because they are a military contractor another USA law states it was illegal for them to employ immigrants? I dont think he can do right from wrong theres always someone who's gonna shout at him.

 

I'll admit I dont watch the news or anything nowaways so I might be totally wrong. When I see him talking in interviews here and there he always seems intelligent realistic and quite normal! It's the reported press where it all starts going down hill with he said this he said that. I take it all with a pinch of salt.

Edited October 14, 2024 by PotNoodleTech

[synaesthesia]

Problem is theres so much absoloute baloney out there from AI images to made up text I think you really gotta be careful what you believe about somebody nowadays because the internet is just 75" made up AI rubish noawadays.

 

I did see a video of him, talking about having a fine for not employing immigrants in spacex, but they could not employ immigrants because they are a military contractor another law states it was illegal for them to employ immigrants? I dont think he can do right from wrong theres always someone who's gonna shout at him.

 

I'll admit I dont watch the news or anything nowaways so I might be totally wrong. When I see him talking in interviews here and there he always seems intelligent realistic and quite normal! It's the reported press where it all starts going down hill with he said this he said that. I take it all with a pinch of salt.

 

Oh no, a quick look on Twitter he's quite happy to incriminate himself

[jthompson]

These booster landings are incredible to behold. Properly impressive.

 

It's an odd contrast to the failure of Tesla cars to be able to drive themselves around. Even in tunnels purpose-built for them.

[PotNoodleTech]

These booster landings are incredible to behold. Properly impressive.

 

It's an odd contrast to the failure of Tesla cars to be able to drive themselves around. Even in tunnels purpose-built for them.

 

It's probably far easier to land a rocket as the rocket catcher is not moving and doesnt have 50 other things moving around it at any one time for the rocket to have to navigate around, also doesnt have morinic pedestrians/cyclists/cars/other impatient rockets jumping out in front of it like a car does.