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SpaceX Starship SN-08 test flight (results)

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  • SpaceX Starship SN-08 test flight (results)

    SN-08 flight test webcast

    Date: Tuesday, December 8
    Backup date: Wednesday, December 9
    Time: 0700 Eastern



    20201207_152131.jpg

    Webstream note
    As early as Tuesday, December 8, the SpaceX team will make the first attempt of a high-altitude suborbital flight test of Starship serial number 8 (SN8) from our site in Cameron County, Texas. The schedule is dynamic and likely to change, as is the case with all development testing.

    This suborbital flight is designed to test a number of objectives, from how the vehicle’s three Raptor engines perform, and the overall aerodynamic entry capabilities of the vehicle, including its body flaps, to how the vehicle manages propellant transition. SN8 will also attempt to perform a landing flip maneuver, which would be a first for a vehicle of this size.

    With a test such as this, success is not measured by completion of specific objectives but rather how much we can learn as a whole, which will inform and improve the probability of success in the future as SpaceX rapidly advances development of Starship.

    This will be a live feed of the flight test and will start a few minutes prior to liftoff. Stay tuned to our social media channels for updates as we move toward our first high altitude flight test of Starship!

    This past year alone, SpaceX has completed two low-altitude flight tests with Starship SN5 and SN6 and accumulated over 16,000 seconds of run time during 330 ground engine starts, including multiple Starship static fires and four flight tests of the reusable methalox full-flow staged combustion Raptor engine. Additionally, with production accelerating and fidelity increasing, SpaceX has built 10 Starship prototypes. SN9 is almost ready to move to the pad, which now has two active stands for rapid development testing.

    SN8’s flight test is an exciting next step in the development of a fully reusable transportation system capable of carrying both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars, and beyond. As we venture into new territory, we continue to appreciate all of the support and encouragement we have received.

    There will be a live feed of the flight test available here that will start a few minutes prior to liftoff. Given the uncertainty of the schedule, stay tuned to our social media channels for updates as we move toward our first high-altitude flight test of Starship!
    Dr. Mordrid
    ----------------------------
    An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

    I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

  • #2
    Pad cleared, tank farm venting. Moved right in the window.
    Dr. Mordrid
    ----------------------------
    An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

    I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

    Comment


    • #3
      Reuters reports they're doing 12.5 km to avoid strong high altitude winds.

      The test will likely happen in the later part of the window.
      Dr. Mordrid
      ----------------------------
      An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

      I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

      Comment


      • #4
        NASA's WB-57 Canberra observation aircraft has filed a flight plan to Boca Chica...



        Date: Tuesday 08-Dec-2020

        Takeoff: 1510PM Eastern
        Field: Houston Ellington - EFD

        Landing: 1639PM Eastern
        Field: Houston Ellington - EFD

        ...so they'll be over Boca Chica about 1555 Eastern, +/- 10 min?
        Dr. Mordrid
        ----------------------------
        An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

        I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

        Comment


        • #5
          SpaceX stream. Still counting down...

          Dr. Mordrid
          ----------------------------
          An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

          I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

          Comment


          • #6
            SpaceX statement,

            Due to a Raptor engine auto-abort at T-1 second, the SpaceX team is standing down from Tuesday's attempt of a high-altitude suborbital flight test of Starship serial number 8 (SN8) from our site in Cameron County, Texas. We have additional test opportunities available on Wednesday, December 9 and Thursday, December 10. The schedule is dynamic and likely to change, as is the case with all development testing. Stay tuned for more information on the next target test date and time.

            Upcoming Boca Chica road closures

            Dec. 9: 0900 - 1800 Eastern

            Dec. 10: 0800 - 1830 Eastern

            Dec. 11: 0800- 1830 Eastetn
            Dr. Mordrid
            ----------------------------
            An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

            I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

            Comment


            • #7
              Today's attempt

              Window: 0900 - 1800 Eastern

              NSF feed (SpaceX hasn't posted a stream yet)

              Dr. Mordrid
              ----------------------------
              An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

              I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

              Comment


              • #8
                The NASA WB-57 observation plane takes off from Houston Ellington about 1351 Eastern, so perhaps a Starship T-0 as it arrives about 45-55 minutes later.
                Dr. Mordrid
                ----------------------------
                An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

                I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

                Comment


                • #9
                  SpaceX stream starts about 1600 Eastern

                  Dr. Mordrid
                  ----------------------------
                  An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

                  I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Hold, aircraft range violation.

                    New T-0 1740 Eastern
                    Dr. Mordrid
                    ----------------------------
                    An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

                    I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Wow!!

                      Perfect liftoff, staggered engine shutdowns to limit loads & altitude, and the swan-dive, skydiver maneuver, and flip back to vertical worked perfectly.

                      However, the header (landing) tank pressures were low. This cause a lean burn, which reduced power and damaged the engines, so SN-08 crash landed. Dead center on the pad.

                      90% success, and they know what to attack before SN-09 rolls out for her turn.

                      Skydiver descent
                      Screenshot_2020-12-09-17-51-51-350.jpeg

                      Musk,

                      Elon Musk ✓ @elonmusk
                      Successful ascent, switchover to header tanks & precise flap control to landing point!
                      ||
                      Fuel header tank pressure was low during landing burn, causing touchdown velocity to be high & RUD, but we got all the data we needed! Congrats SpaceX team hell yeah!!

                      Dr. Mordrid
                      ----------------------------
                      An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

                      I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Nice! Amazing.
                        Join MURCs Distributed Computing effort for Rosetta@Home and help fight Alzheimers, Cancer, Mad Cow disease and rising oil prices.
                        [...]the pervading principle and abiding test of good breeding is the requirement of a substantial and patent waste of time. - Veblen

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                        • #13
                          So this Starship will be put on a Falcon 9 or Heavy to go to the moon and Mars? Is that the idea?
                          Join MURCs Distributed Computing effort for Rosetta@Home and help fight Alzheimers, Cancer, Mad Cow disease and rising oil prices.
                          [...]the pervading principle and abiding test of good breeding is the requirement of a substantial and patent waste of time. - Veblen

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Umfriend View Post
                            So this Starship will be put on a Falcon 9 or Heavy to go to the moon and Mars? Is that the idea?
                            No, it's too large. For Earth point to point (passengers or cargo) it can fly without a booster, flying 10,000 km in about 25 minutes.

                            For space missions it flies atop Super Heavy, a new booster about 2.5 times as powerful as Saturn 5. Together they'll stand about 120 meters tall split 70m (Super Heavy) + 50m (Starship).

                            Starship will have several variants; point to point, satellite deployer (aka Chomper), lunar lander (for NASA), interplanetary crew/cargo, propellant tanker, etc.

                            Starship comparison.jpeg

                            Starship tower 3-crop.jpg

                            Lunar
                            Attached Files
                            Last edited by Dr Mordrid; 10 December 2020, 08:48.
                            Dr. Mordrid
                            ----------------------------
                            An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

                            I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              SN-09 goes to the test pad Monday (they now have 2)

                              Road closure: 1300 - 2200 Eastern
                              Dr. Mordrid
                              ----------------------------
                              An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

                              I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

                              Comment

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