Starship Flight Test Live

[Not_Karl]

I don't want to be paranoid but it looks like a cross between a V2 and a Squid . I hope something's gonna stop them now.
Live here April 17, 12:00 GMT.

(This can also be the Space forum)

[Not_Karl]

Was I the only one wanting to punch every single member of the crowd that cheered when Not_Jefferson Starship explosively delaminated after several hardovers? I don't understand Unitedstatians and their love for explosions (except when they're contained within the cilinder/combustion chamber of an engine).

[elaw]

Oh by time that happened, I'd be about 50 punches into it. I swear the whole room breaks out cheering when one of them successfully turns on the power on their video monitor.

Having said that, what do we think about the headlines in the media saying the largest spacecraft ever had "launched". As in, what constitutes a "launch"... liftoff? Clearing the gantry? Achieving some particular altitude?

I will say that as much as I hate Elmo, and despite the fact this particular spaceplanie didn't quite achieve its mission objective (unless the objective was getting Elon on TV...), IMHO SpaceX is doing some pretty cool stuff.

[Gabriel]

Musk has a totally unusual approach ro developing rockets.

It's a software development approach. Don't waste time finding every issue. Do a beta version, beta-fly it, let it fail, grab ton of data in the process, fix the issues, and repeat to find the next issue.

Musk himself said that he thought there was a 50% chance of reaching orbit this time, and 80% chance to succeed by the end of the year (2 more launches are expected before the end of the year).

Also, remember the famous V1 stop/go decision when one engine fails? 3 engines failed at lift off (possibly knocked off by concrete and ground debris). 3 more failed during flight. I don't know how well the ship can perform with 6 engines inop.

Also pretty impressive seeing the ship taking air loads at supersoninc speed and 90 degrees of angle of attack.

[elaw]

https://www.theonion.com/quiz-could-you ... 1850361878

[elaw]

Some really good-quality video of the launch: https://youtu.be/NCYSVmSPM7E

[elaw]

A few random observations from the video...

It's clear all was not well at the propulsion end of the craft, and it got worse as time went on.

It looks to me like the ship might have initiated its own self-destruct from the propulsion end a few seconds before the signal was sent from the ground?

It also seems to me that someone forgot to read the part of the manual that says when the boosters are firing and the nose of the craft points in the direction of Earth, you press the destruct button *now* and don't wait a few tens of seconds for the ship to change its mind and head back toward space.

[Not_Karl]

Oh by time that happened, I'd be about 50 punches into it.

CONCUR.

Having said that, what do we think about the headlines in the media saying the largest spacecraft ever had "launched". As in, what constitutes a "launch"... liftoff? Clearing the gantry? Achieving some particular altitude?

Of the two local newspapers I checked, the headline in one said the rocket exploded "at launch", while the other said the rocket exploded "after a successful launch" .

I will say that as much as I hate Elmo

CONCUR.

IMHO SpaceX is doing some pretty cool stuff.

CONCUR.

Some really good-quality video of the launch: https://youtu.be/NCYSVmSPM7E

[elaw]

Coincidentally, the craft exploded at exactly the same moment that the successful launch became an unsuccessful launch.

[Gabriel]

A few random observations from the video...

It's clear all was not well at the propulsion end of the craft, and it got worse as time went on.

It looks to me like the ship might have initiated its own self-destruct from the propulsion end a few seconds before the signal was sent from the ground?

It also seems to me that someone forgot to read the part of the manual that says when the boosters are firing and the nose of the craft points in the direction of Earth, you press the destruct button *now* and don't wait a few tens of seconds for the ship to change its mind and head back toward space.

I came here to post the same video (for those who, like me, have issues with the yout.be versions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCYSVmSPM7E)

It is crazy all the debris and rocks (some of them car-sized) and even mechanical parts that are shot at high speed in every direction. Although the dust clouds obscure the area close to the ship, it is clear that many of the projectiles must have hit the engines and other parts.

With that in mind, it is not surprising that 6 to 8 engines failed, and it is not surprising that "all was not well at the propulsion end of the craft".

You can see engines that are off already as soon as they become visible, others sputtering, others shutting down later, leaks, flares, abnormal flames.

Also you can see the paddle grids of the thruster deployed, I would think that is not normal during launch.

The ship survived all that, plus tumbling several turns, plus going supersonic with 90 degrees of AoA, PLUS THE FLIGHT TERMINATION SYSTEM which WAS activated and the explosive charges DID punch holes in the fuel and oxidizer tanks , but the rocket resisted to die. Apparently, only after several tanks vented all their contents and their internal pressure went to zero, which reduces a lot the structural integrity, the structure of the ship collapsed.

This thing should have exploded on the launchpad. That it survived all that is absolutely astonishing.