SpaceX Starship test launch

[jwamplerusa]

That was absolutely awesome! SpaceX has truly made progress in an astounding way.

 

[snorko]

I was just under 2yo when we landed on the moon the first time. I have memories of watching later landings. And here I am blithely watching a live shot of a private space company on my phone.

 

[Alamo]

It's good to see you excited, my friend!

It is exciting. As you know, I grew up during Apollo, although you may not know my dad had small part in that.

I could never get really excited about Space Shuttle, it seemed like a giant kludge without real direction or purpose. I guess the problem was it had too many directions and too many purposes.

Reusable spacecraft like the Falcon 9 and the Starship/SuperHeavy are amazing. They have purpose and success, and it’s pretty exciting.

 

[Shadow01]

Anyone watch IFT4 this morning?

looked like ship had major burn through on the flaps, but the software made enough adjustments to bring it in for a landing burn and “soft” landing in the Indian ocean.

they fix the heat issues with the shield panels and they have it made.

 

[tsm]

Anyone watch IFT4 this morning?

looked like ship had major burn through on the flaps, but the software made enough adjustments to bring it in for a landing burn and “soft” landing in the Indian ocean.

they fix the heat issues with the shield panels and they have it made.

Yes, very impressive. The control panels made it through the highest temps ok, but suffered damage when the pressure against them increased at lower altitude while the air friction was still hot. Also, brilliant idea of using Starlink as a communication relay to get data and video continuously even during what used to be the reentry blackout period. Gotta beef up those camera lenses though, and maybe add some wipers that’ll work at Mach 5!

 

[Leadeye]

It's good to see the US back in the game, but I've always wondered why they discarded proven 1960s technology like the Rocketdyne F1.

 

[Shadow01]

It's good to see the US back in the game, but I've always wondered why they discarded proven 1960s technology like the Rocketdyne F1.

View attachment 357442

I watched a documentary on apollo and they said the engines went through so many changes on a short turnaround and some changes did not get documented as they should and they felt new F1 engines couldn’t be made today. Basically they lost the knowledge and talent to make them.

 

[rhamersley]

Doesn't have anything to do with SpaceX, but couldn't find any place else to put it...

Boeing Honors Whistleblower With Special, Up-Close View of Rocket Launch

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL — In an attempt to smooth things over, Boeing announced a plan to honor whistleblowers with an extra-special, VIP-only view of an upcoming Boeing Starliner launch.

babylonbee.com

 

[rhamersley]

 

[Alamo]

Anyone watch IFT4 this morning?

looked like ship had major burn through on the flaps, but the software made enough adjustments to bring it in for a landing burn and “soft” landing in the Indian ocean.

they fix the heat issues with the shield panels and they have it made.

Yes. It was amazing.

Next flight should be relatively soon, with possibly a booster catch at Boca Chica. I may have to go watch that one in person.

 

[Alamo]

I watched a documentary on apollo and they said the engines went through so many changes on a short turnaround and some changes did not get documented as they should and they felt new F1 engines couldn’t be made today. Basically they lost the knowledge and talent to make them.

The underlying manufacturing technology has changed so much it would be more work to build what essentially is a lesser design.

And the Apollo/Saturn V/F-1 cannot be made to do what the Star Ship/Super Heavy/Raptor are designed to do. Lifting 100 to 250 tons to orbit and beyond, refueling in space, and returning the booster and (optionally) the Star Ship to Earth And THEN using them again — is way beyond what has gone before.

 

[Alamo]

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Can you imagine being out in your fishing boat, unaware of that, and looking up to see that thing coming through the clouds like that??

 

[jwamplerusa]

Can you imagine being out in your fishing boat, unaware of that, and looking up to see that thing coming through the clouds like that??

Elon musk posted on x that the next launch they will attempt to catch the super heavy booster.

Woohoo!

 

[Alamo]

 

[Ark]

Elon musk posted on x that the next launch they will attempt to catch the super heavy booster.

Woohoo!

If they flub the trajectory by a hundred yards it's gonna wipe Boca Chica off the map.

 

[Alamo]

Elon drives his companies to rethink things from first principles and make them as simple as possible, especially WRT manufacturing them. “The best part is no part” is one of his sayings.

SuperHeavy and Starship are powered by Raptor engines. Currently they are using Raptor version 2, but they’ve been working on version 3 to make it simpler, easier to produce, lighter, and more powerful.

Elon published on X a picture of the first Raptor 3.

Tory Bruno is the CEO of ULA, SpaceX competitor composed of the space divisions of Boeing and Lockheed Martin. When Elon published the picture of Raptor 3, Bruno decided to throw some shade:


Today Raptor 3 was test fired for first time at MacGregor Texas and Gwynne Shotwell, President and COO of SpaceX, posted this:


Fuel was not the only thing that got burned today.

Here are Raptors 1, 2, and 3 for comparison.

 

[jwamplerusa]

Elon drives his companies to rethink things from first principles and make them as simple as possible, especially WRT manufacturing them. “The best part is no part” is one of his sayings.

SuperHeavy and Starship are powered by Raptor engines. Currently they are using Raptor version 2, but they’ve been working on version 3 to make it simpler, easier to produce, lighter, and more powerful.

Elon published on X a picture of the first Raptor 3.

Tory Bruno is the CEO of ULA, SpaceX competitor composed of the space divisions of Boeing and Lockheed Martin. When Elon published the picture of Raptor 3, Bruno decided to throw some shade:


Today Raptor 3 was test fired for first time at MacGregor Texas and Gwynne Shotwell, President and COO of SpaceX, posted this:


Fuel was not the only thing that got burned today.

Here are Raptors 1, 2, and 3 for comparison.
View attachment 371885

I have been watching this for a while. It is absolutely amazing the degree to which SpaceX has simplified the raptor engine. Keep in mind that the simplifications have far-reaching ramifications for super heavy and starship as well. The first super heavy had tons of shielding for the raptors between the inner and outer bands. Part of the work has been to reduce the need for such shielding, which included the simplification of the engines and plumbing.

This just goes to show once again how far ahead SpaceX is compared to the rest of the US rocketry industry. The rest of the industry has relied upon US government funding and direction since the inception of the first post world war II missile programs. What we see from them are the rocket motors created by a bureaucracy, and the committee.

SpaceX from the beginning was focused on commercial operations, had only limited government funding, and was wholly focused on profitability which required simplification and reuse. The Gap now between SpaceX and most of the traditional rocket industry in the US is pretty shocking.

I frequently joke that Elon musk is an alien. I'm not entirely sure that's not somewhat true based upon what he has done with SpaceX.

 

[smokingman]

I have been watching this for a while. It is absolutely amazing the degree to which SpaceX has simplified the raptor engine. Keep in mind that the simplifications have far-reaching ramifications for super heavy and starship as well. The first super heavy had tons of shielding for the raptors between the inner and outer bands. Part of the work has been to reduce the need for such shielding, which included the simplification of the engines and plumbing.

This just goes to show once again how far ahead SpaceX is compared to the rest of the US rocketry industry. The rest of the industry has relied upon US government funding and direction since the inception of the first post world war II missile programs. What we see from them are the rocket motors created by a bureaucracy, and the committee.

SpaceX from the beginning was focused on commercial operations, had only limited government funding, and was wholly focused on profitability which required simplification and reuse. The Gap now between SpaceX and most of the traditional rocket industry in the US is pretty shocking.

I frequently joke that Elon musk is an alien. I'm not entirely sure that's not somewhat true based upon what he has done with SpaceX.

SpaceX may have to rescue stranded NASA astronauts after Boeing blunder

Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams may have to wait until 2025 to come back to Earth.

fortune.com

NASA Needs SpaceX To Save Astronauts They Stranded In Space

The latest NASA debacle demonstrates just how incompetent our governmental and corporate elites have become.

thefederalist.com

Crew capsule as well as rocket tech, they are years ahead of anyone else.