SpaceX rockets and launches

[Crispy]

Guess who's back?



SN11 is already at the launch site. Last of this model. Parts for 12,13,14 have been scrapped in favour of the "improved design" SN15 which just needs its nose cone stacked on top.

 

[weltweit]

Guess who's back?

View attachment 257938

With the people in the foreground it really shows the scale of the thing.

 

[Crispy]

Yep. A 15-storey building. About the size of one of the towers of Tower Bridge.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

I like that in spite of the incredible tech inside it looks like it was hammered together out of old metal sheet in someones shed.

 

[weltweit]

I like that in spite of the incredible tech inside it looks like it was hammered together out of old metal sheet in someones shed.

It does, looks like it is perhaps riveted together, really uneven and shoddy .. not at all "starship like"

 

[paul mckenna]

Guess who's back?

View attachment 257938

SN11 is already at the launch site. Last of this model. Parts for 12,13,14 have been scrapped in favour of the "improved design" SN15 which just needs its nose cone stacked on top.

View attachment 257939

What's gone into the "improved design" of SN15?

 

[Crispy]

What's gone into the "improved design" of SN15?

Nobody's quite sure. It's only been glimpsed from outside the high bay. We only have musk tweets to go on.
It looks the same from the outside but apparently is much less cobbled together on the inside.

 

[paul mckenna]

Nobody's quite sure. It's only been glimpsed from outside the high bay. We only have musk tweets to go on.
It looks the same from the outside but apparently is much less cobbled together on the inside.

I suppose given the industry can't really expect the same kind of product leaks as other companies. Those few people hanging onto their Boca Chica houses must be making some fair money housing the spy operations

 

[2hats]

Are there still concerns from astronomers about the impact all these starlink satellites are having on the sky, or have they solved that problem?

Still interfering in both the optical and radio. Imaged in orbit one can see how orientation configurations modify apparent magnitude.

Starlink 20 cluster imaged 3 days post deploy from the UK this morning (original video here):
View attachment sl20t.mp4
Starlink 21 launched this morning, seen from up the US east coast:

 

[HAL9000]

Amateur Radio Fans Decoded SpaceX's Telemetry & Engineering Video

short clip here



Scott Manley talks about it on his youtube channel

 

[Crispy]

SN11 has had a full-length static fire, with no "honk" on shutdown and no depressurisation after.
All signs point to success. Flight could be as early as tomorrow

 

[Crispy]

All the stars are aligned for another Starship test flight today. It will be a static fire first though, so if they see anything they don't like then the flight will be delayed probably till after the weekend.

 

[Crispy]

That was quick!

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

Any potential times yet?

 

[Crispy]

No idea yet. The village evacuation order has just been given though.
We are on for a launch attempt today!
(no earlier than 5pm UK time)

 

[weltweit]

Guess who's back?

View attachment 257938

What is behind the black sunroof?

 

[Crispy]

What is behind the black sunroof?

That's a big patch of heat shield tiles. It doesn't fly high or fast enough to need them, but they're seeing how well they cope with the noise and wind of launch and landing.

 

[weltweit]

Left it a bit untidy with all those studs remaining

 

[NoXion]

More proof that hexagons are the bestagons.

 

[Limejuice]

Scrubbed for today. Weather looked pretty poor.

 

[TopCat]

That's a big patch of heat shield tiles. It doesn't fly high or fast enough to need them, but they're seeing how well they cope with the noise and wind of launch and landing.

Is that cladding under the tiles?

 

[Crispy]

Is that cladding under the tiles?

Some sort of mineral fibre felt, yeah

 

[TopCat]

Some sort of mineral fibre felt, yeah

Hope it’s mineral felt rather than a cheaper combustible alternative.

 

[weltweit]

Crispy - I am intrigued about the heat shield. Is the planned operation of the starship not to have to re-enter earth's atmosphere? If it will have to re-enter it will surely need a heat shield or not?

 

[teuchter]

Crispy - I am intrigued about the heat shield. Is the planned operation of the starship not to have to re-enter earth's atmosphere? If it will have to re-enter it will surely need a heat shield or not?

Not on the test flight.

 

[teuchter]

Looks like they are trying again today then?

 

[Crispy]

Aiming for 2pm UK time, apparently.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

Aiming for 2pm UK time, apparently.

Not with the weather they currently seem to have, can’t see a thing!

 

[Crispy]

Not with the weather they currently seem to have, can’t see a thing!

Visibility is improving. They might not even need a perfect view...

Official stream goes live in 10m

 

[Dead Cat Bounce]

I bet they land it perfectly and we won't be able to see it