SpaceX Starship Hopper 150m Test Flight *Success!

Thanks for your dedication to stuff like this Astro!

Absolutely THIS!!!!! ^^^^^^^^^^

The folks that live in Boca Chica village are totally behind what SpaceX is doing, many are posting pictures and videos of the construction.

Also, being that most of the residents of B.C. village, are seasonal, it is virtually empty this time of year. They have taken the many tests, and road closers in stride. It doesn’t seem to bother them a bit.

What is the point of only sending it up 150 metres?

Remember, it’s not just going up, but coming back down and landing vertically under power.

It only flew 20m for its first hop. This is only its second test flight, and the FAA restricted it to 150m. They did the same type of short test hops with Grasshopper, back when they were developing the Falcon, in 2013.

just like they needed to develop the software for the Falcon’s Merlin engines, they are still developing the software to control the new Raptor engines the Starship will use, in hovering and landing.

This will be the last flight of the Hopper, they will then transition to the 3 engine, much larger Starship prototype. In a few months, The Starship prototype will probably fly to about 5000m, then land back on the pad. Followed by an orbital flight.

Grasshopper test flight footage



Last Edited by mport81 on 08/26/2019 10:39 PM

To test the engine and landing systems. I know most of you don't believe this, but SpaceX really does land and reuse their rockets, it's not CGI. This is a whole new rocket, a totally different rocket engine design, a different fuel, and the final version of this rocket will be heavier and require more fuel to land than their current Falcon rockets.

Exactly. Raptor is a whole new design, it's not at all like the Merlin engines. It uses methane for fuel, not kerosene. It also uses a wholly different plumbing configuration, full flow staged combustion, making it more efficient but also more complicated. The ignition system isn't even TEA-TEB based, which is why they had problems igniting it earlier today. This is a whole new ball of wax, so they're starting from scratch and working out the issues. What a lot of these posters don't seem to understand is that different rockets can have radically different engine designs. Just because flames come out of the bottom does not mean it's equivalent to what came before it.

I'm a dishonest piece of worthless shit who refuses to admit that Astro agreed to debate Nathan Fakely on neutral territory where neither he nor Astro will be able control the mute button or kick people. But I can't admit that because if I did everyone would see I don't have a valid reason to complain or post at all. I should just fuck the hell off and drink until I pass out, my life is literally that worthless.

Last Edited by Astromut on 08/26/2019 11:39 PM

What are you talking about?

If you had any credibility you'd admit that I agreed to debate Nathan... on neutral territory. But you won't. You're a dishonest piece of cowardly shit. So go fuck yourself. Fuck off, liar. You can't admit the truth, it destroys you.

Just putting this out there.

Stranger Things 3.

Ya know mutt.

Oh @ 30 -35 years or so ago. Late one summer night ( @ 3 am ). My old BloodHound was barking up a storm and I could not quieten her.

As I was walking away from the dog yard, I saw a little, short ??? standing at the edge of the garden against the lit early morning mist background. I thought it was the neighbors' dog sitting there. Until I heard it bark in the next door yard.

So Wispy says to herself, if that isn't Midnight... then what was that standing there?

So I turned back and the little thing was gone and I saw a pulsating yellow light on the ground.

It lifted off the ground and travelled horizontally across the garden gaining altitude gradually.Pulsating ever brighter. Until it reached the tree line and shot straight up and disappeared. There had been no sound. But as it zoomed upward, I could hear the sound of rushing wind as air was pushed aside.

So. If it was a sub -orbiter, we already had that technology back then. But I think it was something else.

Anyway. Upshot. We have had this land and take off technology for quite awhile.

Hope you are well.

((hugs))

Wispy

It is a very weak argument to claim that NASA is paying someone to shill for a Globe Earth, which has be know for over 2000 years.

I tend to think that the only shills in this game are the ones that are promoting Flat Earth, which most likely a C-eye-A psy-op to discredit all conspiracy theories.

^^^

be know for over 2000 years =>
been known for over 2000 years

Hey Astroshill, have you ever tried the Orbiter space simulator? I've really gotten into it and have done the Shuttle launches as well as some of the Apollo missions.

It was a steep learning curve, but man it's fun and addictive.

Spark plugs?

Hey dude,thsnks gor update.im down w the elon stuff,keep ud informed.that refueling in space is got me curious.
Ignitor fail,wtf!?
He cant mount a flintlock on the side with two screws?
Throw a rock at it for a spark?
A trail of gasoline even!

Oh god,image or gif,elon with gas can walking away from rocket as it ignites,a bruce willis moment!
A trail of fire and the quote,our rockets always ignite!

New thread coming?

Yes, I've spent many hours on Orbiter, I've had it for about 15 years in fact.
I've had a lot of fun with the mods, everything from UMMU to NASSP. I may revisit it again soon to record some videos flying the STEREO spacecraft. That's what I love most about Orbiter, there's usually a mod already out there for any given space mission in the last 20 years.

Wrong. Level does not mean flat.

Sorry, i could build a better spacecraft than that.

Then do it, dumbass.

History is made.

Meh. More like "History is repeated."

This is similar to the McDonnell Douglas DCX in the early 1990s.

Connect 3 of those and

Was the DCX a full flow staged combustion methalox engine? No.

It's still just a rocket. Upgraded with precise computer control, but still just a combustion-driven reaction motor.