SpaceX Starship High Altitude Test Flight

It's important to note that this is the very first time they've attempted this maneuver and there's a very high chance that it won't work the first time. For this to work, they have to successfully fire the engines using header tanks to provide fuel to the engines without sloshing during the belly flop maneuver. They've test fired the engines, but the dynamic situation of this test flight is going to be quite different than just testing them on a stand. SpaceX develops new rocket technology like the Falcon 9's ability to vertically land by repeatedly testing prototypes in flight, finding out what works and what doesn't. Either way though, when this thing lifts off the results will be exciting to watch.

Astro,

Thanks for the reminder. Do you know the scheduled launch time by any chance?

Last Edited by TheFeistyCadavar on 12/08/2020 07:53 AM

I don't know but it's likely to keep moving. This thing is a very early prototype and when testing it they often encounter glitches that require more time to resolve. Right now the live stream is set to go live at 9:00 a.m. and I heard a rumor that it's going to try to launch at 10:00 a.m. eastern time, 2 hours from now.

1 in 3 chance of success.

Doesn't matter, price to pay for progress.

Very exciting time to be in the Space industry!!

Is it true we cannot go any higher than around 60-70 miles in altitude ?

Glass ceiling

[link to www.instagram.com (secure)]

Wrong.

No.

Oh dear me.
I'm guessing you're an anti vaxxer to?

Thanks astro this is what I wanted to see..hope they make it heard he said 30pct of making it work

This should be exciting.

Minus the launch ramp they had in the movie, the SpaceX craft reminds me of the starship they had in "When World's Collide".

After watching the animation, I'm a little concerned with the re-entry and landing of the vehicle, but it is a prototype so we'll see what we see.

For those who like to watch spaceX Boca Chica build and launch facility 24/7 and history in the making then LabPadre is the guy who provides coverage with 5 different camera's...

[link to www.youtube.com (secure)]

I watched it grow ever since starhopper, so cool...

Love the new space program and the advancements!

Thank you again. I've been watching all of the development with my kids. I've known that a launch was imminent the last few days but they've been pushing it back, probably to hunt down any last minute "gremlins". They probably need to fix the big projectors on the inside of the earth's dome ( lol just a flat earth joke ).

Honestly the starship development has been awesome for my daughter, it's really fostered a new direction towards the STEM fields and she now says, "that's what I want to do". She has really become laser focused on it and I've never seen her attack science and math ( especially math ) with such veracity.

I told my son that there's a chance this thing should explode at some point so he's itching to see this thing blow up. Hahaha

I'm personally hoping this thing does its thing.

Looking forward to another one of Elons big KABOOMS! It's been awhile.

They had to wait for flight permission...

GET your freedom BABY!

I clicked the live link- it says 11:00 now...

Thanks for the heads up! Is it launching in Florida?

Boca Chica, Texas. and yeah I kind of expected this to happen, the time is going to keep shifting to the right. Honestly it may not even launch today but we'll see.

Today is a good day to fly.
They did another WDR yesterday.
I see the changes for today well over 50%...
Elon is always a bit optimistic with timelines though.

Cool.

Incredibly little MSM coverage for what is possibly the biggest space test so far this century. I mean, we're talking about the future spaceship here, a real goddamn spaceship that can blast off go into space and land again!

And all I see on the BBC is people celebrating some old bitch in a wheelchair getting an injection.

Awesome stuff, really like what elons companies are doing.

This is gonna be awesome!

Cheers, Astro!

It's going to be entertaining no matter how it goes.

https://twitter.com/_/status/1336111448536264704

Yeah, totally possible.
The SpaceX people don't mind though and can laugh about it.

"How Not to Land an Orbital Rocket Booster"
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they have to have baffles in that fuel tank to mitigate the sloshing around, right? But perhaps even small movements of fuel could upset things.

Baffles are designed to mitigate sloshing, but we're dealing here with a vehicle that will be belly flopping perpendicular to the long axis of the main fuel tank. Trying to initiate the landing burn from the main fuel tank would fail and baffles wouldn't much help. The sides of the tank probably become dead volume as far as the intakes are concerned in that orientation. Thus the landing burn has to use header tanks for the burn initiation instead.

1/3 chance the Raptors will reignite for a landing - Maintaining a consistent fuel supply when switching to the Header tanks will be more problematical.
I'm much more interested in how SN8 will 'fly' - will the flaps give them a modicum of control?