SpaceX Starship SN9 EXPLODES!

neurosis · February 02, 2021, 07:15 PM

That had to be expensive.

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RobertELee · February 02, 2021, 07:45 PM

Like the first test that flip to vertical is going to be a difficult one to control the fuel from sloshing in the tanks. I'd have to wonder if using something like a parachute out the nose to pull it back to vertical and letting the fuel settle again before firing the boosters would be easier and more reliable.

gcode · February 02, 2021, 07:56 PM

Quote from: RobertELee post_id=5571 time=1612323956 user_id=55Like the first test that flip to vertical is going to be a difficult one to control the fuel from sloshing in the tanks. I'd have to wonder if using something like a parachute out the nose to pull it back to vertical and letting the fuel settle again before firing the boosters would be easier and more reliable.

Or separate fuel tanks
One for lift off a 2nd for landing
If the landing tank is still full, the fuel can't slosh

mowens · February 02, 2021, 09:12 PM

It wouldn't be a starship test if it didn't blow up.

Jeff · February 03, 2021, 06:45 AM

Don't they use solid fuel these days?

RobertELee · February 03, 2021, 06:55 AM

Quote from: Jeff post_id=5596 time=1612363516 user_id=103Don't they use solid fuel these days?

Starship uses liquid methane.

marshal · February 03, 2021, 08:43 AM

Looked like there was an issue with the 2nd engine not relighting, so it didn't have the thrust necessary to land. Otherwise it was a perfect test by the sound of things, and they've got SN10 ready to go with any changes they need to make.

Matthew Hajicek · February 03, 2021, 10:17 AM

They don't want to use a parachute for multiple reasons. First, parachutes are susceptible to wind, so you don't have a lot of control over your landing location, and if there's any wind when you touch down you'll likely tip over due to your lateral velocity. Second, they want to be able to land on Mars and the moon, which have thin or no atmosphere, and parachutes would be useless there. These test articles are costing SpaceX a couple million each, as compared to the billions per SLS, and they're pumping out a couple per month now. It took them several tries to stick Falcon booster landings, but since they got it down failures have been rare.

RobertELee · March 05, 2021, 08:51 AM

Well they got SN10 to land, however it blew up a few minutes later.

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Maybe they pressed the self destruct button?

Matthew Hajicek · March 05, 2021, 09:48 AM

It launched twice!

RobertELee · March 05, 2021, 10:28 AM

[quote="Matthew Hajicek" post_id=7983 time=1614966509 user_id=57]
It launched twice!
[/quote]

That second one got it to the moon!

Matthew Hajicek · March 08, 2021, 12:53 PM

Rocketlab promo:

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CNCAppsJames · March 08, 2021, 01:02 PM

"We saw the landing. We can hit pause..."