Posted on 02/02/2021 2:16:07 PM PST by amorphous
Starship SN9, equipped with three sea-level Raptor engines will attempt a high-altitude hop at SpaceX's development and launch site in Boca Chica, Texas. For this test, the vehicle will ascend to an altitude of approximately 10km (confirmed), before moving from a vertical orientation (as on ascent), to horizontal orientation, in which the broadside (+ z) of the vehicle is oriented towards the ground. At this point, Starship will attempt an unpowered return to launch site (RTLS), using its aerodynamic control surfaces (ACS) to adjust its attitude and fly a course back to the landing pad. In the final stages of the descent, two of the three Raptor engines will ignite to transition the vehicle to a vertical orientation and perform a propulsive landing.
The flight profile is likely to follow closely the previous Starship SN8 hop test (hopefully with a slightly less firey landing). The exact launch time may not be known until just a few minutes before launch, and will be preceded by a local siren about 10 minutes ahead of time.
(Excerpt) Read more at youtube.com ...
Great imagery!!!
Turn down yer speakers!
Why haven’t they been forced to convert to electric spaceships?
Lol, “Gotta work on that landing a little bit...” Maybe they can buff it out...
Electron
We don’t have a long enough extension cord yet?
Oops, make that launch @ about -1:45 on the video.
Needed just a little more flare before touchdown, I guess Going Around isn’t an option
Was a good launch. Belly flop descent was ok raptors had a problem on relight, at least that was how it looked to me watching live on the web stream
That’s where that meme came from. It was a popular one in Warner Brothers cartoons in the 40’s and 50’s.
CC
Well they need to work on landing!
Electric rockets are in development.
One word, Parachute...
Seems obvious that after 2 failed attempts they need to re-start engine 2 about 30 seconds earlier.
Something flew off at engine start up. A crash was inevitable after that...back to the CAD Lab. :)
Launch of SN9 with SN10 in the foreground.
I am surprised they don’t use parachutes for at least part of the descent
Yep. One never lit properly and something flew off - maybe part of a turbopump, commenters speculated. Must need at least two engines burning to land even at this weight. If that is the case, I wonder why the third engine isn’t started and placed in a standby mode for backup?
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