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~~~ Reflections on the Starship Launch
Nov. 19, 2023 | Thomas Smedley

Posted on 11/19/2023 12:21:39 PM PST by TomEd

I saw the Apollo XVII launch. Shortly after midnight, from across the Indian River. A second sunrise, as the world's largest kerosene lantern illuminated clouds and water in a brownish light. Several hundred thousand people went wild, shouting, cheering, dancing, weeping with wild joy.

We did not know that the politicians had pulled the plug on the dream.

The next time I had that mixture of elated emotions was when the faring came off to reveal ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH9OGQADzkA


TOPICS: History; Science; Society
KEYWORDS: apollo; nasa; space; spacex; starship
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1 posted on 11/19/2023 12:21:39 PM PST by TomEd
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To: TomEd

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH9OGQADzkA


2 posted on 11/19/2023 12:24:21 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum (The worst thing about censorship is █████ ██ ████ ████████ █ ███████ ████. FJB.)
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To: TomEd

The second launch was better. But ended more spectacularly. It was nice to see all engines firing. (Wonder if they reinforced the concrete on the launch pad? There was speculation that the 33 Raptor engines had torn up the pad and debris knocked out a few.) Sorry to see the booster go up again and Starship had to go, too.


3 posted on 11/19/2023 12:29:17 PM PST by BradyLS (DO NOT FEED THE BEARS!)
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To: BradyLS

The pad is in good condition and with some minor repairs is ready to go again - perhaps next month.

https://www.youtube.com/@MarcusHouse


4 posted on 11/19/2023 12:32:09 PM PST by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now its your turn)
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To: PIF

Am I right that they had to do extensive repairs to it after the April launch?


5 posted on 11/19/2023 12:34:27 PM PST by BradyLS (DO NOT FEED THE BEARS!)
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To: BradyLS

That’s correct. In April, it was badly damaged. They redesigned it and built to the new design.


6 posted on 11/19/2023 12:39:14 PM PST by NorthMountain (... the right of the peopIe to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed)
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To: BradyLS
Yes, the April launch resulted in serious damage to the launch pad. This time, the launch pad fared much better.

This is why we have "test flights". They are not intended to be successful but intended to reveal flaws that can then be improved upon for future test missions.

People don't realize just how successful SpaceX is. The Falcon 9 project has already launched 70 successful missions in 2023, with 12 flights a month planned for 2024. The Starship project now has two test flights behind it, with many more planned.

SpaceX has now launched over 5,000 Starlink satellites into orbit and they are only just beginning. Elon Musk is quietly gaining control of the entire internet (as Starlink will soon offer global access to internet/cellular communications at super fast speeds). This will outperform current land-based communications infrastructure.

7 posted on 11/19/2023 12:45:59 PM PST by SamAdams76 (6,390,901 Truth | 86,874,940 Twitter)
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To: SamAdams76; NorthMountain; PIF

Thank you all for information!


8 posted on 11/19/2023 12:47:41 PM PST by BradyLS (DO NOT FEED THE BEARS!)
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To: TomEd; TexasFreeper2009

The SpaceX facility near me has been especially noisy with rocket engine testing lately. There was one a couple of days ago that felt like a mini-earthquake ‘round here.

I’m pulling for ya, Starship.


9 posted on 11/19/2023 12:54:16 PM PST by Allegra (Stop the Zeepers from Censoring FReepers)
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To: BradyLS
...for the information! 🙄
10 posted on 11/19/2023 12:55:09 PM PST by BradyLS (DO NOT FEED THE BEARS!)
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To: Allegra

Welcome neighbor. Yep, we had one a few nights ago. Shook the house. Normally they are during the day so the latest one was a bit odd, timing wise.


11 posted on 11/19/2023 12:55:58 PM PST by StolarStorm
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To: StolarStorm

Yep. I’m not generally in house-shaking range, just usually a low rumble, but that one a couple of evenings ago had things lightly trembling on shelves. I said, “Geez, Elon, that’s a little loud.” LOL


12 posted on 11/19/2023 1:08:18 PM PST by Allegra (Stop the Zeepers from Censoring FReepers)
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To: Allegra

I’d love to know what they are cooking up right now, maybe a new block version. I’m out of the space program now, but I still have connections that talk to Elon.


13 posted on 11/19/2023 1:35:34 PM PST by StolarStorm
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To: BradyLS

Am I right that they had to do extensive repairs to it after the April launch?


Yes you are; they modified a lot of stuff and installed the water deluge system, which seems to have done the trick for the 2nd launch.


14 posted on 11/19/2023 1:38:49 PM PST by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now its your turn)
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To: TomEd

At times, during President Trump’s first 4 years, SpaceX was testing/launching different parts of Starship ONCE A MONTH. Now, the Hussein/Biden Regime slows everything down. There were several Drive-By Media stories that SpaceX/Starship was failing over and over. Horsepuckey! When SpaceX wanted to find out how strong a fuel tank was, they kept filling it until it ‘failed.’ It failed spectacularly, and then they knew the limits, how not to fail. Real science.

Recently SpaceX has received a contract from......the European Space Agency (ESA). The historic ESA rocket, Ariane 5 has been retired, and the Ariane 6 is behind schedule, and way too expensive. It is NOT reusable. SpaceX is reusing rockets over and over and over. One first stage has launched 18 TIMES! Instead of billions per launch, SpaceX can launch for so much less. SpaceX even launched for a Starlink competitor. OneWeb is similar to Starlink, providing internet via satellites. OneWeb’s constellation will be much less, maybe 800 total. When the Ariane rockets ceased launching, SpaceX agreed to launch some of the OneWeb satellites. OneWeb probably saved over a billion dollars with that one launch.

Decades ago, NASA decided not to pursue reusable rockets. Even with the incredible success example of SpaceX, NASA is still not pursuing reusability. Hopefully, NASA will cease spending $$$ that way, and just hire companies like SpaceX to do it well.


15 posted on 11/19/2023 1:42:59 PM PST by Ronaldus Magnus III (Do, or do not, there is no try)
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To: BradyLS
They achieved a hot stage separation on the first try: that alone was an incredible achievement.

The booster separated & did the flip but not all engines restarted and those that did cut off. The flip probably screwed up the fuel flow and may have damaged the engines. The auto disconnect from the LOX feed on the side of the booster also leaked.

The second stage was nominal for a couple of minutes but a plume started & the LOX volume started to fall more quickly than normal, which would indicate a leak somewhere.

It will take several iterations to get right. I believe the second stage was the largest single vessel to ever reach space.

16 posted on 11/19/2023 1:44:44 PM PST by pierrem15 ("Massacrez-les, car le seigneur connait les siens" )
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To: TomEd

Word on the Internet is this rocket has been “given permission” to punch through the firmament. Make of that what you will.


17 posted on 11/19/2023 1:50:51 PM PST by bk1000 (Banned from Breitbart)
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To: TomEd

It was alright.


18 posted on 11/19/2023 1:50:51 PM PST by higgmeister (In the Shadow of The Big Chicken! )
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To: BradyLS

Musk put in a steel plate and a water deluge system to protect the pad from the immense heat of the exhaust.


19 posted on 11/19/2023 1:52:20 PM PST by SauronOfMordor (Either you will rule. Or you will be ruled. There is no other choice.)
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To: Allegra
My family lived in Huntsville from 1965-67, Dad worked at the Marshall Space Flight Center for GE, and we experienced the mini-earthquake from The Saturn V engine static test fire from ten miles away.   A magnificent experience for a 13 year old kid.
20 posted on 11/19/2023 2:00:30 PM PST by higgmeister (In the Shadow of The Big Chicken! )
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