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Starship's Eighth Flight Test [SpaceX]
SpaceX ^ | March 3, 2025 | SpaceX

Posted on 03/03/2025 2:38:18 PM PST by SunkenCiv

The eighth flight test of Starship is preparing to launch Monday, March 3. The 60-minute launch window opens at 5:30 p.m. CT...

As is the case with all developmental testing, the schedule is dynamic and likely to change, so be sure to check in here and stay tuned to our X account for updates.

After completing the investigation into the loss of Starship early on its seventh flight test, several hardware and operational changes have been made to increase reliability of the upper stage. You can read the full summary of the mishap investigation here.

The upcoming flight will fly the same suborbital trajectory as previous missions and will target objectives not reached on the previous test, including Starship's first payload deployment and multiple reentry experiments geared towards returning the upper stage to the launch site for catch. The flight also includes the launch, return, and catch of the Super Heavy booster.

Extensive upgrades to Starship's upper stage debuted on the previous flight test, focused on adding reliability and performance across all phases of flight. Starship's forward flaps have been upgraded to significantly reduce their exposure to reentry heating while simplifying the underlying mechanisms and protective tiling. Redesigns to the propulsion system, including a 25 percent increase in propellant volume over previous generations, add additional vehicle performance and the ability to fly longer duration missions. And the vehicle's avionics underwent a complete redesign, adding additional capability and redundancy for increasingly complex missions like propellant transfer and ship return to the launch site.

During the flight test, Starship will deploy four Starlink simulators, similar in size to next-generation Starlink satellites... A relight of a single Raptor engine while in space is also planned.

(Excerpt) Read more at spacex.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy
KEYWORDS: elonmusk; spacex; starlink; starship
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1 posted on 03/03/2025 2:38:18 PM PST by SunkenCiv
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Arthur Wildfire! March; Berosus; Bockscar; BraveMan; cardinal4; ...
There are live streams by independent YouTube channels, but their patter/chatter was getting to me.

2 posted on 03/03/2025 2:39:15 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
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To: SunkenCiv

Thanks for starting this thread.


3 posted on 03/03/2025 2:40:05 PM PST by 6ppc (During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act -George Orwell)
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To: SunkenCiv

The official SpaceX stream is the best.


4 posted on 03/03/2025 2:40:06 PM PST by dynoman (Objectivity is the essence of intelligence. - Marilyn vos Savant)
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To: SunkenCiv

The official SpaceX stream is the best.


5 posted on 03/03/2025 2:40:06 PM PST by dynoman (Objectivity is the essence of intelligence. - Marilyn vos Savant)
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To: dynoman

That is worth saying twice!


6 posted on 03/03/2025 2:40:28 PM PST by dynoman (Objectivity is the essence of intelligence. - Marilyn vos Savant)
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To: SunkenCiv

Incredible to even imagine the stress that must be on Elon musk’s head right now. A 14th baby just days ago, Tesla dealerships being attacked and burned by leftist maniacs, death threats every hour, attacked across the world by the global left, in charge of the most massive cost-cutting effort in the history of this country, and facing enormous pressure for this launch to go well after the disastrous conclusion of the last one. Wow!


7 posted on 03/03/2025 2:41:28 PM PST by montag813
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To: 6ppc; dynoman
My pleasure.

8 posted on 03/03/2025 2:41:38 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
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To: dynoman

Idiots dont say where
CT suggests Texas


9 posted on 03/03/2025 2:41:52 PM PST by George from New England (escaped CT back in 2006)
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To: SunkenCiv

Popcorn Up!


10 posted on 03/03/2025 2:43:12 PM PST by Musketeer
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To: SunkenCiv

Popcorn Up!


11 posted on 03/03/2025 2:45:20 PM PST by Musketeer
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To: montag813

And didn’t he just appear on Rogan? He’s a busy boy who not only knows how to delegate, he knows to whom to delegate. SpaceX had a F9 launch from Florida, put some more Starlink sats into orbit, but had a malfunction during the landing on the droneship, and lost the booster, very rare.

A few weeks ago I saw the crew boarding a droneship after a landing, they batten down the rocket before the ship runs the booster back to the mainland. In the 1960s it took the USN. :^)


12 posted on 03/03/2025 2:46:02 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
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To: Musketeer

I usually stream the Falcon 9 launches after the fact, but I’m not watching most of them because they’re like clockwork. These Starship launches, well, they are still workin’ out the bugs, so there’s a good chance of some pretty kabooms. :^)


13 posted on 03/03/2025 2:48:34 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
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To: SunkenCiv

Will it go boom ? 💥


14 posted on 03/03/2025 2:50:33 PM PST by Pikachu_Dad
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To: George from New England

Idiots? Yeah, right.

The Starship launches are all from Boca Chica TX for the time being. Once things get running smoothly, they’ll send some of them up from KSC.


15 posted on 03/03/2025 2:50:51 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
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To: George from New England

Starbase, Texas.


16 posted on 03/03/2025 2:51:43 PM PST by Blennos ( Byaasearepeat itnbelow. SAMARIA )
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To: Pikachu_Dad

Not knowing is always part of the fun.

BTW, I’d still love to visit Earth orbit, but it would be aboard a Crew Dragon for now. :^) And, I’m not in spaceflight “game shape” just now.


17 posted on 03/03/2025 2:52:51 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
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To: dynoman
Not only that, the official SpaceX stream is the best. :^)
Rimshot!

18 posted on 03/03/2025 2:54:19 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
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[singing] Boca Chica of Love, Say What...

19 posted on 03/03/2025 2:56:22 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
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Two minutes to live coverage. Launch I think will be 6:30 EST?


20 posted on 03/03/2025 2:58:10 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
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