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 ...
There are live streams by independent YouTube channels, but their patter/chatter was getting to me.
Thanks for starting this thread.
The official SpaceX stream is the best.
The official SpaceX stream is the best.
That is worth saying twice!
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!
My pleasure.
Idiots dont say where
CT suggests Texas
Popcorn Up!
Popcorn Up!
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. :^)
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. :^)
Will it go boom ? 💥
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.
Starbase, Texas.
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.
Two minutes to live coverage. Launch I think will be 6:30 EST?
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