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 ...
No lift off today
damn it Elon. Shut TF up and launch that rocket!
Scrubbed!
I’d rather have them get everything fixed and have them do it right then have the thing blow up again. *Sigh* One of those things you just have to deal with concerning space launches.
Darn
Scrubbed … bummer
Scrubbed for today!
Thanks all!
Get Smart: Missed it by that much
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPwrodxghrw
Spacex doesn’t scrub often. I’ll cut them some slack...This Time!
As we highly trained-rocket scientists say to our collleagues and followers:
Phooey!
(The eighth flight test of Starship)
And we can build this dream together
Which was the best StarShip explosion?
Will this one top that and be the best bang ever ?!?
https://www.space.com/every-spacex-starship-explosion-lessons-learned
I think my all-time favorite rocket failure was the Delta II kaboom.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWibWshw7T8
Sez the feed starts tomorrow 6 pm Central.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.