A question:
In previous “big” launches (well, not this big) such as Saturn 5’s, Artemis, etc., and esp. with Artemis 1, we see huge cascades of water used to “damp” (mechanical term, sort of like cushioning / absorbing energy) the blast of the engines @ liftoff. I’d noticed that when SpaceX did their engine test of the Super Heavy booster, I did NOT see those volumes of water used to quash the ignition blast.
I wonder why not?
There is considerable speculation online that chunks of concrete may have flown up and damaged multiple engines:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13KtGfpZtDw
(Pretty good early analysis of the launch. See the comments regarding the launch pad damage.)
I don’t have a good answer for that. Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy use a water deluge system. Just about everything bigger than a sounding rocket does.
Except Super Heavy.
It rips up the launch site even when they do very brief tests.
“There is considerable speculation online that chunks of concrete may have flown up and damaged multiple engines:”
Heh. Watch:
https://www.iflscience.com/video-shows-spacexs-starship-wreck-a-car-with-debris-shower-68569
That lots of debris was flying around isn’t just speculation ...
The speculation regarding engine damage makes a lot of sense. It would explain liftoff with three engines out, and the gradual loss of three or four more.
They desperately need to fix the debris issue. Detonating the rocket at 10 miles altitude probably means they can’t examine the engines for debris damage.