Third time is almost the charm for SpaceX's Starship
- Reference: 1710430251
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2024/03/14/spacex_starship_launch/
- Source link:
The 110-minute test window opened at 0700 CT on March 14, and, after a delay to clear boats from the range, the 33 Raptor engines of the Super Heavy booster were lit, and the Starship stack left the pad at 0825 CT.
Things initially seemed to go perfectly. Staging occurred as expected, and the booster began its journey back to Earth. However, it appeared there was a loss of control as the booster descended, and the required engines did not all relight. The result was an impact into the Indian ocean.
[1]
Still, at least the second stage, the Starship, made it into near-orbit and re-entry. SpaceX demonstrated the opening and closing of the payload door and called out propellant transfer operations, but a number of observers noted that something was venting from Starship.
[2]
[3]
SpaceX elected to skip a planned Raptor restart but did not disclose the reasons, and the vehicle continued on to its planned re-entry. Despite some stunning imagery being returned, the last telemetry from the vehicle was received as it passed through an altitude of 65km.
[4]Japan's first private satellite launch imitates SpaceX's giant explosions
[5]FAA gives SpaceX a bunch of homework to do before Starship flies again
[6]Out with the old, in with the new as 100 Starlink satellites take atmospheric exit
[7]Intuitive Machines IM-1 heading for Moon on SpaceX rocket
One space industry insider told The Register that it appeared the vehicle was tumbling, but SpaceX has yet to confirm the final fate of Starship. Only that it had indeed been lost.
The [8]go-ahead [PDF] for the launch was given yesterday by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
As well as the modifications required following the previous launch attempt, the trajectory for the rocket was changed. SpaceX asked for, and was granted, permission to extend its operational area to include the Indian Ocean, something that merited [9]extra scrutiny from the FAA [PDF].
[10]
The FAA's environmental assessment said: "Landing operations in the Indian Ocean would give SpaceX the flexibility to design and execute launch trajectories that meet additional mission objectives."
SpaceX had said: "This new flight path enables us to attempt new techniques like in-space engine burns while maximizing public safety."
Musk's biz has a checkered record regarding previous Starship launches. Its first launch memorably destroyed a large chunk of ground infrastructure before [11]exploding shortly after lift-off. The second fared better, although the first stage exploded shortly after staging. The second stage encountered an [12]anomaly that SpaceX boss Elon Musk [13]attributed to venting of liquid oxygen.
[14]
In [15]February , the FAA closed the investigation into the problems that occurred during the second launch. Changes made to the design by SpaceX included alterations to reduce leaks in Starship and measures to mitigate slosh in the tanks of the Super Heavy stage.
Musk had yesterday [16]posted on his favorite mouthpiece that he hoped that there could be "at least six more flights this year," underscoring SpaceX's "rapid iterative development approach."
And rapid it needs to be. NASA is depending on the company for a vehicle to deliver a crew to the Moon in 2026. In addition to the landing itself, multiple Starship launches will be required to deliver propellant.
Unless, of course, the Artemis [17]schedule slips again . ®
Get our [18]Tech Resources
[1] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2ZfMtJxh0vpRzNWX4mDR3iQAAAUs&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZfMtJxh0vpRzNWX4mDR3iQAAAUs&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33ZfMtJxh0vpRzNWX4mDR3iQAAAUs&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[4] https://www.theregister.com/2024/03/13/space_one_kairos_launch_fail/
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2024/02/27/faa_closes_spacex_mishap_investigation/
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2024/02/15/100_starlink_satellites_deorbit/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2024/02/15/intuitive_machines_im1_moon/
[8] https://www.faa.gov/media/69476
[9] https://www.faa.gov/media/76836
[10] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZfMtJxh0vpRzNWX4mDR3iQAAAUs&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2023/04/26/us_faa_starship/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2023/11/20/spacex_celebrates_starship_explosion/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2024/01/15/musk_starship/
[14] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33ZfMtJxh0vpRzNWX4mDR3iQAAAUs&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[15] https://www.theregister.com/2024/02/27/faa_closes_spacex_mishap_investigation/
[16] https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1767644766051668053
[17] https://www.theregister.com/2024/01/10/nasa_artemis_delays/
[18] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
> Once it started hitting the atmosphere its disassembling accelerated very rapidly.
Not really.
At first it managed to maintain intended attitude (tiles-protected belly first) well into the altitude where plasma builds up.
You could see the fin on one side moving to maintain that attitude (which seemed to work pretty well at first).
Then Starship rolled out of control, the fin basically folded up and stopped moving(would have been interesting to see what happened on the other fin at that moment)
The craft then rotated the tiles sideways, exposing unprotected skin to the plasma, then reoriented to an engine-first reentry.
Then transmission stopped.
Overall absolutely fascinating.
A big Thumbs Up to the SpaceX team.
It did appear to be tumbling before the re-entry, and there didn't seem to be much RCS thruster activity, which I would have kind of expected to happen to get into re-entry orientation. There also seemed to be quite a lot of something venting out of the rear end long after the burn ended. However it did indeed seem to find the right orientation once it got into the upper atmosphere and its aero surfaces started to work. Fantastic to watch the plasma building up under it live like that! I'm really looking forward to the analysis of the flight, so we can find out exactly what went on, but clearly another huge step forward from the previous flight.
Capabilities.
It's now proved itself to be as capable as pretty much all other rockets. Achieved intended (nearly orbital) trajectory opened the payload door, and fell into the sea at the end. The only current exception to this flight plan is their own Falcon 9 with one re-usable stage.
maximising
'SpaceX had said: "This new flight path enables us to attempt new techniques like in-space engine burns while maximizing public safety."'
Clearly maximal public safety would be achieved by not chucking five thousand tons of metal and explosive propellant into the sky and letting it fall back to earth.
-A.
Booster landed in Gulf of Mexico, not Indian Ocean...
The booster stage was attempting to land in the water in the Gulf of Mexico, not the Indian Ocean... article should be corrected.
I thought the booster ended up in the Gulf of Mexico?
Staging occurred as expected, and the booster began its journey back to Earth. However, it appeared there was a loss of control as the booster descended, and the required engines did not all relight. The result was an impact into the Indian ocean.
Other reports indicate that the booster ended up in the Gulf of Mexico. That's where it was supposed to "land", but reports are that they lost control and it splashed a bit harder than planned. But there's no way it could have made to the Indian Ocean.
The second state (Starship) was supposed to end up in the Indian Ocean — though it apparently was lost during re-entry. I don't know if the actual impact point has been determined or not.
In the later parts of the stream, the upper stage appeared to be tumbling & disassembling itself. Once it started hitting the atmosphere its disassembling accelerated very rapidly.