Post by Shibumi-Mandeville near FBHS on Dec 9, 2020 17:04:29 GMT -6
That was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. Congratulations to the SpaceX team for an amazing unprecedented prototype test of the starship. Ended in a big boom but they got soooo much data and the belly flop was so amazingly stable! The flip to vertical was also so smooth. Looked like a flameout of one of the 2 engines relit for landing before landing so speed was too high to stay together.
Post by Shibumi-Mandeville near FBHS on Jan 13, 2021 14:46:31 GMT -6
Second and third static fire tests completed for SN9 Starship prototype.... First time two tests were completed on one day.... In fact they were done in just a handful of hours without detanking the ship.
High altitude test should happen within a weeks time... Hopefully in a few days and hoping to successfully land this one.
Regardless of the level of success of SN9, SN10 is already mostly assembled and will begin testing soon. Work continues on more prototypes through at least SN17.... May skip over a few and go with SN15 after SN10 or SN11 as it has some significant improvements to the current ones.
Exciting times!
Update... They are going for a third static fire test.
Post by Shibumi-Mandeville near FBHS on Jan 25, 2021 8:57:12 GMT -6
It appears SpaceX is going for it's next Starship test flight of SN9 (Starship Number 9 or Serial Number 9). Closures are set for noon to 6 PM. Here is one YouTube feed of a bunch of space nerds like myself. Remember this isn't anything officially published by SpaceX. This is from publically available closure notices in Boca Chica on roads, airspace, and marine restrictions indicating they are going for it today. May not happen. The camera feeds are all from the public and many miles away from the facility. If the test happens SpaceX will publish official videos. Haven't heard that SpaceX is doing a live feed themselves but that may change. For the first flight test they came on with a live feed very shortly before take off. Tic marks on the left of the screen are from the public viewing all previous ground testing and the one flight test... Not one given by SpaceX.... But obviously if they get to a siren we all know they are ready to launch barring any program faults that would stop the attempt.
