SN4 rolling out to the pad this morning (in fog),
favo
P3D+ owner
From Elon's Twitter:
Elon [email protected] · 2:58 PM · Apr 23, 2020
Starship SN4 tank on test stand
Elon [email protected] · 2:58 PM · Apr 23, 2020
Starship SN4 tank on test stand
e-FTW
New electron smell
ecarfan
Well-Known Member
Great photo! So once SN4 — fingers crossed — passes the pressurization tests is an additional section added at the bottom, extending the length of the vehicle, to mount the engines to?
favo
P3D+ owner
I think the skirt at the bottom already has room for the raptors. Not sure how many (1 or 3) may be added to to SN4. As I understand it, the launch mount has some kind of hydraulic system for simulating stress from engine thrust, so they can test the structure without ruining any raptors if things go bad. Check out this video from BocaChicaGal with great views of SN4 being lowered onto the mount. It also has closeups of the hexagonal heat shield tiles they are testing.
Elon did tweet this a while ago, so I guess they will try to put at least one engine on SN4:
Elon Musk @elonmusk - 10:34 PM · Apr 15, 2020
SN4 won’t get flaps, so can only do flights with engine on. Just did a reset this week on flap, actuator & static aero design. Either SN5 or SN6 will get flaps.
favo
P3D+ owner
Here's a good diagram of the current SN4 stack (red and green sections). Check out his feed for more cool diagrams, including SN5 progress.
Rafael Adamy @fael097 - 1:56 AM · Apr 16, 2020
SN4 pulled a Frankenstein and is reusing SN3's skirt bottom with the legs. One more stack and we're good to go
(photo) by @BocaChicaGal and @nomadd13 for @NASASpaceflight (forum topic)
Rafael Adamy @fael097 - 1:56 AM · Apr 16, 2020
SN4 pulled a Frankenstein and is reusing SN3's skirt bottom with the legs. One more stack and we're good to go
(photo) by @BocaChicaGal and @nomadd13 for @NASASpaceflight (forum topic)
e-FTW
New electron smell
e-FTW
New electron smell
Onwards to the yet-to-be-vanquished cryo test for SN4!
Some notes on the design changes and current shortcomings: Elon Musk on Twitter
Some notes on the design changes and current shortcomings: Elon Musk on Twitter
e-FTW
New electron smell
e-FTW
New electron smell
Actually, as you can imagine he was not really under there. He was filming a remote camera feed.
e-FTW
New electron smell
Looks like a single raptor on SN4 for a 150m hop, per Elon’s tweets.
And three on SN5.
This is exciting!
ecarfan
Well-Known Member
Yes, I was pretty sure that during that test no humans were allowed within at least a hundred meters of the vehicle!
ecarfan
Well-Known Member
Eric Berger summarizes the progress to date with SN4 and the tentative plan for SN5
Starship chilled. Starship pressurized. And for the first time, it didn’t explode
Starship chilled. Starship pressurized. And for the first time, it didn’t explode
e-FTW
New electron smell
Back on topic: SN4 LIVES.
SpaceX has fired Starship’s Raptor engine and the vehicle still stands
Confirmation of a good static fire: Elon Musk on Twitter
SpaceX has fired Starship’s Raptor engine and the vehicle still stands
Confirmation of a good static fire: Elon Musk on Twitter
ecarfan
Well-Known Member
Great news! I was waiting to hear that.
This part of the article caught my attention, quote:
“As part of its fast, iterative design process, SpaceX has already stacked SN5, the next Starship prototype. It could very well fly higher than SN4, providing SpaceX engineers ever more data as they seek to understand their new, powerful rocketship.”
It is incredible how rapidly the prototypes are being constructed!
This part of the article caught my attention, quote:
“As part of its fast, iterative design process, SpaceX has already stacked SN5, the next Starship prototype. It could very well fly higher than SN4, providing SpaceX engineers ever more data as they seek to understand their new, powerful rocketship.”
It is incredible how rapidly the prototypes are being constructed!
ecarfan
Well-Known Member
What does the phrase “with engine load” mean? Does that mean that during the crying test there was CH4/LOX flowing through the engine but it was not ignited?
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