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SpaceX Starship - IFT-4 - Starbase TX - Launch Thread and Post Launch Discussion
- Thread starter Grendal
- Start date
"Edit" as in "a choice by an editor". "A curious composition" if you prefer. There's the aircraft view, the surface view, then the onboard view. Why not stick with the surface view given that we've already seen the onboard view? Wouldn't you like to see how the booster dropped into the water and fell over?
This is not surprising. Those are just the video feeds. There are probably hundreds to thousands of data feeds.
Most impressive considering this is only the second try.
It was off target from the single engine out. If that happens on IFT-5 then there is no way they would try for a "catch."
Elon said the “ship” was 6km off target. You seem to be referring to the booster?
Elon appears to be targeting a booster catch attempt for IFT-5.
zoomer0056
Active Member
TunaBug
Member
Pollution is one thought. But in general, if the vehicle does anything ugly when it interacts with sea water (e.g. hot engines), they'd probably just as soon not show that to the public because it doesn't matter - they aren't going to land the things in seawater. It may be a lesson learned by having that video of all those Falcon 9 boosters crashing, and how various groups reacted to it. Maybe it fell over onto a whale. I can't know because I didn't see the video. I just thought that cutting away from it landing on the water was odd.
Yes, I wanted to see the booster just settle into the water and slowly topple over. Because that is what actually happened.
Nikxice
Active Member
IFT-4 is the first Starship test where I haven't read some stupid media outlet trying to spin it as another spectacular SpaceX "Failure". Having no red meat....ocean rocket topple, for the press to chew on....that was a wise choice.
Scott combined the booster landing livestream view with the ocean buoy camera view that SpaceX released later to provide a useful perspective.
I dunno... these are the folks that edited together the "How not land an orbital class booster" supercut of F9 failures... I don't think Elon & Co. really gives a rat's derriere if folks want to nit pick stuff like that.
I tend to think it was a quick & dirty edit to give folks a little more... I'd like to see the full external view too... but I don't think they are hiding anything to avoid criticism of engines etc... after all they were happily showing heat shield failures on The Little Flap that Could all the while the SX'ers were cheering loudly...
Marcus:
I'd love to know if there were similar symptoms on any of the other 3 flaps. Given #SpaceX are now completely replacing the heat shield on the Flight 5 Starship, would love to know how the other flaps held. The controlled landing after this was nuts!
Elon:
Left flap also got very hot, but was less damaged. Rear flaps seemed to be ok, based on their control authority, but probably lost some tiles.
I'd love to know if there were similar symptoms on any of the other 3 flaps. Given #SpaceX are now completely replacing the heat shield on the Flight 5 Starship, would love to know how the other flaps held. The controlled landing after this was nuts!
Elon:
Left flap also got very hot, but was less damaged. Rear flaps seemed to be ok, based on their control authority, but probably lost some tiles.
zoomer0056
Active Member
NSF noticed that the deluge system was run at the orbital launch mount at the same time that the booster would have been coming back for a catch attempt. Given what the booster's engines can do to concrete, it seems prudent to run the catch as a reverse launch, and catch right over the launch mount. But we'll see what SpaceX tries. Perhaps they'll try a catch to the side and run the deluge system to soften the impact of the three engines - and protect the deluge plate from any incidental contact.
They also said that the second orbital launch mount won't have its own tank farm. SpaceX will be expanding the existing one to serve both launch mounts.
They also said that the second orbital launch mount won't have its own tank farm. SpaceX will be expanding the existing one to serve both launch mounts.
Thanks, that’s interesting. I did not realize that the deluge system could be refilled so quickly after use.
Sounds like a solid plan to enlarge the current tank farm to support both launch sites rather than building a completely new farm, but that leaves a lot of cleared space around the new tower; I wonder what it will be used for?
Sounds like a solid plan to enlarge the current tank farm to support both launch sites rather than building a completely new farm, but that leaves a lot of cleared space around the new tower; I wonder what it will be used for?
I think this is unlikely and that they will stick with catching at the side of the tower for the following reasons:
- the risk to the concrete is lower on the landing as the booster will be caught higher up the tower and with 3 engines or fewer operating. The pad concrete handled the early static fires of a booster with fewer than 30 engines prior to IFT-1.
- the greater concern is the catch not being successful and the booster being 'dropped'. They will certainly want to avoid any risk of dropping the booster on the launch mount as the impact and the almost certain explosion/fireball (think the failed starship landings) would be likely to cause significant damage.
From this new NSF video, lots of activity at the OLM and the ship QD needs some repair. I have to keep reminding myself that this Stage Zero is a prototype and there will certainly be improvements coming in the next launch sites that will reduce the need for post-launch repairs and maintenance. And speaking of the next launch site, lots of concrete being poured at Stage Zero #2 and tower footings have arrive at the launch site.
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