SpaceX Starship - Orbital Test Flight - Starbase TX

Launch Date: April 20
Launch Window: 8:28am CDT (6:28am PDT, 13:28 UTC) - 62 minute window
Launch site: LC-1? - Starbase, Boca Chica Beach, Texas
Core Booster Recovery: Expended in Gulf
Starship Recovery: Water landing near Hawaii
Booster: Super Heavy Booster 7
Starship: Starship 24
Mass: No mass simulator mentioned
Orbit: LEO-ish
Yearly Launch Number: 26

A SpaceX Super Heavy and Starship launch vehicle will launch on its first orbital test flight. The mission will attempt to travel around the world for nearly one full orbit, resulting in a re-entry and splashdown of the Starship near Hawaii.

Webcast:

 

[Electroman]

There is one key difference I am noticing between the Raptors and all other rockets. Typically there is so much exhaust coming out like a huge plume often the length of twice of that of the rocket itself.

But over here there is hardly any exhaust seen, but a clean burning engine like a gas stove at home.

 

[Electroman]

Also could it be that the flaps on the Starship is causing additional drag slowing the ascent? Typically all the rockets are like a smooth tube with no protrusions, except here there is a huge flap sticking out. What are the drag implications of that ?

 

[zoomer0056]

EA posted some fantastic closeup shots of the Rocket and engines that I have not seen in any other feed.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1649515491621216258

Excellent video.

 

[ecarfan]

RGV did their first flyover since the launch. It was very cloudy but they got a few images.

As background, this is the launch mount during construction, to show how much rebar was laid.

Before and after.

 

[ecarfan]

And here is what RGV was able to see.

 

[Tony73]

There is one key difference I am noticing between the Raptors and all other rockets. Typically there is so much exhaust coming out like a huge plume often the length of twice of that of the rocket itself.

But over here there is hardly any exhaust seen, but a clean burning engine like a gas stove at home.

View attachment 930975

It does run on methane.

 

[Matias]

Launch pad 39B flame deflector/trench. Maybe they know something in NASA

 

[mongo]

Oh my...

https://twitter.com/x/status/1650209297534418947

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Oh my...

https://twitter.com/x/status/1650209297534418947

Well, that's a good test. But not good to have happened before they cleared up all the debris.

 

[Grendal]

Also could it be that the flaps on the Starship is causing additional drag slowing the ascent? Typically all the rockets are like a smooth tube with no protrusions, except here there is a huge flap sticking out. What are the drag implications of that ?

Tim Dodd talked about this. Yes, there is additional drag because of the flaps. It puts extra strain on the booster on ascent but those flaps are critical for descent and landing. So it is a trade off. I doubt the flaps had any effect whatsoever on this test flight. The problems came from the launch pad issues and the loss of booster engines. Those engine issues may have been a direct result of the lack of a proper launch pad with flame/energy diverters. Ultimately, that is on Elon and essentially it is his money he was willing to toss away for getting SH and Starship off the ground. Fundamentally, it may have cut into some of the data they would have received. There are already two more "test" runs planned. So the data will be gathered a little later. It probably will slow down the overall process of creating Starship by a couple months. Those months will allow for more studying of the data they received. From what I saw, this is a fairly robust system to have achieved what it did with what actually happened. I am more confident that Starship will work and do the job that Elon and SpaceX envisions.

 

[Tony73]

Tim Dodd talked about this. Yes, there is additional drag because of the flaps. It puts extra strain on the booster on ascent but those flaps are critical for descent and landing. So it is a trade off. I doubt the flaps had any effect whatsoever on this test flight. The problems came from the launch pad issues and the loss of booster engines. Those engine issues may have been a direct result of the lack of a proper launch pad with flame/energy diverters. Ultimately, that is on Elon and essentially it is his money he was willing to toss away for getting SH and Starship off the ground. Fundamentally, it may have cut into some of the data they would have received. There are already two more "test" runs planned. So the data will be gathered a little later. It probably will slow down the overall process of creating Starship by a couple months. Those months will allow for more studying of the data they received. From what I saw, this is a fairly robust system to have achieved what it did with what actually happened. I am more confident that Starship will work and do the job that Elon and SpaceX envisions.

Starship will probably get to orbit this year. Super Heavy landing and reuse will also probably be achieved this year. In orbit refueling and starship re-entry and reuse is where the real risk lies. Refueling is critical to the lunar landing mission and the mar mission. Without starship reuse, the use cases for the vehicle reduce considerably and SpaceX probably never makes back the money spent developing it. But it can still go to Mars

 

[Watts_Up]

The problems came from the launch pad issues and the loss of booster engines.
Those engine issues may have been a direct result of the lack of a proper launch pad with flame/energy diverters.

Honestly I was very surprised that there was no real longer booster dry test performed.
During the latest booster dry run, if I remember, three of the engines didn't start.
Also the ground was already severely damaged, including the pad itself and some large metal sheet have been added all aroud it.
Any booster previously had been launched, only the second stage starship without the booster flew.

There was so many unknow for this first flight, so would have be worthwhile to just lanch the booster and validate it.
Instead to have a Startship on top of it which would be sacrificed if anything went wrong?

 

[mongo]

Honestly I was very surprised that there was no real longer booster dry test performed.
During the latest booster dry run, if I remember, three of the engines didn't start.
Also the ground was already severely damaged, including the pad itself and some large metal sheet have been added all aroud it.
Any booster previously had been launched, only the second stage starship without the booster flew.

There was so many unknow for this first flight, so would have be worthwhile to just lanch the booster and validate it.
Instead to have a Startship on top of it which would be sacrificed if anything went wrong?

Two engines didn't light for the static fire.
What would they be validating?
Launching without Starship probably would not have produced the loads that caused the pad RUD. B7 was outdated, they needed to dispose of it. S24 was older generation also.
Legs were clad begie static fire. Cladding was added to the OLM top and sides in preparation for the launch.

 

[EVCollies]

I'm betting for a complete demo of OLM to allow the next generation of launch mount with a flame diverter. How much higher can the launch mount be constructed with the current tower?

 

[Watts_Up]

I'm betting for a complete demo of OLM to allow the next generation of launch mount with a flame diverter.

From Elon, the rocket should be able to take off directly from the Moon or Mars, but may be this would apply only to Starship?

Did the water deluge not sufficient enough, or was it not yet competed and avalailable?

 

[mongo]

From Elon, the rocket should be able to take off directly from the Moon or Mars, but may be this would apply only to Starship?

Did the water deluge not sufficient enough, or was it not yet competed and avalailable?

No deluge installed, parts shopped in from FL. Non-Earth launch is Starship only, lunar likely with upper thrusters

 

[JB47394]

I'm betting for a complete demo of OLM to allow the next generation of launch mount with a flame diverter. How much higher can the launch mount be constructed with the current tower?

I'm not sure they'd need to do anything that drastic. Here's a description of Kennedy Space Center's 39B launch complex flame deflector and trench.

"Each deflector measured 39 feet (12 m) high by 49 feet (15 m) wide by 75 feet (23 m) long, and weighed 1,400,000 pounds (635 t). During a launch, it deflected the launch vehicle's rocket exhaust flame into a trench measuring 43 feet (13 m) deep by 59 feet (18 m) wide by 449 feet (137 m) long."

That's not a complete set of dimensions because it doesn't say how far below the engines that the deflector is placed. The orbital launch mount is apparently around 100 feet high, and the bottom might be 80 feet up, so it seems like some kind of deflector could be built under the existing mount. It wouldn't be the same as 39B's because of the legs, but it seems like they could fit something under there without having to dig a trench under the current ground level. Then again, they do have a start on one already...

 

[ecarfan]

Ultimately, that is on Elon and essentially it is his money he was willing to toss away for getting SH and Starship off the ground. Fundamentally, it may have cut into some of the data they would have received. There are already two more "test" runs planned. So the data will be gathered a little later. It probably will slow down the overall process of creating Starship by a couple months.

I hope you are correct! But even Elon is expressing concern publicly about the damage to the OLM. His use of the term “gronk“ is surprisingly imprecise for an engineer, but I’m taking it as “hopefully the damage has not rendered the OLM unusable and require replacement” because I would guess that would take more than six months.

I'm betting for a complete demo of OLM to allow the next generation of launch mount with a flame diverter. How much higher can the launch mount be constructed with the current tower?

My guess is that the current tower height was determined by Elon’s desire to stretch Starship by 10m in the future. So a new OLM could be built that much higher. Again, I am only guessing.

 

[ecarfan]

Video showing the mess around Stage Zero, and a couple of guys with a powerwasher and floor squeegees at the base of the tower. I hope they get some help…

 

[NewbyMaybe]

Mechazilla looks so lonely without his buddy.