SpaceX Starship SN9 experimental test vehicle

[Grendal]

SpaceX will be rolling out SN9. It is currently scheduled to continue testing a high altitude launch, flip maneuvers, and landing.

Launch Date: Feb 2
Launch Window: Late afternoon
Launch site: Launch Pad Test Stand 2 - Boca Chica, Texas
Mass: TBD
Altitude Goal: 10 km

SpaceX
SpaceX Starship - Wikipedia

 

[adiggs]

We get to see the belly flop again!

Now that I've seen the water tower go up, I've started thinking -- where will the people / cargo go when it's time to put real stuff on board?

I assume that the current 16 story (I think I heard that on Scott Manley's recap) unit isn't the full scale size yet. Presumably the cargo will go into the nose cone, which will in tern need to get bigger.


I can't help myself - it's going to be awhile before it's actually Starship and not "flying water tower" to me

 

[mongo]

We get to see the belly flop again!

Now that I've seen the water tower go up, I've started thinking -- where will the people / cargo go when it's time to put real stuff on board?

I assume that the current 16 story (I think I heard that on Scott Manley's recap) unit isn't the full scale size yet. Presumably the cargo will go into the nose cone, which will in tern need to get bigger.


I can't help myself - it's going to be awhile before it's actually Starship and not "flying water tower" to me

It's full size.
The cargo areas is the nose cone plus 4 of the ring segments (above dome, 5.5 to dome edge). Each ring is 6 feet or so tall.

 

[Grendal]

Here's a speculation on the interior of SN8. You know this wrong in some way because it lacks the header tanks. I also think the actual tanks are larger. Scott Manley described it as 12 stories tall.

Rocket size comparison:

I think the size comparison to the Space Shuttle brings it home for Starship:

 

[HVM]

Industry accident with SN9, I hope everybody is ok:

https://twitter.com/austinbarnard45/status/1337417530898604035

https://twitter.com/bocachicagal/status/1337424248260993024

Moderator note: Copied post from Starship development thread since this is SN9.

 

[bxr140]

That's a serious issue. Real JV level stuff.

Accepting the possibility/probability of failing in controlled environment--like SN8 lawn darting into the landing pad--is a huge development advantage for SpaceX. Few others in the rocket space are willing to push technical limits to the extreme in that way because of the perception that those kinds of failures are fast and loose, but in reality those are still controlled, engineered situations.

Having a failure like this one is good old fashioned negligent fast and loose. There's no acceptable reason for this to happen, regardless what the root cause ends up being.

Very bad show.

 

[adiggs]

Hey, nothing to see here. That'll buff right out. And besides, a few door dings gives a vehicle character.

(Yes, I'm being silly; me, not the situation )

 

[Pricee2]

Looks like SN9 had one Margarita to many.

 

[Electroman]

That's a serious issue. Real JV level stuff.

Accepting the possibility/probability of failing in controlled environment--like SN8 lawn darting into the landing pad--is a huge development advantage for SpaceX. Few others in the rocket space are willing to push technical limits to the extreme in that way because of the perception that those kinds of failures are fast and loose, but in reality those are still controlled, engineered situations.

Having a failure like this one is good old fashioned negligent fast and loose. There's no acceptable reason for this to happen, regardless what the root cause ends up being.

Very bad show.

Agreed. This is not acceptable.

SN8 crash landing is not a failure of anything. It is a datapoint in a controlled test. SN9 pad crashing in the bay is negligence and incompetence of someone.

 

[ICUDoc]

Agreed. This is not acceptable.

SN8 crash landing is not a failure of anything. It is a datapoint in a controlled test. SN9 pad crashing in the bay is negligence and incompetence of someone.

IANARS but I agree with the emotions expressed- SN8 disintegreat- never expected perfection, it was a test. Thought they did wonderfully well.
SN9 unplanned recline- well, I DID previously have confidence in their ability to keep the pointy bit straight up before launch- sadly, not so much, now. I'm sure Elon will put it right. This whole SpaceX endeavour is so enjoyable to follow

 

[Electroman]

There have been cases (not in SpaceX) where satellites were dropped from the crane during testing, destroying millions of dollar worth of equipment, not to mention years of setback to the program.

 

[adiggs]

There have been cases (not in SpaceX) where satellites were dropped from the crane during testing, destroying millions of dollar worth of equipment, not to mention years of setback to the program.

Makes a drunken test vehicle sound pretty minor

 

[nwdiver]

If you were SN9 would YOU want to leave the hanger after seeing what happened to SN8?

 

[bxr140]

There have been cases (not in SpaceX) where satellites were dropped from the crane during testing, destroying millions of dollar worth of equipment, not to mention years of setback to the program.

When quarantine is over, buy me a drink and I'll give you a doozy of a story...

 

[charliepmayer]

When quarantine is over, buy me a drink and I'll give you a doozy of a story...

Tease! Please continue. We won't tell anyone. I promise.

 

[EVCollies]

When quarantine is over, buy me a drink and I'll give you a doozy of a story...

How about I Venmo two drink equivalent for more info now?

 

[HVM]

SpaceX has slowly lifted SN9 back up, with jacks and beams, giant crane Pluto securing the top.

It's possible that the stand did not give in but whole SN9 stack tilted. If you check Steve Jurvetson's photos, the stand is weighted down with steel rolls, only with one side. So there was some reason for SN9 to try tilt to the nearest wall, -by weight distribution or just by wind. Aaand too few rolls were used.

(Correct way to use anti-corona bandana?)
https://twitter.com/FutureJurvetson/status/1337959718896115712

 

[HVM]

I bet that lashing chains, wooden planks and haphazardly weld steel rolls give bxr140 warm and fuzzy feeling (and any OSHA officials too). Some of the feet seem to have anchor bolts but not all, "it weights ~200 metric tons, where it going to go" but it's also 50 by 9 meter (+ body flaps) sail...

; P

 

[HVM]

SN9 is now fully erect again, and no broken stand legs visible here:

Damaged body flaps (Plastic surgery - How it's performed)

Source, like before, BocaChicaGal and NASA Spacefligh Forum:
SpaceX Boca Chica - Production Updates - MASTER Thread (4)

 

[nwdiver]

SN9 is now fully erect again, and no broken stand legs visible here:
View attachment 617262


Damaged body flaps (Plastic surgery - How it's performed)
View attachment 617263

Source, like before, BocaChicaGal and NASA Spacefligh Forum:
SpaceX Boca Chica - Production Updates - MASTER Thread (4)

That would be funny if they salvaged an Eloneron from SN8.