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SpaceX Starship SN9 experimental test vehicle

Discussion in 'SpaceX' started by Grendal, Dec 10, 2020.

  1. Grendal

    Grendal SpaceX Moderator

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    #1 Grendal, Dec 10, 2020
    Last edited: Feb 9, 2021
    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
     
  2. adiggs

    adiggs Active Member

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    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 :)
     
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  3. mongo

    mongo Well-Known Member

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    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.
     
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  4. Grendal

    Grendal SpaceX Moderator

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    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.
    [​IMG]
    Rocket size comparison:
    [​IMG]
    I think the size comparison to the Space Shuttle brings it home for Starship:
    [​IMG]
     
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  5. HVM

    HVM Savolainen

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    #5 HVM, Dec 11, 2020
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 11, 2020
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  6. bxr140

    bxr140 Active Member

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    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.
     
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  7. adiggs

    adiggs Active Member

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    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 :D)
     
  8. Pricee2

    Pricee2 Member

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    Looks like SN9 had one Margarita to many.;)
     
  9. Electroman

    Electroman Supporting Member

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    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.
     
  10. ICUDoc

    ICUDoc Active Member

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    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 :)
     
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  11. Electroman

    Electroman Supporting Member

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    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.
     
  12. adiggs

    adiggs Active Member

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    Makes a drunken test vehicle sound pretty minor
     
  13. nwdiver

    nwdiver Well-Known Member

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    If you were SN9 would YOU want to leave the hanger after seeing what happened to SN8? ;)
     
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  14. bxr140

    bxr140 Active Member

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

    charliepmayer Member

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

    dkemme Supporting Member

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

    HVM Savolainen

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    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.
    50710924661_a3b5d4cb30_b.jpg
    (Correct way to use anti-corona bandana?)
    https://twitter.com/FutureJurvetson/status/1337959718896115712
     
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  18. HVM

    HVM Savolainen

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    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
     
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  19. HVM

    HVM Savolainen

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  20. nwdiver

    nwdiver Well-Known Member

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