Cuban8 Posted April 17, 2023 Share Posted April 17, 2023 2.00 pm ourtime today sees Elon Musk's giant Starship rocket system go for an all up orbital test today. I really don't know what to make of this, the vehicle looks almost cartoon like in appearance, the rest as though they've recycled a job lot of old oil refinery gear. Their Dragon and Falcon systems are excellent and are becoming very reliable but the Super Heavy and Starship really don't pass the "if it looks right" test. Mr Musk doesn't appear overly confident when he said " if we wind up with the launch complex in one piece, I'll be happy". Not going to miss this, I guess we know something about pre-first flight nerves but this is on a totally different level. Wish 'em well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flying Squirrel Posted April 17, 2023 Share Posted April 17, 2023 There's a couple of good live feeds for this but be aware some you need to subscribe to for the actual lift off. Elon has said 'Don't set your hopes too high!'....best o'luck though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John T Posted April 19, 2023 Share Posted April 19, 2023 This was posted on the BBC website a few hours ago. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-us-canada-65318797 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul De Tourtoulon Posted April 19, 2023 Share Posted April 19, 2023 43 minutes ago, John T said: This was posted on the BBC website a few hours ago. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-us-canada-65318797 Maybe a technician was still working on it when it was launched, and it's his fag that are blowing smoke rings,,, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted April 20, 2023 Author Share Posted April 20, 2023 KABOOM! indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 (edited) It started to spin out of control before stage separation so the flight termination explosives were activated. In this video at 2:04 it appears no less 5 of the 33 raptors had failed, maybe exceeding the ability of the central vectored raptors to control? Still a mighty impressive launch. Edited April 20, 2023 by Simon Chaddock 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flying Squirrel Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 Was impressive to watch, oddly it was still a success in many ways and no body was hurt. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted April 20, 2023 Author Share Posted April 20, 2023 (edited) On the TV news coverage, they didn't have a clue as to what was going on, the vehicle was obviously in trouble - where's James Burke when you need him?- showing my age, I'm afraid. Mightily impressive lift off, but 33 engines? It does make you wonder. A lot of little 'uns or fewer big 'uns. Advantages and disadvantages to each method and back in the day the Soviets went one way and the USA the other - look where that wound up. Not brilliant to lose five of thirty three engines - a lot depends on whether they were precautionary shut downs or actual failures. Interesting to get the full debrief. Edited April 20, 2023 by Cuban8 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Blandford Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 I suspect most of us have suffered a "rapid unplanned disassembly", which is apparently what happened 😁 Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyGnome Posted April 21, 2023 Share Posted April 21, 2023 Love that term..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted April 21, 2023 Share Posted April 21, 2023 Big and little is relative. The Saturn 5 first stage used five Rocketdyne F1 engines but it would still take at least 12 F1s to match the thrust of the 33 Raptors. The F1 went through a long and troubled development programme but as far as I am aware once sorted it never failed in flight. . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J D 8 Posted April 21, 2023 Share Posted April 21, 2023 (edited) Apollo 13's first stage centre engine failed, this did not effect the mission as the others were burned a little longer. Of course later problems led to near disaster. Edited April 21, 2023 by J D 8 correction Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted April 21, 2023 Share Posted April 21, 2023 SpaceX have released this video which states it actually took off with only 30 Raptors working as 3 did not light, to be followed by two more failing during the flight. The Raptors were supposed to shut down at 3:00 minutes for stage separation but did not so the safety explosives were detonated. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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