Space Flight Updates - Russia pullingout of ISS?

gator1946

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F9 boosters don't return from orbit or more importantly orbital speed. Re-entry heating goes up with the cube of speed so twice as fast, 8 times as hot. So the F9 boosters can return engines first. Starship doesn't have that luxury as it's coming in much faster. It needs a heat shield and the larger area the better so they came up with the unique idea of using half the vehicle and covering it with tiles.
For these initial tests they don't need the heat shield but we will prolly see after the next vehicle.
Duh! I haven't been following starship. I was thinking old school booster.
 

Turk182

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Interestingly they are putting it on Launch Pad B which hasn't been used before.


Love the detail...!!!!!
 

deuce

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2 Second SF today..... Everything looks good for a Test Flight Friday or Saturday.

I like the daytime test, easier to see things.
 

ThreatMatrix

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BTW there's been a hitch in the getalong for SN9 test flight. After performing 3 static fires in one day they have replaced two engines. Don't know why yet. But it might be 2 even 3 weeks before it flies.
 

ThreatMatrix

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Boeing managed to light the engines. They needed to go almost 4 minutes to get all the data they wanted and were hoping for 8 minutes but only made it 1 minute before an "MCF" Major Component Failure caused them to shut down all the engines.
Don't know how much this will delay the launch. Prolly not until 2022 now.
All I know for sure that because Boeing has a cost plus contract they will get more money. So for Boeing it was successful.

Edit: Boeing press conference is at 8:00pm. The presser was to take live questions but they have requested the press to submit questions in writing.
The boosters have a one year expiration date (Jan 2022). As does the Orion capsule. The boosters and Orion are waiting in VAB to be mounted to the core. As it was they weren't planning to launch until the end of the year. So now they have a big problem. I can't imagine them not rerunning the test.
 
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ThreatMatrix

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Presser was useless. Lots of spin about what they accomplished but nothing about what the failure was and what they will have to do going forward. The soonest they could retest is a month. They mentioned seeing something "flash" around the thermal blanket that protects the engine that threw the error. They kept saying they have to analyse the data. They also kept repeating that "this is why they test". blah blah blah. The realty is that the design and testing process that Boeing is using on this program require that all tests pass if they expect to meet schedule.

This is another failure in a long line of failures by Boeing.
 

deuce

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sn10-1.jpg

SN10 on the transporter...
 

deuce

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sn10-2.jpg

Can you blame people for gawking?
 

deuce

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2-starships-on-launch-pad.jpg

Unbelievable sight........


Looks too close for safety!
 

ThreatMatrix

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SpaceX has run into regulatory issues with launching from Boca Chica coincidentally with the new administration. The FAA suddenly has been slow to approve launches and haven't given a specific reason other than "the interest of public safety". But it all seems to originate with the tree huggers who have been complaining. Specifically they are concerned about rocket engines disturbing the sleep of local birds. SN8 launched pre-election however the FAA, post election, is saying the proper paperwork (i,e, environmental studies) had not been filed.

Stay tuned to see if the Biden Administration requires rockets to be propelled by wind mills.
 

ThreatMatrix

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Finally attempted S9 flight. Like SN8 it RUD on landing. Though it looked like a different reason. Didn't seem to flip correctly.

They'll get that LZ cleaned up and try again with SN10 as early as next week.
 

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