Space and Science BS Thread

I do think they really want a ship catch ASAP so they can inspect it rather than just rely on telemetry.

 

Or at least recovery on-water. If there was a standby vessel Flight 6 was likely recoverable enough prior to sinking.

 

First successful moon landing under CLIPS
https://youtu.be/ChEuA1AUJAY

 

If it lands near enough to Australia, I agree, if it can maintain tank integrity. I have to wonder if it has to demonstrate at least as much reentry control & survive-ability as IFT-6 before they would or could risk reentry over the US or Mexico to splash down off Boca Chica, let alone attempt a catch. In any case, getting squared away for catch attempts doesn’t stand in the way of conducting orbital refueling tests so I wouldn’t be surprised to see a double launch & docking test when Pad B and it’s GSE become operational. Even if they still haven’t made a catch by then it’s another line of progress that needs attention. I heard mention of a couple unclad nose cones making their way through the factory.

 

Yeah there's a bunch of different items they need work on prior to a 'go' for HLS demo, and while they're doing it, might as well yeet a couple starlinks too. Biggest one is relight for circleization, then the deployer test, then stability for extended flights, etc.

 

Today!
STARSHIP'S EIGHTH LAUNCH
The eighth flight test of Starship is preparing to launch Monday, March 3 from Starbase in Texas. The one hour launch window opens at 5:30 p.m. CT.

A live webcast of the flight test will begin about 40 minutes before liftoff, which you can watch on X @SpaceX or on spacex.com. You can also watch the webcast on the X TV app.

The upcoming flight will target objectives not reached on the previous test, including Starship’s first payload deployment and multiple reentry experiments geared towards returning the upper stage to the launch site for catch. The flight also includes the launch, return, and catch of the Super Heavy booster.

Extensive upgrades to Starship’s upper stage debuted on the previous flight test, focused on adding reliability and performance across all phases of flight. Starship’s forward flaps have been upgraded to significantly reduce their exposure to reentry heating while simplifying the underlying mechanisms and protective tiling. Redesigns to the propulsion system, including a 25 percent increase in propellant volume over previous generations, add additional vehicle performance and the ability to fly longer duration missions. And the vehicle’s avionics underwent a complete redesign, adding additional capability and redundancy for increasingly complex missions like propellant transfer and ship return to the launch site.

During the flight test, Starship will deploy four Starlink simulators, similar in size to next-generation Starlink satellites, as the first exercise of a satellite deploy mission. The Starlink simulators will be on the same suborbital trajectory as Starship and are expected to demise upon entry. A relight of a single Raptor engine while in space is also planned.

The flight test includes several experiments focused on enabling Starship’s upper stage to return to the launch site. A significant number of tiles have been removed from Starship to stress-test vulnerable areas across the vehicle. Multiple metallic tile options, including one with active cooling, will test alternative materials for protecting Starship during reentry. On the sides of the vehicle, non-structural versions of Starship’s catch fittings are installed to test the fittings’ thermal performance, along with a section of the tile line receiving a smoothed and tapered edge to address hot spots observed during reentry on Starship’s sixth flight test. Starship’s reentry profile is designed to intentionally stress the structural limits of the upper stage’s rear flaps while at the point of maximum entry dynamic pressure. Finally, several radar sensors will once again be tested on the launch and catch tower’s chopsticks with the goal of increasing the accuracy when measuring distances between the chopsticks and a returning vehicle.

The Super Heavy booster for this flight features upgraded avionics, including a more powerful flight computer, improved power and network distribution, and integrated smart batteries.

Distinct vehicle and pad criteria must be met prior to the return and catch of the Super Heavy booster, requiring healthy systems on the booster and tower and a final manual command from the mission’s Flight Director. If this command is not sent prior to the completion of the boostback burn, or if automated health checks show unacceptable conditions with Super Heavy or the tower, the booster will default to a trajectory for a soft splashdown in the Gulf of America. We accept no compromises when it comes to ensuring the safety of the public and our team, and booster return will only take place if conditions are right.

The returning booster will slow down from supersonic speeds, resulting in audible sonic booms in the area around the landing zone. Generally, the only impact to those in the surrounding area of a sonic boom is the brief thunder-like noise with variables like weather and distance from the return site determining the magnitude experienced by observers.

Developmental testing by definition is unpredictable. But by putting flight hardware in a flight environment as frequently as possible, we’re able to quickly learn and execute design changes as we seek to bring Starship online as a fully and rapidly reusable vehicle.

Go Starship! Go SpaceX

 

Scrub.

 

Successful unplanned WDR

 

GSE issue apparently.

 

Stage 0 takes a beating and doesn’t get a break with all the heavy equipment pounding 24/7.

 

Kick ass pic o’ the day:



Here’s the video:
https://www.reddit.com/r/spaceporn/s/SGSaJ21FNJ

 

Important mission for IM:
https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/...itive-machines-hopes-to-stick-second-landing/

https://www.intuitivemachines.com/im-2

 

Tomorrow!
STARSHIP'S EIGHTH LAUNCH
The eighth flight test of Starship is preparing to launch Thursday, March 6 from Starbase in Texas. The one hour launch window opens at 5:30 p.m. CT.

A live webcast of the flight test will begin about 30 minutes before liftoff, which you can watch on X @SpaceX or on spacex.com. You can also watch the webcast on the X TV app.

The upcoming flight test's objectives include Starship’s first payload deployment of four Starlink simulators that are similar in size to next-generation Starlink satellites, a relight of a single Raptor engine while in space, and multiple reentry experiments geared towards returning the upper stage to the launch site for catch on future missions, including intentionally stressing the structural limits of the upper stage’s rear flaps while at the point of maximum entry dynamic pressure. The flight also includes the launch, return, and catch of the Super Heavy booster.

Developmental testing by definition is unpredictable. But by putting flight hardware in a flight environment as frequently as possible, we’re able to quickly learn and execute design changes as we seek to bring Starship online as a fully and rapidly reusable vehicle.

Go Starship! Go SpaceX

 

GSE?

 

Ground Support Equipment

 

They faked it! There’s no stars! The shadows are all wrong! If you look closely you’ll see they used the same sound stage Stanley Kubrick used when he faked the Apollo landings!

 

Faked on location, yup.

AKA 'Your Mom', didn't generate enough PSIs to get the raptors going.

 

Sadly misplaced skepticism.

 

I love that you got the joke!

 

https://x.com/soomiq/status/1897796934750159091

Ooof. Guess that attic fire is still happening and didn't get mitigated enough...