Space Stuff and Launch Info

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Shifted by one day due to an issue with ground equipment.
Live coverage started.
T-40 minutes, although the weather is still a coin toss.

Edit: Weather is too bad, next attempt tomorrow if the weather improves.

 

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Next launch attempt in 3 min: https://www.spacex.com/launches/starship-flight-10

Liftoff!

Spoiler

The booster lost one engine on ascent, but still completed its mission nominally. The landing over the ocean was a success, with a simulated (additional!) engine-out during landing.

The ship reached the planned almost-orbital trajectory and deployed some mass simulators. Now it's cruising over Africa. Waiting for the Raptor re-light to simulate a reentry burn.

Relight successful.

Reentry looked super spicy with one flap and the engine skirt getting damaged, but the ship overall maintained control. They do stress the vehicle more than necessary on purpose to find the limits of the heat shield.

Landing burn looked good, it splashed down in the Indian Ocean. After it hit the water it tipped over and exploded, but that's expected. A tower could have caught it in flight.

Some damage to the flaps and engine skirt, but otherwise a fully successful flight.

 

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Better Starship landing videos:


The red and white colors are from tests - metallic tiles and insulation material from spaces where tiles were removed released stuff that spread over the rest of the heat shield.

The next flight will be the last one of the v2 version. The flight profile will be the same, except for a possible booster catch. We can expect more heat shield and flap tests.

v3 is larger and needs major changes to the launch pad. SpaceX is preparing its second Texas launch pad for v3 already but a launch is not expected before late 2025.