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View Full Version : Mars Rocket Preps for Historic Text Flight



Ponder
12-08-2020, 02:27 PM
Well it's actually the top half of the rocket referred to as Starship. A SpaceX project pioneered by Elon Musk. The total size of the rocket (when paired with its booster) is taller and larger than the historic Saturn 5 rocket. The lower section not yet tested (still under construction) is called super heavy. You can easily find more info on the net. I just figured if anyone is not doing anything, this the live feed might help you sleep. You never know - when you click on it you might be one of the few that gets to see the first major test of humans attempt to get to Mars.

Then again you may wind up staring at a screen for hours on end ... listening to shallow minded banter centered on Youtube's new Super Chat. More than likely the test will be scrubbed but it would be cool to see it take off.

Plan is to climb to 12.5km high, then cut the engines and plummet to the ground using its fins like arms and legs akin to a skydiver. Two things will happen. It will power up engines approximately 300 meters from the ground where it will then sling its bottom end out to one side and then back again pulling off an incredibly landing - OR it will create a huge crater and fireball. Alternatively they might just abort and angle the rocket towards the ocean.

Given the history of mission scrubs, I think it might the test could be put off. That said, this is the largest viewing audience to date and the fins are in the launching position.

I am slowly moving house and will be checking on my phone. Not exactly zen ... I know.

I'm excited despite my clinical depression. What to do. Laughs out loud.

In case you don't have time or could care less - I will link a video depicting the way this new age rocket intends to land.


The mission height has changed from 20 km to 15km and now down to 12.5km
It's not the latest animation - but the best one in my opinion out of watching many:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdTYMry7fq0

BELOW IS THE LINK TO A STREAM WITH A COUNTDOWN ... However I can't stress enough that the launch may be canceled or delayed: (stream countdown more of a gimmick I think)
SpaceX Starship 12.5-Kilometer Flight LIVE Stream (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hb59U01YybA) Doh - I knew his countdown was bogus. That's it Unsubbed! :)



OOO Starship is venting [I]Even if it craters - it will add a lot of info for the next launch. They already have a couple more in bays ready to come out for the next test. Expect an explosion. Musk claims only a 1 in 3 that it will actually land. It's how Elon works. Expect loss of life on the way to Mars - That's also how that works.
https://i.ibb.co/6J00rkm/Starship-streams.png

If you add up all the people watching on the different streams it's in the hundreds of thousands. Not bad considering Covid has been stealing the limelight.

Imagine if it actually lands? How awesome would that be. If not ... I'll just link the next test when it actually looks imminent.

Ponder
12-08-2020, 03:39 PM
Postponed ... hopefully not too long. Either a couple of hours, another day or week.

Until next buzzkill. Officially 'Standing Down for the Day.'

If you don't want to miss it. You know the drill. Sub and hit the bells.

Have a good day/evening ;)

Ponder
12-09-2020, 01:56 PM
Hi guys,
How you all doing.

Here is the link I am watching for starships second countdown for this most historical attempt at the 'Suicide Dive' as aptly named by varioius SpaceX fans. I have since discovered the first countdown in red via the link I have provided is for a Nasa plane to arrive in Boca Chica; Currently SpaceX's main space port. Thereafter the host will soon then switch to a SpaceX timer when available.

Only about 10 minutes to until he soon switches to what I am hoping is a GO for launch from the SpaeX team.

Here's hoping to either a spectacular crater upon landing and no fireballs beforehand or an upright landing. Either way is considered a success as exploding on landing means the SpacX team still gets the much needed telemetry throughout the flight. They got plenty more of these rockets sitting on the bench until they get it right. The alternative could be an abort on the return leg where they guide Starship into the ocean to avoid costly repairs of the landing pad. The crater version is if they go ahead thing they can land but don't. Best to avoid making a crater if they can. Personally I am hoping for either landing or crater. :) ... but no 'unscheduled disassembly' AKA BOOM unless on the return leg & not until hits the pad!

OK - now only 5 minutes until the Nasa plane arrives.

Will find the best footage later and post the highlights then.

Second Try!!! SpaceX Starship 12.5-Kilometer Flight LIVE Stream (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toK7B1_WwJs)

If you or anyone else knows of a better Live feed, please do link.

Ponder
12-09-2020, 04:01 PM
AWESOME ... SUCCESSFUL CRATER!!! I suspect they cut the engines one at a time to get vital information re the effectiveness of how 3 Vs 2 Vs 1 engine would do. All three engine ignited as needed for the landing [edit - no they did not - see below next post] and the maneuvering was excellent was well. They missed they pad only by meters however I am thinking they might of aimed for that ... not sure.

Fantastic result. Now until the next as they have at least another 3 ready to go.

Back into moving house. Not sure others are as excited as me. lol.

Truly awesome. I think they will nail it at lest with the 4th if inot the 3rd.

Can't wait till they drop the Starhip atop of the Super Heavy for the orbital launch then see a fair dinkum reentry. Not long now. Just have to nail that landing.

All in good time.

Back to moving the boxes ... will upload the best of off edits later. ;)

Ponder
12-09-2020, 06:33 PM
Just a quick Time stamp of SpaceX Youtube coverage from T minus 10 seconds and event:
https://youtu.be/ap-BkkrRg-o?t=6479

Correction - after reviewing the footage it did seem to hit the pad ... the corner of it. Nice flying.
Edit - also seems only two engine re-ignited (https://youtu.be/ap-BkkrRg-o?t=6882) with one of those two cutting out leaving only one to do the job of three. Easy fix no doubt. :) Also note how when it went to one engine only on landing - the flame turns green at that moment.

Look at the top right hand footage:
https://youtu.be/ap-BkkrRg-o?t=6883

Confirmed - Engine shutdown on ascent was planned the way it happened. Many in the space community are haling this test a monumental success.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZQ_mrhcTRk

Ponder
12-10-2020, 03:55 AM
Test Analysis is in. Mainstream media has no clue what they are talking about; as usual.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egHxiX40eJY

Edit ... another perspective as seen some distance from a beach: here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_WSzonHFfI) ← It's amazing how it can move like that when ascending as well as skydiving. That footage shows it well. (they lose sight of it on the way down - but if you watch it all the way through they find it again. Look awesome how it corrects itself for the landing...despite the loss of pressure from the header tank that resulted in a 'rapid unscheduled disassembly.' lol )

Ponder
12-10-2020, 01:47 PM
Last post on this particular test ... Just one more take on the success. :)

Use the subtitle feature if your struggle with the accents. The dialogue in this breaks down the rocket science in a way that is easy to understand.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7X7PFUYshM

UNTIL NEXT TEST ;)

Ponder
12-15-2020, 11:10 PM
Here's another really cool perspective:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iauacCNV86s