Shyster's thread of Spaaaace.

Post by **Shyster** » Fri Sep 06, 2024 6:45 pm

Undocking, at least, went well. The reentry burn coming up in I think 4 hours or so will be even more important.

Post by **tifosi77** » Fri Sep 06, 2024 8:22 pm

The launches from Vandenberg are getting pretty fun. We can see the vehicle from about 35-40 seconds after liftoff, and can then observe almost the entirety of the rest of the flight through orbital insertion. One of these non-school night launches I'd like to drive up to Pt Mugu to watch. It's on the coast about halfway to Vandenberg from our house, so I'm sure the views from there are really nice. I reckon you might even be able to hear it.

I wonder if we'll get to see the Starliner reentry. I quickly looked but couldn't find anything that showed its flight path.

Post by **Kaiser** » Fri Sep 06, 2024 10:16 pm

It's heading to white sands for landing (If it doesn't burn up while oscillating).

Post by **Shyster** » Tue Sep 10, 2024 9:39 pm

Trivia: The way SpaceX chose to design the Dragon, which is unlike most other capsule spacecraft in that it doesn't have a service module with separate engines, there are no thrusters that point directly aft, and the only thrusters that point directly forwards are the ones under the flip-up nosecone. Because it's most efficient to thrust in a straight line, when the Dragon needs to conduct significant orbital maneuvers, it turns "backwards" to how most other spacecraft would fly and uses those forward Draco thrusters.

Post by **Shyster** » Fri Oct 04, 2024 1:12 pm

ULA's Vulcan rocket had its second launch this morning. The Cert-2 mission was supposed to be the second of the two missions required by the fedgov to certify the vehicle for government and national-security launches. The Vulcan was carrying a mass simulator rather than an actual payload. While the Vulcan put its Centaur V second stage in the correct orbit, and by all accounts the second stage demonstrated everything it was supposed to do, one of the two GEM-63XL solid boosters experienced a significant failure where by time it was jettisoned, the nozzle was completely gone. The Vulcan was able to compensate for the asymmetric thrust, and it burned a little longer to meet its performance objectives. You can see in the fourth photo in the second post below that the right nozzle was totally gone by SRB jettison.

Post by **Shyster** » Fri Oct 04, 2024 1:20 pm

Video:

Post by **Shyster** » Sat Oct 12, 2024 9:06 pm

Post by **Shyster** » Sat Oct 12, 2024 9:08 pm

The flight tomorrow will be attempting a chopsticks catch, so viewers will either see that or an impressive kaboom. Exciting either way.

Post by **Kaiser** » Sat Oct 12, 2024 9:47 pm

Shyster wrote: ↑Sat Oct 12, 2024 9:08 pm The flight tomorrow will be attempting a chopsticks catch, so viewers will either see that or an impressive kaboom. Exciting either way.

If they pull that off, start saving for space tourism.

Post by **Shyster** » Sun Oct 13, 2024 8:31 am

Go for booster return.

Post by **Shyster** » Sun Oct 13, 2024 8:32 am

HOLY CRAP THEY CAUGHT IT!!!!

Post by **robbiestoupe** » Sun Oct 13, 2024 8:34 am

That was amazing!

Post by **Shyster** » Sun Oct 13, 2024 8:49 am

Post by **Shyster** » Sun Oct 13, 2024 9:27 am

Still need work on the thermal protection. We have burn-through on some flaps, but less than last time.

Post by **Shyster** » Sun Oct 13, 2024 9:33 am

Neat. We have video of the landing from a buoy that SpaceX put at the landing target. So even with the bit of burn-through we saw, Starship was pretty much on target.

Post by **Shyster** » Sun Oct 13, 2024 10:27 am

Post by **Shyster** » Sun Oct 13, 2024 10:27 am

Post by **tifosi77** » Sun Oct 13, 2024 11:27 am

They look like they're just playing videos of launches in reverse. Amazing stuff.

Post by **Kaiser** » Mon Oct 14, 2024 12:18 pm

Europa Clipper is on it's way to Jupiter!

Post by **Shyster** » Sat Oct 19, 2024 2:45 am

Better video from the buoy in the Indian Ocean:

Post by **Shyster** » Sat Nov 16, 2024 3:22 am

I believe I read that the timing of this launch, which is much later in the day than prior flights, will mean that the Indian Ocean landing attempt for Starship will be in daylight. So there should be better views of that.

Post by **Shyster** » Sat Nov 16, 2024 3:38 am

While there are changes to the heat-protection system, this is still basically the same Starship design that has flown before. SpaceX has a "Block 2" version that will probably be used for the next flight after this one. That version has the flaps in slightly different places. We also have the updated Raptor 3 engines coming at some point. I haven't been able to find anything about when those might first fly.

Post by **Shyster** » Tue Nov 19, 2024 3:16 pm

Weather is looking good for today's launch, which is scheduled for 5 pm eastern time. The flight will be attempting another chopsticks catch, so viewers will either see a marvel of modern engineering or an impressive explosion as a big-ass rocket hits the ground. An exciting watch either way.

Post by **Shyster** » Tue Nov 19, 2024 4:18 pm

Prop load is under way. Everything appears go for a launch at the opening of the 5 pm window.

Post by **Shyster** » Tue Nov 19, 2024 4:40 pm