Fri, Jan 29, 2021
SN8 Came SO Close To Mission Completion... Can SN9 Pull This Off?
ANN RealTime Update, 01.29.21, 1126ET: A bit of a mess-up between the FAA and SpaceX appears to be in the works and the earliest the SN9 launch could occur now appears to be Monday. SpaceX's Elon Musk has tweeted some criticism of the FAA in the last 24 hours, but rumors suggest that they will still reach agreement shortly. More info to follow.
Original Report: As early as Friday, January 29, the SpaceX team will attempt a high-altitude flight test of Starship serial number 9 (SN9) – the second high-altitude suborbital flight test of a Starship prototype from our site in Cameron County, Texas.
Similar to the high-altitude flight test of Starship serial number 8 (SN8), SN9 will be powered through ascent by three Raptor engines, each shutting down in sequence prior to the vehicle reaching apogee – approximately 10 km in altitude. SN9 will perform a propellant transition to the internal header tanks, which hold landing propellant, before reorienting itself for reentry and a controlled aerodynamic descent.
The Starship prototype will descend under active aerodynamic control, accomplished by independent movement of two forward and two aft flaps on the vehicle. All four flaps are actuated by an onboard flight computer to control Starship’s attitude during flight and enable precise landing at the intended location. SN9’s Raptor engines will then reignite as the vehicle attempts a landing flip maneuver immediately before touching down on the landing pad adjacent to the launch mount.
A controlled aerodynamic descent with body flaps and vertical landing capability, combined with in-space refilling, are critical to landing Starship at destinations across the solar system where prepared surfaces or runways do not exist, and returning to Earth. This capability will enable a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry both crew and cargo on long-duration, interplanetary flights and help humanity return to the Moon, and travel to Mars and beyond.
There will be a live feed of the flight test available on the SpaceX site that will start a few minutes prior to liftoff. Given the dynamic schedule of development testing, do check with their social media channels for updates.
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