For all I would have loved for Starship to have hit fractional orbit and then landed in the Pacific, for a second integrated test flight it was a success. Frankly, that they pulled off the hot-stage separation is amazing, and it was not something I was counting on seeing.
As it is, it happened. All the engines lit and stayed lit until shut off on the first stage, and everything was nominal until after the hot-staging. All the engines appeared to be functioning normally on the second stage right up until the self-destruct engaged. I’m curious as to why they had that system on the second stage, and if they plan to continue to do so. The initial word seems to be the pad is good, so no major repairs or upgrades needed (we hope).
Best of all, they seem to have gotten lots of good data that are going to allow them to go in, figure things out, and make improvements to the next system. Lather, rinse, repeat. It really is the best way to develop new systems. Getting things to orbit, especially with a system significantly larger and more powerful than the Saturn V, is not easy. Just look back to the early days even before NASA, where launches rarely worked as planned. Some of the videos from the Navajo (Nevergo) and other early rockets are quite spectacular.
It didn’t end in the Pacific, but it was a good mission in terms of data. Here’s hoping that they can analyze, adapt, and try again as soon as possible — esp. if the Biden Regency will get out of the way. Earth is the cradle of humanity, and it’s past time we left the cradle.
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It was great.
For this test flight: “Flight Termination System test point complete!” That system was a publicly communicated NASA concern, though I don’t think they exercised it on purpose.
I am curious what tripped the Autonomous FTS on the Starship, why it wasn’t safed when they got past the trajectory ending anywhere of concern, and whether the RUD of the booster was also from it’s autonomous FTS firing.
The media headlines are astonishingly bad, but what can you expect from today’s “journalists”.
From imagery collected in the Florida Keys it looks like Starship stage was tumbling at the end of its burn, which explains both it not being closer to its target velocity and the autonomous FTS doing its job.
Interesting. That would explain a bit.