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Old 07-01-2021, 01:45 PM
Startrek (Martin)
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Starship SN9 Static Fire Completed

Watch SN9 static fire test this morning from the Space X Boca Chica launch facility
Latest news is FAA has approved launch of SN9 on 8th January ( ground to space )
Let’s hope SN9 can complete its mission with a successful landing paving the way for more ambitious sub orbital test flights for SN10 , SN11 and so on ......
Space X has not confirmed to the media what altitude it will reach but my bet is they will repeat the 12.5 altitude of SN8
Can’t wait for the SN9 launch on our time Friday
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Old 07-01-2021, 02:07 PM
Startrek (Martin)
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Watch SN9 static fire test this morning from the Space X Boca Chica launch facility
Latest news is FAA has approved launch of SN9 on 8th January ( ground to space )
Let’s hope SN9 can complete its mission with a successful landing paving the way for more ambitious sub orbital test flights for SN10 , SN11 and so on ......
Space X has not confirmed to the media what altitude it will reach but my bet is they will repeat the 12.5 altitude of SN8
Can’t wait for the SN9 launch on our time Friday
Correction “our time Saturday” Boca Chica is 17hrs behind us on the east coast of Australia
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Old 07-01-2021, 03:17 PM
glend (Glen)
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Martin, there is apparently " no ceiling" on the next launch approval, meaning it is likely to go higher than the last one. The LabPadre Utube channel made a big deal of this today. As the ship cannot reach orbit in it's present configuration (3 x Raptors) and no booster, it is probably going to be limited to preserving fuel reserves on board sufficient to land; and they need atmo density for the wings to create drag on descent. There has also been some conjecture that they may use gas pressurisation (maybe from the RCS thruster tanks) into the header tank to ensure the LOX flows properly during the landing flip (as loss of LOX pressure caused the SN8 loss of thrust and RUD).
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Old 07-01-2021, 04:46 PM
Startrek (Martin)
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Glen
Thanks for the update and info
Also I assume the altitude is not only limited to the thrust of the 3 raptors to achieve orbital velocity or a big suborbital flea hop ( 17, 300 mph ) but also absence of thermal protection on the external skin of Starship for a descent from the higher altitudes near the edge of space
Do you happen to know the max temperature rating of the Starships stainless steel skin in its current configuration ??
Martin
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Old 07-01-2021, 06:17 PM
glend (Glen)
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Glen
Thanks for the update and info
Also I assume the altitude is not only limited to the thrust of the 3 raptors to achieve orbital velocity or a big suborbital flea hop ( 17, 300 mph ) but also absence of thermal protection on the external skin of Starship for a descent from the higher altitudes near the edge of space
Do you happen to know the max temperature rating of the Starships stainless steel skin in its current configuration ??
Martin
Martin, no, I do not know the max temp rating of the skin. I am fairly sure the ship is instrumented with sensors to measure temps. And it has a test heat tile patch on the belly surface. Probably not a big concern on the type of topple over dive at low speed at the top of the climb, where the wings can provide drag, but yeah, re-entry is a different matter. I believe the focus on the SN9 mission is sticking the landing this time, and getting more data for the next flight. Going higher gives them more flight time, but they need to make sure there is enough fuel for landing. On an orbital flight, or sub orbital, the booster will provide most of the lifting effort and the Starship conserves fuel for landing. In a way the current tests are higher risk imho, as they need to burn Starship fuel to achieve altitude while preserving enough for the landing burn.

Some of the latest ships being built have little nibs on the belly surface, ostensibly for the attachment of tiles. The problem area is going to be on the wing roots and wings, where curves and a joint have to be covered. As we know from the Space Shuttle, any little gap can allow super heated re-entry gases to get through. It will be interesting to see what they come up with.
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Old 07-01-2021, 07:23 PM
Startrek (Martin)
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Design , development , testing and operational performance of Starship is the exciting part of the journey
The rest is a given ( by most )
I was lucky enough ( older enough) to witness the latter part of Project Apollo (Apollo 7 to 17 ) as a young kid and teenager via my parents black and white PYE TV , newspapers ( I cut out everything on Apollo and glued it in a scrap book ) and my Aunt (my Dads older sister ) worked for the Apollo contractor Rockwell Corp in Los Angeles as was a PA for one of the Administrators (she would send me all sorts of stuff on Apollo ( model rocket kits , magazines, photos , souvenirs etc.. ) I have a unmarked postage stamp of Apollo 8 she sent me ( don’t know what it’s worth nowadays )
Ah... what an exciting time in our lives , feels like it’s all happening again but with much bigger goals , Semi permanency on the Moon and a Mars shot with future habitation
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