Re: “SpaceX reached space with Starship Flight 9 launch, then lost control of its giant spaceship (video)”

On 03/06/2025 21:50, Scott Lurndal wrote:

Cryptoengineer <petertrei@gmail.com> writes:

On 6/2/2025 4:36 PM, Lynn McGuire wrote:

On 5/30/2025 12:23 PM, Cryptoengineer wrote:

On 5/29/2025 3:55 PM, Lynn McGuire wrote:

On 5/29/2025 4:05 AM, Robert Carnegie wrote:

On 29/05/2025 00:07, Lynn McGuire wrote:

“SpaceX reached space with Starship Flight 9 launch, then lost
control of its giant spaceship (video)”
>
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/spacex-
launches-starship-flight-9-to-space-in-historic-reuse-of-giant-
megarocket-video
>
“SpaceX launched its Starship megarocket for the ninth time ever
today (May 27), on a bold test flight that featured the first-ever
significant reuse of Starship hardware.”
>
“Starship‘s two stages separated as planned on Flight 9, and the
upper stage even reached space, which was an improvement over the
giant vehicle’s most recent two flights. But SpaceX ended up losing
both stages before they could accomplish their full flight goals.”
>
“”Starship made it to the scheduled ship engine cutoff, so big
improvement over last flight!” SpaceX CEO Elon Musk wrote on social
media after the flight. “Leaks caused loss of main tank pressure
during the coast and re-entry phase. Lot of good data to review.”
Musk said the next three Starship test launches could lift off
every three to four weeks in the days ahead.?
>
Bummer.

>
Next they're going to explode when they
come down.  Has this been thought through?

>
This is engineering development at its finest.  Simulation only gets
you so far.
>
SpaceX is working an incredibly complicated problem.  Weight versus
fuel and thrust.  The materials are also a serious complication as
the temperature of outer space is extremely variable from cryogenic
to hot (the unfiltered Sun shining on parts).

>
SpaceX fully expected to lose the booster on the way down. They were
testing using a higher angle of attack approach to reduce required
fuel, and also intended to simulate loss of a atmospheric engine
on the way down, to see if one in the outer ring could compensate.
>
The (different) problems that led to the loss of Starship on flights
7 and 8 appear to be solved, but a leak in one of the fuel tanks led
to a loss of pressurization, making attitude control impossible.
>
The door for the 'pez dispenser' to release satellites didn't work,
not clear why.
>
pt

>
The new version 3 Starlink satellites are huge, the size of a 737
according to Musk.
>
Lynn
>

Cite? They have to fit in Starship's 9m wide cargo bay.

 Lynn's including the extended solar panels.   Some 60 meters, which
exceeds the 737 wingspan.
 The satellites themselves are much smaller and far lighter than
a 737.

Maybe you heard about the "Solar Impulse"
one-off solar-powered aeroplanes, from about
15 years ago; their wingspan is comparable.
But they have fewer seats.  (All if this is
accurate.)
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_Impulse>