| |
WG3K > ANS 01.06.25 02:24l 19 Lines 3675 Bytes #169 (0) @ AMSAT
BID : ANS152.4
Read: GUEST
Subj: SpaceX Starship Ninth Flight Yields Data, Misses Reentry Goa
Path: IZ3LSV<I3XTY<I0OJJ<N6RME<CX2SA<N3HYM<WG3K
Sent: 250601/0018Z 18164@WG3K.#SMD.MD.USA.NOAM LinBPQ6.0.24
SpaceX achieved partial success Tuesday with the ninth test flight of its massive Starship rocket, overcoming prior engine shutdown problems but discovering new issues during the vehicleâ€Ös return from space. Launched from the companyâ€Ös Starbase facility in South Texas, the rocket reached space and achieved full engine cutoff for the first time using its current Block 2 design. However, the upper stage lost control during coast and reentry phases, tumbling and eventually disintegrating over the Indian Ocean.
The early stages of the mission went according to plan. All 33 Raptor engines on the Super Heavy booster ignited successfully, pushing the rocket skyward with twice the thrust of the Saturn V. After separation, the Starship upper stage ignited its own engines and reached a near-orbital trajectory. Elon Musk confirmed on X that the main engines completed their full burn and that the heat shield tiles remained intact during ascent-both major improvements over previous tests.
But soon after engine cutoff, SpaceX aborted a planned payload door test to deploy simulated Starlink satellites when the door failed to open. Minutes later, engineers reported a loss of tank pressure in the Starshipâ€Ös attitude control system, causing the rocket to enter a slow spin. This compromised SpaceXâ€Ös ability to restart an engine for orbital maneuvering and made a controlled reentry impossible, eliminating the opportunity to gather key data on new heat shield tile configurations.
[https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/SpaceX-Starship-F...]https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/SpaceX-Starship-Flight-9-Liftoff.jpg
Starship Flight 9, a megarocket as tall as a 38-story building, lifts off from Starbase, Texas. [Credit: SpaceXhttps://x.com/SpaceX / Xhttps://x.com/]
The mission ended with the vehicle tumbling into the atmosphere and breaking apart during reentry. Despite the premature conclusion, SpaceX officials noted that they collected valuable data on a number of new systems. The company has been working to improve the durability of heat shield tiles, which are critical to the Starshipâ€Ös goal of rapid reuse. Tuesdayâ€Ös flight included multiple experimental tile designs and attachment methods that engineers are eager to analyze, even with the limited reentry data available.
There was also progress on the Super Heavy booster. For the first time, SpaceX reused a booster from a previous flight, testing modifications aimed at improving fuel efficiency and failure recovery during landing burns. Although the booster exploded near the end of its descent rather than splashing down intact, it flew well through much of its return. SpaceX believes data from this flight will inform future attempts to catch returning boosters with launch pad arms.
The latest setback underscores the challenge of developing a fully reusable heavy-lift rocket capable of missions to the Moon and Mars. SpaceX began 2025 with ambitious goals for up to 25 test flights, but that timeline now appears unlikely. However, Musk indicated that the next three Starships could launch within weeks of each other. Meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration is reviewing the flight, and engineers are analyzing telemetry to confirm whether new issues or previously known problems led to the vehicleâ€Ös demise. As SpaceX prepares for its next test, company officials remain cautiously optimistic.
Read the full article at: https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/05/spacex-may-have-solved-one-problem-onl...
[ANS thanks the Stephen Clarkhttps://x.com/StephenClark1, Ars Technicahttps://arstechnica.com/, for the above information]
Read previous mail | Read next mail
| |
