SpaceX Starship launches banana to space, skips giant rocket catch on 6th test flight (video, photos)

[Admin]

SpaceX launched its Starship megarocket for the sixth time ever today (Nov. 19) but did not try to catch the vehicle's Super Heavy first stage back at the pad.

SpaceX Starship launches banana to space, skips giant rocket catch on 6th test flight (video, photos) : Read more

 

[kev72]

Another exciting launch. We can see significant improvements every time. Kudos to the spacex team.

 

[trailrider]

While it would have been nice to have repeated the catch of the booster with the chopsticks, the fact that it made a controlled "soft landing" in the water, and the impressive reentry of the Ship with some of the TPS tiles intentionally removed, and successful relighting of an engine in microgravity conditions makes this flight one more engineering test, which will, no doubt set the stage for further development. Congratulations to the SpaceX team!

 

[James Parker]

Can you report more on the commit criteria? Which one was tripped and what does this criteria look like going forward? SpaceX commented about rethinking some elements. I wonder if they should have built the tower further away from the control center and key facilities, so they could loosen the criteria with less risk to people or structures outside of the launch pad.

 

[platinum_jello]

Can you report more on the commit criteria? Which one was tripped and what does this criteria look like going forward? SpaceX commented about rethinking some elements. I wonder if they should have built the tower further away from the control center and key facilities, so they could loosen the criteria with less risk to people or structures outside of the launch pad.

The safety is that called the catch off were located on the tower, so I don't think it had anything to do with the safety of humans so much as preserving the tower and surrounding infrastructure (tank farm, etc). They have extra boosters lined up and ready to go, towers not so much.

 

[kev72]

Interesting it was a fault with the tower that caused the ship to divert and nothing related to the ship.
I think this is good news.

 

[Staran]

SpaceX launched its Starship megarocket for the sixth time ever today (Nov. 19) but did not try to catch the vehicle's Super Heavy first stage back at the pad.

SpaceX Starship launches banana to space, skips giant rocket catch on 6th test flight (video, photos) : Read more

Although the headline says the article has a video, I see NO video. I clicked on EVERY photo but never saw a video.

 

[COLGeek]

Although the headline says the article has a video, I see NO video. I clicked on EVERY photo but never saw a video.

That is often caused by adblock extensions.

 

[Rob77]

When Starship was in its early test phase, they were attempting to land these on its extended landing legs.
Has that concept been ditched now in favor of just the chopstick arms or just shelved for these tests? They will need the "legs" to land on the moon anyway.
I would have thought if the chopstick catch was a no go, then plan B was to land on a pad somewhere like they did the first several attempts rather than just ditch into the sea.

 

[Staran]

That is often caused by adblock extensions.

Thank you.

 

[suneritz]

Interesting it was a fault with the tower that caused the ship to divert and nothing related to the ship.
I think this is good news.

Don't they have 2 towers

 

[mckillio]

When Starship was in its early test phase, they were attempting to land these on its extended landing legs.
Has that concept been ditched now in favor of just the chopstick arms or just shelved for these tests? They will need the "legs" to land on the moon anyway.
I would have thought if the chopstick catch was a no go, then plan B was to land on a pad somewhere like they did the first several attempts rather than just ditch into the sea.

I believe the legs were deemed too heavy for the booster. I don't think landing on the moon would include the booster since the gravity is so much less.

 

[Rob77]

I believe the legs were deemed too heavy for the booster. I don't think landing on the moon would include the booster since the gravity is so much less.

Not talking about the booster, I meant the Starship (pointy end) - see version SN15 for the successful landing.
These were tested without the booster and return landing using legs.