On 06/06/2024 10:27 Alain Fournier <
alain245@videotron.ca> wrote:
On 2024-06-06 10:06 a.m., Snidely wrote:
On Thursday, The Running Man pointed out that ...
On 06/06/2024 09:42 Alain Fournier <alain245@videotron.ca> wrote:
On 2024-06-06 9:12 a.m., Snidely wrote:
Alain Fournier blurted out:
SpaceX seems to have an FAA licence to launch IFT-4 tomorrow.
https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/space/faa-clears-spacex-starship-integrated-flight-test-4
Alain Fournier
Seems to have had a launch, a warm bath for the booster, and 210 km
ship altitude.
I was expecting to see the booster stay a few meters above water
hovering with no speed before the splash. The speedometer never went
to zero. Still it was a great flight for the booster. The ship seems
to be doing great also.
Alain Fournier
The flaps burned away but still a successful flight! Too bad the other
camera went out as well.
But it does mean they have some more engineering to do concerning the
"hot spots" of the vehicle. Wasn't it pretty obvious the flaps would
get peak heating during re-entry?
It was the hinge area that, as expected, was having the worst of the
reentry experience.? But it seems we did get a toasty marshmallow to
land sorta soft.
Yes. First time I see a spaceship burn up on reentry in such a way that
a hypothetical crew would most likely had survived.
Needs some more tweaks but quite close to a reusable spaceship. Congrats
to SpaceX.
I don't believe NASA is going to be pleased with the current rate of progress. Having a vehicle which has a "hypothetical crew surviving re-entry" just isn't good enough. NASA wants boots on the ground (on the Moon) ASAP since Congress is breathing in
its neck to get there before the Chinese do.
With all these delays boots on the Moon before 2030 is getting too close for comfort.
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