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This test launch was never planned to actually make orbit. It was an "orbital test flight" only in the sense that it was intended to demonstrate system performa
by makomk 4y ago
This test launch was never planned to actually make orbit. It was an "orbital test flight" only in the sense that it was intended to demonstrate system performance that would basically have been enough to reach orbit; the original plan was that they'd reach velocities and aerodynamic stresses similar to an actual orbital flight, test stage seperation, both stages, and part of the re-entry, then crash into the ocean, all on a sub-orbital trajectory. Something apparently went wrong at stage seperation.
- Diederich 4y ago> This test launch was never planned to actually make orbit. Very, very technically true, but not really. Their target trajectory was only a few tens of m/s short of orbit. > aerodynamic stresses similar Right, within one percent.
- mcculley 4y agoRight. It was not my understanding that they "planned to actually make orbit". This is why I used the same words they used, "orbital altitude".