4 ms·

You follow the news and the public statements on the goals of the test? SpaceX isn't exactly tight lipped about their philosophy and what they hope to learn fro

You follow the news and the public statements on the goals of the test? SpaceX isn't exactly tight lipped about their philosophy and what they hope to learn from each test.

HWR_14 2y ago
Can you share an example of a pre-launch announcement so I know what they hope to learn? I haven't seen anything about any upcoming test's goals as they approach, but I also don't know where I would look.
- tim333 2y ago
  Dunno about that exactly but Everyday Astronaut youtube has a lot of stuff. Here on the early starship strategy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DM6WqjJCKQo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DM6WqjJCKQo
- dotnet00 2y ago
  Usually on SpaceX's X or Musk's X, for example: https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1762237289231757406 https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1762237289231757406 https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1798692089766805813 https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1798692089766805813 https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1792629142141177890 https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1792629142141177890 https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1783929534955589885 https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1783929534955589885 Or SpaceX's summaries for after the test: https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-3 https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-... https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-4 https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-... There also tend to be good articles from dedicated space reporters like Eric Berger, Stephen Clark or Michael Shaetz: https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/06/we-know-starship-can-fly-now-its-time-to-see-if-it-can-come-back-to-earth/ https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/06/we-know-starship-can-f... https://www.cnbc.com/2024/06/06/spacex-starship-fourth-test-spaceflight.html https://www.cnbc.com/2024/06/06/spacex-starship-fourth-test-... https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/07/spacex-video-teases-potential-starship-booster-catch-on-next-flight/ https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/07/spacex-video-teases-po... The "mainstream" reporting on these tends to be pretty awful and a glaring display of Gell-Mann Amnesia, but the more popular space journalists tend to be pretty good. I provided specific examples because there are also "journalists" known for intentionally distorting the facts to prop up their biases. The goals for the next flight test seem to be to try to catch the booster (if they can get the necessary regulatory clearances) and to try to perform a controlled reentry of Starship again, this time with an upgraded heat shield to hopefully take less damage than the previous attempts. It'll end up being mainly a control systems and shield material test since future prototypes which are already being built have changes to the fin locations which also mitigate some of the heat shield issues seen in the previous test. There's also talk of towing it to Australia after splashdown to study (also depends on if they can get the necessary regulatory clearances). I wouldn't be surprised if the goals change though, I feel like they might decide to do another simulated catch over water for the booster (since while it was technically successful in IFT-4, one engine did blow up), and similarly I doubt they'll have the clearances to tow the ship to Australia as fast as they'd like.
- avhon1 2y ago
  Here's what SpaceX put on their website before their most recent (fourth) flight test of Starship. http://web.archive.org/web/20240601140837/https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-4 http://web.archive.org/web/20240601140837/https://www.spacex... and here's what they posted before the third flight test http://web.archive.org/web/20240306183144/https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-3 http://web.archive.org/web/20240306183144/https://www.spacex... Both have pretty clear language about them being test flights (especially the flight 3 post), and list what they hope to test. edit: they have not yet made an official page on their website for the upcoming fifth test flight https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceX_Starship_integrated_flight_test_5 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceX_Starship_integrated_fli... although they have teased about trying to return Booster to the tower for a catch attempt. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2BdNDTlWbo&t=149s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2BdNDTlWbo&t=149s

You follow the news and the public statements on the goals of the test? SpaceX isn't exactly tight lipped about their philosophy and what they hope to learn from each test.

HWR_14 2y ago

Can you share an example of a pre-launch announcement so I know what they hope to learn? I haven't seen anything about any upcoming test's goals as they approach, but I also don't know where I would look.

tim333 2y ago
Dunno about that exactly but Everyday Astronaut youtube has a lot of stuff. Here on the early starship strategy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DM6WqjJCKQo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DM6WqjJCKQo
dotnet00 2y ago
Usually on SpaceX's X or Musk's X, for example: https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1762237289231757406 https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1762237289231757406 https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1798692089766805813 https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1798692089766805813 https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1792629142141177890 https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1792629142141177890 https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1783929534955589885 https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1783929534955589885 Or SpaceX's summaries for after the test: https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-3 https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-... https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-4 https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-... There also tend to be good articles from dedicated space reporters like Eric Berger, Stephen Clark or Michael Shaetz: https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/06/we-know-starship-can-fly-now-its-time-to-see-if-it-can-come-back-to-earth/ https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/06/we-know-starship-can-f... https://www.cnbc.com/2024/06/06/spacex-starship-fourth-test-spaceflight.html https://www.cnbc.com/2024/06/06/spacex-starship-fourth-test-... https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/07/spacex-video-teases-potential-starship-booster-catch-on-next-flight/ https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/07/spacex-video-teases-po... The "mainstream" reporting on these tends to be pretty awful and a glaring display of Gell-Mann Amnesia, but the more popular space journalists tend to be pretty good. I provided specific examples because there are also "journalists" known for intentionally distorting the facts to prop up their biases. The goals for the next flight test seem to be to try to catch the booster (if they can get the necessary regulatory clearances) and to try to perform a controlled reentry of Starship again, this time with an upgraded heat shield to hopefully take less damage than the previous attempts. It'll end up being mainly a control systems and shield material test since future prototypes which are already being built have changes to the fin locations which also mitigate some of the heat shield issues seen in the previous test. There's also talk of towing it to Australia after splashdown to study (also depends on if they can get the necessary regulatory clearances). I wouldn't be surprised if the goals change though, I feel like they might decide to do another simulated catch over water for the booster (since while it was technically successful in IFT-4, one engine did blow up), and similarly I doubt they'll have the clearances to tow the ship to Australia as fast as they'd like.
avhon1 2y ago
Here's what SpaceX put on their website before their most recent (fourth) flight test of Starship. http://web.archive.org/web/20240601140837/https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-4 http://web.archive.org/web/20240601140837/https://www.spacex... and here's what they posted before the third flight test http://web.archive.org/web/20240306183144/https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-3 http://web.archive.org/web/20240306183144/https://www.spacex... Both have pretty clear language about them being test flights (especially the flight 3 post), and list what they hope to test. edit: they have not yet made an official page on their website for the upcoming fifth test flight https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceX_Starship_integrated_flight_test_5 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceX_Starship_integrated_fli... although they have teased about trying to return Booster to the tower for a catch attempt. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2BdNDTlWbo&t=149s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2BdNDTlWbo&t=149s