Space Travel & Exploration

[Pann]

Space X are hoping the next Starship test flight will take place on Monday 18th Nov. - https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1854230607603360190

[bledgor]

Space X are hoping the next Starship test flight will take place on Monday 18th Nov. - https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1854230607603360190

We heard anything about the flight plans/mission of this test?

[Pann]

We heard anything about the flight plans/mission of this test?

"The next Starship flight test aims to expand the envelope on ship and booster capabilities and get closer to bringing reuse of the entire system online. Objectives include the booster once again returning to the launch site for catch, reigniting a ship Raptor engine while in space, and testing a suite of heatshield experiments and maneuvering changes for ship reentry and descent over the Indian Ocean."


https://www.spacex.com/launches/miss...rship-flight-6

[Easo]

The speed between the test flights seem to be increasing. Truly wonderful times regarding space eploration.

[Pann]

Next Starship test will, hopefully, be on this coming Tuesday (19th Nov) at 16:00 CT - https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1857624156952735839

[Pann]

Just under an hour to go until the launch (hopefully)!

[PACOX]

I remember when a certain head of SpaceX tried to say the FAA and EPA were holding them back. Turns out all SpaceX had to do was follow regulations, something that the actual engineers of the firm seemed to have no problem adjusting to


Looking forward to a good launch

[Pann]

I can't say that I'm not disappointed that they couldn't catch the booster but that landing was very impressive.

- - - Updated - - -

The splashdown of Ship was very, very cool - https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1859010620471079361

[PACOX]

Good flight. Not catching the booster is an overall positive. You want to know where your faults lie while testing and how to mitigate them. Also boosters don't have to be caught or even landed on a barge to reuse them; it just makes the refurb process a whole lot easier if returning boosters to the pad can be mastered. Closer to fuel transers.

[Pann]

SpaceX's has posted some spectacular footage of Ship's last test flight

https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1860006072091836888

https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1860083533001424973

Also some great pictures

https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1859717568162127873

https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1859716672623624586

[ringpriest]

(Posts from back to 2022 included for context.)

The core they just launched was under construction since November 2014, with the upper stage being completed and delivered in 2017. I have no faith in SLS time tables.

Hey @Nerraw that's weird, looks here like the Artemis 2 core stage just needs engine section before it gets shipped to Kennedy Space Center... but you said it was unlikely for Artemis 2 to be on time... That's a pretty weird statement to make, don't you think?

Any bets on whether Artemis II will launch before 2026?

Artemis II doesn't need to go through a green run campaign like Artemis 1 did. Almost like they have a long green run and a full flight already completed or something

So, about that...

NASA delays Artemis 2 moon mission to 2026, Artemis 3 astronaut landing to mid-2027

NASA announced today (Dec. 5) that it's delaying the planned launch of Artemis 2, a flight that will send four people around the moon and back, from September 2025 to April 2026.

I expect Artemis 2 will still fly with the second SLS launch, eventually. It's self-contained, and something of a prestige project. But I will say, again, that I don't think SLS 3 will ever fly, nor will SLS Block 2. Among other things, Artemis 3 requires a working Starship to conduct its mission... and a working Starship makes SLS obsolete.