Starship Flight 7 • Hacker News Board

Re: Starship Flight 7

#61

Post by ortusdux » Thu, Jan 16, 2025, 10:57 PM UTC

charles_f wrote: post #39

That "landing" (is it still considered a landing if it's chopsticked a few meters before it touches the ground?) is so unnatural it almost looks fake. So big and unimaginable that it feels like watching fx on a movie! The close-up camera right after was interesting, I thought it captured on the grid fins, but it looks like there are two small purpose-built knobs for that. The times we live in!

IIRC, the grid fins are not strong enough to support the rocket, and reinforcing them would add too much weight to the vehicle.

The plan is to catch the second stage the same way, and the starship in flight now is the first to have mockup pins to test the aerodynamics and see if they cause issues during reentry.

Re: Starship Flight 7

#62

Post by gazchop » Thu, Jan 16, 2025, 10:58 PM UTC

charles_f wrote: post #39

That "landing" (is it still considered a landing if it's chopsticked a few meters before it touches the ground?) is so unnatural it almost looks fake. So big and unimaginable that it feels like watching fx on a movie! The close-up camera right after was interesting, I thought it captured on the grid fins, but it looks like there are two small purpose-built knobs for that. The times we live in!

I heard someone say it's like trying to land the Statue of Liberty. Turns out the statue is actually shorter.

Re: Starship Flight 7

#63

Post by echoangle » Thu, Jan 16, 2025, 10:58 PM UTC

sneak wrote: post #42

simonswords82 wrote: post #3

This NASASpaceflight stream is up now: https://www.youtube.com/live/3nM3vGdanpw

...which has nothing to do with NASA the US government organization, or the NSF (FYI). It's just some independent streamers who apparently know you can't get trademark claims against you by the federal government.

I’m not sure about the NASA name itself, but apparently the graphic stuff is protected by a special law:

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-V/part-1221

So you wouldn’t exactly get a copyright claim when abusing the NASA logo but it’s still illegal.

I couldn’t find anything about the NASA word itself though, just some articles reciting guidelines by NASA not to imply an endorsement by NASA. I don’t know how that’s enforced though.

Re: Starship Flight 7

#64

Post by wongarsu » Thu, Jan 16, 2025, 10:58 PM UTC

victorbojica wrote: post #58

What happens if the ship has exploded? Is there any kind of danger?

The flight paths are planned specifically so any potential debris has a high chance of landing in the ocean.

If it actually exploded (either on its own or because the flight-termination system kicked in) most of it should burn up on reentry though.

Re: Starship Flight 7

#65

Post by londons_explore » Thu, Jan 16, 2025, 10:58 PM UTC

nomilk wrote: post #60

Amazing. 2nd ever catch of the booster via the 'chopstick' arms. Looks like the starship itself won't be splashing down west of Perth, instead telemetry has been lost (assuming RUD - "Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly").

Anyone able to do some quick math to guess where the pieces might land based on the velocity+altitude?

Bits might end up in africa on land somewhere...

Re: Starship Flight 7

#66

Post by ihumanable » Thu, Jan 16, 2025, 10:59 PM UTC

artemonster wrote: post #53

I like how chopsticks catch (a very impressive feat) completely distracts everyone from totally fucked timeline and already spent budget on mars mission. Its like any criticism is being drowned in loud cheers. Only time will tell, but I hope I will be wrong on this one

https://thedailywtf.com/articles/the-cool-cam

Re: Starship Flight 7

#67

Post by egglemonsoup » Thu, Jan 16, 2025, 10:59 PM UTC

numba888 wrote: post #57

4M viewers. comparable to top politics events. ship looks to be lost. this was the main part, so it's almost complete failure.

these tests are designed to fail — the data collected now will ensure they don't blow up with actual people on them. test seems like a success to me

Re: Starship Flight 7

#68

Post by throw5959 » Thu, Jan 16, 2025, 10:59 PM UTC

numba888 wrote: post #57

4M viewers. comparable to top politics events. ship looks to be lost. this was the main part, so it's almost complete failure.

Almost a complete failure except for second ever caught first stage...

BTW they first tested a redesigned version of Starship today.

Re: Starship Flight 7

#69

Post by echoangle » Thu, Jan 16, 2025, 10:59 PM UTC

moeadham wrote: post #54

echoangle wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, very much looks like it. I wonder how much of the second stage flight is autonomous and if they need to continually need to give it a go to continue, or if it aborts automatically after some time of lost telemetry. But maybe it already exploded anyways.

Probably self destructs if anything goes wrong

If it has control issues or similar absolutely, but does losing comms count as going wrong for the FTS? If the flight itself is on track?

Re: Starship Flight 7

#70

Post by yreg » Thu, Jan 16, 2025, 11:00 PM UTC

dingaling wrote: post #29

yreg wrote: post #12

When this comment gets 44 minutes old it's going to be T-0.

Thank you, I was trying to convert Central Time to something understandable. All their systems and logging are running in UTC, why can't they just give launch times accordingly.

Yeah, I prefer this "when this comment is XY old" format the most when communicating internationally. Closely followed by UTC, of course.

I hate having to convert from some time zone which I don't know by heart; with the additional risk of getting daylight savings or something wrong and missing the event.