Topic: Interesting stuff about SpaceX Starship (hate the name)

[Nemesis]

IFT 13 now has a date (as always subject to delays)

Tue • Jul 14th, 2026 6:45 PM - 8:56 PM EDT

So next Tuesday.  I've seen one quote allegedly from Shotwell placing the first orbital flight as possibley IFT 15, people (including me) have been assuming that if IFT 13 went well then IFT 14 would be orbital.  Why the delay?  Unknown to me.  That might place it in September if the 1 flight a month she mentioned is lived up to. 

With Vulcan there is an "oddity" when it comes to launch dates.  The source I use www.spacelaunchschedule.com when I look for any ULA launches lists a Vulcan launch in September but when I look just for Vulcan launches it only lists them as December and one for June next year.  I don't know why so I haven't been listing it. 

Edit 1:  That didn't take long: 

Wed • Jul 15th, 2026 6:45 PM - 8:56 PM EDT

Edit 2:

Thu • Jul 16th, 2026 6:45 PM - 8:15 PM EDT

Edit 3:

Launch scrubbed during the ignition sequence.  Why unknown as yet of course as is the next launch date.  Hopefully Friday otherwise likely next week.

Edit 4:

"Some of the engines didn't start, triggering an automatic launch abort," Musk said in ​a post on X, without disclosing the number ​of engines on the Super Heavy rocket that did not start. "To ‌be ⁠confident of a good flight, 2 Raptors will be removed & replaced. Most probable launch timing is early next week."

[Nemesis]

China just did their first successful landing of an orbital class booster.  A little less cargo capacity than Falcon 9 but in the same class. 

[Nemesis]

A couple of items

When IFT 12 Starship had done the simulated landing and cut the engines it quite naturally fell the remaining distance and exploded.  One of the COPVs survived under pressure and went across the water like a torpedo and struck one of the floating "kiddy pool" buoys which seems to have survived due to the flexibility of the inflated rings.  The odds of going straight at a buoy seems quite low but it happened, there is video of it.

It seems that the problem on hot staging was tiny timing differences in the startup of the engines causing the booster to tilt 90⁰ from the targeted angle.  Hopefully they have corrected for this now. 

[Tus-XC]

China just did their first successful landing of an orbital class booster.  A little less cargo capacity than Falcon 9 but in the same class.

Also looked like it needed more support infrastructure to land

[Nemesis]

China just did their first successful landing of an orbital class booster.  A little less cargo capacity than Falcon 9 but in the same class.

Also looked like it needed more support infrastructure to land

This is a first try for them and It wouldn't surprise me if that is reduced in the future OR the rocket made larger.  Everything you leave behind increases your cargo.

Also over time Falcon has increased its cargo by being able to reduce the fuel they need to keep for landing.  Less fuel retained more cargo.  So don't be surprised if over the next year or two they increase its capacity.

[Nemesis]

IFT 13 now has a new date (as always subject to delays)

Thu • Jul 23rd, 2026  6:45 PM - 8:15 PM EDT

Testing of the booster for IFT 14 has begun. 

There is speculation that soon the other launch platforms will need boosters for testing the platform equipment and a booster now under construction will be transferred there.  After that a Starship will be needed as well.  It is possible they will transfer both at the same time.

Once they start reusing boosters, they can reduce booster production and increase Starship production to increase cadence (until Starship reuse begins). 

Apparently only 29 engines ignited and since the launch criteria requires 30 an abort was automatic.  The 4 engines were in two pairs of adjacent engines in the middle ring.