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Engineering / Re: Interesting stuff about SpaceX Starship (hate the name)
« Last post by Nemesis on July 19, 2026, 11:17:49 pm »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. There were 6 engines where the oxygen pumps didn't respond properly. They think it was some water was in the pump from prior operations which froze preventing the pumps from working to spec and stopping 4 of the engines from igniting
Edit 1
Fri Jul 24th, 2026 6:45 PM - 8:15 PM EDT
Flight 13:
About 45 minutes till the scheduled launch and I've been reminded of something that I don't think has been mentioned here. Starship can be fuelled on the pad FASTER than the much smaller Falcon 9.
Launch successful all engines lit. Hot staging successful with the engine relights on the booster all as planned and the booster tilting correctly by the burn. During the descent the booster cameras showed the tower of "smoke" from the launch above the launch site.
Final landing burn once again had engine relight issues with only 10 of the 13 engines lighting and though it was on target it was a hard impact.
They deployed 20 Starlink V3 satellites they are expected to survive and be tested for about 20 minutes. A full load is apparently 50 satellites or about 100 tons. Two of them had cameras (the last two) and some at least of the rest had "flashlights" to light up the ship for those cameras which apparently had a narrow focus and I didn't see what video they recorded which was supposed to be for tile inspections.
The Ship engine relight not only worked correctly but the test instead of being 4 or 5 seconds like earlier ones was 14 seconds.
Ship landed AND after the engine cutout when it fell over it DID NOT explode. There were flames around it as it floated intact in the water. They even are getting views from the engine compartment camera which is submerged though most of the compartment is above water. SpaceX ended their video at that point.
On to Flight 14.
Since the Booster landing didn't manage a fully successful ocean landing it won't likely do a catch. But since it appears to be a fully successful Ship flight they might go orbital and if they go orbital there is a very small chance (my speculation but I've heard others say the same) that they might attempt a Ship catch instead.
Edit 2 Based on a Scott Manley video
Musk has apparently confirmed that if things go right on the next mission the Ship will be caught. The booster will not attempt a catch as the V3 booster has yet to have a successful simulation. This of course means that IFT 14 will be an orbital attempt. Also it may set the stage for a reuse of the booster later in the year. Will it take the full 50 starlink or will it take only 20 again?
It seems in orbit they vented gases again. This has previously been oxygen that was taken as "cargo", also has been fuel that they would have used when going to orbit with a full cargo.
Interesting times.
Edit 3 Apparently the "boost back burn" with 33 engines after hot staging ended early. Why not yet revealed.
Edit 4 The Ship is still afloat and Musk IS talking of towing it back.
No FAA investigation required.
Flight 14 (according to Ellie in Space you tube channel) around August 24th.
Edit 5
The recovery is apparently running into problems. Details are scarce.
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. There were 6 engines where the oxygen pumps didn't respond properly. They think it was some water was in the pump from prior operations which froze preventing the pumps from working to spec and stopping 4 of the engines from igniting
Edit 1
Fri Jul 24th, 2026 6:45 PM - 8:15 PM EDT
Flight 13:
About 45 minutes till the scheduled launch and I've been reminded of something that I don't think has been mentioned here. Starship can be fuelled on the pad FASTER than the much smaller Falcon 9.
Launch successful all engines lit. Hot staging successful with the engine relights on the booster all as planned and the booster tilting correctly by the burn. During the descent the booster cameras showed the tower of "smoke" from the launch above the launch site.
Final landing burn once again had engine relight issues with only 10 of the 13 engines lighting and though it was on target it was a hard impact.
They deployed 20 Starlink V3 satellites they are expected to survive and be tested for about 20 minutes. A full load is apparently 50 satellites or about 100 tons. Two of them had cameras (the last two) and some at least of the rest had "flashlights" to light up the ship for those cameras which apparently had a narrow focus and I didn't see what video they recorded which was supposed to be for tile inspections.
The Ship engine relight not only worked correctly but the test instead of being 4 or 5 seconds like earlier ones was 14 seconds.
Ship landed AND after the engine cutout when it fell over it DID NOT explode. There were flames around it as it floated intact in the water. They even are getting views from the engine compartment camera which is submerged though most of the compartment is above water. SpaceX ended their video at that point.
On to Flight 14.
Since the Booster landing didn't manage a fully successful ocean landing it won't likely do a catch. But since it appears to be a fully successful Ship flight they might go orbital and if they go orbital there is a very small chance (my speculation but I've heard others say the same) that they might attempt a Ship catch instead.
Edit 2 Based on a Scott Manley video
Musk has apparently confirmed that if things go right on the next mission the Ship will be caught. The booster will not attempt a catch as the V3 booster has yet to have a successful simulation. This of course means that IFT 14 will be an orbital attempt. Also it may set the stage for a reuse of the booster later in the year. Will it take the full 50 starlink or will it take only 20 again?
It seems in orbit they vented gases again. This has previously been oxygen that was taken as "cargo", also has been fuel that they would have used when going to orbit with a full cargo.
Interesting times.
Edit 3 Apparently the "boost back burn" with 33 engines after hot staging ended early. Why not yet revealed.
Edit 4 The Ship is still afloat and Musk IS talking of towing it back.
No FAA investigation required.
Flight 14 (according to Ellie in Space you tube channel) around August 24th.
Edit 5
The recovery is apparently running into problems. Details are scarce.