Watch: SpaceX Blasts Off Starship Rocket on Third Test Flight | WSJ News

WSJ News

14 Mar 202408:06

Summary

TLDRThe transcript details a thrilling spaceflight with a successful ignition of all 33 raptor engines on the super heavy booster. The flight surpasses max Q, reaches supersonic speeds, and executes a hot staging maneuver, separating the booster and starship. The booster performs a boot back burn to return and land in the Gulf of Mexico, while the starship continues its ascent to space with a successful engine burn. The mission showcases controlled ascent, stage separation, and nominal trajectory, marking a significant achievement in space exploration.

Takeaways

🚀 The launch sequence begins with a countdown and all 33 Raptor engines on the super heavy booster are ignited.
🛰️ The avionics power and telemetry are reported as nominal, and the trajectory is on course.
🌀 The vehicle experiences maximum dynamic pressure (Max Q) and transitions to supersonic speed.
🔥 A hot staging maneuver is planned, involving shutting down all but three center Raptor engines on the booster and releasing the second stage.
🌟 The second stage, Starship, ignites its engines, with the Raptor vacuum engines and Raptor sea level engines playing crucial roles.
📈 The first stage performs a boot back burn to return towards the coast for a landing in the Gulf of Mexico.
🎯 The booster's landing burn is a two-step process, starting with all 13 center engines and transitioning to a three-engine burn for a soft splash down.
🚀 Starship continues its ascent with a six-engine burn, following a planned flight path.
⏱️ The total ascent burn for Starship is expected to last about six minutes, ending shortly after T plus eight minutes.
🎉 The test objectives include controlled ascent, stage separation, and maintaining a nominal trajectory, all of which are successfully achieved.

Q & A

How many engines are ignited at the beginning of the flight?
-33 out of 33 raptor engines are ignited on the super heavy booster and ship.
What does 'nominal' mean in the context of the flight?
-Nominal refers to the systems and trajectory being within the expected parameters and functioning as intended.
What is the significance of passing through max Q?
-Passing through max Q, or maximum dynamic pressure, is a critical point in the flight where the vehicle experiences the highest aerodynamic forces and stresses.
What is the hot staging maneuver?
-The hot staging maneuver involves shutting down all but the three center raptor engines on the super heavy booster, releasing the clamps holding the two stages together, and igniting the second stage's engines to push the starship off the booster.
How long is the boost back burn expected to last?
-The boost back burn is expected to last about one minute.
Where is the super heavy booster expected to splash down?
-The super heavy booster is expected to splash down in the Gulf of Mexico.
What are the two burns required to return the first stage to Earth?
-The two burns required are the boost back burn and the landing burn.
What are the objectives of the first stage test?
-The objectives include a controlled ascent, stage separation, and maintaining a nominal trajectory.
What are the grid fins used for during reentry?
-Grid fins are used to guide the booster through the atmosphere back towards the splashdown site.
How long is the total ascent burn expected to last for the starship?
-The total ascent burn is expected to last about six minutes.
What is the expected outcome of the landing burn?
-The expected outcome is a soft splash down, achieved by rapidly bringing down the booster's velocity using the 13 center engines, followed by a three-engine burn to slow it down further.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 Launch and Ascent - Super Heavy Booster and Starship

The first paragraph describes the initial phase of a space launch, with all 33 Raptor engines ignited on the Super Heavy booster. The launch is progressing smoothly, with the vehicle passing through maximum dynamic pressure (Max Q) and reaching supersonic speeds. The commentator is in awe of the sight of all engines lit up. The next major event is the hot staging maneuver, where all but three center engines on the Super Heavy will shut down, and the second stage, Starship, will ignite its engines to continue the ascent. The Super Heavy booster is expected to perform a flip and a boot back burn to return and splash down in the Gulf of Mexico. The commentator expresses amazement at the live views from Starship and confirms that both stages are performing well according to the telemetry data.

05:02

🎯 Test Objectives and Controlled Reentry

The second paragraph focuses on the test objectives of the mission, emphasizing the controlled ascent and stage separation that have been successfully achieved. It highlights the nominal trajectory of Starship's second stage, which is still firing its engines and following planned flight paths. The Super Heavy booster is described as performing beautifully, with its six engines burning as it returns to Earth. The commentator discusses the upcoming landing burn, where the booster's velocity will be reduced for a soft splash down in the Gulf of Mexico. The use of grid fins for atmospheric guidance is mentioned, and the commentator reflects on the progress made, noting that reaching this stage is a significant achievement for the mission.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Raptor Engines

Raptor Engines are a type of rocket engine designed for SpaceX's Starship and Super Heavy launch vehicle. They are characterized by their high performance and ability to be throttled. In the script, it is mentioned that all 33 raptor engines are ignited, indicating successful engine startup and a critical point in the launch sequence.

💡Super Heavy Booster

The Super Heavy Booster is the first stage of SpaceX's Starship launch vehicle, designed to provide the necessary thrust to lift the spacecraft off the ground and into orbit. It is equipped with multiple raptor engines and is intended to be reusable. The script describes the booster's performance during the flight.

💡Aerospace Power and Telemetry

Aerospace power and telemetry refer to the systems that provide power to the spacecraft's avionics and transmit data back to ground control during flight. These systems are essential for monitoring the health and status of the vehicle and ensuring that it operates correctly. The script mentions that the power and telemetry are nominal, indicating that all systems are functioning as expected.

💡Trajectory

Trajectory is the path that a spacecraft follows through space as it moves from one point to another under the influence of various forces, such as gravity and thrust. In the context of the script, a nominal trajectory means that the spacecraft is following its planned flight path, which is crucial for a successful mission.

💡Max Q

Max Q, short for maximum dynamic pressure, is the point during a rocket's ascent where it experiences the highest aerodynamic forces. This is a critical phase of the launch because the stresses on the vehicle are the greatest at this point. The script indicates that the spacecraft has passed through max Q, signifying that it has overcome this challenging phase.

💡Hot Staging Maneuver

A hot staging maneuver is a critical step in a rocket's flight where the main engines are shut down, and the vehicle coasts for a short period before reigniting a subset of engines for the next phase of the ascent. This is done to optimize the fuel consumption and ensure a controlled flight. In the script, the hot staging maneuver is described as a major milestone in the flight.

💡Booster

In rocketry, a booster is a component of a launch vehicle that provides thrust to lift the vehicle off the ground and help it reach space. The booster is typically separated from the rest of the vehicle once its fuel is expended. The script describes the booster's performance and its planned return to Earth.

💡Flip and Boost Back Burn

The flip and boost back burn are part of a rocket's return sequence after its main engines have shut down. The flip refers to the physical maneuver where the rocket turns to position itself for the return to Earth. The boost back burn is the subsequent firing of engines to propel the rocket booster back towards the launch site or a designated landing area. This is a critical step for recovery and reuse of the booster.

💡Landing Burn

The landing burn is the final stage of a rocket's descent back to Earth, where the engines are reignited to slow down the vehicle for a controlled landing. This is a complex maneuver that requires precise control to ensure the rocket lands safely and intact. The script mentions the landing burn as part of the booster's return sequence.

💡Grid Fins

Grid fins are control surfaces used on spacecraft, particularly on the SpaceX Starship, to help steer and guide the vehicle during re-entry and descent. They are deployable and can rotate to control the direction of the thrust, allowing for precise control over the spacecraft's orientation. The script mentions the rotation of grid fins, indicating their use in guiding the booster through the atmosphere.

💡Splashdown

A splashdown is a type of water landing for a spacecraft or a vehicle that is designed to land on water rather than on land. It involves the vehicle descending into the water and floating, allowing for recovery operations. The script discusses the booster's intended splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico, which is a planned controlled landing.

Highlights

All 33 raptor engines ignited on the super heavy booster

Ship avionics power and telemetry nominal

Acquisition of Corpus Christi for continued tracking

Past max Q and passing supersonic speed

Onboard views from the ship cameras showcase the engines lit up

Hot staging maneuver planned for 90 seconds into flight

Shutdown of all but three center raptor engines on super heavy

Release of the clamps holding the two stages together

Second stage ignites its engines, with the arvas first and sea levels right after

Six engines ignite on the ship, pushing it off the booster

Booster begins its flip and move into the boot back burn

Starship on its way to space and booster on the way back to the Gulf

First stage performs the boost back burn for about one minute

Use of 13 center engines for the boost back burn

Grid fins rotate to guide the booster through the atmosphere

Landing burn expected to slow down the booster with 13 center engines

Aim for a soft splash down in the Gulf of Mexico

Starship continues ascent burn for about six minutes

Test objectives include controlled ascent, stage separation, and nominal trajectory

Demonstration of controlled reentry and ascent burn