Upgrades? The remarkable thing is that we have flight 7 so soon after flight 6, and many more flights are expected this year. Each flight will have major upgrades, and they seem to actually be testing features on each one. They really want to know what the envelope not just of the vehicle but of key part components. And they obviously can make rapid changes to the vehicles between flights. Very rapid in comparison to NASA, which has spent years just coming up with the report for anomaly of the Artemis I Orion heatshield.
I started this with a question on the upgrades, because the new upgrades hardly seem to be a major new functionality rather than a stepping stone towards even more. The Raptor 3 engines are over 50% more powerful than Raptor 1 and remarkably streamlined. The vehicle will carry 25% more fuel. The flaps are significantly different than what has flown before. They will test payload deployment. They will stress test booster catch pins with exposed pins placed in locations not critical to this flights landing attempt. And whatever they learn, they’ll do more upgrading. This is what I always thought a flight test program ought to look like for spacecraft.
The Flight 7 Super Heavy is lifting off with one previously flown engine in the assemblage. The Starship catch pins are “non-structural” so if they burn or rip off, no problem. I think the new smaller, out of the way forward flaperons are a step toward Musk’s mentioned possibility of eliminating them. Then if he could somehow get back to the tripod aft vanes, he’s back to the original design, with landing legs for Mars in the bargain. Wish I was 18 again and knowing what I know now (about my fate, at least). That was a year before my first brain damage event, and maybe I could evade it.
They are not using Raptor 3’s on either part of this vehicle.Last I heard, Elon was talking about converting over with the Version 3 upper stage, perhaps at the end of this year.
The reason for that is because Starship goes to v.2 before Super Heavy. That will allow them to test reusability for the booster as soon as they start coming back fully intact. Some of the IFT-5 booster Raptors were in good shape, so one is test flying n IFT-7.
Upgrades? The remarkable thing is that we have flight 7 so soon after flight 6, and many more flights are expected this year. Each flight will have major upgrades, and they seem to actually be testing features on each one. They really want to know what the envelope not just of the vehicle but of key part components. And they obviously can make rapid changes to the vehicles between flights. Very rapid in comparison to NASA, which has spent years just coming up with the report for anomaly of the Artemis I Orion heatshield.
I started this with a question on the upgrades, because the new upgrades hardly seem to be a major new functionality rather than a stepping stone towards even more. The Raptor 3 engines are over 50% more powerful than Raptor 1 and remarkably streamlined. The vehicle will carry 25% more fuel. The flaps are significantly different than what has flown before. They will test payload deployment. They will stress test booster catch pins with exposed pins placed in locations not critical to this flights landing attempt. And whatever they learn, they’ll do more upgrading. This is what I always thought a flight test program ought to look like for spacecraft.
So what would be considered an “upgrade” in your book? Apparently my last 2-3 laptop upgrades weren’t upgrades at all. Just faster, lighter, cheaper.
That’s my point. Calling them upgrades is like you upgrading your computer. We need a better word. Starship is faster, bigger, and cheaper.
Apparently Bezos will attempt to launch New Glenn next week as well.
Godspeed to them both. SpaceX best motivation is competition. BO’s best motivation is keeping the paycheck.
The Flight 7 Super Heavy is lifting off with one previously flown engine in the assemblage. The Starship catch pins are “non-structural” so if they burn or rip off, no problem. I think the new smaller, out of the way forward flaperons are a step toward Musk’s mentioned possibility of eliminating them. Then if he could somehow get back to the tripod aft vanes, he’s back to the original design, with landing legs for Mars in the bargain. Wish I was 18 again and knowing what I know now (about my fate, at least). That was a year before my first brain damage event, and maybe I could evade it.
They are not using Raptor 3’s on either part of this vehicle.Last I heard, Elon was talking about converting over with the Version 3 upper stage, perhaps at the end of this year.
The reason for that is because Starship goes to v.2 before Super Heavy. That will allow them to test reusability for the booster as soon as they start coming back fully intact. Some of the IFT-5 booster Raptors were in good shape, so one is test flying n IFT-7.