FTS Installation? - October 8, 2024
yessirr
Work on installing Booster 12 FTS explosives has begun! A major pre-launch milestone.
10/9/24
Ship 30 FTS explosives are now being installed also! Let's go flight 5!
10/9/24
Starship Flight 5: FTS install is now taking place.
091040Z OCT 24
HYDROPAC 3222/24(61,74).
INDIAN OCEAN.
WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN.
DNC 02, DNC 03.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS
131242Z TO 191635Z OCT
IN AREA BOUND BY
25-50.00S 054-55.00E, 25-01.00S 073-14.00E,
20-34.00S 092-55.00E, 19-38.00S 095-10.00E,
24-40.00S 095-10.00E, 27-45.00S 070-13.00E,
28-10.00S 059-51.00E, 28-05.00S 054-55.00E.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 191735Z OCT 24.
091420Z OCT 24
HYDROPAC 3226/24(61,74).
EASTERN INDIAN OCEAN.
INDIAN OCEAN.
WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN.
DNC 02, DNC 03.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS
1242Z TO 1635Z DAILY 13 THRU 19 OCT
IN AREA BOUND BY
25-50.00S 054-55.00E, 25-01.00S 073-14.00E,
20-34.00S 092-55.00E, 19-38.00S 095-10.00E,
24-40.00S 095-10.00E, 27-45.00S 070-13.00E,
28-10.00S 059-51.00E, 28-05.00S 054-55.00E.
2. CANCEL HYDROPAC 3222/24.
3. CANCEL THIS MSG 191735Z OCT 24.
FL/AL/MS/LA/TX - GULF OF MEXICO - Hazardous Space Operations - UPDATE
On October 13, 2024, between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. (Central Time), rocket launching operations are scheduled to take place near Boca Chica, TX. Back-up launch dates and times (Central Time) include the following:
October 14 - 19, 2024, between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
Mariners operating offshore in waters east of Brownsville, Texas, are advised of scheduled rocket launching activities and associated hazardous areas which may impact navigation interests. Navigational hazards from rocket launching activity may include, free falling debris and/or descending vehicles or vehicle components, under various means of control. The hazard areas will remain in effect for approximately 40 minutes after the launch. Vessels should operate in a heightened state of awareness during this time and avoid all waters within rocket flight trajectories originating from the launch site near Boca Chica/Brownsville, Texas. The rocket launching high risk hazard area extends from the onshore SpaceX Facility into the Gulf of Mexico, and is bound by the following approximate positions:
25-54-00N 097-05-00W,
25-50-00N 097-00-00W,
25-48-00N 096-51-00W,
25-47-00N 096-44-00W,
25-35-00N 094-14-00W,
25-24-00N 093-34-00W,
25-21-00N 093-15-00W,
25-25-00N 092-56-00W,
26-00-00N 092-56-00W,
26-04-00N 093-18-00W,
26-03-00N 093-31-00W,
25-57-00N 094-13-00W,
26-10-00N 096-45-00W,
26-10-00N 096-51-00W,
26-03-00N 097-07-00W,
26-02-00N 097-12-00W and
25-57-00N 097-12-00W.
Vessels operating near this area may be requested to alter course and are requested to contact Range Control on VHF-FM Channel 16. The rocket launching trajectory total hazard area is bound by the following approximate positions:
25-57-00N 097-13-00W,
26-01-00N 097-13-00W,
26-05-00N 097-10-00W,
26-07-00N 097-06-00W,
26-10-00N 096-54-00W,
26-16-00N 096-44-00W,
26-20-00N 096-39-00W,
26-24-00N 096-32-00W,
26-33-00N 096-16-00W,
26-37-00N 096-06-00W,
26-50-00N 091-37-00W,
25-51-00N 091-23-00W,
25-35-00N 088-35-00W,
24-01-00N 080-56-00W,
23-10-00N 077-10-00W,
22-50-00N 076-09-00W,
22-39-00N 076-08-00W,
23-07-00N 078-57-00W,
23-36-00N 080-59-00W,
24-20-00N 085-06-00W,
24-23-00N 085-54-00W,
24-47-00N 088-26-00W,
23-40-00N 091-47-00W,
25-12-00N 096-21-00W and
25-54-00N 097-10-00W.
Detailed information on launches and associated hazards will be available on the day of launch on VHF-FM Channel 22A. Specific scheduled information and times can be found on traffic signs located at the entrance of South Bay and Barracuda�s Cove. Attached as an enclosure to this LNM is a graphic of the hazard areas associated with the upcoming rocket launch. Additional information is also available at the following website:
https://www.cameroncountytx.gov/spacex/
Adding boom sticks on Booster 12.
Covering the flow for the potential mid-October launch of Starship Flight 5 and the vehicles preparing to follow in its path.
First NOTAM is out:
NGA Space Debris notice ...
Okay, here's a weird one, an NGA Rocket Launching notice for the Indian Ocean. ...
092334Z OCT 24
NAVAREA IV 1251/24(GEN).
GULF OF MEXICO.
STRAITS OF FLORIDA.
MEXICO.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING
1200Z TO 1307Z DAILY 13, 18, 19 AND
1200Z TO 1437Z DAILY 14 THRU 17 OCT
IN AREA BOUND BY
25-57.00N 097-13.00W, 26-01.00N 097-13.00W,
26-05.00N 097-10.00W, 26-07.00N 097-06.00W,
26-10.00N 096-54.00W, 26-16.00N 096-44.00W,
26-20.00N 096-39.00W, 26-24.00N 096-32.00W,
26-33.00N 096-16.00W, 26-37.00N 096-06.00W,
26-50.00N 091-37.00W, 25-51.00N 091-23.00W,
25-35.00N 088-35.00W, 24-01.00N 080-56.00W,
23-10.00N 077-10.00W, 22-50.00N 076-09.00W,
22-39.00N 076-08.00W, 23-07.00N 078-57.00W,
23-36.00N 080-59.00W, 24-20.00N 085-06.00W,
24-23.00N 085-54.00W, 24-47.00N 088-26.00W,
23-40.00N 091-47.00W, 25-12.00N 096-21.00W,
25-54.00N 097-10.00W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 191407Z OCT 24.
092352Z OCT 24
HYDROPAC 3229/24(61,74).
INDIAN OCEAN.
DNC 02, DNC 03, DNC 04.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING
1242Z TO 1505Z DAILY 13, 18, 19 AND
1242Z TO 1635Z DAILY 14 THRU 17 OCT
IN AREA BOUND BY
27-52.00S 050-27.00E, 26-34.00S 050-43.00E,
25-49.00S 052-44.00E, 25-54.00S 054-31.00E,
25-59.00S 056-17.00E, 26-08.00S 059-49.00E,
25-44.00S 062-38.00E, 25-35.00S 066-32.00E,
25-01.00S 073-14.00E, 23-53.00S 079-35.00E,
22-49.00S 084-17.00E, 21-29.00S 088-53.00E,
20-34.00S 092-55.00E, 19-21.00S 096-06.00E,
17-32.00S 101-28.00E, 16-07.00S 105-43.00E,
14-57.00S 113-44.00E, 15-29.00S 113-54.00E,
17-24.00S 110-56.00E, 19-24.00S 108-04.00E,
21-33.00S 104-28.00E, 23-03.00S 099-47.00E,
24-21.00S 093-46.00E, 25-01.00S 089-29.00E,
25-35.00S 085-01.00E, 26-09.00S 080-07.00E,
27-05.00S 074-40.00E, 27-45.00S 070-13.00E,
28-10.00S 059-51.00E.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 191605Z OCT 24.
Nearly a bullseye on Flight 4's soft splashdown.
Wait, half a CENTIMETER? 🙃
Updated with some comments from another committee meeting today by SpaceX's Bill Gerstenmaier, who said the previous Super Heavy landed in the ocean "with half a centimeter accuracy," giving confidence for the upcoming catch attempt
Starship Flight 5: Chopsticks being taken for a spin, practicing being at catch height.
X2 speed.
nsf.live/starbase
Temba, his arms wide.
Starship 30 has some new test tiles on the port side there.
10/9/24
Starship Flight 5: Ship 30 is moving back toward the chopsticks ahead of being lifted and mated back with Booster 12.
nsf.live/starbase
Compilation timelapse of the chopstick tests overnight, as the team ran multiple closure tests at different configurations as Starbase gets into final preparations ahead of flight 5, with a potential window in under 67 hours.
@NASASpaceflight
Starbase Live nsf.live/starbase
Sonic boom alert for Boca Chica ahead of Starship's fifth flight which will include the first return to launch site landing for the Super Heavy booster.
SpaceX is stacking Booster 12 and Ship 30 ahead of Flight 5 NET October 13th at 7am CDT.
Follow Final Preparations live with @NASASpaceflight Starbase Live: nsf.live/starbase
Starship is being lifted into position for stacking atop the Super Heavy booster ahead of Flight 5
The final stacking of Ship 30 on Booster 12 before flight on October 13, 2024. 🚀🔥🚀
@NASASpaceflight
SpaceX has stacked Ship 30 on top of Booster 12, ahead of a flight attempt as early as this Sunday.
Live: nsf.live/starbase
Ship 30 has been stacked atop Booster 12, following operations earlier this morning - (hopefully) the last stack before launch.
One step closer to Flight 5, currently targeting this Sunday the 13th.
📸 - @NASASpaceflight
📺 - nsf.live/starbase
Starship stacked ahead of its fifth flight test. We expect regulatory approval in time to fly on October 13
Looks like Starship might fly on Sunday!
This the largest & most powerful flying object ever made at more than double the thrust of the Saturn V Moon rocket.
We will try to catch it upon return to launch site using the Mechazilla arms like giant chopsticks (like Karate Kid)!
LIVE on X: SpaceX Launches Starship for the Fifth Time (and Tries to Catch a Booster)
Live Broadcast Link: [Twitter/X]
Vehicle is stacked and ready to go for tomorrow. Check out the flight information below. Go Flight 5!
It is an amazing sight to see. Another Starbase launch for RGV to own and enjoy! Approximately 80% of our employees are from the Valley so this is our collective community�s launch. One more critical step to the Moon and Mars.
🔴 LIVE: Starship Stakeout - SpaceX Launches Starship for the Fifth Time
NASASpaceflight
12 Oct 2024
Leading up to the launch, NSF will go live with eight hours of commentary stakeout, where we answer questions, observe, and provide you with everything you need to know, for Starship Flight 5.
Workers are inside of Booster 12 this morning. Starship flight 5 is ready to launch according to Starbase general manager Kathy Leuders at T-minus 22 hrs and counting!
10/12/24
It looks like the FAA has closed out earlier today the Written Reevaluation of the 2022 PEA for Flight 5. This includes the larger sonic boom levels, the modified splashdown area for the hot-staging ring, and the use of the water deluge for the booster landing. Link at the end.
Looking through the document, this process was finished in the last couple of days with the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service ESA Interagency Cooperation Division signing off on the modified plan for Flight 5.
During the consultation period, the FAA requested the Fish and Wildlife Service to expedite the process and carry it out solely for the proposed Flight 5.
The FWS was concerned that the use of the expression "Flight 5 mission profile" would imply this concurrence was not just for this flight but also for flight 6 which is expected to use the same profile and vehicle configuration. They recommend certain measures before Flight 6.
The FAA replied back clarifying this and referencing the scope of the license.
In its concurrence, the FWS does agree that SpaceX could repeat launches using the Flight 5 profile, within the scope of the license, for up to five flights per year as has been the case for the current PEA which is being re-evaluated in this process.
The NMFS ESA Interagency Cooperation Division also signed off on the proposed plan for Flight 5.
According to the documentation, the new splashdown location for the hot-staging ring could be as close as 1km from the shore, although it is expected to be more in the 3 to 4 km distance. Previous reevaluation in Nov 2023 only covered 30-400km from shore.
Link to document: https://www.faa.gov/media/85696
Updated sonic boom models predict a higher sonic boom level for Super Heavy's return to the launch site.
Starship's fifth flight is now part of the FAA ATC Planning Advisory
Reminder: this is a PLANNING advisory for ATC, it is NOT any confirmation of anything (other than they're planning for it I guess?)
Statement of the FAA on the license:
FAA STATEMENT (Oct. 12, 2024)
The FAA has issued a license modification authorizing SpaceX to launch multiple missions of the Starship/Super Heavy vehicle on the Flight 5 mission profile. The FAA determined SpaceX met all safety, environmental and other licensing requirements for the suborbital test flight. The Flight 5 mission profile involves launch of the combined Starship/Super Heavy vehicle from Boca Chica, Texas, a return to the launch site of the Super Heavy booster rocket for a catch attempt by the launch tower, and a water landing of the Starship vehicle in the Indian Ocean west of Australia.
The @FAANews has confirmed the license includes the same mishap exceptions as flight 4.
@NASASpaceflight
"The Starship/Super Heavy Flight 5 license authorization includes the same Test Induced Damage Exceptions previously approved for Flight 4. SpaceX identified test objectives associated with certain flight events and system components of the Starship vehicle. The three approved exceptions include: failure of the thermal shield during high-heating; the flap system is unable to provide sufficient control under high dynamic pressure; and the failure of the Raptor engine system during the landing Starship burn.
There are no test induced damage exceptions related to the Super Heavy booster rocket."
FAA responding to NSF
The @FAANews confirms the go-ahead for flight 6 as well:
@NASASpaceflight
"The SpaceX Starship/Super Heavy Flight 5 license authorization also includes FAA approval of the Flight 6 mission profile. The FAA determined the changes requested by SpaceX for Flight 6 are within the scope of what has been previously analyzed. Any modifications requested by SpaceX to the approved Flight 6 scope of operations may require further FAA evaluation. Contact SpaceX for additional detail."
FAA responding to NSF
Targeting Sunday, October 13 for Starship�s fifth flight test. A 30-minute launch window opens at 7:00 a.m. CT → http://spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-5
SpaceX has received FAA approval and is ready to go. Booster 12 and Ship 30 on Starship Flight 5 on Sunday morning, with the potential booster chopsticks catch, too!
Overview by Ryan Weber (@rweb11742)
Starbase range security marine assets have started to appear on tracking as they're prepared ahead of launch operations for Flight 5.
SpaceX have conducted a couple of igniter tests ahead of tomorrow's launch of Starship. She's ready...we're ready...it seems a long time since IFT-4. Let's go!
Currently still go for launch, with flight window opening in just over 4 hours at 7am CT
Charter fast boat Expedition is busy working in the downrange hazard area ahead of Starship Flight 5. Based on tracking positions it seems to be busy moving fishing boats out of the range.
Starbase range security assets now working in the Brownsville shipping channel
Starship 30 and Booster 12 - the flight 5 stack - yesterday evening. Feels like I just shot these and yet we're now under an hour and fifteen minutes until the opening of the window! @NASASpaceflight
Exclusive views on X: x.com/i/broadcasts/1�
YT: youtube.com/watch?v=YC87Wm�
The Starship team is go for prop load, and weather is looking ideal for today's flight test!
The launch webcast will go live ~35 minutes ahead of liftoff which is currently targeted for 7:25am CT
Propellant load of Starship�s upper stage is now underway
The 1-million square foot Starfactory brings many parts of the manufacturing process under one roof for the first time, moving as much system integration work as possible earlier in the build process, with the goal of eventually producing 1,000 Ships a year
Starship and Super Heavy�s 39 Raptor engines are chilling down in preparation for liftoff
Propellant loading complete. Starship is fully loaded with more than 4500 metric tons (10 million pounds) of propellant
33 engines.
Hot staging. Boost Back. Polling for Catch.
"Good, our first catch of the day!"
OMG!
Just incredible! Congratulations SpaceX teams. 🔥🚀🔥
@NASASpaceflight
STARSHIP TAKES FLIGHT AND SUPER HEAVY IS CAUGHT � SpaceX successfully launched Starship for its fifth flight this morning, completing a remarkable feat in spaceflight history as the rocket�s Super Heavy booster returned to Starbase for the first-ever tower catch and landing!
00:48:03 Starship entry
01:02:34 Starship is transonic
01:03:43 Starship is subsonic
01:05:15 Landing flip
01:05:20 Landing burn
01:05:34 An exciting landing!
Ship landed precisely on target!
Second of the two objectives achieved.
Congratulations to SpaceX, that was astonishing!
Close to perfect and no mishaps. So flight 6 is already FAA approved (unless they change something ...)
Wow, what a day 🤯
Congrats to the @SpaceX team on the whole mission today.
Booster starts in top right corner. Watch to the end. Sound on
Oh yeah, btw it launched too... in case anyone forgot...
📸 - @NASASpaceflight
📺 - youtube.com/live/YC87WmFN_�
Super Heavy landing burn startup.
📸 - @NASASpaceflight
A booster the size of a fully stacked Falcon 9 just hit the brakes near supersonic speeds and asked the tower for a hug.
"Bring it in!"
📸 - @NASASpaceflight
Starship Flight 5 Lifts Off @NASASpaceflight
Booster 12 coming in hot! @NASASpaceflight
youtube.com/live/YC87WmFN_�
Blue Origin CEO:
https://twitter.com/davill/status/1845459544954257453QuoteCongrats to the @SpaceX team on the whole mission today.
Congratulations to @SpaceX on its successful booster catch and fifth Starship flight test today! As we prepare to go back to the Moon under #Artemis, continued testing will prepare us for the bold missions that lie ahead -- including to the South Pole region of the Moon and then on to Mars.
Thank you, sir!
Looking forward to serving NASA in returning humanity to the Moon.
Super Heavy landing burn startup
Booster 12 acrobatics.
📸 - @NASASpaceflight
Timelapsed replay from one of @NASASpaceflight's beach cams of the historic Starship flight 5, and the catch by the chopsticks of B12 after its return for a landing.
Launch Stream Replay: youtube.com/watch?v=YC87Wm�
Starbase Live 24/7: nsf.live/starbase
Little bit of minor damage on that chine. Overall vehicle is looking pretty darn clean!
Some of the outer engine nozzles are a little warped from high heating & strong aero forces. Easily fixable.
Starship�s fifth flight test lifted off with our most ambitious test objectives yet as we work to demonstrate techniques fundamental to Starship and Super Heavy�s fully and rapidly reusable design.
And on our first try, Mechazilla caught the booster →
Starship�s fifth flight test lifted off on October 13, 2024, with our most ambitious test objectives yet as we work to demonstrate techniques fundamental to Starship and Super Heavy�s fully and rapidly reusable design.
And on our first try, Mechazilla caught the booster.
Following a successful liftoff, ascent, stage separation, boostback burn, and coast, the Super Heavy booster performed its landing burn and was caught by the chopstick arms of the launch and catch tower at Starbase. Thousands of distinct vehicle and pad criteria had to be met prior to the catch attempt, and thanks to the tireless work of SpaceX engineers, we succeeded with catch on our first attempt.
Ready to catch a booster? starshipthegame.spacex.com
Prior to catch, Starship executed another successful hot-staging separation, igniting its six Raptor engines and completing ascent into outer space. It coasted along its planned trajectory to the other side of the planet before executing a controlled reentry, passing through the phases of peak heating and maximum aerodynamic pressure, before executing a flip, landing burn, and splashdown at its target area in the Indian Ocean. The flight test concluded at splashdown 1 hour, 5 minutes and 40 seconds after launch.
The entire SpaceX team should take pride in the engineering feat they just accomplished. The world witnessed what the future will look like when Starship starts carrying crew and cargo to destinations on Earth, the Moon, Mars and beyond.
Congratulations to the SpaceX team for taking this leap in our quest to make life multiplanetary. And thank you to our customers, Cameron County, spaceflight fans, and the wider community for the continued support and encouragement.
Super Heavy, powered by Raptor
Launching and returning the world's most powerful rocket
What goes up, must come down. :)
#SuperHeavy
I don�t know what to say!
Booster 12 has been returned to the Orbital Launch Mount (OLM), and the Booster Stand is staged down Highway 4.
nsf.live/starbase
Super Heavy coming in for catch after launching Starship Flight 5!
They Caught the Booster!!!
Timelapse B12 post launch: from the landing catch, to readjustment of the position on the chopsticks, to finally being lowered back onto the OLM.
@NASASpaceflight
Starbase Live nsf.live/starbase
Once SpaceX achieves reuse of the booster stage, which is inevitable, the world's largest rocket will be mostly reusable. Upper stage reuse will take some time, but since SpaceX can build ships at a high rate, it doesn't matter in the near term.
Exactly. Starship booster recovery via tower catch was the single biggest obstacle to prove viability of the program.
Launch and return are fundamental techniques for Starship�s fully and rapidly reusable design
Launch of Starship's fifth flight test
Is B12 charmed, or what? Caught, lowered to OLM, seated (without any stabilizers at all...chopstick ones or those usually on the OLM), AND the BQD connected? Wow!
Aerial photo of B12 shortly after it was caught!
Could we be living in a turning point for humanity?
I asked
@FAANews
if any investigation would be required as a result of
@SpaceX
IFT-5.
They replied �The FAA assessed the operations of the SpaceX Starship/Super Heavy Flight 5 mission that launched from Boca Chica, Texas, on Oct. 13, 2024. All flight events for both the Starship vehicle and the Super Heavy booster occurred within the scope of planned and authorized activities.�
So, no investigation.
10:56 AM � Oct 13, 2024
Just inspected the Starship booster, which the arms have now placed back in its launch mount. Looks great!
A few outer engine nozzles are warped from heating & some other minor issues, but these are easily addressed.
Starship is designed to achieve reflight of its rocket booster ultimately within an hour after liftoff. The booster returns within ~5 minutes, so the remaining time is reloading propellant and placing a ship on top of the booster.
They did the thing� holy hell
Soaking in all of the feelings and emotions from today - without risk, there is no progress. But even if we fail�what better way is there to live?
📸 - @NASASpaceflight
Hope some of those engines get sent to McGregor. Flight-proven Raptors put through their paces on the test stand will be amazing data points for future reusability.
💯
Pad is still not ready for occupation. But the booster transport ring out on the road won't stop a patrol vehicle from driving underneath it.
Too many to choose from.
Today�s moments are forever etched into the memories of millions.
FLIGHT 5 🚀
📸: me for @TLPN_Official
Booster 12, your chariot has arrived!
Booster Transport Stand arriving at Pad A.
nsf.live/starbase
Goosebumps seeing Booster 12 back on the olm at the launch site. 🔥🚀🔥
@NASASpaceflight
She's home! AHHH!!!!
Booster 12 sits proudly on the OLM following yesterday's flight and recovery. Looks quite different than I expected and far different from a Falcon booster following entry and landing.
📸 - @NASASpaceflight
📺 - nsf.live/starbase
Starship Flight 5: There and back
Oct 14, 2024
Sorry about the auto focus. I had never had issues before so the early lighting and engine lens flares must have made the camera freakout. I was unable to change it while recording but it got better on descent.
On Sunday October 13th, 2024 SpaceX launched Starship for the fifth test flight. This launch had the chance to include the most ambitious objects yet, catching the Super Heavy booster with the launch tower, provided that all systems checked out during the flight. A few minutes after liftoff, Booster 12 entered a glide that put it on a trajectory to intercept with the launch site. It then successfully completed the first ever catch of a rocket booster.
Have we seen this kind of language in an official statement from AIAA before?
AIAA Statement on Fifth SpaceX Starship Test Flight
Written 14 October 2024
Home / News
October 14, 2024 - Reston, Va. - The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIA) issued the following statement from AIAA CEO Clay Mowry:
"Congratulations to the SpaceX team on its fifth test flight of Starship. From its launch at Starbase, Texas, to catching the booster, through the on-orbit views, to the vehicle's water landing - we watched with excitement and awe.
The art and science of aerospace engineering requires testing like this. The engineering advances demonstrated by the SpaceX team are accelerating the pursuits of returning to the moon and traveling on to Mars. From this fifth test flight, we know the team is gaining valuable engineering data to learn from.
Reusability is the future of launch. We are encouraged by seeing SpaceX demonstrate Starship's reusable design as they move toward eventual commercial operation.
AlAA recognizes the countless industry professionals who have helped design, build, and test Starship. We applaud AlAA Corporate Member SpaceX for taking this step forward in shaping the future of aerospace."
Even rockets need hugs 🥰
Oh wow, it's so apparent now, but of course, with a recovered Booster 12, they need to REMOVE its FTS (Flight Termination System). What a nice addition to Flight 5's milestones!
nsf.live/starbase
Inspecting some minor chine damage on Booster 12.
10/14/24
Liftoff of Starship's fifth flight test
Tower view of the first Super Heavy booster catch
Super Heavy landing burn and catch
Top of Booster 12 got a little toasty during hot staging.
10/14/24
"Starship Super Heavy Heavy" Triple Core Landing. 😅
On October 15, 2024 (12:00 PM - 3:00 PM) or October 16, 2024 (12:00 AM - 3:00 AM), SpaceX will conduct TXDOT-approved transport on Highway 4 from the pad to the factory. The beach and highway remain open, but expect short traffic delays during the 1-hour operation.
Turns out I was absolutely spamming the shutter out of excitement so here's a landing collage. Cool to see how much the TVC gimbles to pitch the booster back to vertical before lowering onto the tower.
Oct 14, 2024 #Starship #SpaceX #ElonMusk
Video recorded from the border between Mexico and the United States in Playa Bagdad, Matamoros.
The best place to watch Starship space launches is just 5 km away from the launch pad.
🚀
Liftoff: 00:00
Hot-staging: 02:38
Jellyfish effect 1: 03:39
Jellyfish effect 2: 04:17
Hotstage jettison: 05:28
Booster reentry: 05:52
Landing Burn: 06:28
SONIC BOOM: 06:41
Mechazilla catch: 06:52
The chopstick stabiliser pins have been connected to the stabiliser socket on B12.
@LabPadre #B12
Caught Booster 12 is being lifted off the OLM ahead of transportation back to the Production Site.
nsf.live/starbase
The 33 Raptors of Booster 12 made an appearance this morning during its removal from the orbital launch mount at pad A.
The first Raptor 2�s to be flown and recovered successfully.
📸 - @NASASpaceflight
📺 - nsf.live/starbase
Two days after B12 was successfully caught upon returning after launch, teams after removed it from the OLM, ahead of its rollback to the production site for post flight inspections.
@NASASpaceflight
Starbase Live nsf.live/starbase
Victory Parade: Booster 12 rolling back to the Production Site.
Live commentary: youtube.com/live/KSCWaT_ff�
Hear the sonic booms!!! Enjoy a sneak peek of our upcoming 4K slow mo compilation of Starship #flight5 w/ @considercosmos! If you listen at 1:45, you can even hear the sonic booms from the hot staging ring!!!
(Flown) leviathan coming through.
Booster 12 is on its way back to the production site.
📸 - @NASASpaceflight
📺 - youtube.com/live/KSCWaT_ff�
Additional photos of Booster 12's journey back to the production site following its triumphant launch & return this past Sunday morning.
📸 - @NASASpaceflight
📺 - youtube.com/live/KSCWaT_ff�
Chine flesh wound.
And Booster 12 is back at the Production Site.
Spacex employees cheer and congratulate each other as they welcome booster home after it's first successful landing. A job well done.
Booster 12 heading back to the production site. I will never forget Flight 5. Launches here are full of excitement, spending time with space friends and being blown away with the milestones achieved by SpaceX teams. Looking forward to Flight 6. 🔥🚀🔥
@NASASpaceflight
Starship on its fifth flight test. Views powered by @Starlink
The fast crew boat Expedition, that SpaceX has chartered now for three Starship flight tests, is still working offshore.
It seems to have taken a particular interest in an area approx 12km downrange and has made multiple trips in and out of Port Isabel to the site...
"Following the launch and landing of the interstage SpaceX will estimate a zone within which it expects the heat shield to land and will then send a team via boat or aircraft to the area where the landing location was expected, to look for species impacts."
Elon Musk, six months ago: The odds of us catching the booster this year are 80% to 90%.
�I would say the odds of us actually being able to catch the booster with the Mechazilla arms this year � I don't want to tempt fate, knock on wood � I think the odds of actually catching the booster with the tower are probably 80%, 90% this year, which is insane.
Actually, when we first talked about it, it sounded so batshit crazy. It's literally bigger than Mechazilla from this movie that you'd catch, the biggest flying object ever made with mechanical arms out of the air.
But we're going to do it. It may not work, you know, necessarily the first time, but it will work.�
SpaceX Update, April 2024
I thought it would take three attempts
Landing burn startup! 🎥 Look at the incredible force required to slow Starship's booster in the final moments before tower catch. Filmed at 420fps, we'll be sharing highlights of the entire track soon with @Erdayastronaut @freeflysystems
Iconic.
📸 - @NASASpaceflight
Booster 12 just needed a hug
https://youtube.com/watch?v=LnUfuogBOw0
Starship Flight 5 - Cinematic Experience
Took a while to upload this 200GB file so I could even begin editing, but here it is!
Shoutout to
@RyanHansenSpace
who allowed me to use his footage to fill in the gap in footage when I lost B12 in the cloud exhaust plume cloud. Also to
@mouser58907
for letting me shoot from the back of his Cybertruck!
I hope to do a lot better next time but this was certainly a great learning experience.
Edited and Produced by
@DeffGeff
Experience Starship Flight 5's catch in 4K 360 degree VR for the first time. Link to full video in replies ↓
Top-down angle of Booster 12 after catching
October 13, 2024
Oct 18, 2024
Enjoy this incredible audio and video from around the launch pad of the 5th orbital-ish flight test of Starship, featuring the first Super Heavy Booster catch!!! 4K slow motion captured on various ZCam's, Freefly Ember, BlackMagic 12K Ursa, and RED Komodo X with SIGMA lenses and Meade Telescopes.
SpaceX's 5th launch of Starship took place on October 13th, 2024, from Starbase, TX. Both the Super Heavy booster and the Starship upper stage completed their full duration burn placing them on nominal trajectories and both made it to back from space safely, including Super Heavy which was caught by the launch tower.
Not very scratched really. Bumper looks re-usable
Looks factory fresh!
Starship flip maneuver and landing burn on its fifth flight test. Vehicle improvements ensured flaps were protected from high heating, resulting in a controlled entry and high accuracy splashdown at the targeted area in the Indian Ocean
We hit the target! A huge amount of progress required to make this happen
Starship achieved a precise, soft landing in the ocean, paving the way for return to launch site and being caught by the tower arms, like the booster.
Full & rapid reusability improves the cost of access to orbit & beyond by >10,000%.
It is the fundamental technology breakthrough needed to make life multiplanetary and for us to become a true spacefaring civilization.
View from Starbase Live. HOS Ridgewind only 10km offshore so easily visible. Expected to go fishing for the Hot Stage Ring, based on current position. http://nsf.live/starbase
Could this be Booster 12's hot staging ring? (or a part of it?) It's hard to see, but HOS Ridgewind lifted something while at the splashdown location. SBL is keeping watch for any further activity!
http://nsf.live/starbase
HOS Ridgewind entered the Brownsville channel this morning after a night offshore spent suspiciously close to where the hot stage ring may have splashed down.
Nothing obvious to see on deck. This was possibly a scouting trip ahead of a salvage attempt..? nsf.live/starbase
brakes
HOS Ridgewind is back to sea this morning and is stopped at the same site from two days ago - roughly where the Hot Staging Ring should have landed.
Hopefully, this is the salvage trip.
HOS Ridgewind has recovered the Hot Staging Ring that was jettisoned during Flight 5.
nsf.live/starbase
Interesting discussion:
https://x.com/i/status/1849914261482652113 (https://x.com/i/status/1849914261482652113)
Sounds like he's in a Zoom call with SpaceX engineers discussing the Super Heavy catch.
A: Now immediately, I want to be really upfront about the scary shit that happened, and what we're doing about it, because I think that's our focus getting to Flight 6, like, as Mike talked about, really trying to focus on Booster risk reduction versus Ship envelope expansion.
So, going in chronological order on the landing burn... we were... we had a misconfigured spin gas abort that didn't have quite the right ramp-up time for bringing up spin pressure... and we were one second away from that tripping and telling the rocket to abort and try to crash into the ground next to the tower...
Elon: Wow!
A: ... instead of (crashing into) the tower.
A: <indiscrenable> ... erroneously tell a healthy rocket to not try that catch...
Elon: Wow.
A: And we knew had a whole bunch of new aborts and commit criteria that we tried to double check really well, but like... I mean, I think our concern was well-placed and wanna be stand very close to bypass(?)
B: This was, like, one of the reasons we were thinking about delaying the launch
<crosstalk>
A: If we delay one day, we would like go check things some more...
B: I'd say we would have found it(?)...
A: I don't know if we would have found this one, but just to...
C: We were scared that... for launch <indiscernable> doesn't take away
B: Well, we were scared about the fact that we had a hundred aborts that were, like, not super trivial, but ultra <?> grounded, and like, we didn't do as good of a review as we did for pre-flight 1 lift-off when we were, like, in a simpler risk posture, when we spent a butt-load of time listening to the leadership team going through every last detail really, arguing it multiple times.
A: It's really nice to have the flight data now, like, we had a review yesterday, everybody going through the hundred aborts versus flight data and what we need to change on them, but, just to... ground your mental knowledge on where we were, um...
B: And this is what's driving fundamentally, the flight 6 schedule... we're like... not taking as much time as we might ideally want to have a very luxurious... like... really study everything... but given that this is the first launch... in a long time that we've not... well... really ever that we've not been FAA-driven, we're trying to do a reasonable balance of speed and risk mitigation on the Booster <indiscernable>
Elon: Okay.
A: We had... right at transonic, which is like... just before engine startup, one of the chine covers ripped off, which is something we were... we were worried about these spot-weld margins on chine skin... before flight we wouldn't have predicted the exact right place... but this cover that ripped off was right on top of a bunch of single-point failure valves that, like, MUST work during landing burn... so thankfully none of those or the harnessing got damaged, but, we ripped this chine cover off over some really critical equipment right as landing burn was starting... we have a plan to address that. There were a bunch of... like, it seems that the plume during landing burn kinda coming back over... <clip ends>
So, as we heard just hours ago, turns out #SpaceX's Booster catch was just a second from an abort that could have had it smashing into the ground next to the tower. Luckily, that is not the reality we now exist in! 👌
🚀 Smash it! 🎉
youtu.be/9-sygTyFNmU
A second is a long time to a rocket. Said another way, it was 1000ms or ~50 control cycles away from hitting the tower. Not actually that close.
Booster 12 - you remember, the one SpaceX caught - is outside and being inspected.
nsf.live/starbase
Two weeks after returning to the chopsticks after its historic landing, B12 made the journey overnight towards the Starbase Rocket Garden.
@NASASpaceflight
Starbase Live https://nsf.live/starbase
Booster 12 has been moved to the Starbase rocket garden.
10/29/24
Nov 3, 2024 STARBASE
We tracked Starship's 5th flight from launch to catch while filming at 420fps. Enjoy the epic first catch flight, frame by frame, 17.5 times slower than real-time!
Filmed with Freefly Ember S5K.
We hope to play a small part in recording these events for history and sharing them with the world. Learn more about the spaceflight cinema, audio, immersive and archival work we do: https://cosmicperspective.com
Nov 16, 2024
The SpaceX Starship IFT-5 launch with automatically extracted video OCR for deep insights into the flight path!
I used Python code to automatically extract all the information displayed in the SpaceX livestream for the IFT-5 launch and plotted them over the whole launch period. You can see the altitude, velocity, g-forces, and all the propellants information you could ever want, all plotted during the livestream!
Come back for IFT-6 launch because I'll be live streaming it in real-time with the same statistics displayed!
DISCLAIMER: Since this is OCR, there could be missing data points or slight inaccuracies in the plots!
Transcript
Nov 15, 2024
What's next for Starship? Flight test 5 impressed us when the returning booster was caught by the "chopsticks" at the launch site. But what was learned, and what is coming in future testing?
Thermal Protection System (TPS) improvements worked. The "chopsticks" worked. The control system and GNC (Guidance, Navigation and Control) in general was outstanding. There was minor damage in some areas, and there was almost an aborted booster recovery because of a parameter misconfiguration.
Future tests will address the damage and configuration issues. One big item is restarting the Starship engines in space. Then, future tests in Low Earth Orbit can commence, including propellant transfer in orbit, as needed for trips to the Moon and beyond. At some point, the hot staging ring will be incorporated into the booster, requiring testing.
Payload is still unknown, and subject to constant improvements, including the upgrade to Raptor 3 engines, and the increased rocket height. At some point, SpaceX will try catching the second stage at the launch site, reflying a booster, and reflying a second stage. Also, launch from Florida. How propellants will be managed in space for long duration missions or propellant storage remains to be demonstrated. SpaceX has to land a Starship on the Moon to satisfy its contract with NASA for the "Human Landing System" (HLS) that will take astronauts down to the Moon and return them to lunar orbit.
Nov 14, 2024 #spacex #starship
This is a modified version of my former video, including BONUS synced footage, and provided in 4K to reduce loss of quality. It's been a little over a year and 6 months since the first Integrated Starship Flight Test, this Synced Video shows just how far they've come in that short period of time.
I will provide Markers below, but I encourage you to watch the entire clip to see just how in sync each of the test were, what milestones were reached, what went wrong or right, and when.
Please leave comments below of things you notice while comparing the different flights.
Markers:
Stage Separation - 2:45
Flight 2 Super Heavy Booster Explosion - 3:20
Flight 1 Explosion - 4:00
Flight 3-4-5 Booster Landing Attempt - 6:45
Flight 2 Starship Explosion 8:10
Flight 3-4-5 Atmospheric Re-entry begins - 44:58
Flight 3 Loses Control (presumed explosion shortly after) 48:35
Flight 4-5 Peak Heating during Re-entry (flap highlight) - 57:09
Flight 4-5 Starship Landing W/Bonus Buoy Footage - 1:05:25
In response to a FOIA request from NSF, Customs & Border Protection has released the footage from the aerostat stationed at South Padre Island of launch and booster catch from *Starship Flight 5*.
Footage courtesy of @CBPRGV
@NASASpaceflight
B12s grid fins are being manually rotated right now in the rocket garden. potentially for its return to Megabay 1 now there's a stand free....
Shortly after Booster 16 arrived at the Rocket Garden, Booster 12 started moving back towards the Mega Bays. Are we seeing the last days of our beloved, groundbreaking booster?
Super heavy booster 12 has been moved from the rocket garden to in front of megabay 1 this afternoon. Booster 12 was first booster caught with the chopsticks during Starship test flight 5. It's likely heading into megabay 1 for some type of work.
StarbaseTracking@TrackingTheSB
Booster 12 has been moved to MB1.
So long, soldier, it's been real.