Latest Space Missions (& Other Science Stuff)

I crashed the party.

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Hmmm… make the cicadas larger and make the sleep cycle somewhat longer, and we end up with a neat B-movie premisse explanation for earths 27-million-year extinction cycle… :laughing:

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Maybe that is what this is and we just don’t know it yet. Maybe everytime they breed, they breed a slightly larger version…

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Leaving aside the fact that the word “thermonuclear” is completely misapplied here, and that we have no idea what the star is “about to do”, merely what it’s been doing some 2600 years ago, that is a pretty interesting process…

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Starship - Fourth Flight Test

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EarthCARE launch (ESA)

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Starship - Target thursday, FAA license issued

Vehicles - VOL 23_129 SpaceX Starship Super Heavy rev 3.pdf :link: drs.faa.gov

NET June 6 Starship • Flight 4

Launch time: Window opens 7 a.m. CDT (8 a.m. EDT, 1200 UTC)
Launch site: Starbase, Boca Chica Beach, Texas

SpaceX will conduct a fourth flight test of its fully integrated Starship rocket, a combination of the Ship upper stage and the Super Heavy Booster. About seven minutes after liftoff, the SHB will complete its landing burn and splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico. The Ship upper stage will continue on until it performs a landing flip a little more than an hour into flight with a landing in the Indian Ocean shortly thereafter.

Live on X

https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1OwxWYzDXjWGQ

T -10:00:00

Some images

Hot stage jettison


Main engine view

Booster re-ignition

Starship orbit coasting

Booster splashdown

The long wait … possibly longer than we’d hoped for …

well, I lost stream there at 6km, but it made it down to water and did pretty well considering

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I’m going to sue! I was promised fireworks!! :tired_face:

No, seriously, they just did reentry and a controlled landing of the biggest bloody rocket ever launched. After ablating parts of it that were not intended for ablation. That’s certainly a milestone! :+1:

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Yes, this was just insane!!! I would have settled for fireworks too though :smile:

That flap ...



… and then still be able to do the flip prior to hitting water

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I mean, the flaps are purely for stabilisation, they are not necessary for the flip. To pull that heavy nose up at that airspeed needs to be done pretty much exclusively by the rockets, unless you have a pretty insane wing surface…
It’s impressive that it held together all the way down after losing such big parts, though. That reentry definitely had some Serenity vibes going… :laughing:

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Yes, you are right with the flip mostly being engines, but without the stability that would have been impossible. I wonder if the opposing side had undergone the exact same thing to still be ‘stable’ for that matter and not spin out of control.

Truly enjoyed watching this, was well worth the ‘vibes’ :joy:

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TLDW; Some Starship 4 videos after the fact …

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I have to agree with this;

Edit: I am currently planning a weekend in Huntsville AL. I just really must stand next to the Saturn V.
Once that is achieved, Boca Chica is next on the list. Will prolly blow sky high while I am there imperilling me and everyone around me. I will be sure to let everyone know ahead of time. :laughing:

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Does this launch today? I can’t find coverage…

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Apparently there are articles running wild about superbugs on ISS so I add this here for clarity
Monitoring Microorganisms - NASA.

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