Flight 9 features the first reflight of a Super Heavy booster, Booster 14, which previously launched Flight 7. Of the 33 engines on the booster, 29 are flight-proven.

Unlike the previous four launches, Booster 14 will not attempt a catch at the launch tower and will be used to test several experiments, including controlling the booster flip direction, a more efficient high-angle-of-attack booster return, and engine-out capability during the final 3-engine landing burn.

SpaceX website (current, archive)

Ship objectives include deployment of 8 Starlink simulators, an in-space Raptor relight, and testing of Ship ver2 heatshield and flap design on reentry.
"Following stage separation, the booster will flip in a controlled direction before initiating its boostback burn. This will be achieved by blocking several of the vents on the vehicle’s hotstage adapter, causing the thrust from Starship’s engines to push the booster in a known direction. Previous booster flips went in a randomized direction based on a directional push from small differences in thrust from Starship’s upper stage engines at ignition." Diagram by Killip.

Link to Starship Dev thread

top 35 comments

sorted by: hot top controversial new old

[–] verity_kindle@sh.itjust.works 6 points 2 months ago (1 children)

So excited, thanks for the juicy details! You make it so easy to be a Starbase nerd

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 months ago

Glad you find it useful!

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 5 points 2 months ago

Jessie Anderson confirms that Raptor #314 is on this booster. This will be the engine's third flight, as it flew on Flight 7 (B14's first flight), and Flight 5 (B12).

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 months ago

Liftoff!

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 months ago

Ship passing through 70 km. Still getting telemetry and intermittent video. Lots of plasma!

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Payload door was unable to open fully. No Starlink simulator deployment on this flight.

Next up will be the in-space raptor relight at T+37:49.

[–] ptfrd@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 months ago

Relevant spaceflightmemes post: https://sh.itjust.works/post/38958595

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Update: Ship is spinning again...

Edit: Loss of attitude control confirmed :(

S35 sprung a leak in some of the fuel tank systems. Engine relight test is cancelled.

Reentry will still happen since this is a suborbital trajectory. Should look similar to the reentry seen on Flight 3, which also had a loss of attitude control. ~~Reentry will start around T+47 minutes.~~

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 months ago

Looks like loss of contact with the ship. Last telemetry was at T+46:51, altitude 59.3 km, speed 24482 km/h.

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

The ship still seems to be venting a considerable amount, and is also slowly spinning... I hope they haven't lost attitude control of the ship.

Edit: Ship attitude seems to have stabilized now.

[–] clothes@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago

Glad it wasn't just me. That seemed like a ton of venting.

[–] verity_kindle@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

RIP B-14, the warm waters of the Indian Ocean were your fate. Make a good reef.

[–] ptfrd@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Make a good reef.

Hope so!

Though I believe that it was the Gulf of Mexico that received (large chunks of) B14.

Whereas the Indian Ocean has probably some small bits of S35 debris. (Unless it fully vapourised on re-entry? You've also got me wondering whether any of the materials merely melt, and then re-solidify as solid lumps, either in the lower atmosphere or after hitting the ocean.)

And while I'm being pedantic, @threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works, the table above says "Soft water landing" for the booster, which isn't how I'd describe the plan they had for it.

[–] verity_kindle@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

You've given me new food for thought, thank you! Down the rabbit hole we goooo

[–] ptfrd@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 months ago

LMK if you find anything interesting! My guess is that if there is any melting & re-solidifying going on, it will be nothing larger than a droplet.

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

SpaceX webcast has started. Dan Huot and Jessie Anderson are hosting.

Edit: Chris Gebhardt is also hosting.

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 months ago

Countdown clock has resumed!

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

SECO-1 confirmed!

Edit: And nominal orbit insertion! Next up, Starlink simulator deployment scheduled for T+18:26.

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 months ago

Another hold called at T-11 seconds. Clock reset to T-41 seconds.

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 months ago

https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1927497315855610005

Propellant load of the Super Heavy booster is underway.

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Tower vent is subsiding, indicating the begin of propellant load on ship.

Edit; and confirmation:

https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1927491179895263259

The Starship team is go for prop load

https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1927496701482246400

Propellant load of Starship’s upper stage is now underway

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 months ago

Passed through Max Q, all booster engines look healthy.

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Booster landing burn startup.

Edit: Loss of booster confirmed.

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 months ago

Countdown has resumed!

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 months ago

Hotstaging and ship engine ignition!

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 months ago

Nominal boostback burn. Ship engines still healthy.

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 months ago

Sounds like it is a GSE issue this time. Still holding at T-40 seconds.

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Expected hold at T-40 seconds for additional checkouts on one of the booster raptors.

Edit: They are apparently waiting for the engine temperature to reach the desired range.

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 months ago

T-6 hours. Chopsticks have disconnected from S35 and are opening wide.

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 months ago

Under T-4 hours.

NSF launch stream is live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAdLlG9Rfd4

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 months ago

NSF are live with their Stakeout stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiCgZrc51i4

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 months ago

T-1 hour. Venting is visible from the tank farm, launch mount, and tower.

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 months ago

Reentry has started. Ship passing through 100 km.

[–] ptfrd@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 months ago

I'm a rocket ship on my way to Mars [in a sense]

I'm burnin' through the sky, yeah [over Namibia, at about ~3:43:11 for about a minute]

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 months ago

https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1927531406017601915

Starship made it to the scheduled ship engine cutoff, so big improvement over last flight! Also, no significant loss of heat shield tiles during ascent.

Leaks caused loss of main tank pressure during the coast and re-entry phase. Lot of good data to review.

Launch cadence for next 3 flights will be faster, at approximately 1 every 3 to 4 weeks.