Starship launch 3 live: Watch Space X's third attempt to launch rocket into space

TL;DR

Starship test flight achieved successful ascent and hot staging, but encountered issues during re-entry resulting in vehicle breakup.

Transcript

like to call the four RS and we'll talk more about those later in the webcast but before we dive into the details of today's test let's recap the achievements of our last integrated flight test flight 2 all 33 Raptor engines on the super heavy booster started up successfully and for the first time completed a full duration burn during Ascent as you... Read More

Key Insights

• 😅 The previous integrated flight test achieved successful milestones, including hot stage separation and ignition of second stage engines.
• 🚒 Issues during re-entry included a rapid unscheduled disassembly of the booster and premature shutdown of Starship's engines.
• ✈️ SpaceX has made hardware upgrades to improve filtration capabilities and other improvements based on previous flight test learnings.
• 🎟️ The focus is on gathering data to continue iterating and improving Starship for future missions to the Moon and Mars.
• 🐎 Starship's ability to withstand re-entry at hypersonic speeds and control its descent are critical for rapid reuse and landing on other celestial bodies.

Questions & Answers

Q: What were the main achievements of the previous integrated flight test?

The previous test saw all 33 Raptor engines on the super heavy booster start successfully and complete a full duration burn during ascent. Starship executed a successful hot stage separation and ignited its second stage engines before separation.

Q: What caused the rapid unscheduled disassembly of the super heavy booster?

The likely cause of the disassembly was determined to be filter blockage where liquid oxygen is supplied to the engines. SpaceX has upgraded the hardware inside the oxygen tank to improve filtration capabilities.

Q: What caused the premature shutdown of Starship's Raptor engines during re-entry?

A leak developed during the planned venting of excess liquid oxygen propellant, causing fires that cut the connection between the flight computers and the engines, leading to the engines shutting down prematurely.

Q: What improvements have been made to Starship based on previous flight tests?

Based on flight test learnings, improvements have been made to Starship's upper stage, including improved leak reduction, fire protection, and changes to increase reliability.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Starship successfully completed a full duration burn during ascent, with all 33 Raptor engines starting up successfully.

• Hot stage separation was achieved, a significant milestone for a reusable space transportation system of this magnitude.

• The booster successfully performed its flip maneuver and initiated the boost back burn but experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly due to filter blockage.

• Starship's Raptor engines shut down prematurely during the test due to a leak caused by venting excess liquid oxygen propellant.