Comments on: Musk confirms cause of most recent Starship prototype failure https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/musk-confirms-cause-of-most-recent-starship-prototype-failure/ Wed, 03 Jun 2020 05:43:24 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Edward https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/musk-confirms-cause-of-most-recent-starship-prototype-failure/#comment-1081970 Wed, 03 Jun 2020 05:43:24 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=66278#comment-1081970 Reconnecting ground support equipment (GSE) is a new concept to me. In times past, NASA learned the hard way to wait for first motion (about 2 inches or 5 cm) to disconnect from the launch vehicle. Reconnecting had not been an option, without sending ground crews to do the job. We even see this type of thing on Falcon 9, which rises several meters before some of its connections disconnect. It is kind of scary to watch as the umbilicals look like they are about to come to the end of their reach.

Reconnecting GSE. Another trail being blazed?

]]> By: Diane Wilson https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/musk-confirms-cause-of-most-recent-starship-prototype-failure/#comment-1081936 Tue, 02 Jun 2020 19:41:03 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=66278#comment-1081936 Work on the new launch stand has also accelerated.

On a separate note, as I’ve mentioned before, large methane-fueled rockets are new to the launch business, and methane certainly requires different handling and ground support than RP-1. Or hydrogen. SpaceX is “blazing trails” here as well, and there is certainly a learning curve. SN4 shows the risks involved. It will be interesting to see how ULA and Blue Origin handle the fuel and facilities issues for their new rockets.

]]> By: Scott M. https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/musk-confirms-cause-of-most-recent-starship-prototype-failure/#comment-1081928 Tue, 02 Jun 2020 16:51:26 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=66278#comment-1081928 They’re also already starting on welding up SN7. Astounding speed indeed.

]]> By: geoffc https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/musk-confirms-cause-of-most-recent-starship-prototype-failure/#comment-1081925 Tue, 02 Jun 2020 16:40:46 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=66278#comment-1081925 And they had been working on a new launch stand for a week or three before hand as well. So delay will hopefully not be too long before they test SN5 which is waiting for room on the pad.
SN6 is assembling, and parts of SN7 have started processing.

This rate is astounding and wonderful.

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