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Revision as of 18:51, 20 November 2023
Mission type | Flight test |
---|---|
Operator | SpaceX |
Mission duration | ~8 minutes, 06 seconds (achieved) 90 minutes (planned) |
Orbits completed | <1 (planned) Not achieved |
Spacecraft properties | |
Spacecraft | Starship S25, Super Heavy B9 |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | November 18, 2023, 13:03:00UTC |
Rocket | Starship |
Launch site | Starbase |
Contractor | SpaceX |
Orbital parameters | |
Regime | Transatmospheric Earth orbit (planned) |
Periapsis altitude | 50 km (31 mi) (planned) −1,740 km (−1,080 mi) (reached)[1] |
Apoapsis altitude | 250 km (160 mi) (planned) 148 km (92 mi) (reached)[2][3] |
SpaceX Starship flights |
On November 18, 2023, SpaceX performed the second integrated near-orbital flight of its Starship rocket.[4] The Starship successfully lifted off under the power of all 33 Raptor engines on the Super Heavy booster and made it through stage separation. Then, the booster had multiple engine failures and exploded, while the Starship continued to fly for over 8 minutes, reaching an altitude of 148 km (92 mi), above the boundary of space, before also disintegrating.[5][6] The Federal Aviation Administration issued a statement confirming that an anomaly had occurred and that there are no reports of public property damage or injuries.[7] SpaceX described the test as a success.[5]
Background
After the first test flight in April 2023 ended in the destruction of the Starship vehicle,[8] significant work was done on the launch mount to repair the damage it sustained during the test and to prevent future issues. The foundation of the launch tower was reinforced and a steel water deluge flame deflector was built under the launch mount.[9] Ship 25 was rolled to the suborbital launch site in May 2023 and underwent spin prime and static fire testing ahead of flight. Once that was completed, Booster 9 was rolled to the launch site to undergo cryogenic proof testing, spin primes and static fires of its set of engines. By November 15, 2023 Ship 25 was stacked onto B9 for launch.[10]
On November 14, 2023, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) concluded its environmental review.[11] The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted the flight its launch license on November 15, 2023.[12]
Development prior to the launch
The FAA oversaw the investigation of Starship's first test flight failure, at the end of which SpaceX reported it had identified 63 needed corrective actions, 57 of which needed to be completed before another Starship launch license could take place. The remaining 6 actions are to be completed in the future.[13][14][15] On September 8, 2023, the FAA concurred with SpaceX's report and closed the investigation.[14] The FAA also announced that the full investigatory report would not be released due to confidential contents including export control information.[13] FAA officials stated, "The closure of the mishap investigation does not signal an immediate resumption of Starship launches at Boca Chica."[16] The FWS had not yet started a formal review of SpaceX's modifications, and based on the 135 day review period, the launch could have been postponed to NET 2024.[17][18] The FWS received the final biological assessment from the Federal Aviation Administration. William H. Gerstenmaier, SpaceX's Vice President of Build and Flight Reliability, called on the FAA to increase licensing staff.[19][20] On October 19, 2023 the FWS surveyed the area around Starbase and the consultation with the FAA has been extended into November.[21][22] The FWS reviewed the changes to the launch pad, especially the water deluge system.[23] By October 31, 2023, the FAA had concluded the safety review portion of the launch license.[24][25]
On November 11, 2023, SpaceX announced that they were targeting a launch date of November 17, pending regulatory approval.[26] On November 14, the FWS concluded its environmental review.[27] On the same day the FAA gave its approval for launch.[12] On November 16, the flight was delayed one day,[28] due to a grid fin actuator needing to be replaced on B9.[29]
Changes from the previous flight
Significant changes implemented by SpaceX compared to the previous flight include an expansion of the Super Heavy's fire suppression system in order to mitigate any potential engine bay fires.[30] SpaceX re-qualified their autonomous flight safety system,[30] which had malfunctioned during the first flight.[31]
Other changes unrelated to the previous flights include a hot-stage separation system, in which Starship's second stage engines can ignite while Starship is still attached to push the ship away from the booster.[30] SpaceX replaced the hydraulic systems of Super Heavy Raptor engines with an electronic thrust vector control, citing fewer potential points of failure and more energy efficiency.[30]
The orbital launch mount and pad system was reinforced in a way that, according to SpaceX, should prevent a recurrence of the pad foundation failure observed during the first flight test.[30] SpaceX also added, and tested, a flame deflector for the launchpad.[30]
Flight profile
The spacecraft flight plan was to lift off from SpaceX's Starbase facility along the south Texas coast, then conduct a partial orbit around Earth.[32] The Super Heavy had a planned boostback burn followed by a soft water landing in the Gulf of Mexico, similarly to a Falcon 9 performing a return to launch site landing (RTLS).[33] The Starship spacecraft was then to re-enter the atmosphere and perform a water landing in the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii, without performing a landing burn.[33][32]
Time | Event | November 18 |
---|---|---|
−02:00:00 | SpaceX Flight Director conducts a poll and verifies go for propellant loading | Success |
−01:37:00 | Super Heavy (booster) propellant load (liquid oxygen and liquid methane) underway | Success |
−01:17:00 | Starship fuel loading (liquid methane) underway | Success |
−01:13:00 | Starship oxidizer loading (liquid oxygen) underway | Success |
−00:19:40 | Booster engine chill | Success |
−00:00:10 | Flame deflector (water deluge system) activation | Success |
−00:00:03 | Booster engine ignition | Success |
00:00:02 | Liftoff | Success |
00:00:52 | Max q (moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket) | Success |
00:02:39 | Booster Main Engine Cut Off (MECO) | Success |
00:02:41 | Starship engine ignition and stage separation (hot-staging) | Success |
00:02:53 | Booster boostback burn startup | 9/10 engines were initially relit with multiple engines failing shortly after |
00:03:47 | Booster boostback burn shutdown | Boostback burn failed due to progressive engine failures, followed by the destruction of the booster at T+3:21 |
00:06:18 | Booster is transonic | — |
00:06:30 | Booster landing burn startup | — |
00:06:48 | Booster splashdown | — |
00:08:33 | Starship engine cutoff (SECO) | Burn aborted and vehicle terminated at T+8:05 due to propellant leaks causing vehicle to deplete fuel and oxidizer faster than expected |
01:17:21 | Starship atmospheric re-entry interface | — |
01:28:43 | Starship is transonic | — |
01:30:00 | Starship Pacific impact | — |
Launch
The first launch attempt of the second integrated flight test occurred on November 18 at 13:03 UTC (8:03 a.m. EST, 7:03 a.m. CST).[32] The launch was originally scheduled for November 17, but was postponed by one day due to a failed grid fin actuator needing to be replaced.[35]
Starship launched as planned on November 18, 2023, though roughly three minutes behind schedule due to a pressure issue with the spacecraft. The rocket encountered maximum aerodynamic stress (Max q) with no anomalies reported.
At 2 minutes and 39 seconds after engine ignition, 30 of the 33 Raptor engines on the Super Heavy booster shut down as planned, followed two seconds later by apparently successful hot staging with second stage engine ignition.[36]
While Starship's second stage continued accelerating, the Super Heavy booster used its cold gas thrusters to execute a flip maneuver and began its boostback burn. One of the ten engines that was to be reignited for this burn failed to do so.[36] Throughout the boostback burn more engines failed, including two engines that did not shut down at stage separation. At 3 minutes and 21 seconds after launch, the booster exploded, necessitating an FAA investigation.
While the second stage engines were planned to shut down at T+8:33, a frame-by-frame analysis of the SpaceX broadcast[36][improper synthesis?] shows the following sequence[original research?]: at T+8:03 telemetry indicates all engines had turned off, at T+8:04 a series of faint irregular flashes of light and an expanding gas cloud first become visible, at T+8:06 the final altitude velocity update at 148 kilometres (92 mi) is shown, and at T+8:12 the gas cloud reaches its largest apparent diameter. According to astronomer Jonathan McDowell, at his predicted re-entry point, NOAA weather radar picked up a debris cloud a few hundred miles north of the Virgin Islands.[37] After some dead air, the commentators asserted Starship was entering the coast phase at T+9:50 before finally announcing "we may have lost the second stage" at T+11:40. At T+12:20 the commentators speculated the Autonomous Flight Termination System triggered.[28] An official analysis of the exact sequence of events is still pending.
Aftermath
SpaceX and Cameron County reopened the road to the launch site a few hours after the launch. This was noted by CNN as a faster reopening than during the first flight attempt, when it remained closed for two days.[5]
See also
References
- ^ McDowell, Jonathan [@planet4589] (November 18, 2023). "Based on the last altitude/velocity numbers on SpaceX's webcast, I estimate a Starship achieved trajectory of -1740 x 150 km with (if not entirely destroyed by the flight termination system) impact NE of the Turks and Caicos Is" (Tweet). Archived from the original on November 18, 2023. Retrieved November 18, 2023 – via Twitter.
- ^ SpaceX (November 18, 2023). Starship's Second Flight Test (Twitter Broadcast). Starbase, TX.
- ^ "Starship Flight 2". Archived from the original on November 13, 2023. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
The booster experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly after its boostback burn following the successful stage separation while Starship's 6 second stage Raptor engines fired for several minutes as the Ship climbed to an altitude of ~150 kilometers.
- ^ Wall, Mike (November 16, 2023). "SpaceX's 2nd Starship launch on Nov. 18: How it will work". Space.com. Archived from the original on November 16, 2023. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
- ^ a b c Wattles, Jackie (November 18, 2023). "Live updates: SpaceX Starship rocket lost in second test flight". CNN. Archived from the original on November 18, 2023. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
- ^ published, Josh Dinner (November 18, 2023). "SpaceX Starship megarocket launches on 2nd-ever test flight, explodes in 'rapid unscheduled disassembly' (video)". Space.com. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
- ^ Federal Aviation Administration [@FAANews] (November 18, 2023). "FAA IFT-2 Anomaly Statement" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Foust, Jeff (April 20, 2023). "Starship lifts off on first integrated test flight, breaks apart minutes later". SpaceNews. Archived from the original on November 19, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
- ^ Kolodny, Lora (July 28, 2023). "SpaceX hasn't obtained environmental permits for 'flame deflector' system it's testing in Texas". CNBC. Archived from the original on October 7, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
- ^ Starship Receives License for Launch! | Countdown to Launch LIVE. Archived from the original on November 15, 2023. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
- ^ "faa.gov/media/72781". Federal Aviation Administration. November 14, 2023. Archived from the original on November 15, 2023. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
- ^ a b Roulette, Joey (November 15, 2023). "US FAA okays SpaceX license for second launch of Starship Super Heavy". Reuters. Archived from the original on November 15, 2023. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
- ^ a b Kolodny, Lora (September 8, 2023). "FAA orders Musk's SpaceX to take 63 corrective actions on Starship, keeps rocket grounded". CNBC. Archived from the original on September 9, 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
- ^ a b Chang, Kenneth (September 8, 2023). "F.A.A. Spells Out Needed Fixes for SpaceX's Starship Rocket". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on October 27, 2023. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
- ^ Foust, Jeff (September 8, 2023). "FAA closes Starship mishap investigation, directs 63 corrective actions for SpaceX". SpaceNews. Archived from the original on November 19, 2023. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
- ^ Wall, Mike (September 8, 2023). "FAA closes investigation of SpaceX's Starship rocket launch mishap, 63 fixes needed". Space.com. Archived from the original on November 15, 2023. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
- ^ Dvorsky, George (September 19, 2023). "Environmental Scrutiny May Push SpaceX's Second Starship Launch to Next Year". Gizmodo. Archived from the original on September 19, 2023. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
- ^ Grush, Loren; Hull, Dana (September 18, 2023). "SpaceX's Starship Still Needs Wildlife Agency Review to Resume Launch". BNN Bloomberg. Archived from the original on September 20, 2023. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
- ^ Robinson-Smith, Will (October 18, 2023). "SpaceX battles regulatory process that could hold up Starship test flight for months". Spaceflight Now. Archived from the original on October 18, 2023. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
- ^ Berger, Eric (October 17, 2023). "Citing slow Starship reviews, SpaceX urges FAA to double licensing staff". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on October 18, 2023. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
- ^ LabPadre Space [@LabPadre] (October 19, 2023). "Fish and Wildlife Service is surveying the area around the Launch Site. Come tune in and watch live" (Tweet). Retrieved October 19, 2023 – via Twitter.
- ^ Davenport, Christian (October 17, 2023). "SpaceX to the FAA: The industry needs you to move faster". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on October 17, 2023. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
- ^ Dvorsky, George (October 27, 2023). "Review of SpaceX Starship's Water Deluge System Critical to Next Launch". Gizmodo. Archived from the original on October 29, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
- ^ Davenport, Christian [@wapodavenport] (October 31, 2023). "FAA says it has completed the safety review ahead of the next SpaceX Starship launch but still waiting on an environmental review by Fish and Wildlife" (Tweet). Retrieved October 31, 2023 – via Twitter.
- ^ "FAA completes safety review of SpaceX Starship-Super Heavy license". Reuters. October 31, 2023. Archived from the original on November 4, 2023. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
- ^ SpaceX [@SpaceX] (November 11, 2023). "Starship preparing to launch as early as November 17, pending final regulatory approval → http://spacex.com/launches" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "faa.gov/media/72786". November 14, 2023. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b @SpaceX (November 11, 2023). "Watch Starship's Second Flight Test" (Tweet). Archived from the original on November 17, 2023. Retrieved November 16, 2023 – via Twitter.
- ^ Musk, Elon [@elonmusk] (November 16, 2023). "We need to replace a grid fin actuator, so launch is postponed to Saturday" (Tweet). Retrieved November 16, 2023 – via Twitter.
- ^ a b c d e f "SpaceX - Updates". SpaceX. September 8, 2023. Archived from the original on November 16, 2023. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
- ^ O'Callaghan, Jonathan (October 1, 2023). "Termination shock". Aerospace America. Archived from the original on October 22, 2023. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
- ^ a b c Wall, Mike (November 15, 2023). "SpaceX gets license for 2nd launch of giant Starship rocket". Space.com. Archived from the original on November 15, 2023. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
- ^ a b "SpaceX Starship IFT-2". SpaceX. Archived from the original on March 7, 2011. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
- ^ "Starship's Second Flight Test - Flight Test Timeline". November 18, 2023. Archived from the original on November 18, 2023. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
- ^ Wall, Mike (November 16, 2023). "SpaceX delays second Starship test launch to Nov. 18 to replace rocket part". space.com. Archived from the original on November 16, 2023. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
- ^ a b c @SpaceX (November 18, 2023). "Official SpaceX livestream of the Second Integrated Flight Test" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ a b McDowell, Jonathan [@planet4589] (November 18, 2023). "Thanks to NOAA's Kenneth Howard for pointing me to this NOAA weather radar data showing a debris cloud exactly over my estimated Starship reentry point!" (Tweet). Archived from the original on November 20, 2023 – via Twitter.