Oooooh that's table. Im like, "Uh, why'd that put a hot tub in the middle of the command center?"

<div class="tenor-gif-embed" data-postid="24372114" data-share-method="host" data-aspect-ratio="1.13074" data-width="30%"><a href="https://tenor.com/view/dunno-lloyd-dumb-and-dumber-gif-24372114">Dunno Lloyd GIF</a>from <a href="https://tenor.com/search/dunno-gifs">Dunno GIFs</a></div> <script type="text/javascript" async src="https://tenor.com/embed.js"></script>

Success! (For real.)

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">After troubleshooting communications, flight controllers have confirmed Odysseus is upright and starting to send data. <br>Right now, we are working to downlink the first images from the lunar surface.</p>— Intuitive Machines (@Int_Machines) <a href="https://twitter.com/Int_Machines/status/1760838333851148442?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Odysseus lander appears to be on its side, Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus says. <a href="https://t.co/iyr2ecs9KQ">pic.twitter.com/iyr2ecs9KQ</a></p>&mdash; Eric Berger (@SciGuySpace) <a href="https://twitter.com/SciGuySpace/status/1761151267324272976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

https://i.postimg.cc/28kk6czV/ezgif-7-e8db20ef90.gif

ROFL

Hope they can still complete at least some of the objectives. Bummer it fell over.

This is a pretty thorough overview of the causes for Odysseus ending up sideways but the quick engineering that has made it a resounding success despite not going perfectly.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I visited Intuitive Machines on Tuesday wondering whether the Odysseus mission was a success or a failure. I left without any doubts.<a href="https://t.co/VwQrkgpzWN">https://t.co/VwQrkgpzWN</a></p>— Eric Berger (@SciGuySpace) <a href="https://twitter.com/SciGuySpace/status/1762598026193870874?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Lots of action tonight...

Kennedy Space Center, Florida:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Space, please. The crew is taking the tower elevator to the access arm to board Dragon <a href="https://t.co/vIyBeMjNNx">pic.twitter.com/vIyBeMjNNx</a></p>&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1764455416665350500?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Qe_1qo6teZs?si=rbDPiUjbzUbx3YTd" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>


Starbase, Texas:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D1Eg_FltUZk?si=15DNuR09MzHW2OBl" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>

T-10 minutes

I have a friend who I used to teach Scuba with here in KC who moved to Florida about a year ago and this was her view of this event. I hope to make a bike ride from KC to the Keys this summer (with some stops to see friends along the way), and I hope to time the stop at her house with a launch.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Watch Starship&#39;s third flight test <a href="https://t.co/1u46r769Vp">https://t.co/1u46r769Vp</a></p>— SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1765037578343121372?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Pleasant night at Starbase for some cocktails, and to have a look at the fully stacked Flight 3 Starship.

https://i.postimg.cc/76w5dyv2/temp-Imagek04-XJT.avifhttps://i.postimg.cc/rsYzD0D1/temp-Image-Nvb-CM0.avif

And some great shots from last week's wet dress rehearsal...
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Starship completed its rehearsal for launch, loading more than 10 million pounds of propellant on Starship and Super Heavy and taking the flight-like countdown to T-10 seconds <a href="https://t.co/1px7nyzhqQ">pic.twitter.com/1px7nyzhqQ</a></p>&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1764697392128156144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">#52<br><br>~S T A R S H I P~ <a href="https://t.co/Dr5yvZGyiy">pic.twitter.com/Dr5yvZGyiy</a></p>&mdash; Fabian Ramirez (@texas_lizard) <a href="https://twitter.com/texas_lizard/status/1764855471284883685?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Starship Flight 3 as soon as tomorrow. Lots of excitement in the air down here around South Padre Island and Starbase.

Anybody in town for a Spring Break launch?

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I have been notified that Village evacuation is a GO for launch attempt tomorrow! 🔥🚀🔥<br><br>⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASASpaceflight</a>⁩ <a href="https://t.co/NHIfFIpLJ2">pic.twitter.com/NHIfFIpLJ2</a></p>&mdash; Mary (@BocaChicaGal) <a href="https://twitter.com/BocaChicaGal/status/1767952292567716212?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BDByivmrVuM?si=ELHwMPIKaji3tgku" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Has the FAA given the green light?

Expected today. No sense of concern about that.

The thing that makes me wonder if perhaps we're really looking at Friday or Saturday, is Elon's post yesterday (coupled with the fact he then flew from Austin to Europe, rather than Brownsville/Starbase).

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Flight 3 end of week, pending weather <a href="https://t.co/DLGD6Vj7SB">https://t.co/DLGD6Vj7SB</a></p>&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1767643699016544300?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Trying to decide if this is worth getting up at 5:30am...

Slacker...

But me too. Lol

You could probably roll outta the sack closer to 7am CT and still catch the good parts.

I'm looking at a 2am or 3am start to the day, getting to the Island ahead of as much traffic as possible. And then watching from a boat. Sleep for a few hours. And then afterparty at Starbase. 🤩

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">SpaceX&#39;s Starship stack completed ✅<br><br>Launch NET March 14 (pending regulatory approval).<br><br>We still have spots available on one of the boats to see the most powerful rocket in history, launch from the closest and clearest publicly-available location 🙌<br><br>We will position the boats… <a href="https://t.co/NpGc8MpvE2">pic.twitter.com/NpGc8MpvE2</a></p>&mdash; Star✦Fleet Tours (@StarFleetTours) <a href="https://twitter.com/StarFleetTours/status/1766889954733351283?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

...also want to head to the beach before I leave the Island and see if I can't recover any detached Starship tiles.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Look what <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeTegtmeyer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoeTegtmeyer</a> found on the beach!!! Starship heat shield tile from world’s largest rocket! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/starship?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#starship</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/spacex?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#spacex</a> <a href="https://t.co/FibIUtIah3">pic.twitter.com/FibIUtIah3</a></p>&mdash; Ellie in Space 🚀💫 (@esherifftv) <a href="https://twitter.com/esherifftv/status/1649194620838879232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

LFG! 🚀☘️

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Targeting Thursday, March 14 for Starship’s third flight test. A 110-minute launch window opens at 7:00 a.m. CT → <a href="https://t.co/bJFjLCiTbK">https://t.co/bJFjLCiTbK</a> <a href="https://t.co/hFq1L4w9et">pic.twitter.com/hFq1L4w9et</a></p>&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1768004039680426406?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<div style=overflow:hidden;resize:none;max-width:100%;><div id=embed-google-map style="height:100%; width:100%;max-width:100%;"><iframe allowFullScreen="allowFullScreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/97GOcZ08tc4?ecver=1&amp;iv_load_policy=1&amp;yt:stretch=16:9&amp;autohide=1&amp;color=red&amp;width= 560&amp;width=560" width="560" height="315" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>

FAA just granted the launch license. Saw it on the NSF app.

:)

I had the exact same question for myself.

Fortunately, I got no sleep last night so should be out early…

The wind is being monitored. And Elon Musk is en route from London to Teterboro, NJ, hopefully just for a fueling pitstop and then onward to Brownsville/Starbase. Everything else in place for tomorrow morning.

T-30:00

https://twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1LyxBnOvzvOxN

https://www.spacex.com/launches/miss...rship-flight-3

Still drives me nuts that they still only broadcast on Twitter. I'll watch Everyday Astronaut instead I guess.

Liftoff!! 33 good engines

Crazy seeing those huge grid fins on SH moving

And there went SH!! LMAO

It tried so hard!

Crazy seeing the ship in orbit.

Opening the Pez door on Starship

The music....

LMAO

I've been in elevators with better.

I'm sure it's intentional.

That doesn't look... right.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Starship re-entering Earth&#39;s atmosphere. Views through the plasma <a href="https://t.co/HEQX4eEHWH">pic.twitter.com/HEQX4eEHWH</a></p>&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1768279990368612354?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

That makes me sooo dizzy.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Happy birthday to <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpaceX</a>! What a day!<br> <br>HUGE congratulations to the entire team for this incredible day: clean count (glad the shrimpers could get out in the nick of time!), liftoff, hot staging, Super Heavy boost back and coast (and likely a couple engines making mainstage… <a href="https://t.co/D3YUPIgKNH">pic.twitter.com/D3YUPIgKNH</a></p>&mdash; Gwynne Shotwell (@Gwynne_Shotwell) <a href="https://twitter.com/Gwynne_Shotwell/status/1768291595160605109?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Wonder if they'll tell us what happened with the ship at the end. If it's a control issue, that seems like something software could fix. I know they've had some trouble figuring out the heat shield, though - seems like that could be tougher if that's the problem.

LOL. Artemis is picking through parts from the space shuttle program on a cost-plus contract meanwhile Spacex is launching 100 flights a year and filming mind blowing Starship re-entries with their 5 thousand satellites. Big space is struggling.

Starship Flight 3 yesterday was unreal. I was afraid it was going to be pushed, with the big guy's "..Thursday maybe..." posts earlier in the week, and then the fact it was the first Starship launch in which he was not in attendance.

The party at Rocket Garden last night was a banger. And the big guy quietly arrived before the end of the night, even circumventing jet tracking by his nemesis Jack Sweeney in the process.

I also met another diehard Chiefs fan at the celebration. Eventually the red planet will be part of the Kingdom!

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Starship launching for the third time from the gateway to Mars <a href="https://t.co/nsoGmuFqu7">pic.twitter.com/nsoGmuFqu7</a></p>&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1768642869525725253?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark"><p lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/YPfV3mlsOZ">pic.twitter.com/YPfV3mlsOZ</a></p>&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1768693242894119188?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Flight 3 liftoff as viewed from the top of the tower <a href="https://t.co/JPlXDBONAb">pic.twitter.com/JPlXDBONAb</a></p>&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1768745027231183184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Slow motion view of Starship ascending through clouds above Starbase <a href="https://t.co/QEvcMmsLtO">pic.twitter.com/QEvcMmsLtO</a></p>&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1768747417716101402?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">That is the actual sign at Starbase, Texas <a href="https://t.co/0ceCPpxCi9">pic.twitter.com/0ceCPpxCi9</a></p>&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1768753421027291337?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

https://i.postimg.cc/Yqhtt0Z5/giphy.gifhttps://i.postimg.cc/ncgprZtC/1f680.gif

<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@liannagaudier/video/7346213433395842350" data-video-id="7346213433395842350" data-embed-from="oembed" style="max-width:605px; min-width:325px;"> <section> <a target="_blank" title="@liannagaudier" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@liannagaudier?refer=embed">@liannagaudier</a> <p>the worker saying “its a rocket” like it was any other day 😭 <a title="spacex" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/spacex?refer=embed">#spacex</a> <a title="spi" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/spi?refer=embed">#spi</a> <a title="springbreak" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/springbreak?refer=embed">#springbreak</a> <a title="southpadreislandtx" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/southpadreislandtx?refer=embed">#southpadreislandtx</a> </p> <a target="_blank" title="♬ original sound - Lianna" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7346213532416396078?refer=embed">♬ original sound - Lianna</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async onerror="var a=document.createElement('script');a.src='https://iframely.net/files/tiktok-embed.js';document.body.appendChild(a);" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>

Updates:

https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-sta...t-new-details/

SpaceX is targeting Thursday, March 21 for Falcon 9’s launch of Dragon’s 30th Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-30) mission to the International Space Station from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Liftoff is targeted for 4:55 p.m. ET with a backup launch opportunity available on Friday, March 22 at 4:29 p.m. ET if needed.

A live webcast of this mission will begin on X @SpaceX about 20 minutes prior to liftoff. Watch live.

This is the sixth flight of the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Ax-2, ESA Euclid, Ax-3, and two Starlink missions. Following stage separation, Falcon 9's first stage will land on Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

CRS-30 is the fourth flight for this Dragon spacecraft, which previously flew CRS-22, CRS-24, and CRS-27 to the space station. After an approximate 38-hour flight, Dragon will autonomously dock with space station Saturday, March 23 at approximately 7:30 a.m. ET.

https://www.spacex.com/launches/miss...ssionId=crs-30

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ApMrILhTulI?si=f3e9t6LMOCO4yOH0" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Flight 4 should be less than 2 months away (sometime in May).

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Super Heavy booster for Flight 4 moved to the pad at Starbase <a href="https://t.co/A3aYgdPt8V">pic.twitter.com/A3aYgdPt8V</a></p>&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1775956032021495886?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 4, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Getting ready for Flight 4 <a href="https://t.co/cylOfDi4rk">https://t.co/cylOfDi4rk</a></p>&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1776413162444906841?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Additional views from today’s Super Heavy static fire <a href="https://t.co/jSmw7UxKF8">pic.twitter.com/jSmw7UxKF8</a></p>&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1776412789768425751?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zZNw5xSfqUY?si=0vN1snBnUyTlvZbb" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The next Boeing Starliner test is coming up tonight finally (2 astronauts on board). Fingers crossed everything goes smoothly.

On NASA TV.

Ha, well, that was timely. Scrubbed due to a stuck valve.

Any of you space nerds ever coming down here for a Starship flight test? IFT 4 should be within a month or so.

Then it should get even more interesting with IFT 5 and beyond. Catching the super heavy booster, a second Mechazilla Orbital Launch Integration Tower, etc.

I can't believe any astronaut with a sense of self-preservation would trust a rocket made by Boeing.

Technically, the capsule is made by Boeing. The rocket is made by ULA, and that's where this particular issue came from.

Boeing has been sending rockets into space for a long time. They're probably one of the most trustworthy big-space operations in the world.

Boeing was also a trusted airplane manufacturer not long ago. Now? Not so much.

I mean sure, but Starliner has been a complete disaster in every way except actually killing people. It was originally supposed to be in operation in 2017, so it's SEVEN YEARS behind schedule. Boeing has lost about $1.5 BILLION on it because NASA finally got tired of essentially subsidizing the company by awarding them cost-plus contracts. It was originally supposed to be a race between Boeing and SpaceX, and so far Starliner has flown 0 operational missions (and this one is still just a test) while SpaceX has flown 8 flights for NASA and another 4 for commercial customers (that's double their original contract - mostly because Boeing shit the bed and NASA needed someone else to step in).

For the sake of having redundancy, I hope Starliner flies and flies well, but implying that Boeing deserves any sort of trust with it because of their decades-old track record completely ignores the debacle that company has been for the past 20 or so years.

Ship 30 (IFT5 vehicle) set for static fire shortly. 🚀

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Ship 30&#39;s time to shine (Flight 5 vehicle). Expected Static Fire test later today. Will be commented livestream later, Starbase Live for the meantime:<a href="https://t.co/e3xbqPnwZ5">https://t.co/e3xbqPnwZ5</a> <a href="https://t.co/RvJUEoM7Ny">pic.twitter.com/RvJUEoM7Ny</a></p>&mdash; Chris Bergin - NSF (@NASASpaceflight) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1787815422235996387?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/d7Ialipbgw4?si=j6mOMkJpQtrQSnBr" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

What the hell does this have to do with anything? Boeing's been launching vehicles and running a massive space operation since before I was alive on planet earth. They've accumulated hundreds of years of combined engineering knowledge (more than Europe and China). To act like they can't launch a manned rocket into space because of budget over-runs is crazy. BTW, elements of Boeing space were involved with the ****ing Apollo missions. Stop reading headlines.

Loads of experience didn't prevent Boeing from committing major **** ups while designing and building airplanes, then trying to minimize and cover up their mistakes after the fact.

I wouldn't trust Boeing to design a child's drone at this point.

Did all of Boeing's engineers vanish into the rapture? Are they shuffling in tail pipe installers from SpiritAirlines to do the math for their rocket launches? LOL. The general aviation side of Boeing has as much to do with their rocket programs as the web developers at "X" do with with Elons 13+ billion dollar subsidized rocket company.

T-12 Minutes for S30 static fire 🚀

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/d7Ialipbgw4?si=1fqvNoX5cikW2m7B" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

It's great to have to research the inner workings of a company to see if your life is in the hands of competent people, or the type of people who can't install a ****ing door correctly. LMAO

never mind, hearing "scrubbed"

You're aware that the most recent two-year delay was because their last test launch test had multiple failures, right?

Figuratively? Yes. They've been losing older engineers to retirement and younger engineers to New Space companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, and RocketLab.

From the outside it just looks like they had a reading that wasn't nominal and the engineers scrubbed the mission. That's not a "failure" that's somebody doing their job. And if I'm tasked with flying out on one of these things that's what I'd want to see. Musk may or may not have allowed that. Musk is in love with himself and his public image and if I'm a hard nosed NASA astronaut that scares me more than a buzzing oxygen valve. And you also have to look at the culture that SpaceX comes out of. Tesla is heavily subsidized by the government and they're allowed to ship out an auto-pilot feature that caused 700+ crashes and plenty of death and destruction. Boeing aviation had TWO crashes and ate shit, had public hearings and lost considerable stock value. Which side is going to be more likely to listen to engineers and which would go "agile" and tolerate risk? It's probably going to be the side that gets cute with industry terms like "rapid unplanned disassembly".

Ship 30 static fire attempt in roughly an hour.

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Musk doesn't get to personally decide if a mission scrubs or not, and SpaceX has scrubbed plenty of launches. In fact, SpaceX just scrubbed a hotfire yesterday.

Also, Boeing Starliner failed its first launch because the clock in the control program was wrong, causing the engines to fire early and use up their fuel too quickly, meaning that it could not reach its intended orbit. How the control program was allowed to go to launch without being fully tested is beyond me.

If I had to choose a program to put me into space, I'd pick the one with the proven successful program.

While I give Elon credit for setting ambitious visions for the future, the reality is that a ton of SpaceX's success comes from their operational excellence, and I give most of the credit for that to Gwynne rather than Elon. I largely discredit anyone's opinion about SpaceX if they don't understand her role in all of this. (I'm confident that Tesla would be in much better shape if they had a "Gwynne" of their own.)

More broadly, it's pretty clear that seamonster doesn't actually understand this stuff, so the debate isn't really worth the effort.

For the record:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Starliner?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Starliner</a> launch update:<br><br>NASA, <a href="https://twitter.com/BoeingSpace?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BoeingSpace</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/ulalaunch?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ULALaunch</a> are now targeting no earlier than 6:16pm ET May 17 for the launch of the agency&#39;s Boeing Crew Flight Test to <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Space_Station</a>, following a valve replacement on ULA&#39;s Atlas V rocket: <a href="https://t.co/NBSVcFQrnB">https://t.co/NBSVcFQrnB</a> <a href="https://t.co/ayQGXFSkKW">pic.twitter.com/ayQGXFSkKW</a></p>&mdash; NASA Commercial Crew (@Commercial_Crew) <a href="https://twitter.com/Commercial_Crew/status/1788184006007066799?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">From flying customer satellites, cargo and astronauts to orbit and deploying additional <a href="https://twitter.com/Starlink?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Starlink</a> satellites to connect millions of people around the world, it’s been an extraordinary year so far and we&#39;re not even halfway done yet!</p>&mdash; Gwynne Shotwell (@Gwynne_Shotwell) <a href="https://twitter.com/Gwynne_Shotwell/status/1790468333374214568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 14, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

On pace for ~135 Falcon launches in 2024. 🚀 🤯

Go SpaceX! Go Falcon!

You have to wonder if this thing will ever make it to regular service. It seems cursed.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Here’s the latest from NASA on Starliner. The path forward is unclear for the Crew Flight Test, and there’s a real possibility of a longer delay. <a href="https://t.co/wHl2KeRCSS">pic.twitter.com/wHl2KeRCSS</a></p>— Stephen Clark (@StephenClark1) <a href="https://twitter.com/StephenClark1/status/1793093394002309165?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The fourth flight test of Starship could launch as soon as June 5, pending regulatory approval<a href="https://t.co/XjreI7nQOp">https://t.co/XjreI7nQOp</a> <a href="https://t.co/2tv2s1yJ5F">pic.twitter.com/2tv2s1yJ5F</a></p>&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1794000049858597253?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

https://i.postimg.cc/V6S1j8jw/Flight...692d0a4a6e.jpg

UPCOMING LAUNCH
STARSHIP'S FOURTH FLIGHT TEST

The fourth flight test of Starship could launch as soon as June 5, pending regulatory approval.

A live webcast of the flight test will begin about 30 minutes before liftoff, which you can watch here and on X @SpaceX. The launch window will open as early as 7 a.m. CT. As is the case with all developmental testing, the schedule is dynamic and likely to change, so be sure to stay tuned to our X account for updates.

Starship’s third flight test made tremendous strides towards a future of rapidly reliable reusable rockets. The test completed several exciting firsts, including the first Starship reentry from space, the first ever opening and closing of Starship’s payload door in space, and a successful propellant transfer demonstration. This last test provided valuable data for eventual ship-to-ship propellant transfers that will enable missions like returning astronauts to the Moon under NASA’s Artemis program.

The fourth flight test turns our focus from achieving orbit to demonstrating the ability to return and reuse Starship and Super Heavy. The primary objectives will be executing a landing burn and soft splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico with the Super Heavy booster, and achieving a controlled entry of Starship.

To accomplish this, several software and hardware upgrades have been made to increase overall reliability and address lessons learned from Flight 3. The SpaceX team will also implement operational changes, including the jettison of the Super Heavy’s hot-stage following boostback to reduce booster mass for the final phase of flight.

Flight 4 will fly a similar trajectory as the previous flight test, with Starship targeted to splashdown in the Indian Ocean. This flight path does not require a deorbit burn for reentry, maximizing public safety while still providing the opportunity to meet our primary objective of a controlled Starship reentry.

The fourth flight of Starship will aim to bring us closer to the rapidly reusable future on the horizon. We’re continuing to rapidly develop Starship, putting flight hardware in a flight environment to learn as quickly as possible as we build a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond.



LFG!!!

SpaceX is targeting June 5 for the next flight of its massive Starship rocket, the company said Friday.

The highly anticipated test flight— the fourth in a program to bring Starship to operational readiness and make progress toward its eventual reuse—will seek to demonstrate the ability of the Super Heavy first stage to make a soft landing in the Gulf of Mexico and for the Starship upper stage to make a controlled reentry through Earth's atmosphere before it falls into the Indian Ocean.

This mission will carry no payloads as SpaceX seeks additional flight data about the performance of the complex Starship vehicle. It is simultaneously the largest and most powerful rocket ever built and the first launch system ever intended to be fully and rapidly reusable.

As part of its announcement of the flight date, SpaceX provided some information about its learnings from the most recent flight test, Flight 3, which launched on March 14, 2024.

Dissecting Flight 3

During that flight, SpaceX also attempted a soft landing of the Super Heavy first stage. After its separation from the Starship upper stage, as intended, 13 of Super Heavy's 33 Raptor engines successfully relit to make a controlled flight through the lower atmosphere. During this boostback burn, however, six of these engines shut down early. Later in the descent, as the rocket neared the sea surface, the rocket was supposed to use the same 13 engines to make a final landing burn.

"The six engines that shut down early in the boostback burn were disabled from attempting the landing burn startup, leaving seven engines commanded to start up with two successfully reaching mainstage ignition," the company said in its recap of the flight. "The booster had lower than expected landing burn thrust when contact was lost at approximately 462 meters in altitude over the Gulf of Mexico and just under seven minutes into the mission."

The cause of this failure was traced to blockage in a filter where liquid oxygen flows into the Raptor engines. Notably, a similar problem occurred during the second test flight of Starship in November 2023. SpaceX says it implemented "hardware changes" to address this blockage issue for the third test flight. Now, the company said, "Super Heavy boosters for Flight 4 and beyond will get additional hardware inside oxygen tanks to further improve propellant filtration capabilities." It will be interesting to see whether the company's engineers have successfully addressed this issue.

As for the Starship upper stage, the vehicle began losing the ability to control its attitude during its coast phase in space. This was found to be due to clogged valves used by reaction control thrusters on the upper stage. The company's update notes that "SpaceX has since added additional roll control thrusters on upcoming Starships." But it is not clear that they will be available for Flight 4. Indeed, the fact that SpaceX is not attempting an in-flight relight of Raptor engines on the Starship upper stage suggests these new roll control thrusters are not yet in place.

Ultimately this lack of attitude control during Flight 3 resulted in a non-nominal reentry to Earth's atmosphere. SpaceX was able to maintain contact with the vehicle down to 65 km in altitude before telemetry was lost due to excess heating.

Back to the basics

On Flight 3, SpaceX achieved some important milestones, including the opening of the Starship payload bay door in space and a small propellant transfer demonstration. Due to the loss of attitude control, however, a planned Raptor rocket engine re-light test was not conducted. This is an important test, as Raptor ignition is needed to perform a controlled reentry—essentially to ensure that Starship returns to a remote section of ocean rather than land.

For the next flight, SpaceX is focused on solving the technical issues observed on Flight 3: the filter blockages observed during Super Heavy's boostback and landing burns, Starship's attitude control during its coast phase, and managing reentry of that vehicle from orbital velocity.

Once these issues are resolved, the company can proceed to more advanced tests, including landing the Super Heavy booster back at the South Texas launch site, deployment of Starlink satellites, and additional tests of propellant transfer essential for NASA's Artemis Program to land humans on the Moon.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The possibly penultimate stack ahead of Starship flight 4. <a href="https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASASpaceflight</a> <a href="https://t.co/Mm2stRmvW9">pic.twitter.com/Mm2stRmvW9</a></p>&mdash; Jack Beyer (@thejackbeyer) <a href="https://twitter.com/thejackbeyer/status/1794873237064823097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">10 days to Starship Flight 4, IFT-4. <a href="https://t.co/nTJkXZbjom">pic.twitter.com/nTJkXZbjom</a></p>&mdash; SMX 🇺🇸 (@iam_smx) <a href="https://twitter.com/iam_smx/status/1793903910220079377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I dare say that Elon Musk is the greatest person on the planet.

Amazing view of the boost back burn at about 2:30

https://www.spacex.com/launches/miss...onId=earthcare

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Starship and Super Heavy loaded with more than 10 million pounds of propellant in a rehearsal ahead of Flight 4. Launch is targeted as early as June 5, pending regulatory approval <a href="https://t.co/lss0brCZgN">pic.twitter.com/lss0brCZgN</a></p>&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1795840604972429597?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The Boeing Crew Flight Test mission is the first flight of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft with humans onboard. The crew is composed of Commander Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Sunita "Suni" Williams. This is the second attempt to launch the mission.

Launch on June 1st at 12:25:40PM EDT (16:25:40 UTC)

Mission: Atlas V launch with Starliner Calypso to the International Space Station
Launch location: Space Launch Complex 41, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Earth.
Target orbit: Low Earth Orbit; 72.91-by-181.53 kilometers 51.62 degree inclination
Booster: AV-085
Configuration: N22 - No fairing, 2 solid rocket motors, and 2 RL10 engines on the Centaur upper stage. "Body Guard"
Capsule: Spacecraft 3 (Calypso); 1623d 3h 26min 44s turnaround
Capsule history: OFT-1
Rocket trajectory: Northeast hugging the east coast of the United States
Mission Commander: Butch Wilmore - 3rd spaceflight
Mission Pilot: Sunita Williams - 3rd spaceflight
Stats:
· ULA's 161st launch overall and its 3rd launch of the year
· Atlas V's 100th launch, 3rd launch in N22 configuration
· ULA's 75th launch from SLC-41, 83rd launch of Atlas V from SLC-41
· 3rd orbital flight of a Starliner spacecraft and 1st human spaceflight by Boeing
· This mission will bring up to 2 the total of people sent by Boeing to orbit

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****ing scrubbed, again.

Yeah what a pisser. And right after the go, no-go calls too.

It all seemed janky when the helium tank issue happened.