** The Official Space Flight Thread - The Space Station and Beyond **

[darkgen]

That launch pad looks eerily flimsy with an odd flame deflector configuration; looks like it will expel in all directions including back on to the platform itself.

 

[SPG]

Its about time we had a rocket bigger than the saturn series

Impressive stuff, but a shame it looks crap and has zero style about it.

 

[Hagar]

Its about time we had a rocket bigger than the saturn series

Impressive stuff, but a shame it looks **** and has zero style about it.

In space nobody really cares. I suppose with a potential 100 person capacity it will look a bit like a bus.

 

[JRS]

NSF are live, Everyday Astronaut about to go live as well.

Fingers crossed for a successful launch!

 

[VaderDSL]

What are we all thinking? My money is on an engine light then auto shutdown/abort personally.

 

[kaiowas]

What are we all thinking? My money is on an engine light then auto shutdown/abort personally.

Abort and scrub before T0

 

[PlacidCasual]

Got the SpaceX feed open in background at work. I'm so stopping my meeting to watch the launch

 

[Chuk_Chuk]

Here are the streams for anyone who wants to watch
NSF Stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eN57x2a_waw
Space X stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5QXreqOrTA
Everyday Astranaut: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Vb9hFqF6i0

 

[Jimbeam3678]

Just tuned in, is the launch happening? this morning there was a low probability of it happening.

 

[VaderDSL]

Just tuned in, is the launch happening? this morning there was a low probability of it happening.

currently yep, they are a good way into fuelling.

 

[Hodders]

Why are both the booster and starship both not being recovered. Why would you not at least try?

 

[Chuk_Chuk]

Why are both the booster and starship both not being recovered. Why would you not at least try?

Where did you hear that, they are not recovering? I've been hearing tidbits here and there.

 

[visibleman]

Now targeting 14:20BST; both lower and upper stages are prop loading...

Why are both the booster and starship both not being recovered. Why would you not at least try?

I would imagine logistics and effort needed attempting to recover both stages...

Where did you hear that, they are not recovering? I've been hearing tidbits here and there.

Nope, both stages are safely crashing with Starship ending up near Hawaii where they might fire holes into it to sink it if it doesn't break up by itself.

 

[Fuzz]

Where did you hear that, they are not recovering? I've been hearing tidbits here and there.

Long standing info has been starship is ditching in the sea.

 

[steve45]

Why are both the booster and starship both not being recovered. Why would you not at least try?

This was always planned to be the case for the initial launch. there was a little bit of discussion at one point of them attempting recovery of the booster but nothing more than talk. Upper stage was always planned to ditch.
This is a proof of concept that it can even launch correctly. Gotta walk before they can run.

 

[steve45]

The amount of people watching between the different streams is insane! I hope it dosnt scrub. I'm feeling optimistic however you just never know with these launches. SOOO many new/experimental parts, all it takes is for one single failure to call a scrub.

 

[Armageus]

Why are both the booster and starship both not being recovered. Why would you not at least try?

As @steve45 has just said, for the initial launch it isn't going to be recovered, by not trying it reduces complexity (less equipment to go wrong), as well as reducing weight and cost slightly.

Future versions will be though, in the same way that the Falcon craft evolved over time to be

 

[sityeuropa]

Why are both the booster and starship both not being recovered. Why would you not at least try?

They certainly don't want a smash in to the launch mount, that thing would take a year put back together.

 

[Colonel_Klinck]

This is going to be loud if they light those engines no matter what happens. Stand aside Saturn 5!

 

[Colonel_Klinck]

Why are both the booster and starship both not being recovered. Why would you not at least try?

Not worth the risk. With the booster they will land it vertically in the sea, if it works perfectly I'm sure the next flight they will attempt to catch it. Starship has to come through re-entry and if it survives that it then has to belly flop into the sea. The launch tower infrastructure apparently costs more in materials, labour and time and isn't worth risking.