Will this Starship have a heatshield on it?
Admittedly, I only have a KSP-level knowledge of orbital mechanics, so please gently educate me if I'm wrong here.Can this actually complete a full orbit? Looking at the times (SECO @ 521, Ship Splashdown @ 5420) I'm having a hard time seeing how they launch from Boca Chica, orbit all the way around past Boca Chica, and then make it another 300 degrees around to Kauai. Assuming the answer is "No, it doesn't go all the way around"... Will this achieve orbital velocity and then do a de-orbit burn? Or will it just be a very long ballistic trajectory? (The lack of a second burn of the second stage would suggest it's the later.)
So , since it's getting real , What could be the final orbit of Starship after insertion. Will they keep it low to minimise TPS heating for the time being , also since the landing (or splashdown) is 90 minutes after liftoff , from Boca TX to Hawaii in eastward direction could mean the it will complete a single orbit before re-entering. Also will they be testing the R-Vacs for the first time in Orbit?
Doesn't sound like there's going to be any booster hops.
Quote from: Vikranth on 05/13/2021 09:04 pmSo , since it's getting real , What could be the final orbit of Starship after insertion. Will they keep it low to minimise TPS heating for the time being , also since the landing (or splashdown) is 90 minutes after liftoff , from Boca TX to Hawaii in eastward direction could mean the it will complete a single orbit before re-entering. Also will they be testing the R-Vacs for the first time in Orbit?I think the flight will be suborbital, but only just, like a shuttle eternal tank. Then you can target the landing zone even if the raptors fail to complete the deorbit burn.Edit: Also starship landing occurs at T+90 minuets, so exactly like an ET
If they splash Starship, how will they be able to see how well the complete set of tiles performed ??..presumably they will be damaged on impact with the water ...
I think it will be fully orbital. And it is going further than the ET… that impacted in the Indian Ocean.
Quote from: 2megs on 05/13/2021 09:07 pmAdmittedly, I only have a KSP-level knowledge of orbital mechanics, so please gently educate me if I'm wrong here.Can this actually complete a full orbit? Looking at the times (SECO @ 521, Ship Splashdown @ 5420) I'm having a hard time seeing how they launch from Boca Chica, orbit all the way around past Boca Chica, and then make it another 300 degrees around to Kauai. Assuming the answer is "No, it doesn't go all the way around"... Will this achieve orbital velocity and then do a de-orbit burn? Or will it just be a very long ballistic trajectory? (The lack of a second burn of the second stage would suggest it's the later.)Remember, they're last east-ward, so you're going to pass over Kauai first before making landfall over CONUS and heading back over TX.
The FCC doc specifically states orbit not suborbital. As well as a reentry burn executed by the SS.
Quote from: DaveS on 05/13/2021 09:18 pmQuote from: 2megs on 05/13/2021 09:07 pmAdmittedly, I only have a KSP-level knowledge of orbital mechanics, so please gently educate me if I'm wrong here.Can this actually complete a full orbit? Looking at the times (SECO @ 521, Ship Splashdown @ 5420) I'm having a hard time seeing how they launch from Boca Chica, orbit all the way around past Boca Chica, and then make it another 300 degrees around to Kauai. Assuming the answer is "No, it doesn't go all the way around"... Will this achieve orbital velocity and then do a de-orbit burn? Or will it just be a very long ballistic trajectory? (The lack of a second burn of the second stage would suggest it's the later.)Remember, they're last east-ward, so you're going to pass over Kauai first before making landfall over CONUS and heading back over TX.I thought that was what I was saying?Headed east from Boca Chica, Kauai is about 294 degrees around the earth, plus another 22.5 degrees for the rotation of the earth during those 5420 seconds. A just-barely-sub-orbital ballistic trajectory can get them there very naturally in that timeline.But there's no trajectory that can complete a full orbit (i.e. 360 degrees east from Boca to go past Boca again), and then go another 294 + 22.5 degrees east to Kauai, and still fit that timeline.... right?So I'm assuming this can't complete a full orbit. IMO that's for the best on the first flight, no risk of stranding a Starship in a low unstable orbit, re-entering at an unpredictable place.(If I'm wrong here, help me understand what the orbit could be.)
Quote from: oldAtlas_Eguy on 05/13/2021 09:51 pmThe FCC doc specifically states orbit not suborbital. As well as a reentry burn executed by the SS.Thanks, didn't realise there was a PDF as well, only saw the tweet!
It will achieve orbit until performing a powered, targeted landing
Quote from: Jeff Lerner on 05/13/2021 09:40 pmIf they splash Starship, how will they be able to see how well the complete set of tiles performed ??..presumably they will be damaged on impact with the water ...If it survives entry to the point where it hits the water more or less intact, then the biggest test of whether the heatshield will work at all is answered. I'd imagine they would have observing assets in place to try and assess the reentry as well.
Quote from: jimvela on 05/13/2021 09:44 pmQuote from: Jeff Lerner on 05/13/2021 09:40 pmIf they splash Starship, how will they be able to see how well the complete set of tiles performed ??..presumably they will be damaged on impact with the water ...If it survives entry to the point where it hits the water more or less intact, then the biggest test of whether the heatshield will work at all is answered. I'd imagine they would have observing assets in place to try and assess the reentry as well.Agree. Expect both SH booster and SS will end up in the water. These are pathfinders. SpaceX does not need to recover them intact (as much as that might be desirable) to get much of the data they need to proceed to the next step... for which intact recovery will be the next step.
Is there any chanche to see SS flip, if it makes through reentry, via a non SpaceX camera?
...But there's no trajectory that can complete a full orbit (i.e. 360 degrees east from Boca to go past Boca again), and then go another 294 + 22.5 degrees east to Kauai, and still fit that timeline.... right?So I'm assuming this can't complete a full orbit. IMO that's for the best on the first flight, no risk of stranding a Starship in a low unstable orbit, re-entering at an unpredictable place....