The next Starship mission has a tentative launch date: March 14

[smp]

From Ars Technica:
"This third flight has a reasonable chance of success."

https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/03/t ... -march-14/

Here's hoping for the best!

smp

[seigell]

Ah, isn't that Nice!! Elon is sending up another Roman/RUD Candle for my Birthday!!
(I didn't know he cared...)

[Graeme1858]

That's an interesting read. They're planning to launch Starship at least nine times this year. That's a programme that should iron out the glitches.

And there was a Paul Sutter video in the right hand column, so cheers for that too.

Graeme

[smp]

From Ars Technica:
“ SpaceX has a license to launch Starship—this time it might fly at dawn”

https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/03/s ... y-at-dawn/

smp

[Graeme1858]

Two hours to go!

https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission ... p-flight-3

Graeme

[Graeme1858]

Every Day Astronaut has started broadcasting:

[Graeme1858]

New liftoff time is 8:02 a.m. CT, team is clearing a few boats from the keep out area in the Gulf of Mexico

[Graeme1858]

Space X coverage now live:

https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission ... p-flight-3

[Graeme1858]

T- 2 Minutes

[smp]

OK! I was late to tune in, but I watched the entire broadcast on Space.com (Thanks, Graeme!).
It appears to me that the first stage was lost in the middle of the landing process, and the Starship did not survive re-entry.

Has any other information been released anywhere?

smp

[Graeme1858]

Seems they lost telemetry on re-entry at 75km.

https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-t ... ign=MANUAL

[seigell]

It looks like Space-X needs to buy a couple of old Corvettes or Torpedo Boats on the South American Used Market.
There's nothing like the profile of a Ship with a 5-inch Gun or Dual-50Cals on its Foredeck to chase Lookie-Lous out of the Safety Exclusion Zone, so that the Launch can occur On Time instead of delays that took it rather close to Max Ground Winds Hold.

[smp]

From Ars Technica:
"After Thursday’s flight, Starship is already the most revolutionary rocket ever built"

https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/03/t ... -to-space/

There are some passages in this article that explain what went on with both the first and second stages during this flight, FYI.

smp