29 votes

SpaceX says its Starship rocket broke up mid-flight as debris videos emerge online

22 comments

  1. [12]
    tauon
    Link
    <Noise> Lol. Leave it to company PR to figure out ever-innovative wordings.
    <Noise>

    it had experienced a "rapid unscheduled disassembly."

    Lol. Leave it to company PR to figure out ever-innovative wordings.

    19 votes
    1. [8]
      Bonooru
      Link Parent
      That's a term of art in rocketry. It's up there with lithobraking for fantastic aerospace euphemisms (braking using Earth's lithosphere)

      That's a term of art in rocketry. It's up there with lithobraking for fantastic aerospace euphemisms (braking using Earth's lithosphere)

      55 votes
      1. [7]
        Promonk
        Link Parent
        So, braking by hitting the ground?

        So, braking by hitting the ground?

        8 votes
        1. [2]
          Tardigrade
          Link Parent
          Almost always also combined with breaking by hitting the ground

          Almost always also combined with breaking by hitting the ground

          9 votes
          1. Promonk
            Link Parent
            Sure, but you can't deny that it's an effective braking mechanism.

            Sure, but you can't deny that it's an effective braking mechanism.

            10 votes
        2. [4]
          Bonooru
          Link Parent
          Yep. Usually in a manner with little control over the attitude of the vessel and at terminal velocity.

          Yep. Usually in a manner with little control over the attitude of the vessel and at terminal velocity.

          4 votes
          1. [3]
            Promonk
            Link Parent
            What, you've never made omelets before?

            What, you've never made omelets before?

            1 vote
            1. [2]
              ThrowdoBaggins
              Link Parent
              I’ve never needed lithobraking for my omelettes — I’d love to see your technique in action! Do you just throw the eggs at the ground or is there something more going on?

              I’ve never needed lithobraking for my omelettes — I’d love to see your technique in action! Do you just throw the eggs at the ground or is there something more going on?

              2 votes
              1. Promonk
                Link Parent
                Specifics vary on circumstance, but the technique is universally applicable.

                Specifics vary on circumstance, but the technique is universally applicable.

    2. [2]
      saturnV
      Link Parent
      This has been around for a bit, it might have been popularised by SpaceX but it probably originated during the space race

      rapid unscheduled disassembly

      This has been around for a bit, it might have been popularised by SpaceX but it probably originated during the space race

      18 votes
      1. hamstergeddon
        Link Parent
        Interesting! I've always associated it with Kerbal Space Program, since that's where I first encountered it before SpaceX was more of a household name...Quite frequently, in fact, but nothing a...

        Interesting! I've always associated it with Kerbal Space Program, since that's where I first encountered it before SpaceX was more of a household name...Quite frequently, in fact, but nothing a few more struts couldn't fix :)

        11 votes
    3. donn
      Link Parent
      I'm thinking it's just a bit of levity. It's pretty funny.

      I'm thinking it's just a bit of levity. It's pretty funny.

      7 votes
  2. fraughtGYRE
    Link
    But successfully caught the booster for a second time! I was skeptical, but it looks like this is going to be a valid path forward for reuse and reducing turnaround time. Very exciting.

    But successfully caught the booster for a second time! I was skeptical, but it looks like this is going to be a valid path forward for reuse and reducing turnaround time. Very exciting.

    14 votes
  3. [2]
    JCPhoenix
    Link
    Unfortunate, but those videos of the break-up are stunning! It's like something out of a video game or movie.

    Unfortunate, but those videos of the break-up are stunning! It's like something out of a video game or movie.

    12 votes
    1. ThrowdoBaggins
      Link Parent
      Agreed, they’re so pretty! I have a bunch of fantasy space images* in my rotating desktop wallpaper, and this kind of stuff is exactly what I love! Turns out IRL is even prettier and higher...

      Agreed, they’re so pretty! I have a bunch of fantasy space images* in my rotating desktop wallpaper, and this kind of stuff is exactly what I love! Turns out IRL is even prettier and higher resolution than some of the stuff I’ve been looking at!

      • think “huge moon on the horizon taking up 30% of the sky” kind of stuff, pretty standard for sci-fi/space stuff but having looked at a bit of physics, I’m pretty sure nothing can ever come close to that kind of view IRL. Our moon is much less dense and much closer for its size than any other satellites in our solar system, and it’s a distinct shape, but only half a degree of angular diameter. The only saving grace for these kinds of images is that some enormous planets have very close moons, so a planet rise from the perspective of a moon could be spectacular in that way, but then moons don’t really have a way to support enough of an atmosphere in those conditions to be liveable outside airtight habitats
      1 vote
  4. [7]
    gpl
    Link
    This comes just after Blue Origin's New Glenn spaceship beat Starship to orbit. Not the best week for SpaceX.

    This comes just after Blue Origin's New Glenn spaceship beat Starship to orbit. Not the best week for SpaceX.

    8 votes
    1. ZeroGee
      Link Parent
      That's a hot-take and a half. SpaceX are intentionally not putting ship in orbit for safety reasons, pertinent to testing landings. Edit: Additionally, NewGlenn will compete with Falcon9, not...

      That's a hot-take and a half. SpaceX are intentionally not putting ship in orbit for safety reasons, pertinent to testing landings.

      Edit: Additionally, NewGlenn will compete with Falcon9, not Starship. So SpaceX has Jeff beat by about 10 years.

      23 votes
    2. [3]
      Eji1700
      Link Parent
      I mean...i'm far from a Musk fan, but they did kinda catch the booster for the second time in a row, which is a massive fucking achievement. I haven't looked at what else the expected mission...

      I mean...i'm far from a Musk fan, but they did kinda catch the booster for the second time in a row, which is a massive fucking achievement.

      I haven't looked at what else the expected mission parameters were for that launch, but if the starship wasn't supposed to be reusable anyways, it wouldn't matter too much. If it was, well, that's part of why we test rockets.

      15 votes
      1. Bipolar
        Link Parent
        also they are two very different types of vehicles, both are impressive. as much as I dislike their owners.

        also they are two very different types of vehicles, both are impressive.

        as much as I dislike their owners.

        17 votes
      2. Raspcoffee
        Link Parent
        A lot of rocket launches still fail, so really it's not unexpected. Rocket science being used to describe something complicated is not without reason, it strains our finest engineering...

        A lot of rocket launches still fail, so really it's not unexpected. Rocket science being used to describe something complicated is not without reason, it strains our finest engineering achievements as the human race. SpaceX has had enough victories for this to be part of the course.

        It sucks of course, but this is part of the business. In fact, I would be impressed if this doesn't remain the norm at the end of this century. That would be a major achievement for humankind.

        8 votes
    3. Autoxidation
      Link Parent
      Not really comparable. New Glenn is heavy lift vehicle, similar to the Falcon heavy rocket which had its first flight in 2019 (when they launched the Roadster into space).

      Not really comparable. New Glenn is heavy lift vehicle, similar to the Falcon heavy rocket which had its first flight in 2019 (when they launched the Roadster into space).

      15 votes
    4. magico13
      Link Parent
      Don't forget that Blue Origin also attempted to land their booster at sea and lost it on reentry prior to even beginning the landing attempt. Combine the two launches and you've got a perfect...

      Don't forget that Blue Origin also attempted to land their booster at sea and lost it on reentry prior to even beginning the landing attempt. Combine the two launches and you've got a perfect launch! Test flight failures aren't uncommon, and Starship had significant changes for this flight. Both companies will analyze the data, make changes, and the next flights will be even more interesting as a result.

      8 votes