Engineering:SpaceX Starship integrated flight test 2

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Short description: Second launch of SpaceX Starship
Starship's second integrated flight test
Starship-IFT2-ascent (cropped).jpg
Starship vehicle in flight during IFT-2
Mission typeFlight test
OperatorSpaceX
Mission duration~8 minutes, 06 seconds (achieved)
90 minutes (planned)
Orbits completed<1 (planned)
Not achieved
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftStarship S25, Super Heavy B9
Start of mission
Launch dateNovember 18, 2023, 13:02:50 (2023-11-18UTC13:02:50) UTC
RocketStarship
Launch siteStarbase
ContractorSpaceX
Orbital parameters
RegimeTransatmospheric Earth orbit (planned)
Apoapsis altitude250 km (160 mi) (planned)
149 km (93 mi) (reached)[1][2]
Inclination26.5°[1]
← IFT-1
IFT-3 →
 

On November 18, 2023, SpaceX performed the second integrated near-orbital flight of its Starship launch vehicle.[3] The mission's primary objectives were for the vehicle to hot stage, a new addition to Starship's flight profile, followed by the booster performing a boostback burn and performing a propulsive splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico. The Ship would then continue on to enter transatmospheric orbit, re-enter the atmosphere above the Pacific Ocean, and make a splashdown near Kauai.[4][5][6]

The vehicle successfully lifted off under the power of all 33 Raptor engines on the Super Heavy Booster and made it through stage separation. The booster was planned to land on the Gulf of Mexico, however for currently unconfirmed reasons the booster exploded during its boostback burn. The Starship second stage continued to accelerate for over 8 minutes, reaching an altitude of 149 km (93 mi)[1]. Towards the end of the second stage burn the Ship vented excess liquid oxygen, resulting in a fire and loss of the vehicle.[7]

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a statement confirming that an anomaly had occurred and that there were no reports of public property damage or injuries.[8] The FCC considered the launch as a failure and used this as a rationale for rejecting SpaceX Starlink as eligible for large US rural broadband internet subsidies.[9] Shortly after the launch, SpaceX made a statement on their website saying that "success comes from what we learn" from a "test like this".[10]

Background

Further information: SpaceX Starship First Integrated Flight Test § Aftermath

After the first test flight in April 2023, which ended in the destruction of the entire Starship vehicle,[11] significant work was done on the launch mount to repair the damage it sustained during the test and to prevent future issues.[12]

Meanwhile, following Starship's first flight failure, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) required SpaceX to conduct an investigation on the mishap, grounding Starship pending the outcome of their investigation.[13][14] The FAA closed the investigation on September 8, 2023.[15][16] The FWS concluded its environmental review on November 14,[17] and the FAA gave its approval for launch shortly after.[18][19]

Investigation prior to launch

FAA investigation

This section is an excerpt from SpaceX_Starship_first_integrated_flight_test#FAA investigation[ edit ]

FWS review

By September 2023, the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) had not yet started a formal review of SpaceX's modifications, and based on the 135 day review period, the launch could have been postponed to NET 2024.[20][21] The Federal Aviation Administration received the final biological assessment from the FWS.[citation needed] William H. Gerstenmaier, SpaceX's Vice President of Build and Flight Reliability, called on the FAA to increase licensing staff.[22][23] On October 19, 2023 the FWS surveyed the area around Starbase and the consultation with the FAA has been extended into November.[24][25] The FWS reviewed the changes to the launch pad, especially the water deluge system.[26] By October 31, 2023, the FAA had concluded the safety review portion of the launch license.[27][28]

Conclusion

The FAA closed the investigation on September 8, 2023.[15][16] The FWS concluded its environmental review on November 14,[17] and the FAA gave its approval for launch shortly after.[18][19]

Changes from the previous flight

After the first test flight in April 2023 ended in the destruction of the Starship vehicle,[11] significant work was done on the launch mount to repair the damage it sustained during the test and to prevent future issues.[12] The foundation of the launch tower was reinforced and a steel water deluge flame deflector was built under the launch mount.[12] Ship 25 was rolled to the suborbital launch site in May 2023 and underwent spin prime and static fire testing ahead of flight.[29] Once that was completed, Booster 9 was rolled to the launch site to undergo cryogenic proof testing, spin primes and static fires of its set of engines. By November 15, 2023 Ship 25 was stacked onto B9 for launch.[30]

On November 14, 2023, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) concluded its environmental review.[19] The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted the flight its launch license on November 15, 2023.[31]

Significant changes implemented by SpaceX compared to the previous flight include an expansion of the Super Heavy's fire suppression system in order to mitigate any potential engine bay fires.[32] SpaceX re-qualified their autonomous flight safety system,[32] which had malfunctioned during the first flight.[33]

Other changes unrelated to the previous flights include a hot stage separation system in which Starship's second-stage engines ignite while Starship is still attached to the booster, pushing the two apart.[32] SpaceX replaced the hydraulic systems of Super Heavy Raptor engines with thrust vector control driven by electric motors, citing fewer potential points of failure and more energy efficiency.[32]

The orbital launch mount and pad system was reinforced in a way that, according to SpaceX, should prevent a recurrence of the pad foundation failure observed during the first flight test.[32] SpaceX also added, and tested, a flame deflector for the launchpad.[32]

Flight profile

The spacecraft flight plan was to lift off from SpaceX's Starbase facility along the south Texas coast, then conduct a partial orbit around Earth.[34] The Super Heavy had a planned boostback burn followed by a soft water landing in the Gulf of Mexico, similarly to a Falcon 9 performing a return to launch site landing (RTLS).[35] The Starship spacecraft was then to re-enter the atmosphere and perform a water landing in the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii, without performing a landing burn.[35][34]

Mission timeline[36]
Time Event November 18
−02:00:00 SpaceX Flight Director conducts a poll and verifies go for propellant loading Success
−01:37:00 Super Heavy (booster) propellant load (liquid oxygen and liquid methane) underway Success
−01:17:00 Starship fuel loading (liquid methane) underway Success
−01:13:00 Starship oxidizer loading (liquid oxygen) underway Success
−00:19:40 Booster engine chill Success
−00:00:10 Flame deflector (water deluge system) activation Success
−00:00:03 Booster engine ignition Success
00:00:02 Liftoff Success
00:00:52 Max q (moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket) Success
00:02:39 Booster most engines cutoff (MECO) Success
00:02:41 Starship engine ignition and stage separation (hot-staging)[37] Success
00:02:53 Booster boostback burn startup 9/10 engines were initially relit with multiple engines failing shortly after
00:03:21 Booster flight termination Boostback burn failed due to progressive engine failures, followed by the destruction of the booster at T+3:21
00:08:05 Starship flight termination Explosion following intentional oxygen vent, followed by flight termination at T+8:05

Launch

On November 11, 2023, SpaceX announced that they were targeting a launch date of November 17, pending regulatory approval.[38] On November 14, the FWS concluded its environmental review, and the FAA gave its approval for launch. [19][31] On November 16, the flight was delayed one day,[39] due to a grid fin actuator needing to be replaced on B9.[40]

The first launch attempt of the second integrated flight test occurred on November 18 at 13:03 UTC (8:03 a.m. EST, 7:03 a.m. CST).[34] Booster 9 and Ship 25 lifted off the pad.[41] The rocket encountered maximum aerodynamic stress (Max q) with no anomalies reported.[37] Starship executed a successful separation, powering down all but three of Super Heavy’s Raptor engines and successfully igniting the six second stage Raptor engines before separating the vehicles.[37]

The debris from SpaceX Ship 25 re-entering the atmosphere after the explosion as seen on the National Weather Service's radar's correlation coefficient[42]

Following separation, the Super Heavy booster completed its flip maneuver and initiated the boostback burn, before exploding.[37][43][44] The vehicle breakup occurred more than three and a half minutes into the flight at an altitude of ~90 km over the Gulf of Mexico.[37] Starship's six second stage Raptor engines then all started and powered the vehicle to an altitude of 148 km, above common boundaries of space, and a velocity of ~24,000 km/h, becoming the first Starship to reach outer space and nearly completing its full-duration burn.[37][45]

Near the end of Starship second stage burn, after over eight minutes of flight, prior to engine cutoff, telemetry was lost on the second stage.[37] SpaceX said that a safe command destroyed the second stage[37] prior to achieving its planned orbit or attempting re-entry.[46] According to astronomer Jonathan McDowell, at his predicted re-entry point, NOAA weather radar picked up a debris cloud a few hundred miles north of the Virgin Islands.[42]

In January 2024, SpaceX said that because Starship carried no payload, they planned to vent excess liquid oxygen from the second stage near the end of the burn. The venting of that oxygen led to a fire and explosion. "Flight 2 actually almost made it to orbit ... If it had a payload, it would have made it to orbit because the reason that it actually didn’t quite make it to orbit was we vented the liquid oxygen."[7]

Aftermath

SpaceX and Cameron County reopened the road to the launch site a few hours after the launch. This was noted by CNN as a faster reopening than during the first flight attempt, when it remained closed for two days.[47] NASA administrator Bill Nelson congratulated the teams involved in the test flight, and retired Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield called it a "very successful 2nd test flight" in a post on X.[48] SpaceX considered the mission a success.[47]

Elon Musk later stated that the water deluge would not require any refurbishment for IFT-3.[49] According to SpaceX, the water-cooled flame deflector and other pad upgrades performed as expected, requiring minimal post-launch work to be ready for upcoming vehicle tests and the next integrated flight test.[37]

In December 2023 the FCC issued final denial of a $885M Starlink subsidy because all attempted Starship launches "have failed".[9]

A the time of the Bureau’s decision, Starship had not yet been launched. Indeed, even as of today [i.e. over a year later], Starship has not yet had a successful launch; all of its attempted launches have failed. Based on Starlink’s previous assertions about its plans to launch its second-generation satellites via Starship, and the information that was available at the time, the [Wireline Competition] Bureau necessarily considered Starlink’s continuing inability to successfully launch the Starship rocket when making predictive judgment about its ability to meet its RDOF obligations.[9]

Notes


See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named JSR
  2. ↑ SpaceX (18 November 2023). Starship's Second Flight Test (Twitter Broadcast). Starbase, TX.
  3. ↑ Wall, Mike (2023-11-16). "SpaceX's 2nd Starship launch on Nov. 18: How it will work" (in en). https://www.space.com/spacex-second-starship-launch-explainer. 
  4. ↑ Harwood, William (November 15, 2023). "With launch license in hand, SpaceX plans second test flight of Starship rocket Saturday". https://www.cbsnews.com/news/spacex-super-heavy-starship-launch-license-test-friday/. 
  5. ↑ Amos, Jonathan (November 18, 2023). "Elon Musk's Starship rocket to make second flight". https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c6pdg0j69d2o. 
  6. ↑ Roulette, Joey (November 15, 2023). "US FAA okays SpaceX license for second launch of Starship Super Heavy". https://www.reuters.com/technology/space/faa-approves-license-second-launch-spacex-starship-super-heavy-2023-11-15/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Foust, Jeff (13 January 2024). "SpaceX says propellant venting caused loss of second Starship". SpaceNews. https://spacenews.com/spacex-says-propellant-venting-caused-loss-of-second-starship/. 
  8. ↑ Federal Aviation Administration [@FAANews]. "FAA IFT-2 Anomaly Statement". https://twitter.com/FAANews/status/1725890315251228682.  Missing or empty |date= (help)
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 "FCC issues final denial of $885M Starlink subsidy" (in en). 2023-12-13. https://techcrunch.com/2023/12/12/fcc-issues-final-denial-of-885m-starlink-subsidy/. 
  10. ↑ "Starship Flight 2". https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-2. "With a test like this, success comes from what we learn, and this flight test will help us improve Starship’s reliability as SpaceX seeks to make life multiplanetary. Data review is ongoing as we look for improvements to make for the next flight." 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Foust, Jeff (April 20, 2023). "Starship lifts off on first integrated test flight, breaks apart minutes later". SpaceNews. https://spacenews.com/starship-lifts-off-on-first-integrated-test-flight-breaks-apart-minutes-later/. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Kolodny, Lora (2023-07-28). "SpaceX hasn't obtained environmental permits for 'flame deflector' system it's testing in Texas" (in en). https://www.cnbc.com/2023/07/28/spacex-is-testing-a-flame-deflector-for-starship-without-permits.html. 
  13. ↑ "FAA Letter to SpaceX". 2023-09-08. https://www.faa.gov/media/70901. 
  14. ↑ Kolodny, Lora (2023-04-24). "SpaceX Starship explosion spread particulate matter for miles" (in en). https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/24/spacex-starship-explosion-spread-particulate-matter-for-miles.html. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "FAA Closes SpaceX Starship Mishap Investigation". 2023-09-08. https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/faa-closes-spacex-starship-mishap-investigation. 
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Wattles, Kristin Fisher, Jackie (2023-09-08). "FAA won't issue license for SpaceX mega-rocket test launch until 'corrective actions' implemented" (in en). https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/08/world/faa-launch-license-starship-scn/index.html. 
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "faa.gov/media/72786". November 14, 2023. https://www.faa.gov/media/72786. 
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Roulette, Joey (2023-11-16). "US FAA okays SpaceX license for second launch of Starship Super Heavy" (in en). Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/technology/space/faa-approves-license-second-launch-spacex-starship-super-heavy-2023-11-15/. 
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 "faa.gov/media/72781". November 14, 2023. https://www.faa.gov/media/72781. 
  20. ↑ Dvorsky, George (September 19, 2023). "Environmental Scrutiny May Push SpaceX's Second Starship Launch to Next Year". Gizmodo. https://gizmodo.com/environmental-review-delay-spacex-starship-launch-1850853128. 
  21. ↑ Grush, Loren; Hull, Dana (September 18, 2023). "SpaceX's Starship Still Needs Wildlife Agency Review to Resume Launch". BNN Bloomberg. https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/spacex-s-starship-still-needs-wildlife-agency-review-to-resume-launch-1.1973066. 
  22. ↑ Robinson-Smith, Will (October 18, 2023). "SpaceX battles regulatory process that could hold up Starship test flight for months". Spaceflight Now. https://spaceflightnow.com/2023/10/18/spacex-battles-regulatory-process-that-could-hold-up-starship-test-flight-for-months/. 
  23. ↑ Berger, Eric (October 17, 2023). "Citing slow Starship reviews, SpaceX urges FAA to double licensing staff". Ars Technica. https://arstechnica.com/space/2023/10/citing-slow-starship-reviews-spacex-urges-faa-to-double-licensing-staff/. 
  24. ↑ LabPadre Space [@LabPadre] (October 19, 2023). "Fish and Wildlife Service is surveying the area around the Launch Site. Come tune in and watch live". https://twitter.com/LabPadre/status/1715052447737979039. 
  25. ↑ Davenport, Christian (October 17, 2023). "SpaceX to the FAA: The industry needs you to move faster". The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/10/17/spacex-congress-licenses-faa-starship/. 
  26. ↑ Dvorsky, George (October 27, 2023). "Review of SpaceX Starship's Water Deluge System Critical to Next Launch". https://gizmodo.com/spacex-starship-environmental-review-water-deluge-1850966405. 
  27. ↑ Davenport, Christian [@wapodavenport] (October 31, 2023). "FAA says it has completed the safety review ahead of the next SpaceX Starship launch but still waiting on an environmental review by Fish and Wildlife.". https://twitter.com/wapodavenport/status/1719398989156544582. 
  28. ↑ "FAA completes safety review of SpaceX Starship-Super Heavy license" (in en). Reuters. 2023-10-31. https://www.reuters.com/technology/faa-completes-safety-review-spacex-starship-super-heavy-license-2023-10-31/. 
  29. ↑ Romera, Alejandro Alcantarilla (2023-06-21). "Ship 25 begins engine testing as Starship launch pad work continues" (in en-US). https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2023/06/ship-25-engine-testing/. 
  30. ↑ Starship Receives License for Launch! | Countdown to Launch LIVE. Archived from the original on November 15, 2023. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 Roulette, Joey (2023-11-15). "US FAA okays SpaceX license for second launch of Starship Super Heavy" (in en). Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/technology/space/faa-approves-license-second-launch-spacex-starship-super-heavy-2023-11-15/. 
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 32.2 32.3 32.4 32.5 "SpaceX - Updates". September 8, 2023. https://www.spacex.com/updates/index.html. 
  33. ↑ O'Callaghan, Jonathan (2023-10-01). "Termination shock" (in en-US). https://aerospaceamerica.aiaa.org/features/termination-shock/. 
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 34.2 Wall, Mike (2023-11-15). "SpaceX gets license for 2nd launch of giant Starship rocket" (in en). https://www.space.com/spacex-faa-license-second-starship-launch. 
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 "SpaceX Starship IFT-2" (in en). http://www.spacex.com/. 
  36. ↑ "Starship's Second Flight Test - Flight Test Timeline". 2023-11-18. https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-2. 
  37. ↑ 37.0 37.1 37.2 37.3 37.4 37.5 37.6 37.7 37.8 "- SpaceX - Launches". 2023-11-21. https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-2. 
  38. ↑ SpaceX [@SpaceX] (November 11, 2023). "Starship preparing to launch as early as November 17, pending final regulatory approval → spacex.com/launches.". https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1723158118706839819. 
  39. ↑ @SpaceX (November 11, 2023). "Watch Starship's Second Flight Test" (in en). https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1723153469673283850. 
  40. ↑ Musk, Elon [@elonmusk]. "We need to replace a grid fin actuator, so launch is postponed to Saturday" (in en). https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1725231694645461403.  Missing or empty |date= (help)
  41. ↑ Harwood, William. "Super Heavy-Starship climbs high but falls short on second test flight – Spaceflight Now" (in en-US). https://spaceflightnow.com/2023/11/18/super-heavy-starship-climbs-high-but-falls-short-on-second-test-flight/. 
  42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 McDowell, Jonathan [@planet4589] (November 19, 2023). "Thanks to NOAA's Kenneth Howard for pointing me to this NOAA weather radar data showing a debris cloud exactly over my estimated Starship reentry point!". https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/1725917544114974995. 
  43. ↑ "SpaceX launches its giant new rocket but a pair of explosions ends the second test flight" (in en). 2023-11-18. https://apnews.com/article/spacex-starship-test-flight-launch-37c0893ddf605270b16a33ae64d69a85. 
  44. ↑ Skipper, Joe; Roulette, Joey (2023-11-18). "SpaceX Starship launch presumed failed minutes after reaching space" (in en). Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/technology/space/spacex-starship-launched-test-flight-texas-after-last-one-blew-up-2023-11-18/. 
  45. ↑ "SpaceX Starship megarocket launches on 2nd-ever test flight, explodes in 'rapid unscheduled disassembly' (video)" (in en). 2023-11-18. https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-second-test-flight-launch-explodes. 
  46. ↑ "SpaceX Starship megarocket launches on 2nd-ever test flight, explodes in 'rapid unscheduled disassembly' (video)" (in en). 2023-11-18. https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-second-test-flight-launch-explodes. 
  47. ↑ 47.0 47.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named CNN
  48. ↑ Wall, Mike (2023-11-18). "NASA chief congratulates SpaceX on Starship's explosive 2nd launch test" (in en). https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-second-test-launch-nasa-congratulations. 
  49. ↑ "SpaceX's epic Starship liftoff didn't damage launch pad, Elon Musk says" (in en). 2023-11-20. https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-launch-pad-good-condition. 



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