With approval for another flight as early as next week, SpaceX has released a report on what happened on the last two flights, and what they’ve done to prevent a repeat of either.
With approval for another flight as early as next week, SpaceX has released a report on what happened on the last two flights, and what they’ve done to prevent a repeat of either.
Engine go bang! Well there’s always Raptor 3 with no flanges and even fewer bolts! Looks really neat and clean from what I have seen. Welds are definitely better than screwing around.
I remember my Dad being extremely skeptical when the new farm machinery started showing up with sealed bearings. Esp. the combine. After two years he was a true believer! 🙂
The conflict between welding and bolting is an old one. Bolting if you plan on frequent repairs, otherwise… I love sealed bearings, so long as QC is up to snuff. Greasing and replacing wheel bearings on cars and trucks is not among my favorite memories.
Nor removing the threshing cylinder on a combine due to shaft wear thanks to a failed bearing. (on yeah been there and done that). Most combines are axial flow now. You’d need a hoist to remove it.
Interesting reading. This report neither explicitly confirms nor explicitly denies Zack Golden’s pogo hypothesis but pogo is certainly known to be very rough on bolted rocket engine joints. Not sure Zack has a knockout for this round, but I’d certainly give it to him on points.
There have been some indications that B18 could be the first V3 Super Heavy with 35 Raptor 3s and an integral hot-stage ring. If so, then the plan is probably to get one or two launches out of each of B15, B16 and B17 with the second flights terminating in the drink as is apparently the plan for B14 on IFT-9.
The current Block 2 Starship units can, one hopes, serve to pioneer a few needed operational advances by simply torqueing certain Raptor 2/2.5 bolts to higher specs. But Raptor 3-powered Starships certainly need to be introduced ASAP, preferably before year’s end. Artemis awaits. Golden Dome awaits. Mars awaits.
Not to mention *I* await. 😉
We need to change the “Golden Dome” name because the city famous for golden domes is Moscow.
Since the system is supposed to protect Canada, too, and was originally called “Iron Dome”, I’m pushing for “Iron Igloo”, since igloos are a dome and that’s how those Canadians live up there.
Be fair. Not all of them. Just most of them.
I have heard mention that the new launch mount is not compatible with B12, B15-B17 Super Heavies. So by the end of the year, we’ll see an all-new stack – stage 0, stage 1, and stage 2.
Zack Golden did say that his analysis was largely based on flight 7, which was the harmonic resonance. So he was very close on his pogo speculation.
Then there is this piece of vomit inducing garbage from the usual suspects at the Guardian. Via NASAspaceflight.
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/may/23/elon-musk-new-city-starbase-texas
Leftism is mental illness.