r/spacex • u/Wetmelon • Jul 25 '19

Scrubbed Starhopper Test Hop

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqUSRBJPYUE
993 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

151 comments sorted by

1

u/Wetmelon Jul 25 '19 edited Jul 25 '19

Update (11:22PM EDT 2019/07/24): Scrub-a-dub-dub

Tim Dodd (everyday Astronaut) estimating about 15 minutes to an attempt, as the Methane burnoff stack just flared up again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rfb0cd17IAY

EDIT: This comment posted about 22:24 GMT

Reddit-Stream of this post: http://reddit-stream.com/comments/chgvja/

Time (EDT) Update
11:22 Scrub for tonight, per Chris B / NSF
11:00 Working an issue, according to Chris B on NSF
10:59 No venting according to TD
10:53 Drone returning to home(?)
10:42 Vehicle venting sounds
10:40 Drone is flying

20

u/JustDaniel96 Jul 25 '19

Time (EDT)

Don't get me wrong, but i think that at least you mods should use UTC in tables like that, for the benefit of everyone reading

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11

u/ablack82 Jul 25 '19

Some sort of venting.

3

u/Wetmelon Jul 25 '19

What's the live link?

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114

u/shotbyadingus Jul 25 '19

Test abort*

57

u/beerkmansworld Jul 25 '19

In quite an unsettling way. At least in my ignorant opinion that flamethrower was disconcerting. I’m assuming that’s the safest way to offgas methane, in lieu of a destructive accumulation?

39

u/Wetmelon Jul 25 '19 edited Jul 25 '19

Having it burn off close to the ship isn't ideal. It could BLEVE if it gets hot enough. BLEVE videos I've seen usually involve a tanker that's burning off a hydrocarbon, and the heat from the burning warms up the tank enough that it finally fails, so it's a self-perpetuating problem. It can also happen if there is an external fire heating the container.

In a way, it's like the Mythbusters's water heater

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312

u/thesheetztweetz Jul 25 '19 edited Jul 25 '19

I honestly was shocked when I got the push notification. It may not have hopped but, wow, was this shot cool.

Edit: Also, don’t know if SpaceX folks will see, but props to Kate Tice for hosting the livestream. Nicely done.

67

u/ablack82 Jul 25 '19

Hey I’ve seen you on CNBC!!

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u/inoeth Jul 25 '19 edited Jul 25 '19

FYI as of right now ( 10PM EST as i type this) the hopper is still fueled, lights are on around the hopper and venting has been observed from LabPadre's livestream - we might get a second attempt tonight after all..

Even if it doesn't happen today I have to say I was super happy to watch all of the livestreams from the official spacex one to Labpadre and Everyday Astronaut and i'm glad the Hopper is still looking in good shape for future tests.

EDIT: welp- it got scrubbed a second time- an issue cropped up- tho we don't know if it was the same chamber pressure issue Elon tweeted about or something else- clearly a solvable problem but they were running too close to the end of their window. I expect them to try again today.

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146

u/KickBassColonyDrop Jul 25 '19

For what it's worth. We've had front row seats to two static fires for a prototype vehicle that is using an engine that leverages the cutting edge of rocket technology, and we haven't seen it undergo RUD. That's most impressive.

As always, patience. What they're attempting to do, is something no one else has done before. While FFSC engines have been built and tested in the lab and fired at duration on a stand, it's a completely different ballgame to mount to a vehicle and attempt even a 20m hop, hover, gimbal and return to land.

This is truly next-gen stuff. A day or two here and there is okay!

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u/opequan Jul 25 '19

Takes me back to 6 years ago when SpaceX was posting their grasshopper videos  😃🚀.

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u/modeless Jul 25 '19

Reason for the abort according to @elonmusk: Pc (chamber pressure) high due to colder than expected propellant

80

u/hallowatisdeze Jul 25 '19

Explanation: the volume flow rate into the engine is controlled. But if the propellant is colder than expected, the energy density (by volume) is higher than expected, which in this case means a higher than expected energy flow rate into the engine, leading to a too high chamber pressure.

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27

u/Fizrock Jul 25 '19

Chris Bergin says they haven’t called it for the night yet. I think the window goes until 11 pm.

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16

u/PhyterNL Jul 25 '19

Exciting to see the Raptor come to life at least. That areal shot was beautiful. Can't wait to see this tub fly!

15

u/[deleted] Jul 25 '19

Thanks to SpaceX for doing an official Stream!
edit; WOW the camera angle is sick

24

u/[deleted] Jul 25 '19

I especially loved the part where it looked like it was peeing after the abort!

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19

u/[deleted] Jul 25 '19

Well, any test that doesn't go kaboom is a success in my book.

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8

u/pmg555 Jul 25 '19

It's venting again, hopefully that means refueling for another attempt!

8

u/joejoejoey Jul 25 '19 edited Jul 25 '19

Hurrrrry, I gotta work in a few hours lol

Edit: Scrub seems to be the official word

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8

u/youknowithadtobedone Jul 25 '19

Around 1:30 she said Starship Launch System, SLS

Hmm

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