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[20200318_124615 UTC Update: Booster recovery unsuccessful. I have seen no report, yet, on fairing recovery. Successful deployment of 60 Starlink satellites. Also, I apologize for the very late original posting of this story. --martyb]
SpaceX will make another attempt at launching Starlink satellites at 08:16 ET today.
Cf: SpaceX Attempts Fifth Launch of Same Falcon 9 Sun 2020-03-15 09:22 EDT - Aborted.
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SpaceX Re-Attempts Fifth Launch of Same Falcon 9 Wed 2020-03-18 08:16 EDT (12:16 UTC) [Updated]
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(Score: 2) by choose another one on Wednesday March 18 2020, @04:15PM (5 children)
Interesting that they had an abort due to engine data anomaly, and then when they launched today they had an engine cutout on ascent. Obviously they will be looking at if it was the same engine.
Still made orbit as they had another 8 engines (eat that, B52s), but I wonder if they burnt more fuel and that is what tossed the recovery, or if it was a very large anomaly with some unscheduled disassembly at altitude. Stage 1 feed went shortly after re entry burn finished, so they were still very high, wonder where Max-Q is on the way down?
(Score: 2) by esperto123 on Wednesday March 18 2020, @05:33PM (1 child)
during the reentry burn first stage did some weird moves when the engines started, I wonder if they had a failure there. After, before the landing burn, they lost the video link, I'm guessing that either the first stage broke up or control knew they would not be able to land and decided to cut the signal. Of course this is all speculation and something completely different might have happened.
(Score: 2) by ElizabethGreene on Wednesday March 18 2020, @08:04PM
They cut the video pretty quick but there definitely was an unusual yaw and roll in the last second before the cut.
They extended the main engine burn over the timeline, so I assume they shut down on engine on the way up. Combine that with the weird yaw at the deceleration burn and my guess is that one of the 3 relight capable engines failed.
With primary mission success, they'll learn something about recycling rockets, no injuries, and no damage to the landing craft it's still a win.
(Score: 1) by gmby on Wednesday March 18 2020, @06:00PM (1 child)
Take a look in the background on the booster side of the video feed. You'll see something going by. Or the booster going by it.
About 21:33 mark. In the Youtube like above.
Bye
(Score: 2) by choose another one on Wednesday March 18 2020, @06:28PM
Yeah, noticed that. Might possibly be a fairing half?
I don't think it's debris/ejecta from start of a stage 1 breakup. If it's not from the falcon though it looks way too close for comfort - I don't think it should be that close to anything else.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Wednesday March 18 2020, @07:41PM
This would only be the second time an engine cut out or failed on ascent. It could obviously be linked to reusing the same engine for a fifth launch.
I imagine that it might be worth it to catch the engine issue in static fire testing, unbolt it, and put a new one on, if it can prolong the life of the booster.
I believe that Raptor has specific changes to make it more reusable/reliable than Merlin, so that it could last up to 100 launches. We'll see.
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