Largest most powerful rocket ever, round 2

[Legend]

Raptor V3 just achieved 350 bar chamber pressure (269 tons of thrust). Congrats to @SpaceX propulsion team!

Starship Super Heavy Booster has 33 Raptors, so total thrust of 8877 tons or 19.5 million pounds. pic.twitter.com/ZlskpCXUmu

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 13, 2023

Wow. First time raptor 3 has been talked about. 350 bar is crazy since before raptor ~300 bar was the record for non flight and ~260 was the record for flight.

[Legend]

Cool new views. Working towards next launch in ~2 months.

[Legend]

WOW! OLM Water Deluge System conducts its first full test! That was super impressive. No more rock tornados, I'd say!https://t.co/e3xbqPnwZ5 pic.twitter.com/jgviOwUX3U

— Chris Bergin - NSF (@NASASpaceflight) July 17, 2023

New method to keep the launch pad from getting damaged. This will be the first time water is used to shield a launch pad. Water at rocket launches is incredibly common but it's primarily used to dampen acoustic energy.

[SWORDF1SH]

How effective is this?

[Legend]

How effective is this?

We'll find out on the next launch. It's probably overkill at the moment, but they want to be launching at a rapid cadence.

[Legend]

Starship Super Heavy Booster 9 transported to the orbital launch pad at Starbase for testing ahead of flight pic.twitter.com/fF6U13thzs

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) July 20, 2023

Might get an august launch.

[SWORDF1SH]

What are the expectations this time?

[Legend]

What are the expectations this time?

For it to make it further before blowing up. My hopeful prediction is that it explodes on re-entry.

Non zero chance that it explodes on the pad and destroys a corner of Texas though  

[Legend]

Super Heavy Booster's 33 Raptor engines. Looking so clean! @NASAspaceflight pic.twitter.com/NNxdrTeTgS

— Jack Beyer (@thejackbeyer) July 21, 2023

A 33 engine rocket still looks so crazy. It's mind blowing that just 3 of these could launch a Falcon 9.

[Legend]

New test for longer and at full power.

Additional view of Starship flame deflector test pic.twitter.com/fOLVfAZVZ2

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) July 28, 2023

New water deluge system to protect against the immense heat & force of Starship launch pic.twitter.com/JMnBIH8UTM

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 28, 2023

I didn't expect the center to have so much outward force. I would have thought the rocket exhaust would make that happen anyway. I guess this would help stop violent vortices from forming.

[Legend]

Drone view of Booster 9 static fire test pic.twitter.com/ARv6H6njgu

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 6, 2023

Lots of steam but no visible damage, nice!

4 engines shut down early though. Don't know if the issues are engine side or ship side, but it's interesting that they're still having some trouble with this. Wonder if they just need to get flying regularly so they can work out the kinks.

[Legend]

Rocket went back to the hanger to receive its hotstaging ring and was prepped for flight. It's now back on the launchpad.

Super Heavy Booster 9 transported back to the orbital launch pad at Starbase for additional preflight testing pic.twitter.com/C30Gh5i9Cb

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 23, 2023

Some people believe the launch will be in 9 days but September seems more likely.

[Legend]

Looks so clean nowadays with all the water. Hopefully that'll still apply for a full launch.

[Legend]

Starship is ready to launch, awaiting FAA license approval https://t.co/WjENkdudo9

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 6, 2023

[SWORDF1SH]

How long now?