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Starship Flight 7

(www.spacex.com)
649 points chinathrow | 5 comments | 16 Jan 25 21:25 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
1. walrus01 ◴[16 Jan 25 23:24 UTC] No.42732236[source]▶
That's for sure not stage separation, that's an explosion from the FTS rupturing the ship tanks.
replies(2): >>42732272 #>>42732587 #
2. pixl97 ◴[16 Jan 25 23:28 UTC] No.42732272[source]▶
Eh I'm thinking more it was a reentry explosion from pressurized tanks. Engines had failed a while before then.
replies(1): >>42732363 #
3. s1artibartfast ◴[16 Jan 25 23:39 UTC] No.42732363[source]▶
This is over the Bahamas. Re-entry was much further east, near Turks and Caicos Islands.

Also, if a pressurized tank is reentering, that means the FTS failed to detonate.

4. ericcumbee ◴[17 Jan 25 00:09 UTC] No.42732587[source]▶
If it was the FTS wouldn't the flight control systems send a message back to the ground saying "things are going sideways here, FTS Activated"
replies(1): >>42733353 #
5. anothertroll456 ◴[17 Jan 25 02:15 UTC] No.42733353[source]▶
Maybe it did, or is it public that it didn't? A possible sequence (very typical in rocket failures) is: fire, engine failure(s), loss of control, rupture due to aero forces or FTS activation, explosion due to propellant mixture. Not all of these have to happen, but it's a typical progression. Before the days of AFTS the FTS activation would be pretty delayed.