https://x.com/Truthful_ast/status/1898155564670103896

Starship engine bay camera showing a missing vacuum Raptor engine

https://x.com/halcyonhypnotic/status/1898251889239617821

Now, I don’t know the validity of this message, it’s sent by the same guy who leaked the s34 aft section after the explosion picture, take it as you will.

First-hand: Starship S34 crash details.

Yesterday's post in the channel about the preliminary causes of the Flight 8 crash is confirmed for now. What else we managed to find out:

• Data indicates that the problem like on S33 during Flight 7 has repeated.
• Again, harmonic oscillations in the distribution of vacuum-insulated fuel lines for RVac (one of the innovations of V2 and the distribution for S34).
• This crash was more destructive than during Flight 7, the corrections to the distribution for S34 did not work or turned out to be almost worse.
• Another source leaked a frame from the engine bay after the TPA and RVac nozzle rupture, and one central Raptor engine.
• Problems with the rupture of methane lines in the oxygen tank only appear as the tank empties.
• When filled, liquid oxygen dampens the oscillations of the distributed lines, when the tank is empty, they increase.
• Harmonics cause a break in the lines in the lower part, where the main wiring for the RVac is located.
• Leaks also caused the engines and regenerative cooling to malfunction, which led to the explosion during the fire in the compartment.
• The updated nitrogen suppression and compartment purge system would not have been able to cope with such a volume of leakage.

The information below may change, but for now:

• Hot separation also aggravates the situation in the compartment.
• Not related to the flames from the Super Heavy during the booster turn.
• This is a fundamental miscalculation in the design of the Starship V2 and the engine section.
• The fuel lines, wiring for the engines and the power unit will be urgently redone.
• The fate of S35 and S36 is still unclear. Either revision or scrap.
• For the next ships, some processes may be paused in production until a decision on the design is made.
• The team was rushed with fixes for S34, hence the nervous start. There was no need to rush.
• The fixes will take much longer than 4-6 weeks.
• Comprehensive ground testing with long-term fire tests is needed.

At one briefing about the upcoming Falcon 9 launch of NASA’s SPHEREx astronomy spacecraft and PUNCH space science mission, Julianna Scheiman, director of NASA science missions at SpaceX, said a fire broke out about 48 seconds after what appeared to be a normal landing of the booster.

“That fire eventually resulted in the deterioration of the structural integrity of the landing leg in that booster and toppled over,” she said.

Scheiman said both SpaceX and NASA’s Launch Services Program (LSP) reviewed data from the incident. “There’s no concern or risk to ascent.

| Scheduled for (UTC) | ~~2025-03-09, 03:10~~ TBD | |

|

| | Scheduled for (local) | ~~2025-03-08, 19:10 (PST)~~ TBD | | Launch site | SLC-4E, Vandenberg SFB, California, USA | | Booster | B1083-9 | | Landing | Landing Zone 4 | | Payloads | SPHEREx & PUNCH | | Customer(s) | NASA | | Target orbit | Sun-Synchronous Orbit |

Webcasts

| Stream | Link | |

|

| | NASA | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkTcmQJdGKg | Space Affairs | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91pxGHJ4MgM | Spaceflight Now | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b88ru3jQy-4 | NASASpaceflight | | The Launch Pad | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gU_8opN1FBo | SpaceX | | The Space Devs |

Stats

Sourced from NextSpaceflight and r/SpaceX:

☑️ 8th launch from SLC-4E this year

☑️ 14 days, 1:31:40 turnaround for this pad

☑️ 24th landing on LZ-4

☑️ 420th Falcon booster landing, 433rd Falcon recovery attempt

☑️ 27th Falcon 9 mission this year, 445th overall

☑️ 27th SpaceX mission this year, 461st overall (excluding Starship flights)

☑️ 29th SpaceX launch this year, 478th overall (including Starship flights)

Mission info

• SpaceX mission page
• NextSpaceflight mission page

The Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer mission will provide the first all-sky spectral survey. Over a two-year planned mission, the SPHEREx Observatory will collect data on more than 300 million galaxies along with more than 100 million stars in the Milky Way in order to explore the origins of the universe.

PUNCH is a NASA Small Explorer (SMEX) mission to better understand how the mass and energy of the Sun’s corona become the solar wind that fills the solar system. Four suitcase-sized satellites will work together to produce images of the entire inner solar system around the clock.

Well folks, it's time for the second launch of Starship version 2, as well as another booster RTLS and chopsticks catch attempt! Let's hope the ship fares better this time!

This follows a launch attempt earlier this week which was scrubbed due after a prolonged hold in the countdown while the teams worked multiple issues on the booster, ship, and GSE.

| Scheduled for (UTC) | 2025-03-06 23:30 | |

|

| | Scheduled for (local) | 2025-03-03 17:30 (CDT) | | Launch Window (UTC) | 2025-03-03 23:30 to 2025-03-04 00:30 (60 minutes) | | Launch site | Pad A, SpaceX Starbase, TX, USA. | | Booster | B15 | | Ship | S34 | | Booster landing | Chopsticks catch at Pad A or soft water landing in Gulf of Mexico | | Ship landing | Indian Ocean |

Webcasts

| Stream | Link | |

|

| | Space Affairs | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQG053ogu20 | | Everyday Astronaut | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edUNsegCqQs | | Spaceflight Now | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUnbnm7OKCw | | NASASpaceflight | Stakeout stream, Launch stream | | LabPadre | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yng6SV8yO0Y | | The Launch Pad | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rY9T2iLtfY | | VideoFromSpace | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32Z1ZUxxObs | | SpaceX | https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1897438948458189156 | | The Space Devs | |

Stats

Sourced from NextSpaceflight and r/SpaceX:

☑️ 2nd launch of Starship version 2

☑️ 2nd Starship Full Stack launch this year, 8th overall

☑️ 2nd launch from Pad A this year, 8th overall

☑️ 49 days, 0:53:00 turnaround for this pad

☑️ 28th SpaceX launch this year, 478th overall

Mission Details 🚀

• SpaceX website (current). Highlights:

• "flight will fly the same suborbital trajectory as previous missions and will target objectives not reached on the previous test"

• "Starship will deploy four Starlink simulators, similar in size to next-generation Starlink satellites"

• Another in-space raptor relight is planned

• "A significant number of tiles have been removed from Starship to stress-test vulnerable areas across the vehicle."

• "Multiple metallic tile options, including one with active cooling, will test alternative materials for protecting Starship during reentry."

• "non-structural versions of Starship’s catch fittings are installed to test the fittings’ thermal performance"

• "flight also includes the launch, return, and catch of the Super Heavy booster"

Link to Starship Dev thread

Just Read The Instructions has pulled into Port Canaveral, carrying the remains of B1086.

Source: Gav Cornwell / NSF: https://bsky.app/profile/space-offshore.com/post/3ljnokgpgvk2s

Rough Bahamas Cruise for Falcon 9...

Well folks, it's time for the second launch of Starship version 2, as well as another booster RTLS and chopsticks catch attempt! Let's hope the ship fares better this time!

| Scheduled for (UTC) | 2025-03-03 23:45 | |

|

| | Scheduled for (local) | 2025-03-03 17:45 (CDT) | | Launch Window (UTC) | 2025-03-03 23:30 to 2025-03-04 00:30 (60 minutes) | | Launch site | Pad A, SpaceX Starbase, TX, USA. | | Booster | B15 | | Ship | S34 | | Booster landing | Chopsticks catch at Pad A or soft water landing in Gulf of Mexico | | Ship landing | Indian Ocean |

Webcasts

| Stream | Link | |

|

| | Space Affairs | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTpZ9y4ZGiM | | Everyday Astronaut | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_4gAtrfi6w | | Spaceflight Now | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nw8Y4HU0du4 | | NASASpaceflight | Stakeout stream, Launch stream | | LabPadre | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2Fq4AJXoXk | | The Launch Pad | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFpYVZfEzcI | | VideoFromSpace | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dsTSWQ2MEA | | SpaceX | https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1896292787600908747 | | The Space Devs | |

Stats

Sourced from NextSpaceflight and r/SpaceX:

☑️ 2nd launch of Starship version 2

☑️ 2nd Starship Full Stack launch this year, 8th overall

☑️ 2nd launch from Pad A this year, 8th overall

☑️ 46 days, 0:53:00 turnaround for this pad

☑️ 28th SpaceX launch this year, 478th overall

Mission Details 🚀

• SpaceX website (current). Highlights:

• "flight will fly the same suborbital trajectory as previous missions and will target objectives not reached on the previous test"

• "Starship will deploy four Starlink simulators, similar in size to next-generation Starlink satellites"

• Another in-space raptor relight is planned

• "A significant number of tiles have been removed from Starship to stress-test vulnerable areas across the vehicle."

• "Multiple metallic tile options, including one with active cooling, will test alternative materials for protecting Starship during reentry."

• "non-structural versions of Starship’s catch fittings are installed to test the fittings’ thermal performance"

• "flight also includes the launch, return, and catch of the Super Heavy booster"

Link to Starship Dev thread

Starlink Group 12-20 launch out of SLC-40 in Florida is currently scheduled for 2025-03-03 02:24 UTC, or 2025-03-02 21:24 local time (EST). Booster B1086-5 to land on Just Read the Instructions.

• SpaceX mission page
• NextSpaceflight page

Webcasts:

• Space Affairs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9j1MdlaRl0
• Spaceflight Now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=599SVL_-Sv8
• NASASpaceflight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWLExMk0CMI (Combined with S34 stack)
• The Launch Pad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqMXm4UgBf0
• SpaceX: https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1896384890553188819
• The Space Devs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcYHlmgZrMI

| Scheduled for (UTC) | 2025-02-28, 00:16 | |

|

| | Scheduled for (local) | 2025-02-27, 19:16 (EST) | | Launch site | LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, USA | | Booster | B1083-9 | | Landing | A Shortfall of Gravitas | | Payloads | Nova-C IM-2, CHIMERA GEO 1, Odin, Lunar Trailblazer (SIMPLEx 5) | | Customer(s) | Intuitive Machines / NASA | | Target orbit | Trans Lunar Injection |

Webcasts

| Stream | Link | |

|

| | NASA | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lx8qzcomV5A | Space Affairs | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLkWulEOl_Y | Spaceflight Now | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OapwBAVQI4 | NASASpaceflight | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gi0cLW7J6Ic | The Launch Pad | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRmsuvkvlpg | SpaceX | https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1894892860270354876 | The Space Devs | https://www.youtube.com/@thespacedevs/videos

Stats

Sourced from NextSpaceflight and r/SpaceX:

☑️ 6th launch from LC-39A this year

☑️ 22 days, 1:04:00 turnaround for this pad

☑️ 100th landing on ASOG

☑️ 416th Falcon booster landing, 430th Falcon recovery attempt

☑️ 24th Falcon 9 mission this year, 442nd overall

☑️ 24th SpaceX mission this year, 458th overall (excluding Starship flights)

☑️ 25th SpaceX launch this year, 474th overall (including Starship flights)

Mission info

• SpaceX mission page
• NextSpaceflight mission page

Starlink Group 12-13 launch out of SLC-40 in Florida is currently scheduled for 2025-02-27 03:34 UTC, or 2025-02-26 22:34 local time (EST). The brand new booster, presumably B1091, to land on Just Read the Instructions.

• SpaceX mission page
• NextSpaceflight page

Webcasts:

• Space Affairs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k61k5btIK-Q
• Spaceflight Now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaFv3aDbNhk
• NASASpaceflight: None (placeholder) (scrub)
• The Launch Pad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHtG9A-2eQ8
• SpaceX: https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1894952707170894189
• The Space Devs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaJSda2pRRk

Starlink Group 15-1 launch out of SLC-4E in California currently scheduled for 2025-02-22 23:43 UTC, or 2025-02-22 15:43 local time (PST). B1082-11 to land on Of Course I Still Love You.

• NextSpaceflight page
• SpaceX mission page

Webcasts:

• Space Affairs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAuCnc1WrPI
• Spaceflight Now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53kSgWK7lK4
• NASASpaceflight: None
• The Launch Pad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pFmEbNj_BM
• SpaceX: https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1893474170706542732
• The Space Devs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiAqKID71d0

NASA announced Feb. 21 it awarded a task order through the NASA Launch Services II contract for the launch of the Near Earth Orbit (NEO) Surveyor spacecraft on a Falcon 9. That task order is valued at approximately $100 million, the agency stated.

NEO Surveyor will launch on a Falcon 9 from Florida as soon as September 2027. It will operate from the Earth-sun L-1 Lagrange point, 1.5 million kilometers from Earth in the direction of the sun.

The spacecraft will feature a telescope 50 centimeters in diameter equipped with infrared detectors. That instrument will allow NEO Surveyor to detect near Earth objects and determine both their orbits and their sizes. The mission has a goal of detecting two-thirds of the NEOs at least 140 meters across in five years, and a congressionally mandated goal of 90% of such objects in 10 to 12 years.

The launch contract came just after the $1.2 billion mission passed its critical design review Feb. 6. That allows NEO Surveyor to move into the next phases of assembly and testing. Part of the spacecraft, called the instrument enclosure, is undergoing environmental testing at the Johnson Space Center. Later this spring, that and other sections of the spacecraft will go to the Space Dynamics Lab in Utah to integrate other components and perform more testing.