Well folks, it's time for the first reflight of a SuperHeavy booster!
Third time's the charm for Starship version 2?
| Scheduled for (UTC) | 2025-05-27 23:30 | |
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| | Scheduled for (local) | 2025-05-27 18:30 (CDT) | | Launch Window (UTC) | 2025-05-27 23:30 to 2025-05-28 01:00 (90 minutes) | | Launch site | Pad A, SpaceX Starbase, TX, USA. | | Booster | B14-2 | | Ship | S35 | | Booster landing | Soft water landing in Gulf of Mexico | | Ship landing | Indian Ocean |
Webcasts
| Stream | Link | |
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| | Space Affairs | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOJKZYSOsGs | | Everyday Astronaut | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6tP0il4z64 | | Spaceflight Now | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okOzxHN9NOA | | NASASpaceflight | Stakeout stream, Launch stream | | LabPadre | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr7P1Lrom5A | | The Launch Pad | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxvw_fDSFc0 | | VideoFromSpace | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_z8ZjExrVI | | SpaceX | https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1927498623157198920 | | The Space Devs | https://www.youtube.com/@thespacedevs/videos |
Stats
Sourced from NextSpaceflight and r/SpaceX:
☑️ 1st reflight of a Super Heavy booster
☑️ 131 days and 53 minutes turnaround for this booster
☑️ 3rd launch of Starship version 2
☑️ 3rd Starship Full Stack launch this year, 9th overall
☑️ 3rd launch from Pad A this year, 9th overall
☑️ 82 day turnaround for this pad
☑️ 66th SpaceX launch this year, 515th overall
Mission Details 🚀
Flight 9 features the first reflight of a Super Heavy booster, Booster 14, which previously launched Flight 7. Of the 33 engines on the booster, 29 are flight-proven.
Unlike the previous four launches, Booster 14 will not attempt a catch at the launch tower and will be used to test several experiments, including controlling the booster flip direction, a more efficient high-angle-of-attack booster return, and engine-out capability during the final 3-engine landing burn.
SpaceX website (current, archive)
- Ship objectives include deployment of 8 Starlink simulators, an in-space Raptor relight, and testing of Ship ver2 heatshield and flap design on reentry.
- "Following stage separation, the booster will flip in a controlled direction before initiating its boostback burn. This will be achieved by blocking several of the vents on the vehicle’s hotstage adapter, causing the thrust from Starship’s engines to push the booster in a known direction. Previous booster flips went in a randomized direction based on a directional push from small differences in thrust from Starship’s upper stage engines at ignition." Diagram by Killip.
RIP B-14, the warm waters of the Indian Ocean were your fate. Make a good reef.
Hope so!
Though I believe that it was the Gulf of Mexico that received (large chunks of) B14.
Whereas the Indian Ocean has probably some small bits of S35 debris. (Unless it fully vapourised on re-entry? You've also got me wondering whether any of the materials merely melt, and then re-solidify as solid lumps, either in the lower atmosphere or after hitting the ocean.)
And while I'm being pedantic, @[email protected], the table above says "Soft water landing" for the booster, which isn't how I'd describe the plan they had for it.
You've given me new food for thought, thank you! Down the rabbit hole we goooo
LMK if you find anything interesting! My guess is that if there is any melting & re-solidifying going on, it will be nothing larger than a droplet.