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SpaceX's Starship launching to orbit for first time ever today

304 points · 367 comments · geox

  1. Symmetry · · focus · HN ↗
    They seem to have reached near-orbit with one vacuum engine failing. Lets see if they decide to go all the way to orbit or if the failure causes an abort.
    1. motionlessveloc · · focus · HN ↗
      Abort confirmed :(

      Update: Or maybe not? They're reviewing the status now.

      Update 2: Go for orbit!

      Update 3: Orbital insertion complete!!

      Update 4: First Starlink satellites successfully deployed!

      1. billfor · · focus · HN ↗
        What was interesting is how short the single engine burn was to bring it from suborbital to orbital. It was just a few seconds. I'm not even sure I saw the altitude change.
        1. accrual · · focus · HN ↗
          I haven't watched the footage yet, but if they were already at apopasis (highest point in orbit), orbital insertion would primarily raise the periapsis (lowest point) on the other side of the planet, so very little altitude change would be seen. It would be mostly an increase in velocity.
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