Thread

1. Symmetry · 1790600339 · 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 · 1790600455 · 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 · 1790601366 · 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. codeulike · 1790605330 · focus · HN ↗

            I think the mission was deliberately designed to get to just-below-orbit, have a decision point, and then proceed to orbit. So thats why it was a short burn. Because just-below-orbit is safer if anything goes wrong, they had a little pause.

            edit: Also, Orbit is mostly a sideways speed thing rather than a height thing. The aim is to be "going sideways so fast that even though you are falling, you keep missing"

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