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. _moof · 1790624007 · focus · HN ↗

            Altitude doesn't change (much) at the point where an orbit raising maneuver is performed. It increases the altitude of the rest of the orbit, with the greatest change ~180 degrees later.

            If you'll excuse some poor ASCII art:

                                                   _______
                              ______              /       \
                             /      \            /         \
                burn here -> *    O |    result: |    O    |
              in elliptical  \______/            \         /
                orbit                             \_______/

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