SpaceX Starship SN10 Flight Test Aborted; 2nd Attempt Later Today [VIDEO]

CleanShot 2021 03 03 at 12 14 23

SpaceX was ready to launch its Starship SN10 flight test on Wednesday, but after igniting its Raptor engines briefly, the test was aborted at the last second before liftoff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDEgFsefrGw

No word if the day is over for SpaceX and this SN10 flight test in Boca Chica, Texas, but we are awaiting updates. They are are “evaluating next attempt opportunity,” says the notice on the SpaceX live video.

SN10 will perform a propellant transition to the internal header tanks, which hold landing propellant, before reorienting itself for reentry and a controlled aerodynamic descent.

According to SpaceX, the SN10 Starship test will include the following:

The Starship prototype will descend under active aerodynamic control, accomplished by independent movement of two forward and two aft flaps on the vehicle. All four flaps are actuated by an onboard flight computer to control Starship’s attitude during flight and enable precise landing at the intended location. SN10’s Raptor engines will then reignite as the vehicle attempts a landing flip maneuver immediately before touching down on the landing pad adjacent to the launch mount.

A controlled aerodynamic descent with body flaps and vertical landing capability, combined with in-space refilling, are critical to landing Starship at destinations across the solar system where prepared surfaces or runways do not exist, and returning to Earth. This capability will enable a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry both crew and cargo on long-duration, interplanetary flights and help humanity return to the Moon, and travel to Mars and beyond.

Previous SN8 and SN9 Starship tests successfully lifted off, but failed landing attempts. Let’s see what happens with SN10 and what other data SpaceX will gather, if and when the flight is able to take off.

Update: SpaceX says they can try another launch in two hours time, today. That would make the launch at roughly 2:33 PM PST/5:33 PM EST, or so. Stay tuned!

Here’s what Elon Musk had to say on the abort:

…developing, refresh for updates