Topic: Interesting stuff about SpaceX Starship (hate the name)

[Nemesis]

The FAA is once again delaying Starship launches. So instead of this month it will be November at the earliest.

I'm seeing claims of it launching this Sunday.  No details yet.

[Nemesis]

Booster CAUGHT.  Starship achieved it planned orbit.

More detail to come as the flight is still in progress.

Some but less burn through on the flaps.  Still a good ocean landing.

IFT 6 i now scheduled for December.

Some of the outer ring of engine bells seem to have damage and distortion from the heat/force of coming down from 96 km altitude tail first (hot enough to see them glow). 

The booster was sat back down the launch platform and locked in place, the quick disconnect arm was able to reconnect (possibly to drain/recover the left over methane). 

I expect this booster to be dissected to find every iota of damage that would need to be prevented in later models for rapid reuse and also of course the damage that can't be avoided but which will need to be repaired after each flight.

[Nemesis]

The orbital launch mount is already repaired enough that booster 13 has used it for a static fire test.

A raptor was tested for rapid ignition and shut down.  It ran 34 ignitions and shutdowns within 9 minutes.