From: snidely.too@gmail.com   
      
   JF Mezei explained on 1/23/2021 :   
      
   > SN8 was tested to 12.5km and highly succesfull from launch right up   
   > until landing legs touch ground.   
   >   
   > I am curious on why SN9's test flight would be an indetical repeat   
   > instead of pushing the limits in the areas whene SN8 aced its test.   
      
   I've actually heard that a lower (10km) apogee will be used, and the   
   speculation is that it is to improve the chances of favorable winds   
   aloft [during this winter season].   
      
   From the Boca Chica dailies, it is clear that the beach gets additional   
   less-than-holiday weather at this time of year.   
      
   > Would it be correct to state that whether you drop from 12 or say 50km,   
   > you reach terminal velocity and you have the same vertical speed at the   
   > time you do the final manouver to turn ship and land?   
   >   
   > If SN8 aced the climb to 12.5, why now push SN9 to say 50km?   
      
   Because you've only tested the response under one set of weather   
   conditions?   
      
   > Say SN8 started with a tank that was 1/4 full and climbing to 50 would   
   > require a tank that is half full.  Would the longer burn duration and   
   > the portion of time where the tank is more than 1/4 full intreoduce   
   > significantly different conditions in terms of pressurizing the tanks   
   > and feeding fuel/O2 into the engines ?   
   >   
   > I am just trying to understand why SpaceX would be so hesitant in   
   > raising test flight altitude.   
   >   
   > I know they really want a succesfull landing ASAP because NASA is   
   > evaluating moon landing hardsware contracts in Febvriary. And getting   
   > SN9 do a succesful landing would give SpaceX a pretty big "we already   
   > have hardware that can land" stamp of approval.   But if testing to   
   > higher altitude changes nothing to the landing, why not make this   
   > "iterative design" coincide with iterative testing?   
      
   Falcon 9's landing track record counts for nothing?  And SN8 was   
   clearly capable of sticking the landing with just a little more header   
   pressure.  I don't think that will be ignored in February.   
      
   /dps   
      
   --   
   "First thing in the morning, before I have coffee, I read the obits, If   
   I'm not in it, I'll have breakfast." -- Carl Reiner, to CBS News in   
   2015.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)