From: snidely.too@gmail.com   
      
   Remember when JF Mezei bragged outrageously?  That was Sunday:   
   > On 2022-12-17 21:47, Snidely wrote:   
   >   
   >> Restarts are tested, at SpaceX's McGregor site.   
   >   
   > And that didn't prevent engine problesm for re-ignition during actual   
   > flights since the problems were more of a system integration between   
   > tanks and engines.   
      
   And now they have the data from those flights, and IIRC the re-ignition   
   problems were on SN8 and SN9, with SN10 and SN15 not having issues.   
   SN11 was probably Raptor 1 issues, since 2 engines were not at full   
   performance on the way up.   
      
   Also, there is some evidence that one or more headers tanks were filled   
   for SN24's latest static fire.   
      
   But keep those worry beads handy.   
      
   >> With the water landings, they will have a chance to assess the   
   >> performance of the landing guidance, although they already have some   
   >> information from the belly-flop tests.  Plus all the experience with   
   >> the F9 landings.   
   >   
   > F9 experience will be of help to the "static" booster that always comes   
   > back empty and uses the similar "grid fins" for guidance and staying   
   > upright.  On the other hand, I have to wonder if they will have enough   
   > data on G-force at time of landing which is something that would matter   
   > when doinging on the "chopsticks" and which would be measured if it had   
   > landing legs landing on hard surface.   
   >   
   > But for Starship itself, the couple fo tests flights they had so far   
   > resulted in them moving weight to the nose (the landing tanks), but what   
   > happens when they start to fit the rocket with real payloads that are   
   > returned (humans etc) ? The variability in how Starship will return will   
   > change a lot in how the falling upject turns to vertical at last second   
   > to land.   
      
   They already have some evidence as to how good their models worked.   
   (All 5 flown starships have belly flopped just fine, turned upright   
   just fine.)  Elon has said the forward flaps are too big.   
      
   Turning upright is a relatively small part of the accuracy issue.   
   Getting the braking force right is crucial, of course, but remember   
   that Raptors have deeper throttling than Merlins, and Starship has some   
   slight ability to hover, unlike a Falcon 9 which has a hot slam   
   landing.   
      
   /dps   
      
      
   --   
    Maybe C282Y is simply one of the hangers-on, a groupie following a   
   future guitar god of the human genome: an allele with undiscovered   
   virtuosity, currently soloing in obscurity in Mom's garage.   
     Bradley Wertheim,  theAtlantic.com, Jan 10 2013   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)