From its recent failures, to what it means for space travel as a whole, and more!
Join me as we explore the Starship SN3 failure Reasons.
SN4 already under construction!
Without a doubt, one of the groups that are keeping the hope of getting back into space
alive is Elon Musk's SpaceX.
Not only are they trying to revolutionize how we get into space via reusable starships
and such, but they're also the ones who are pushing the hardest to try and get us to Mars.
But, to accomplish this goal, they have to put their starships through rigorous testing
that pushes everything to the brink, and sometimes beyond, and through that, they can know if
the starship will hold up, or if something needs to change.
SpaceX had been doing some recent tests in early April when something sadly went very
wrong.
SpaceX Starship SN3, the latest iteration of Starship test vehicles, was lost during
testing at the launch site in Boca Chica, Texas.
The incident occurred during proof testing one Friday morning.
However, Elon Musk has since clarified the issue was the result of incorrect commanding
resulting in the loss of pressure, as opposed to any material issue with the Starship build.
As a result, SN4 will not require alterations to its structure, with construction work on
the next Starship already taking place.
To be a little more specific, the team was doing the various testings of the craft when
they eventually went and did the much dreaded Cryogenics test.
This is where they put in liquid nitrogen into the craft to test how the craft would
hold up against freezing temperatures at certain pressures (mimicking the feeling of space
against the crafts interior and hull).
At first, everything seemed to be going fine.
There were some small glitches, including leaks in the valves at certain points, but
SpaceX determined it was ok to keep going.
As they were filing up the top parts of the SN3 with liquid nitrogen though, the whole
thing buckled and thus the entire craft was destroyed.
And if you look at the footage of the event, you'll notice that it broke down in rather
mind-boggling fashion.
However, SpaceX is confident that this wasn't a case of materials not holding up, but rather,
a command prompt going wrong in the test that caused the wrong parameters to go off and
thus scuttle the craft.
Elon Musk noted, “we will see what data review says in the morning, but this may have
been a test configuration mistake,” on Twitter and the first-look observations, the fault
may have been related to detanking or an out of spec pressurization status, rather than
another structural failure under pressure.
This was later confirmed in later tweets, with Musk adding specifics as to the cause
of the failure.
“There are redundant pressure control valves.
It’s a new system and SN3 was simply commanded wrong.
Rockets are hard.
Good news is that this was a test configuration error, rather than a design or build mistake.
Not enough pressure in the LOX tank ullage to maintain stability with a heavy load in
the CH4 tank.
This was done with N2.”
Not so ironically, this wasn't the first time that a SpaceX vehicle has failed in regards
to Cryogenics testing on a launch site.
But the difference though is that previous models failed due to the materials that were
put on the craft.
In this case, it was a command prompt that screwed everything up and not the materials,
and that's why the upcoming SN4 won't need to be upgraded in the materials or construction
sense.
Or at least, that's the belief right now, this could all change in an instant or with
the arrival of something new.
Before we continue to break down the SN3 incident, be sure to like or dislike the video, that
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As noted, SpaceX has been working on starship vehicles for a while now.
Not just that, they've been redesigning, improving, and testing like mad to try and make sure
everything works.
Even the SN3 is something that is the product of a lot of testing and iteration.
While it may be "Serial Number 3", there have been plenty of ships before this, including
the MK1 and the MK3.
Starship SN3 is the culmination of all of these test articles.
The vehicle was stacked in a new assembly building, beginning in mid-March.
The vehicle was rolled to the launch pad and lifted onto the launch mount on March 29.
Pending final preparations and checkouts at the pad.
The SN3 vehicle notably featured a new internally mounted, deployable leg design, which is visible
in photos shared by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.
Musk noted that the legs will be longer starting with Starship SN4.
SN3 does not have a nosecone, nor forward or aft fins.
The aerodynamic surfaces are likely unnecessary for the low altitude, low-speed test flights
planned for Starship SN3.
Following the completion of cryogenic pressure testing, the vehicle was to be prepared for
those test flights.
A single Raptor engine was originally planned to be installed on Starship SN3, although
it had since changed to using three Raptors that were to be installed the day after a
successful cryo test.
These Raptors will now be used on SN4.
Here's another thing that I'm sure some of you didn't expect.
While the destruction of the SN3 was rather catastrophic at points, Elon Musk has noted
that some of the parts on the SN3 survived, and thus will be put on the SN4.
As for what comes next, the SN4 construction was already underway, but now it's going to
be the focus of SpaceX instead of doing dual builds like they were doing with the SN3 and
SN4.
And because of the focus of it now, you can bet that SpaceX is going to be working doubly
hard to make sure that everything is 100% so that they can not only pass the Cryogenics
test (which is slowly becoming an Achilles Heel of sorts for them) but also will finally
be able to do a "hop" in terms of launching about 150 meters in the air like previous
models have been able to do.
One SN4 has already arrived at the launch site, the vehicle will undergo proof testing
and be fueled for a potential static fire, to allow SpaceX teams will monitor the vehicle’s
systems.
If the fueling tests are successful, the teams can then continue into a static fire test.
If any issues arise during fueling, the teams can take corrective action before another
fueling attempt.
Due to the iterative nature of the test campaign, schedule changes and delays are highly likely.
Only after a successful static fire test can Starship SN4 conduct a test flight, which
would be a major step forward for the program if they're able to pull it off.
SN4 was set for high altitude flights, likely seeing a more complete Starship vehicle, consisting
of a nosecone and aerodynamic fins, as well as multiple Raptor engines.
The high altitude flights would also include the first in-flight re-ignition of a Raptor
engine.
It is likely the path will be refined to involving SN4 with SN3’s test objectives of completing
a hop, before SN5 takes on the high altitude flight test.
SpaceX has a goal of an orbital test flight this year.
Musk recently noted that he hopes “Starship will have enough flight history to substitute
for Dragon for NASA missions,” including the Cargo and Crew Dragon V2 vehicles, and
the newly announced Dragon XL cargo spacecraft.
The Starship vehicle and associated Super Heavy booster will eventually play a critical
role in SpaceX’s overarching Mars colonization goals.
I'm sure some of you at this point are looking at all this testing, and the procedures, and
the many versions of the SN models that Elon Musk is making and are asking, "Is this really
necessary?"
The answer of course is "yes", not only is this necessary, it's vital.
Because even the smallest components can cause irreversible damage to a ship in space and
can potentially cost the lives of the crew.
Missions such as Apollo 13 and the Challenger explosion are great examples of that.
The damage done to those vessels was caused by very minor components that could've, and
did in the Challenge, cost them their lives.
There was also the Apollo 1 mission where a lack of understanding about pressure caused
a fire to break out in the shuttle as the astronauts were inside and they couldn't get
out.
So just on a human level, these tests are necessary.
But just as important, Elon Musk and SpaceX can't afford to have any of their starships
fail in space for any reasons short of an event he could not control like an asteroid
hitting them.
Why?
Because of the optics of it all.
You need to recall that not even two decades ago or so the space program as we knew it
was dead.
NASA was not getting much of funding, the desire to go into space was at an all time
low, and people just weren't interested in going to space because...what was the point?
Elon Musk came along and tried to inspire the world again by saying that we needed to
go back to the moon that we needed to start getting people to Mars and that he would help
lead the way.
So, in 2002, he made SpaceX and startede his long process to try and make better engines,
reusable starships, and get us to space once again.
And he's already had some success, including working with NASA to send certain craft to
the International Space Station.
"But why does this matter in the whole 'failure is not an option' thing?"
The answer to that lies in public perception.
When it comes to NASA, they've had their fair share of failures over the years, but we've
accepted them because of the uncertainty of space travel and construction and in the fact
that for every failure they've had, they've had a bunch of successes.
Including the big one via Apollo 11 that took us to the moon.
But with Elon Musk...he doesn't have that.
He's proven that his process of making these ships can work, and he's making incredible
progress that makes even NASA jealous, but he doesn't have the body of work to show that
his craft will take people to the moon, to Mars, and beyond.
Not to mention, Elon Musk doesn't exactly have the best reputation in the world.
He's very much known as an "eccentric", and will do just about whatever he wants because
he feels that he can, and then some.
Which is fine in a certain way because that is part of the reason SpaceX is so popular
and powerful.
He willed it into existence and it's farther than just about anyone right now in the race
to get to Mars.
But, should this all backfire, or if the first manned mission to space via a SpaceX craft
fail catastrophically, you could argue that they won't be able to recover from it.
And this was "just another failure" from Elon Musk.
But let's look at the bright side of this here.
While it may not seem it from a certain point of view, the failure of the SN3 and the final
modifications of the SN4 is actually a good thing.
Because they were fully expecting the SN3 to work because of the upgrades that they
did.
But for whatever true reason, command prompt or otherwise, it didn't work.
And now they know that there is a way a command can destroy the ship.
Thus, they're going to fix that.
As noted by Elon, "rockets are hard", and they are.
There are a thousand things that need to go right in order for a rocket to both launch
successfully into space, stay there, and then complete its mission.
These tests are designed to do check boxes that will get marked off when someone that
could go wrong, doesn't.
The more tests, the more iterations, and the more failures they get, the stronger the next
version becomes until eventually they have a craft that is so prepared for space that
it would take an external force, and not an internal one, to cause it to come down.
Which in regards to the Mars mission is arguably one of the most important things ever.
Because while the moon mission was hard back in 1969, this will be infinitely harder.
Not the least of which is because the distance to Mars is MUCH greater than the distance
from the Earth to the moon.
Not to mention, the first group of people will only have the ship to count on should
things get hairy, there's no way anyone can rescue them.
Thus, it's up to SpaceX to try and predict all the variables, to try and compensate for
everything that could go wrong so that when the Mars starship (whatever it may be named)
is launched, they don't have to worry about a tiny part going and messing everything up.
And should they succeed, should they get us to Mars and allow the first people to step
foot on the red planet, then they'll have known that all the delays, all the hardships,
all the test were worth it.
Plus, once they do it, people will really trust them, and one Elon Musk's biggest dreams
will have come true, and no one will be able to take that away from him.
Thanks for watching!
What did you think of this look at the failure of the SN3 and how that will affect the SN4
and beyond?
Do you think that SpaceX will make serious progress in terms of their rocket and starship
program this year?
Do you believe that they'll truly get us to Mars?
Let me know in the comments below, be sure to subscribe, and I'll see you next time on
the channel!