SpaceX "Starhopper" test flight

**trainfanM** · #1 08-28-2019, 05:17 AM

SpaceX completed a test flight of its "Starhopper" prototype rocket Tuesday evening in Boca Chica, Texas, which lifted off to about 500ft, moved sideways, and made a bullseye landing on a nearby pad -- all powered by a single Raptor engine.

Elon Musk, SpaceX CEO, should next give an update presentation on his Moon and Mars-bound "Starship" rocket (the BFR) sometime in the middle of September.

Teslarati article (with video)
"Watch SpaceX’s Starhopper hover 500ft above the ground in final test flight"
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-sta...ht-second-try/

Cheers!

-- TFM

**SCEtoAUX** · #2 08-28-2019, 05:48 AM

I was watching the live feed on Monday when the launch got aborted with less than a second on the countdown. Did not see the live launch Tuesday but did see the video. Nice flight for a water tower/grain silo.

**JohnGay** · #3 08-28-2019, 06:23 AM

I recently watched the movie where David Bowie plays Elon Musk.
Rip Torn co-starred in the same movie.
It made almost no sense and was extremely confusing. But it also had a brief appearance by Jim Lovell playing himself.

**FRD** · #4 08-28-2019, 06:32 AM

lol@SCEtoAUX's, "water tower/grain silo" (it is an uncanny resemblance)...

**Paper Kosmonaut** · #5 08-28-2019, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FRD

lol@SCEtoAUX's, "water tower/grain silo" (it is an uncanny resemblance)...

The test models (also the large Starship prptptypes that are being assembled at the moment) are actually made by a company that normally builds water towers.

**Ponytail** · #6 08-28-2019, 02:34 PM

And now waiting for a paper model.... ;-)

**trainfanM** · #7 08-28-2019, 06:23 PM

Zach's PaperSat Designs has a free Starhopper model for download, but the "real thing" has been without its top because a storm blew it off months ago.

The model is #14 right now on this page:
Other models

Thank you Zach!

**airdave** · #8 08-28-2019, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnGay

I recently watched the movie where David Bowie plays Elon Musk.
Rip Torn co-starred in the same movie.
It made almost no sense and was extremely confusing. But it also had a brief appearance by Jim Lovell playing himself.

Maybe the TV series (that is coming from CBS All Access) will make more sense to you?

I can guaranty that neither Elon Musk or David Bowie will be in it.
Rumor is however, that Ivanka Trump will play Candy Clark.

**southwestforests** · #9 08-28-2019, 08:31 PM

Perhaps this video, and YouTube channel will be of interest to those who aren't already aware of it;

Quote:

Starship Hopper's Biggest, Lastest Flight Above Texas
Scott Manley
Published on Aug 28, 2019

The Starship Hopper Test vehicle took a giant leap to using the Raptor engine showing that this new engine can provide the thrust and control needed to make flights and veritcal landings. However it is likely the last flight of this single engine vehicle since SpaceX plans to move on to the larger Starship Prototypes with multiple engines.
The test didn't go off without a hitch but in the end there were celebrations from all involved and looking forward to bigger things.

https://youtu.be/T29ybqjv8-U

**dto** · #10 08-28-2019, 09:08 PM

JohnGay, that movie was the 1976 SF film, "The Man Who Fell to Earth", with David Bowie as an alien who amasses a fortune patenting his civilization's technology in order to build a spaceship and carry water back to his parched planet. This begs the question why such a supposedly advanced culture needs to transport H2O all the way from Earth when hydrogen and oxygen should be relatively easier to extract closer to home. The same reason why I laughed at the alien invasion in "V".

David T. Okamura