SpaceX Reveals Ship Quick Disconnect Condition After Starship Super Heavy Launch - Official Report

Original author：SpaceX Community

Original source：https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5QOAzFshug

SpaceX’s Starship vehicle reached space on its second integrated test flight Nov. 18 but broke apart late in its ascent after successfully demonstrating the performance of its booster and a new stage separation technique.

The Starship/Super Heavy vehicle lifted off from SpaceX’s Starbase test site at Boca Chica, Texas, at about 8:03 a.m. Eastern. Liftoff was delayed a few minutes because of a “late pressurization” issue with the upper stage, but no other issues were reported during the countdown.

Yesterday, I shared the excellent condition of the orbital launch mount. However, I omitted some crucial details, specifically regarding the quick disconnect arm of the ship. Today, let's delve into this issue by examining the attached image. There appears to be a misalignment in the arm after both Ship 25 and Booster 9 lifted off. This could be due to the arm detaching a bit late or experiencing intense forces from the 33 Raptor engines of Super Heavy. Nevertheless, I believe that as long as most cables, fuel lines, etc., are not damaged or severed, it should be a relatively easy fix. Additionally, I speculate that the front end of the arm may have an electronic motor for alignment during stacking. If that's the case, SpaceX could electronically recalibrate this arm. What are your thoughts on this? Feel free to comment below and share your opinions.

Credit:
Starship Gazer
https://twitter.com/StarshipGazer

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