DaveS

The outer ring of engines are fixed, but the 13 inner engines are gimbaled.

15 minutes ago, saac said:

It certainly is but it will tell next to nothing about the nature of component failure. Here's hoping they are able to recover as much of the hardware as possible. 

Jim 

I don't know how detailed the telemetry is. For all I know each engine may have been monitored to the last degree.

25 minutes ago, lukebl said:

Apparently they described it as a ‘rapid unscheduled disassembly’.

In my day, we called it an explosion.

Or possibly an Auto dismantling Event.

33 minutes ago, saac said:

One would hope, I wonder if they will get anything beyond telemetry data!

Jim 

Telemetry data would be good. I could see 6 Raptors out before the bang, and could see some flaming out (Or exploding) during the launch. Given that SpaceX reckon that they need 31 running to reach orbit, this was never going to proceed. Guess they ran it as long as they did to gather as much data as they could.

I saw a documentary on the Saturn V computer (Possibly YT), showing all the work by women threading impossibly fine wire through the ferrite cores (I'm old enough to remember core store), and feeling angry and depressed that all that effort would be thrown away, ending up at the bottom of the Atlantic.

Hopefully the days of chuck-it-away will soon be over.

Mutterings that I've heard talk about another launch in August. Booster 9 and Ship 26 are pretty much ready. SpaceX will learn a lot from this test.

SpaceX have a production line of Boosters and Ships. Booster 9 and Ship 26 are waiting in the wings, with Booster 10 and Ships 27-30 in production.

Ship 25 is complete and waiting but may not fly at this time.

But a realistic one.

Elon said that getting off the pad and past the tower would be a success.

The Orbital launch platform is still in one piece, so success.

Trying again.

March 2021 6 sessions, March 2022 8 sessions, March 2023 0 sessions, and I can see April going the same way, then it's May and the end of astronomical darkness.

I wonder why I bother.

There's no point. It doesn't matter how advanced the equipment becomes global warming just means ever increasing cloud cover.

I think there's no longer any future in astronomy from this vile swamp of a country.

Yep, a pressurisation issue.

Here's the SpaceX YT

Livestream is live.

They're having to thread a very tight needle through the Caribbean, the MSIB and NOTAMs have been issued for a few days now.

I think the launch widow opens at 7.00 CDT which is 13.00 BST.

The FAA has issued the licence for the first orbital launch on Monday 17th . Will likely be at a civilised time over here.

The launch went OK, though there was a nail-biting delay until telemetry was established.

Yes, I was following the ESA livestream until they scrubbed.

The thing to take away from this is the urgent need for more powerful engines.

I would hold out for a cooled camera, as it will make your calibration frames much better and easier to apply.

But it's a pity that you became ensnared by the ZWO octopus otherwise I would have suggested a S/H CCD camera which can be had for peanuts now. I reason why I would never even consider an ASIair.

But of course we won't. The UK has form when it comes to missing the boat.