News Starhopper successfully conducts debut Boca Chica Hop

[Notebook]

SpaceX’s Starhopper has successfully undertaken its first real hop into the Texas air on Thursday. The Hop saw the vehicle rise under the power of its Raptor (SN6) engine, around 20 meters in altitude, before translating several meters from where it launched. Elon Musk said the hop was successful and next will be a hop of 200 meters “in a week or two”.

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2019/07/spacex-resume-starhopper-tests/

 

[DaveS]

 

[Urwumpe]

20 meters would be far more impressive, if the vehicle wouldn't be so large.

 

[4throck]

Well, they seem to have demonstrated liftoff, flight and (precision ?) landing with a single test.
That's impressive I think

 

[Urwumpe]

Well, they seem to have demonstrated liftoff, flight and (precision ?) landing with a single test.
That's impressive I think

I meant 20m are not really as visible then as for a much smaller vehicle. :lol:

It effectivly lifted off just by one stage diameter, I barely noticed when it was off the ground because of the smoke obscuring the ground.

 

[4throck]

Got it! Yes, lots of smoke and flames, that's to be expected when you don't have a flame trench.
You also don't have a trench on the Moon and the rocket needs to land an liftoff from there

 

[jedidia]

It effectivly lifted off just by one stage diameter, I barely noticed when it was off the ground because of the smoke obscuring the ground.

Honestly, I can't see the thing at all through the smoke...

 

[4throck]

Here's a better video:

Still not very clear but you can see it hovering and maneuvering by tilting a bit.
For a first flight I'm very impressed.

 

[Thunder Chicken]

Looks like something out of War of the Worlds.

 

[DaveS]

The next step, the 200 m flight has been scheduled for August 12 with back up dates of the 13th and the 14th. Each day has a daily window of 2-11 pm CDT (1900-0400 UTC).

[ame="https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1156329432631533568"]Chris B - NSF on Twitter: "There's your Starhopper 200 meter test NET (No Earlier Than) date.

August 12.… "[/ame]

 

[mahdavi3d]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-guuMr53Uw"]SpaceX Starhopper Maiden HOP - Multi-view with Bocachicagal (Mary) + Overlay and Elon Videos - YouTube[/ame]