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SN10’s touchdown was more crisp than smooth.
SpaceX
The 3 of March SpaceX finally appeared to be making a soft landing of the latest prototype of its next-generation Mars rocket. But a few minutes later, SN10, as the third prototype to perform a high-altitude test flight was known, made an unscheduled second flight after exploding on the landing pad.
Elon Musk explained on Tuesday that the landing was actually a bit crisper than softer.
“10 m / s (22 miles per hour) impact from crushed legs and part of the skirt,” the SpaceX founder tweeted.
The SN10 engine had low thrust (probably) due to partial ingestion of helium from the fuel tank. Impact of the legs crushed at 10 m / s and part of the skirt. Several fixes in the works for SN11.
– Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 9, 2021
Close examination of SN10’s landing reveals that it came a little hot and quick. It even seemed to bounce slightly to the touch.
On the mission’s live webcast, there is a long, silent pause (almost a full minute) from SpaceX commentator John Insprucker after landing as SN10 sat on the mat, leaned slightly to one side and a bit on fire, apparently unsure if that would. like to rock and take a long, permanent nap.
But SN10 did not tip over and Insprucker ultimately declared a successful soft landing.
However, the consequence of the crashed landing legs and skirt appears to have been some of the SN10 fuel ending up where it shouldn’t have been a few minutes later, blowing it up like its two prototype predecessors did.
SN8 and SN9 came for some very hard landings. SN10 nearly nailed it, but Musk said a fuel issue resulted in weak thrust on the landing burn and tightened leg feel.
“Several fixes in the works for SN11,” Musk tweeted.
Meanwhile, SN11 has already made an appearance on the platform at the SpaceX Starship Development Center in Boca Chica, Texas, where it will soon begin testing before its own attempted flight and landing.
Hoping that SN11 is the first of its brothers to survive the one-piece experience.
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