SpaceX's lesson from last Starship flight? "We need to seal the tiles."
12 hours ago
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- SpaceX's last Starship test flight was two weeks ago, with engineers diagnosing heat shield issues and planning improvements.
- Bill Gerstenmaier presented findings at the Glenn Space Technology Symposium, highlighting the test flight's success.
- The August 26 test flight aimed to address propulsion and propellant system issues and gather heat shield data.
- Starship achieved a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean, landing within 10 feet of its target.
- Video footage showed Starship flipping upright before splashdown, with visible damage to its rear and flaps.
- Elon Musk noted discoloration from oxidized metallic heat shield tiles, with most ceramic tiles remaining intact.