totm nov 2023 SpaceX Discussion Thread

[RCgothic]

If I were to take a few guesses at Raptor's particularly large shutdown plume, I'd say:

1) A particularly high chamber pressure leads to particularly high flow rates as the gas is purged, which leads to the flame reaching further from the engine. Raptor operates at about 70% more chamber pressure than the next highest American engine, the RS-25.

2) Related to 1), but it's an extraordinarily powerful engine for its size, processing a very large quantity of fuel. It's got a lot to purge and takes a while to spool down. This would all lead to more fuel being purged and a bigger effect.

3) As a full flow combustion engine, the purge is generally from the main nozzle, whereas a gas gen might split some off a vent. This might be relevant to comparisons between static fires with a zoom on the main nozzle vs full-vehicle shots.

4) Fuel-rich Methane burns a lot more brightly than hydrogen does.

5) Retropropulsion tends to exaggerate the effects as in a static fire or launch it's just exhaust buoyancy driving the flame up a vehicle, instead of high velocity air-stream.

6) Tank venting and vehicle safing also add substantially to the mass of fuel being burnt at engine shutdown. The only other vehicle we regularly see do this is Falcon 9, and I'm guessing residual supercooled liquid RP1 is fairly safe to leave in the tanks (pressurised with helium) compared to superheated methane autogenous ullage gas.

[Ultimate Steve]

Update: I have FOIA requested the mishap report from Starship OFT 1. As this document has been requested many times, judging by my going through the request records, and it has not surfaced online yet (aside from the snippets Elon posted to Twitter/X), this is a request that is likely to be denied due to intellectual property concerns, but I thought I'd put my money where my mouth is and make an attempt. I will let you know if it goes anywhere.

[darthgently]

50 minutes ago, Ultimate Steve said:

Update: I have FOIA requested the mishap report from Starship OFT 1. As this document has been requested many times, judging by my going through the request records, and it has not surfaced online yet (aside from the snippets Elon posted to Twitter/X), this is a request that is likely to be denied due to intellectual property concerns, but I thought I'd put my money where my mouth is and make an attempt. I will let you know if it goes anywhere.

And IP is just one factor.  ITAR is going to be another.  I don’t know if it is done in situations like this, but it isn’t hard for things to become classified information if those in gov who can do so feel it will help them cover their butt in some way

[Terwin]

27 minutes ago, darthgently said:

And IP is just one factor.  ITAR is going to be another.  I don’t know if it is done in situations like this, but it isn’t hard for things to become classified information if those in gov who can do so feel it will help them cover their butt in some way

True, any sorts of details that might help non-US interests in developing similar rocket capabilities might be illegal for SpaceX to share.  Might be why there are lots of FOA requests and it has not been released: the US gov says 'No'

[Exoscientist]

5 hours ago, Ultimate Steve said:

…, here is a time lapse of Raptor firing 34 times in rapid succession with <10 second cooldowns between firings, with a large fireball after each one:

 

 Actually, this static test doesn’t give confidence in the Raptor reliability for reusability. It actually provides suspicion of the reverse. 

 SpaceX’s plans for Mars and Moon missions using multiple refueling flights absolutely can not work unless the Raptor can do 3-burns in a single flight: the initial burn, the boostback or reentry burn, and the landing burn. SpaceX has literally done thousands of static burns of the Raptor of all kinds of different variations. 

 Yet SpaceX has not done one single test of the Raptor doing 3-burns at the full mission burn lengths, full mission wait times between burns, and full mission power level.

 Instead of doing a test of this absolutely crucial capability for the SpaceX plan to work, it does a test instead of a capability it will literally never use.

 The only conclusion appears to be SpaceX has no confidence in the Raptor to do all 3-burns at the actual mission burn lengths, wait times, and power levels.

  Bob Clark

[Deddly]

20 minutes ago, Exoscientist said:

 The only conclusion

There you go again. The only conclusion? Come on now, Bob. 

Do you want us to do that too? OK, here goes: the only conclusion I can see from your posting history is that you must be troll, which would mean you'd have to have your posting ability restricted. Is that the only conclusion or are there any other possibilities? Prove me wrong.

[Exoscientist]

20 minutes ago, Deddly said:

There you go again. The only conclusion? Come on now, Bob. 

Do you want us to do that too? OK, here goes: the only conclusion I can see from your posting history is that you must be troll, which would mean you'd have to have your posting ability restricted. Is that the only conclusion or are there any other possibilities? Prove me wrong.

 

 I’m willing to consider other possibilities. Someone give me another reason for doing a test that will literally never be used for a real flight, but never doing the test that needs to be used in every single flight.

  Bob Clark

[Ultimate Steve]

12 minutes ago, Exoscientist said:

SpaceX has literally done thousands of static burns of the Raptor of all kinds of different variations. 

 Yet SpaceX has not done one single test of the Raptor doing 3-burns at the full mission burn lengths, full mission wait times between burns, and full mission power level.

Firstly, have you checked all of those thousands of tests to double check this assertion? Seeing as your last few posts have been confidently incorrect about things that are far easier to check (why the Delta IV sets itself on fire and if SpaceX showed the landing burn flame on stream) I'm guessing no.

Here is the NSF data on each engine firing at the McGregor, Texas going back to April of 2022: https://mcgregor.nerdpg.live/api/json/testing

I briefly considered writing a Python script to go through these and check but I will not waste another afternoon on you like that. You are welcome to do it yourself. The burden is on you to prove your statement correct. I will be very surprised if in their thousands of firings they have never done one mission profile firing.

Secondly, we know for certain that they have done dozens of those tests. Even better, these tests have been done in conditions that perfectly match the vibrational, acceleration, and fuel inlet conditions of flight. Better yet, these tests were conducted with the full complement of engines and at the proper ambient and dynamic pressures. They're called the flight tests.

28 minutes ago, Exoscientist said:

Instead of doing a test of this absolutely crucial capability for the SpaceX plan to work, it does a test instead of a capability it will literally never use.

Disregarding the "instead" part for now for the reasons described above.

There's plenty of reasons to be doing that sort of test. Maybe they wanted a lot of data on how Raptor reacts to repeated startups and shutdowns, cycle testing basically. Maybe they're trying to test some weird engine out scenario that requires rapid restarts of other engines. Maybe (and this is my bet) they are looking at ensuring they could reliably restart after boostback. The time between MECO and boostback startup is similar to the time between the burns in the above tests.

In all three of these scenarios this allows them to get the required data while taking up a small amount of manual effort, test stand time, and propellant.

They could also just be stress testing it for whatever reason. They've been known to do that, they did a nearly 15 minute firing of Raptor a while back.

36 minutes ago, Exoscientist said:

The only conclusion appears to be SpaceX has no confidence in the Raptor to do all 3-burns at the actual mission burn lengths, wait times, and power levels.

Given that they have successfully done this in flight dozens of times I question your thought processes.

38 minutes ago, Exoscientist said:

Actually, this static test doesn’t give confidence in the Raptor reliability for reusability. It actually provides suspicion of the reverse. 

I brought that particular test up as it was a good demonstration of how Raptor's large shutdown plume was a normal thing for Raptor, not to make any statements about reuse reliability. And you changed the subject yet again, posting an unrelated tangent and turning the subject right back to the Raptor reliability conspiracy. But because you insist, above I gave several possible reasons for the test. And if you're going to run thousands of tests, there's going to be some odd looking ones that might not immediately make sense.

"I don't understand why this test was done, therefore this test was useless, and evidence that Raptor is unreliable" is a mind boggling way to think.

[Codraroll]

2 hours ago, Exoscientist said:

 I’m willing to consider other possibilities.

You have yet to show an ounce of that willingness, or for that matter, capability. Literally every comma, every fart, every movement in the shadows has only resulted in, how do you put it ...

3 hours ago, Exoscientist said:

Actually, this (...) doesn’t give confidence in the Raptor reliability for reusability. It actually provides suspicion of the reverse. 

If this isn't trolling at this point, it's something medical.

Edited Tuesday at 10:36 PM by Codraroll

[Deddly]

I feel I should apologise to @Exoscientist. My post was not intended as a threat, but I realise it can be understood that way. It was rather meant as "try pointing that line of reasoning at yourself and see how it sounds." Be open to new possibilities and alternative ways of reasoning that don't match your own world view

To all of us really: It is a grave mistake to first form an opinion and then look for evidence that proves oneself right. The proper way of doing it is actually to try and prove yourself wrong. If after an honest consideration you are unable to do so, phrasing your findings as a question rather than a dogmatic statement is less likely to make it look like you haven't thought it through properly, thereby discrediting yourself.

[JoeSchmuckatelli]

7 hours ago, AckSed said:

Side question: what are the Thousand Talents?

Chinese university hiring of knowledgeable people to work in China and develop domestic capabilities. 

Also 

https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/counterintelligence/the-china-threat/chinese-talent-plans

[Exoscientist]

21 hours ago, Ultimate Steve said:

Firstly, have you checked all of those thousands of tests to double check this assertion? Seeing as your last few posts have been confidently incorrect about things that are far easier to check (why the Delta IV sets itself on fire and if SpaceX showed the landing burn flame on stream) I'm guessing no.

Here is the NSF data on each engine firing at the McGregor, Texas going back to April of 2022: https://mcgregor.nerdpg.live/api/json/testing

I briefly considered writing a Python script to go through these and check but I will not waste another afternoon on you like that. You are welcome to do it yourself. The burden is on you to prove your statement correct. I will be very surprised if in their thousands of firings they have never done one mission profile firing.

Secondly, we know for certain that they have done dozens of those tests. Even better, these tests have been done in conditions that perfectly match the vibrational, acceleration, and fuel inlet conditions of flight. Better yet, these tests were conducted with the full complement of engines and at the proper ambient and dynamic pressures. They're called the flight tests.

Disregarding the "instead" part for now for the reasons described above.

There's plenty of reasons to be doing that sort of test. Maybe they wanted a lot of data on how Raptor reacts to repeated startups and shutdowns, cycle testing basically. Maybe they're trying to test some weird engine out scenario that requires rapid restarts of other engines. Maybe (and this is my bet) they are looking at ensuring they could reliably restart after boostback. The time between MECO and boostback startup is similar to the time between the burns in the above tests.

In all three of these scenarios this allows them to get the required data while taking up a small amount of manual effort, test stand time, and propellant.

They could also just be stress testing it for whatever reason. They've been known to do that, they did a nearly 15 minute firing of Raptor a while back.

Given that they have successfully done this in flight dozens of times I question your thought processes.

I brought that particular test up as it was a good demonstration of how Raptor's large shutdown plume was a normal thing for Raptor, not to make any statements about reuse reliability. And you changed the subject yet again, posting an unrelated tangent and turning the subject right back to the Raptor reliability conspiracy. But because you insist, above I gave several possible reasons for the test. And if you're going to run thousands of tests, there's going to be some odd looking ones that might not immediately make sense.

"I don't understand why this test was done, therefore this test was useless, and evidence that Raptor is unreliable" is a mind boggling way to think.

 

 Thanks for that link to data on Raptor tests. Do you know what format that’s in, Excel or otherwise, to make it more readable? It looks like mostly dates and durations times, then it might not be able to be extracted whether there were restarts involved.

 This video gives a review of Raptor static tests:

1000 Starship Engine Tests (on a graph).
https://youtu.be/I6GJVvwUEGk?si=RfFVmEEpLUQc9NOl

 The author concludes the Raptor is reliable, but notes there are some oddities such as the relatively low percentage of burn times matching that of actual mission length burns. If there were burns that were full length and matched the 3-burn durations of an actual mission, I would think he would have mentioned that. But I’ll ask him to be sure.

 Searching on YouTube provides no examples of Raptors testing for the actual 3-burn durations of an actual mission. There are several that show Raptor restarts but none of the lengths for an actual mission.

There were also examples cited on twitter with great fanfare of Raptor restarts such as the 34 burn one, but none with the 3-burn durations of an actual mission. 

About the evidence for Raptor reliability based on the actual test flights, I am dubious that the total of all three burns needed for both stages have been as pristine for the Raptor as portrayed by SpaceX. A major example is the exploding Raptor on IFT-4 during the booster landing burn. That is a major failure not just a Raptor refusing to light, or the burn time having to be cut short. Yet SpaceX says nothing about it, like it never happened. But not mentioning it gives the impression the burns on that flight were successful, thus giving an unwarranted assumption of the Raptor reliability during flight. 

There still remains also the issue of the underlying cause of the large plumes seen running up the side of the booster during the landing burns. There must be a reason why SpaceX doesn’t want to discuss it. The FAA should require SpaceX to release the footage of the engine bay during the burns of both stages to ensure in fact fuel leaks are not a common occurrence for the Raptor.

 Bob Clark

 

[Hannu2]

On 1/28/2025 at 4:41 PM, Exoscientist said:

To get to the bottom of it the FAA should require SpaceX to release all videos of the engine bay while the engines are firing, most specifically during restarts.

 

This is very ridiculous thought.  If FAA suspect that something is not safe it may demand information from SpaceX or order some things to do but such investigations are never public. SpaceX do not have any obligation to give any data for public.

Why do you care about flames? Even they seem quite wild (compared to size of booster) they seem not be significant issue and if they are, they can be fixed for production models. Starships so far are just test objects for company's ove product development. 4 mm steel plate can stand quite much heat and burning gas.  You can weld a stove from much thinner non stainless steel (which is more prone to oxidation) and use it years to warm a building in cold climate.

Edited yesterday at 06:13 PM by Hannu2

[Ultimate Steve]

20 minutes ago, Exoscientist said:

Thanks for that link to data on Raptor tests. Do you know what format that’s in, Excel or otherwise, to make it more readable? It looks like mostly dates and durations times, then it might not be able to be extracted whether there were restarts involved.

That is JSON, there is also a CSV available: https://mcgregor.nerdpg.live/api

This also keeps track spin primes (denoted by a duration of -1 seconds) and preburner tests (denoted by a duration of 0 seconds). A restart test would generally be detectable as two firings of the same engine type on the same stand within a time frame too short for them to have changed the engine around.

23 minutes ago, Exoscientist said:

The author concludes the Raptor is reliable, but notes there are some oddities such as the relatively low percentage of burn times matching that of actual mission length burns. If there were burns that were full length and matched the 3-burn durations of an actual mission, I would think he would have mentioned that. But I’ll ask him to be sure.

Mostly agree, but I will stress that the author also strongly emphasized that there's a wide range of possible reasons for those oddities, and that there may have been too many interesting tests to mention them all.

32 minutes ago, Exoscientist said:

Searching on YouTube provides no examples of Raptors testing for the actual 3-burn durations of an actual mission. There are several that show Raptor restarts but none of the lengths for an actual mission.

After searching for a while on YouTube, I ended up having to ask someone on Discord where the video of the 30+ firings test was. A test video not being easily findable on YouTube is not reassuring but it is not evidence that these tests didn't happen.

35 minutes ago, Exoscientist said:

About the evidence for Raptor reliability based on the actual test flights, I am dubious that the total of all three burns needed for both stages have been as pristine for the Raptor as portrayed by SpaceX. A major example is the exploding Raptor on IFT-4 during the booster landing burn. That is a major failure not just a Raptor refusing to light, or the burn time having to be cut short. Yet SpaceX says nothing about it, like it never happened.

Question #1 for you: when you say "I am dubious that [the burns] have been as pristine as portrayed by SpaceX" what do you mean? Are you saying that the available telemetry is being tampered with by SpaceX to project a false image, or that the engine-out indicators and video of the engine failures are not enough acknowledgement of their problems, or something else?

I went and checked and they indeed did never do a post flight 4 update on their website. I am also curious as to the cause, but in my point of view, the most likely culprit is something regime specific. This was only the second time they have attempted to light Raptor in that environment (~1.5g, ~1atm ambient, ~0.71atm of dynamic pressure).

1 hour ago, Exoscientist said:

But not mentioning it gives the impression the burns on that flight were successful, thus giving an unwarranted assumption of the Raptor reliability during flight. 

Question #2 for you: Who are they giving this unwarranted assumption to?

And I take it that the engine visibly exploding and the engine out indicator showing the engine has gone out, both on live camera feeds, is not enough to qualify as "mentioning" and doesn't damage the "impression of success" in your view. In that case, what would be sufficient for the general public and what would be sufficient for invested parties such as NASA and the FAA?

I would bet all of my money that NASA and the FAA have a lot more data than we do.

36 minutes ago, Exoscientist said:

There still remains also the issue of the underlying cause of the large plumes seen running up the side of the booster during the landing burns. There must be a reason why SpaceX doesn’t want to discuss it. The FAA should require SpaceX to release the footage of the engine bay during the burns of both stages to ensure in fact fuel leaks are not a common occurrence for the Raptor.

As I described in an earlier comment:

• When Raptor shuts down it ejects a large , low velocity ball of fire which tends to float upwards and quickly dissipates. By all reasonable assessments this is normal as it shows up in test firing videos.
• The landing burn features 10 simultaneous Raptor shutdowns, while the booster is transiting downwards and sideways through the air.
• Therefore we would expect a very large, low velocity ball of fire, which will be pushed upwards and to the side opposite the direction of travel by the airflow (a tad different accounting for the current wind speed and direction). We would expect this ball of fire to originate from beneath the engines at the time engine shutdown, and to then dissipate shortly after.
• This is exactly what we observed on flights 5, 6, and 7, though the flight 7 plume was the largest (or we simply got a better view of it) and flight 5 had an additional fire from a cause not yet publicly known for certain.

Question #3 for you: What about the "normal shutdown plume" explanation is unsatisfactory for you enough to warrant the FAA stepping in?

[Ultimate Steve]

Update: The weary load of scrolling endlessly through jobs I'm not qualified for and updating my rejection spreadsheet wore me down, so I caved and looked at the NSF McGregor engine data set despite the fact that I said I wouldn't and shouldn't.

I made code to go through the data and it returned 102 instances of an engine at McGregor firing two or more times from the same stand in any 30 minute time interval. My code is not perfect - notably, 1 firing, and then 5 firings in 5 minutes 29 minutes later would show up as a "2 firing test" and a "4 firing test" rather than the more sensible arrangement of "1-5" but ehh it is what it is.

Raw output from my code:

Important note: I don't think the NSF data set makes a distinction between Raptor 1, Raptor 2, and Raptor 3. We know for sure Raptor 3 has been fired, but it does not show up in the data set (the whole data set, not just the restart tests). So when it says Raptor 2, keep in mind that it might instead be 1 or 3.

Spoiler

Engine Test #1: Raptor 2 on stand Horizontal with 2 firings, starting at 2022-05-23T14:44:14
Firing IDs: hUek0mgZKCmmMlA0q85G ntyU9khbP4AzMCAq3yxw 
-- Firing #1 duration: 110.0 seconds
-- Delay of 607.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 1.0 seconds

Engine Test #2: Raptor 2 on stand Horizontal with 2 firings, starting at 2022-05-31T15:02:59
Firing IDs: rtVAzkGymWxkC4FXJDiL B4oBmFL0Z0Kg1brpunwH 
-- Firing #1 duration: 1.0 seconds
-- Delay of 868.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 111.0 seconds

Engine Test #3: Raptor 2 on stand Horizontal with 2 firings, starting at 2022-06-03T07:18:02
Firing IDs: QDBmVe0zCtvdUvCxWLTS kRgxufY2AwyJV9fkaKtl 
-- Firing #1 duration: 2.0 seconds
-- Delay of 705.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 109.0 seconds

Engine Test #4: Raptor 2 on stand Horizontal with 2 firings, starting at 2022-08-09T14:15:04
Firing IDs: lm8IPPnyT63QGICErAfe eo1hQUyReGeA2oCtU7Qj
-- Firing #1 duration: 5.0 seconds
-- Delay of 870.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 105.0 seconds

Engine Test #5: Raptor 2 on stand Horizontal with 2 firings, starting at 2022-09-01T08:13:57
Firing IDs: m5c0brcQVnMaSenNbOJB DQ20qgNPyWns55aiHTnQ
-- Firing #1 duration: 5.0 seconds
-- Delay of 860.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 61.0 seconds

Engine Test #6: Raptor 2 on stand Horizontal with 2 firings, starting at 2022-09-01T14:59:46
Firing IDs: mUotUPhwUMUcPGVeSisI OHo5PIPvFOdmnQtrXisg
-- Firing #1 duration: 5.0 seconds
-- Delay of 618.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 60.0 seconds

Engine Test #7: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2022-09-28T09:46:53
Firing IDs: DGUs8LPUrJrKdLZN2n8a 5oBWETEuSUFzSadJ9R5Q
-- Firing #1 duration: 33.0 seconds
-- Delay of 6.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 5.0 seconds

Engine Test #8: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2022-10-15T12:25:27
Firing IDs: U5H3X18FLB6i9pFY4Uuf TflaEILWeKU86Wgn5Y65
-- Firing #1 duration: 40.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 5.0 seconds

Engine Test #9: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2022-10-17T19:29:57
Firing IDs: eA24x9sprJsLlnBjWRCh k2LvHzzWOGrSshSS5ljU
-- Firing #1 duration: 41.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 5.0 seconds

Engine Test #10: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2022-10-20T17:58:32
Firing IDs: doMkmbzOA3jvo3O4rIZv 8kicYnvfeFTpc9iVgQw0
-- Firing #1 duration: 40.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 1.0 seconds

Engine Test #11: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2022-10-26T13:01:11
Firing IDs: na5dxr6OFV4apJWB4wBb o8x84oCUcBBu0HTrzNGW
-- Firing #1 duration: 39.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 29.0 seconds

Engine Test #12: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2022-10-26T20:31:48
Firing IDs: wmpgRZPr1l2FJBCfoF1X AN8ePvEfUdqGlcyNuMN2
-- Firing #1 duration: 40.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 29.0 seconds

Engine Test #13: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2022-10-27T14:00:14
Firing IDs: xhNgVWVxZ9MZDzlBWha1 ahDtPq8ZBijJrUXlOQGS
-- Firing #1 duration: 39.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 29.0 seconds

Engine Test #14: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2022-10-28T07:12:56
Firing IDs: UnCJrsLDZQbzi2lsPXZ2 TpxemPsbvF1MlUlDxUjM
-- Firing #1 duration: 39.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 29.0 seconds

Engine Test #15: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2022-10-31T16:47:15
Firing IDs: QElXnGFPzAA8jbwGpCDZ XNgT0mjqbbhoG4lWqDzf
-- Firing #1 duration: 39.0 seconds
-- Delay of 10.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 29.0 seconds

Engine Test #16: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2022-12-16T20:49:57
Firing IDs: Hsgc4A70NhEyO75dK7UB 6fXO7thGtJO16vyEXJlP
-- Firing #1 duration: 40.0 seconds
-- Delay of 10.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 16.0 seconds

Engine Test #17: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2022-12-17T11:37:29
Firing IDs: Ofrr4ypEzXFiYBFrHEkH ZXSv2xrX4yvGalAJkQ1E
-- Firing #1 duration: 50.0 seconds
-- Delay of -1.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 40.0 seconds

Engine Test #18: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2023-02-10T18:57:58
Firing IDs: uPqLP0S3FOXAQPmp7gsp 6JP8zs1pDbf823utcsDW
-- Firing #1 duration: 157.0 seconds
-- Delay of -157.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 157.0 seconds

Engine Test #19: Raptor 2 on stand Horizontal with 2 firings, starting at 2023-03-29T17:20:48
Firing IDs: axu9JcUd7IwWfIinoCEH 8CWKlKw687w6WgEPFRJd
-- Firing #1 duration: 102.0 seconds
-- Delay of -102.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 102.0 seconds

Engine Test #20: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2023-03-29T17:23:01
Firing IDs: hkgYzXqwqzq8RYhErzaU 3hrTl5gyZ9R0T31x88Mo
-- Firing #1 duration: 101.0 seconds
-- Delay of -101.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 101.0 seconds

Engine Test #21: Raptor 2 on stand Horizontal with 2 firings, starting at 2023-03-31T12:34:14
Firing IDs: eBnJIbzNRDofkiIHQnWz ipql5ESCQsNYARMfXcAn
-- Firing #1 duration: 116.0 seconds
-- Delay of 632.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 6.0 seconds

Engine Test #22: Raptor 2 on stand Horizontal with 2 firings, starting at 2023-04-13T10:27:57
Firing IDs: Fy3J05uaFg4N8tUknofO E7a7ulU82Zqst2vB6uVV
-- Firing #1 duration: 117.0 seconds
-- Delay of 391.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 2.0 seconds

Engine Test #23: Raptor 2 on stand Horizontal with 2 firings, starting at 2023-04-28T18:59:14
Firing IDs: pJZxZKB6k0lLCsA5ouOT WStRi3nArvM8qAW9BGwJ
-- Firing #1 duration: 124.0 seconds
-- Delay of -124.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 124.0 seconds

Engine Test #24: Merlin on stand Merlin with 2 firings, starting at 2023-05-12T17:46:13
Firing IDs: esrfZsr04ju1SBnJAQia IiDtwjUCrMN35MnkdMx8
-- Firing #1 duration: 56.0 seconds
-- Delay of 241.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 31.0 seconds

Engine Test #25: Raptor 2 on stand Horizontal with 2 firings, starting at 2023-06-02T12:22:57
Firing IDs: PrpTTl4ZAlFUwW6PJdzk U8iBeZ1rt1w3H8RlrYO7
-- Firing #1 duration: 20.0 seconds
-- Delay of 874.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #26: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2023-06-30T15:58:43
Firing IDs: 1xMeP4CBGrqtV9FnACt6 fbVfjRXHC04obiwYJrqC
-- Firing #1 duration: 2.0 seconds
-- Delay of 855.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 81.0 seconds

Engine Test #27: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2023-07-18T09:39:48
Firing IDs: aqZ8XykLH4CYh4Kcjqje GfFKSSiTxLfBjY1G2DZU
-- Firing #1 duration: 80.0 seconds
-- Delay of 788.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 44.0 seconds

Engine Test #28: Merlin on stand Merlin with 2 firings, starting at 2023-09-10T16:10:52
Firing IDs: cNFaLuA7FjjcwTyJNwss R8AJbV4gbRProRfYPRR9
-- Firing #1 duration: 142.0 seconds
-- Delay of -142.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 142.0 seconds

Engine Test #29: Merlin Vac on stand Falcon Stage Two with 2 firings, starting at 2023-10-14T13:01:09
Firing IDs: vMB3r5Emq4vtE3BSRAgf OAuv26dyPXCK76g6AYWb
-- Firing #1 duration: 210.0 seconds
-- Delay of -210.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 210.0 seconds

Engine Test #30: Falcon First Stage on stand Falcon Stage One with 2 firings, starting at 2023-10-14T15:22:46
Firing IDs: Fv5RzvKIaZflqvIJA3EG BF1wnmFaZMeaOAEn4oRv
-- Firing #1 duration: 77.0 seconds
-- Delay of -77.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 77.0 seconds

Engine Test #31: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2023-11-03T16:41:46
Firing IDs: fVs5EIvxkRH5bWttTPDN cHY3D2jhS51fmx9kjmcS
-- Firing #1 duration: 6.0 seconds
-- Delay of 517.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 147.0 seconds

Engine Test #32: Merlin Vac on stand MVac with 2 firings, starting at 2024-01-26T19:58:22
Firing IDs: HKvaMQI4oIBuvGP5Dg5z 4s2X3ypdFaJGjaRoHi5C
-- Firing #1 duration: 162.0 seconds
-- Delay of -162.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 162.0 seconds

Engine Test #33: Raptor 2 on stand Horizontal with 2 firings, starting at 2024-01-26T19:58:27
Firing IDs: molc16ZqaHhHXUdnZrJ2 3jHQ6EN72KOPQ1oc24yU
-- Firing #1 duration: 29.0 seconds
-- Delay of -29.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 29.0 seconds

Engine Test #34: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-04-04T16:26:12
Firing IDs: hAeOtIUavNOf88cc0cv3 kMW9wjcb7J9Gom30K677
-- Firing #1 duration: 60.0 seconds
-- Delay of 10.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #35: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-04-05T16:37:59
Firing IDs: TyuQWBDM1Q6n2ANaf3Wo htNuP5Iz4fDNmd6sz2yF
-- Firing #1 duration: 59.0 seconds
-- Delay of 11.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 9.0 seconds

Engine Test #36: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-04-12T10:36:13
Firing IDs: yu5LnWLar0UE5WhRqrXk Eby60go772zJHFaqAfFa
-- Firing #1 duration: 60.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 10.0 seconds

Engine Test #37: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-04-12T16:33:00
Firing IDs: CZ4DDIspkN7ebLO0Ctcl qZwv7s8nxhZDB9QiW1PT
-- Firing #1 duration: 60.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 10.0 seconds

Engine Test #38: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-04-15T11:51:11
Firing IDs: 6Ixot0EeAW7xcHs3CFWa FMayFfLREYSrrC6dnuMR
-- Firing #1 duration: 60.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 10.0 seconds

Engine Test #39: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-04-17T12:10:10
Firing IDs: VMC2G6cPRcovS6euCNBT UJDNeVS3WFfmNzTX74nk
-- Firing #1 duration: 58.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 10.0 seconds

Engine Test #40: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-04-17T16:25:22
Firing IDs: soH3f7M8KweicvoMdySv u74qIZA3FhMjIMj2zgob
-- Firing #1 duration: 60.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 10.0 seconds

Engine Test #41: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-04-18T16:23:33
Firing IDs: 99OuCVIdRku6uYS2WHQk EfAuGycotvUuIIubqEyi
-- Firing #1 duration: 60.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 10.0 seconds

Engine Test #42: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-04-19T10:31:16
Firing IDs: H22SgCXe5yw61hn66uDG PGkHMFpSlGN2ogMsrub2
-- Firing #1 duration: 60.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #43: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-04-19T15:09:43
Firing IDs: 386yMmIP0Dpc5zc6IFyp 6xpRtJmZIpafPCeAZ4LR
-- Firing #1 duration: 40.0 seconds
-- Delay of 7.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #44: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-04-23T10:34:27
Firing IDs: Beb243Jq3lXbJPkHmOXT bUl6A18RX3LMeVwe5L9h
-- Firing #1 duration: 40.0 seconds
-- Delay of 10.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #45: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-04-23T17:42:31
Firing IDs: Wc1zVHaY821fjB8FQ1Tu UdgEhELBtgK4gUfGQWAl
-- Firing #1 duration: 40.0 seconds
-- Delay of 10.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #46: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-04-24T10:29:14
Firing IDs: lhwC7yfEUdPuz3Rd6aCW yqnG7oxdnA2HYqAHVHC5
-- Firing #1 duration: 40.0 seconds
-- Delay of 10.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #47: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-04-24T16:27:57
Firing IDs: TF8UTzxk5Pd0Jr8XRrec KLGDYDDzsEi8rHtLx2Sw
-- Firing #1 duration: 60.0 seconds
-- Delay of 10.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #48: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-05-15T17:29:12
Firing IDs: M2I0xYGzgWYjk4TIqjVG CKOhTj9bzXIWOPGUhuYs
-- Firing #1 duration: 60.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #49: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-05-16T10:33:16
Firing IDs: 9yWtAhMpgT3P2mKFIXtp RpUrA3U3J7HnbfDy5K0Z
-- Firing #1 duration: 60.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #50: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-05-16T17:53:07
Firing IDs: qS92o6km2bGnscja1YUe 1tMwIF6cFessZa85MRL5
-- Firing #1 duration: 60.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #51: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-05-17T12:05:04
Firing IDs: wFMOqgYFz5NY2IlRtTb1 RKNePBK1klBrmtcEqwlP
-- Firing #1 duration: 60.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #52: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-06-13T09:03:53
Firing IDs: gJPrTXPlvyc7b32hpMT4 VWyEQyZ4477FceqJurks
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 203.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #53: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-06-17T20:12:21
Firing IDs: lDGU48cDp2GiyvymbZlF IDw2tNRp9oWbkgwumwHw
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 201.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #54: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-06-18T20:29:30
Firing IDs: T3xnScYn7namJciT4iP4 UWdsEosfJlyNofUu5ShA
-- Firing #1 duration: 20.0 seconds
-- Delay of 349.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 30.0 seconds

Engine Test #55: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-06-20T12:24:50
Firing IDs: K2g5NITTTeBEX2oyXJZl 2kTYqMir7HmKSr69aW1L
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 200.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #56: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-06-21T08:55:50
Firing IDs: QyZSm5vtQ5Lffh5fMQ3L Ifkt011Q8S0PCWhklEfx
-- Firing #1 duration: 29.0 seconds
-- Delay of 114.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 19.0 seconds

Engine Test #57: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-06-24T20:16:39
Firing IDs: GyqJH2c12Xk8ZZHP9QJD Ul1teSLXWUsYzswr0MDQ
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 116.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #58: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-06-25T15:07:09
Firing IDs: L5qPpHhlVgbqDf3Buq3Z 5NyBuOOPrWSWT2cxZXHj
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 115.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #59: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-06-26T09:01:44
Firing IDs: TkcdxuJaZeNY60nIUn8D zWtzV2AlDFlhfIFTaX4z
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 203.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #60: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-06-26T18:20:07
Firing IDs: 5Rm3mxai2U6oxVs1ZrRc VVOt9NjGCBr9ceSCnKSl
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 203.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #61: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-06-27T12:43:40
Firing IDs: 3wBs8c2q1NwInmE9bjar lqIEZUFXaF0enmJaY0pL
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 98.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #62: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-06-27T20:48:09
Firing IDs: DaTaJLcwueoxX0ruxKWI KpxdAqMNVMuddexNZyxB
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 99.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 5.0 seconds

Engine Test #63: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-06-28T11:42:03
Firing IDs: 8DJHqWCmGliULHVUmcaR PEoCCerQgHWOuz30p4lp
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 100.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #64: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-07-01T15:22:16
Firing IDs: nsRQHtN65cvAUWCwHmrA DiAqQzS0YtX4zWCkYG2a
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 100.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #65: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-07-02T12:37:58
Firing IDs: H8fz6zpM6EP7dZSAwAGk SnUoKSahdxCAIaULJExk
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 101.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #66: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-07-03T12:35:00
Firing IDs: v2CLZZ1K62RBRXxboVAJ W2c9JbAcDZU1V1RN6qTI
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 104.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #67: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-07-09T09:07:04
Firing IDs: jlh45R4Fess3XmYkzXWg yujGtSEdAYLIBDRUfa5O
-- Firing #1 duration: 29.0 seconds
-- Delay of 193.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 19.0 seconds

Engine Test #68: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-07-09T20:47:05
Firing IDs: qyCp4Y0mO4yHUpw94xfe sbxYAFjnhNZdGANAp9pI
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 183.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #69: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-07-10T08:59:31
Firing IDs: EwP21AV8l3lTq0MZbhmY LENN8Uh4On4ojRcVmVC0
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 190.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #70: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-07-11T09:01:20
Firing IDs: aWUsr7SHnLG88jxCpJWE TR2IOJBZxFAN27mXylb6
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 191.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #71: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-07-11T20:44:40
Firing IDs: ZWKGb8gqkSrW4WzUk1Aw AxowFwmcaekkQQpQcxH7
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 11.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 10.0 seconds

Engine Test #72: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-07-12T12:57:32
Firing IDs: rlMJp2eTJhKcwren8XLe qMiWvCPmQz3Ar58G4RNv
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 191.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #73: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-07-29T11:03:36
Firing IDs: wFAj99h4r9nMUOvaTcMq WALy27LF4vUfagWOuwIJ
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 197.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 40.0 seconds

Engine Test #74: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-07-30T12:42:36
Firing IDs: XzXyT9vcIdu8yPoNXSU8 1zqh6rK48p9vgPOQuN70
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 99.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #75: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-07-31T16:45:40
Firing IDs: 1Doar9GDV4019iB5TiwF 8UTYvDFosnJlQ4SPqVA3
-- Firing #1 duration: 40.0 seconds
-- Delay of 199.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #76: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-08-01T12:41:20
Firing IDs: 6HdNH65EuyZfLsZHfbfw 1XhQeLYkkjRNpkVdvfXh
-- Firing #1 duration: 40.0 seconds
-- Delay of 199.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #77: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-08-05T08:53:12
Firing IDs: PvkwQiUjvZjNH7TTVyWr bROeTzMiZckiVryOtU8y
-- Firing #1 duration: 40.0 seconds
-- Delay of 193.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 33.0 seconds

Engine Test #78: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-08-05T15:37:07
Firing IDs: UXE8zADKAi85lpfIo7mQ RWCXK9ureXOW49YEaBoo
-- Firing #1 duration: 40.0 seconds
-- Delay of 198.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 63.0 seconds

Engine Test #79: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-08-15T10:36:53
Firing IDs: 6xlVBfvhd0auwy8bK3lD s43fiwoLEL7ZjntGQa7n
-- Firing #1 duration: 47.0 seconds
-- Delay of 804.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 188.0 seconds

Engine Test #80: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-08-22T07:35:32
Firing IDs: M1Ji0VeNDKgOoDfDECE9 jKvnj6qfFNyG9KH8NOdw
-- Firing #1 duration: 40.0 seconds
-- Delay of 102.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #81: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-08-23T08:53:01
Firing IDs: 23cmNlibGX57cRzfqVYV IG9FkYfBXCZTTEDOvU8s
-- Firing #1 duration: 40.0 seconds
-- Delay of 102.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #82: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-08-23T15:40:07
Firing IDs: 2E8xvxDnuji5rID78773 ntt4BSO7oDAxCESwx9lU
-- Firing #1 duration: 60.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #83: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-08-26T14:34:56
Firing IDs: qW6czOKH4Zmecgekq8z7 q7CRc6no8CR5yHFIyOaZ
-- Firing #1 duration: 60.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 40.0 seconds

Engine Test #84: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-08-27T11:49:06
Firing IDs: Aeec27JXmc5PA8ZmqIhb hzWcCgy7HoDAXyupfW82
-- Firing #1 duration: 60.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 30.0 seconds

Engine Test #85: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-09-19T15:35:22
Firing IDs: qL6vR573v3ccP3GLtPkH Ln1eRfYC5dSddp9EKBzR
-- Firing #1 duration: 34.0 seconds
-- Delay of 722.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 34.0 seconds

Engine Test #86: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 5 firings, starting at 2024-10-23T12:21:24
Firing IDs: jh6BBVTPABTKlUoRtF9d OjYLAjHqQYgYNhB7HwNy 7xxw8KMzWe2y5IZnuRne QFj0r3fqLQMPMt2rVASa 71mM2fbr8y89loS6T9s0
-- Firing #1 duration: 14.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 14.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #3 duration: 5.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #4 duration: 15.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #5 duration: 10.0 seconds

Engine Test #87: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 31 firings, starting at 2024-10-23T13:32:20
Firing IDs: dEtOBE4hnpGdTR1YJMas f96UMnulcfm5kdZXXxMN qi384IXVsXGh0SQKiwsJ qw7Tgol0j7bRbzr3ZFZ7 v7FbIgKYt6x1p3LKhmN2 GHkNxAvBnTaqaLwiGGa2 o55JQMFz2nDxWuSYAazP gRh4k6MBKMaRRMAPsOVP gAPCElvneWpRUxUgvwaL ErIQt9k6onxmEVry5WTn KeuPEVwLNT0My4FUbTM0 wh9JSeWNUGzbhpxTv2ll 4lyWK5CmsLwLOx4AEoKm Rbq3zLSxRMWcUukTF4y7 MrHbK20iVUy61x405crx Pnim5Axxk31EA0u88LzJ 7hYrHJlCtlk2TOUvx13r COqfLFjg29B6ZLRWh0YM TgImNUDVcYn1kQRdAj2B Ik6glcdF9oGyRzQ9GB75 K2UXxBnY8w3V91JfxvWJ FFnlQ811LssCVPeOJxDl eH5EtlShkQW7M7INuB6b HuyogoQQbO8awCK2hr4w 3q8Trel9f2EI6Vu0oNUu X7Jegh8uFyaPOZfrFCTb WIhyrd81dLzf12ip33Nn 7E8nDbzjJPP81YiBlspy R5MYzYV7bw4JOnhOAVB2 3VxeQNveA3zjtL957RKR TLT9lhP0KZb9Sr2SKGR5
-- Firing #1 duration: 14.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #3 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #4 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 7.0 seconds
-- Firing #5 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #6 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #7 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #8 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #9 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #10 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #11 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #12 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 7.0 seconds
-- Firing #13 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #14 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #15 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #16 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #17 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #18 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #19 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #20 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #21 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #22 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #23 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #24 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #25 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #26 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #27 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #28 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #29 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #30 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #31 duration: 8.0 seconds

Engine Test #88: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 5 firings, starting at 2024-10-23T13:40:44
Firing IDs: M5WumWfhP8xlvJGPGJK3 kPZDfuoMFecwFOdsIRox Uj6wPmHIsWY1qoVSonmw rfPmZiWdFvqx0f5kvOia 7lq1Yayyjgr8LnLGKOQf
-- Firing #1 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of -8.0 seconds
-- Firing #3 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #4 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of -8.0 seconds
-- Firing #5 duration: 8.0 seconds

Engine Test #89: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 12 firings, starting at 2024-10-24T12:27:47
Firing IDs: WRcPPmH6aMe3t15oCXhA agkr37lAuJcN1Y0I7eTR wLgAT2FAHyCfj0BuZ8F9 x8yjvyjTZ3GfVBB9lrUn CQTuZt3znJGrjBTwRIgu nbIuQv51EXGpW6y2BWnL DLsfTcUVcLif8g70Xozn K0Aghhrv1YpI8yXkkzOJ VIwEO06ZrJc2BSGXBUXA vpVp3EeXIgtiRb5MupTJ puqBiP3UF3h8gWogHbcM l7bS3944oZzFJjfTmmdh
-- Firing #1 duration: 15.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #3 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #4 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #5 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #6 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #7 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #8 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #9 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #10 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #11 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #12 duration: 8.0 seconds

Engine Test #90: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-10-29T12:27:41
Firing IDs: xi2a4iZCsRGmzfc7Jo2p jQU7WwdrPi2PyS7CBHKC
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 100.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 8.0 seconds

Engine Test #91: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-10-30T09:00:55
Firing IDs: PeIMKqAk6mAEqUaWpMBn RxFuXAfoxWZ4e2H8hyvq
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 100.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 8.0 seconds

Engine Test #92: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-10-30T15:30:43
Firing IDs: kkpK0HaZiT5Q7Q5ymYiq mXk0LtIb2P3Q4wXjuZtm
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 99.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 6.0 seconds

Engine Test #93: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-10-31T09:25:07
Firing IDs: yY5RQZfM4Q3LC2pwQolD VdmIxjrIVxJyvmesOSmu
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 100.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 7.0 seconds

Engine Test #94: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-10-31T15:38:34
Firing IDs: C3PDsKeETfa9z4awkUcA XzgJtvktHSP1G3P1ZFXK
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 10.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 46.0 seconds

Engine Test #95: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-11-01T08:56:33
Firing IDs: W1alcXBJIJtHij1xPQ2j ehuHZMObeBYK5tWVjbyo
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 46.0 seconds

Engine Test #96: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-11-05T10:25:08
Firing IDs: P4tAWRQFPY7KcBdpgP0h sg9olKdJ730oB8pptqG4
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 5.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 46.0 seconds

Engine Test #97: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2025-01-07T16:00:14
Firing IDs: DcvWEk0UFOccV8b6JIl4 l1Q56G1Z4GmS2vH1tnzH
-- Firing #1 duration: 10.0 seconds
-- Delay of 180.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 1.0 seconds

Engine Test #98: Raptor 2 on stand Horizontal with 2 firings, starting at 2025-01-15T09:48:20
Firing IDs: 13ehEwmesIUJaP28zvNE OlXChdyZCEXQ0cDV8bDa
-- Firing #1 duration: 10.0 seconds
-- Delay of 469.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 10.0 seconds

Engine Test #99: Raptor 2 on stand Horizontal with 2 firings, starting at 2025-01-21T20:13:43
Firing IDs: uYpZV8DqShv1DK3ekwx4 keH1lJuypWnwELOAiVcG
-- Firing #1 duration: 10.0 seconds
-- Delay of 420.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 10.0 seconds

Engine Test #100: Raptor 2 on stand Horizontal with 2 firings, starting at 2025-01-22T19:37:37
Firing IDs: I0jO7tFCs7uA00RGhcwC UQJpCHkOm44OQ2hX6hrW
-- Firing #1 duration: 10.0 seconds
-- Delay of 417.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 10.0 seconds

Engine Test #101: Raptor 2 on stand Horizontal with 2 firings, starting at 2025-01-23T09:11:10
Firing IDs: i1qx0tUvqNjvvNtZvbsm hUBGJ32EopU1UcPlvnLl
-- Firing #1 duration: 10.0 seconds
-- Delay of 445.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 10.0 seconds

Engine Test #102: Raptor 2 on stand Horizontal with 2 firings, starting at 2025-01-24T09:42:47
Firing IDs: LBRFSahnc7NILfQ17OKw nxHZmTIbBHb7jASg1meb
-- Firing #1 duration: 10.0 seconds
-- Delay of 417.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 10.0 seconds

Here are my assessments of the various test campaigns:

Spoiler

Test 1 is an oddball, a long firing followed by a delay of more than ten minutes followed by a short firing.

Tests 2-6 all appear to be similar, though they are spaced out by months. A first firing of between 1 and 5 seconds, a delay of more than ten minutes, and a second firing of between 1 and 2 minutes.

Tests 7-10 appear to be from the same test campaign, a first firing of 33-41 seconds followed by a delay of 6-9 seconds followed by a second burn of 1-5 seconds (usually 5). This is likely testing boostback restart, as the delay between inner ring shutdown and boostback startup is roughly 9 or so seconds. The final firing in this campaign may have failed as it was the only one to not reach 5 seconds on the second burn.

Tests 11-15 appear to be from a second phase of the previous test campaign, beginning mere days later, also on the tripod, and with a similar profile. These tests are characterized by a first firing of 39-50 seconds, a delay of 9-10 seconds, and a second firing of 29 seconds. This is also likely boostback restart testing, but with a longer second burn. I hesitate on whether or not to call this full duration. The boostback burns on flights 3 and 4 were roughly 50 seconds long. Flight 7's burn was 40 seconds (and that should nominally be a little shorter as there was one engine out). However, this test campaign happened in November of 2022, maybe the profile was different then. This was back when they intended to use "flip staging" and it was back when their vehicles hadn't experienced as much mass growth. So maybe 29 seconds was full duration back then.

Test 16 is 2 months later and similar, but with a 16 second second burn.

Tests 17-20 have negative delays and are likely data collection errors or duplicate tests, unless SpaceX tests multiple Raptors at the same time, which I have not heard of them doing (but I might have simply not heard of it happening).

Tests 21-22 were more horizontal stand "long fire, long delay, short fire" tests.

Test 23 is a negative delay (implying simultaneous firing).

Test 24 is a Merlin.

Test 25 is 2 20 second firings >10 minutes apart.

Test 26 is a short firing and a 1m21s firing >10 minutes apart.

Test 27 is 2 medium duration firings separated by >10 minutes.

Tests 28-30 are all Merlin related, but they all appear to be duplicates of the same test and therefore not multi engine firings.

Test 31 is a short firing, 5-10 minute delay, and a long firing.

Test 32 is a Merlin duplicate.

Test 33 is a duplicate.

Tests 34-51 were conducted in two separate batches in April and May respectively and all appear to be focused on boostback restart. All tests involved two firings on the Tripod stand. Batch #1 (the April batch) consisted of a first firing 40, 50, or 58-60 seconds long, a delay 8-11 seconds long, and a second firing of 9-10  or 20 seconds long. Batch #2 (the May batch) consisted of a first firing 60 seconds long, a delay 8 seconds long, and a second firing 20 seconds long.

Those tests were all shortly after flight 3 and may have been involved in figuring out what went wrong with that flight's boostback burn. Shortly after these tests concluded, SpaceX posted an update announcing that the likely culprit was likely blockage of the liquid oxygen filter.

Tests 52-72 were likely landing burn restart tests and started about a week after flight 4 and were possibly related to the engine restart failure on flight 4. The flight time between boostback shutdown and landing burn startup is roughly 3 to 3 and a half minutes, but this depends on which flight and the flight profile. Every test occurred on the vertical stand, consisted of 2 firings, and consisted of a ~30 second first firing and a ~20 second second firing. A number of different delays between these firings were tested, ranging from 99 seconds to 349 seconds, with many hovering at around that 3-3.5 minute mark.

Tests 73-78 occur starting a couple weeks later, this time on the tripod, and consist of a 30 or 40 second first firing, followed by a delay of 193 to 199 seconds with the exception of test 74, with a shorter 99 second delay, and a second firing of 30, 20, 33, or 63 seconds. The delay matches the boostback -> landing burn delay, and the short second burns match the expected amount of time that the 3 center engines fire for the landing burn. Unsure what the longer second firings would test.

I would like to single out tests 75 and 76 in particular as they are basically exactly what we would expect from  what the center engines go through. One ascent+boostback burn, followed by a ~3-3.5 minute delay, followed by a 20 second landing burn. The durations of the first burns do not match the flight first burns of several minutes but presumably by that point they were confident in Raptor's ability to burn for that long, and were more looking for stuff that arises because of the restart delay, and to actually run the engine for that long would be unnecessary, cause a lot of noise, use up more of the test team's time, and burn a lot of fuel.

Test 79  is a short burn, >10m delay, and a long burn. Unsure.

Tests 80 and 81 are 40s, 102s delay, and 20s firings on the tripod. Unsure what is being tested.

Tests 82-84 are likely more boostback restart tests, all featuring a 8-9 second delay, with initial durations of 60 seconds, and second durations of 20, 40, and 30 seconds, respectively.

Test 85 is 2 34 second firings separated by 722 seconds. No clue.

Test 86 consists of 5 short firings all 8-9 seconds apart.

Tests 87-88 is the infamous 30+ firing test. The reason my code resolves it as 2 tests instead of 1 is because my code only checks to see if two adjacent tests in the dataset are part of the same campaign and then restarts counting if they are not. SpaceX decided to show off by firing a Merlin in the middle of this test, breaking my code.

Unsure exactly what is being tested. Perhaps how Raptor holds up to a lot of cycles. Perhaps a lot of data on how Raptor restarts for boostback (the delay between the firings is 8 seconds). Maybe they wanted a lot of data on restart across some parameter they gradually varied throughout the testing. Unsure.

Tests 90-93 are all on the vertical stand, and consist of a 30 second firing followed by a ~100 second delay, followed by a 6-8 second firing. Unsure as to the purpose.

Tests 94-96 are also on the vertical stand, with a first firing of 30 seconds and a second firing of 46 seconds, with a delay of 10, 9, and 5 seconds between them. Perhaps they were testing something to do with different amounts of time between engine restarts - I'd have to double check, but I think 5 seconds is the fastest restart I've seen yet, though this is at the mercy of third party observers rounding to the nearest second. This seems vaguely boostback related as the second burn duration is roughly how long a boostback burn would take.

Test 97 was 10 seconds, 3 minute delay, 1 second.

Tests 98-102 all consist of 10 second first and second firings, separated by variable durations of between 417 and 469 seconds, possibly some sort of longer duration restart test.

Of the 102 tests, there appear to be:

• 6 Raptor tests with erroneous data
• 5 Merlin tests, likely mostly or fully with erroneous data (No shot they would fire two MVacs at the exact same time from the same stand, that is likely the same burn being accidentally entered into the database twice)
• 19 tests involving a delay between firings of more than 6 minutes
• 34 tests that in my view are likely related to middle-ring engines restarting for the boostback burn
• 27 tests that in my view are likely related to inner or middle ring engines restarting for the landing burn
• 7 tests that in my view do not neatly fit into any given category (this category may be larger as it is possible I have been too broad in what I consider to be boostback/landing restart tests)
• 2 tests involving restarting Raptor several times in a short timeframe (the only two tests to involve more than two burns)

Notably that adds up to only 100 so I miscounted somewhere but I don't want to recount.

Note that the data set only includes tests that succeeded in producing two burns, perhaps there were more with the second firing aborted. And some of the "long duration" tests could be tests of two different things that just happened to be on the same engine less than 30 minutes apart.

Assuming my code doesn't have some catastrophic error, there have been no middle-ring mission profile tests of Raptor since at least April 2022 when this data set starts.

Now what I'm about to do is probably going to sound a lot like moving the goalposts, but I hope that my reasoning is sufficient.

Upon a reinspection of the premise, generally we would expect major engine testing, such as a 3 burn test, to be completed before engines intended for flight are delivered to the launch vehicle. The first full stack was in August of 2021 with a vehicle at the time intended for flight (B4/S20 though it did not end up flying) and I think it had engines installed at the time, though I think they were shuffled around afterwards somewhat. But generally I would expect them to have the Raptor 1 testing done by this point in time. Tests of the first booster with Raptor 2 is a little closer, as the first engines were installed onto B7 in August of 2022 (I have not double checked the ship engine timeline). So that leaves a four month gap between the earliest time we can detect tests and the latest time we could have expected them to have tests done.

And that latest time is generous, you would generally want to make sure that engine can do what is asked of it long before you start building 33 of them to put on a vehicle. I would anticipate that sort of testing having concluded far earlier.

So now that I have reconsidered the problem, I don't think that we would expect to see the first 3 burn Raptor testing in this data set. Whether it happened or not is still an open question, but this kind of basic testing I now believe would have likely taken place before the earliest tests covered by this data set.

Third parties, please call me out if this does not seem like a reasonable conclusion. I found no such tests where I initially expected to find some, and I thought up a benign reason why that may be the case. While I believe that I have done this in good faith, I am not 100% sure I'm not subconsciously starting with a conclusion and then trying to fit the evidence to it, as many of us are accusing Exoscientist of doing.

 

If anyone can find a data set going back further, please let me know.

I do, however, find it interesting that they never repeated that sort of test in the nearly three years since. We might see that sort of test with Raptor 3 in the future.

 

What we have seen, however, is a lot of focus on the transitions between two stages of flight, especially in reaction to times when that transition went wrong on the previous mission. A lot of going from engine on to engine off to engine on again with various parameters, appearing to roughly correspond to liftoff --> boostback and boostback --> landing burn. In these burns, often times the burns are not to full duration. I think there is a benign reason for this and I would like to address this before it is brought up.

Generally, keeping a rocket engine running isn't as difficult as starting one up or shutting one down. Still difficult, but there are a lot less things that can go wrong for a rocket engine in steady state operation than one actively making changes. If a regeneratively cooled rocket engine can fire for 30 seconds, chances are it can fire for 10 minutes (though this is not always the case - I believe the RL-10 operates at a thrust level that causes creep to happen, limiting its total cumulative firing time).  So if you are specifically testing how to shut down an engine and then restart it, it is likely only necessary to fire the engine long enough for it to get into steady state operation. The dynamics of a shutdown after 30 seconds of operation are likely very similar if not indistinguishable from that of a shutdown after 3 minutes of operation, and they are already quite confident that Raptor can burn for 3 minutes just fine. They've even done a burn that was 14 minutes and 57 seconds long.

If that is the case, then why waste the fuel, the time, and the noise pollution of a 3 minute test when a 30 second test works just as well for what they are trying to test?

 

By the way, I did look up McGregor's city ordinances to see if anything there was influencing test duration. Nothing relevant stood out, but I had always wondered about that 14 minute and 57 second Raptor test. Why not go for 15 minutes, a nice round number? Well it turns out that there is an ordinance preventing tests of rockets over 500,000lbf (~226tf) for more than 15 minutes of a time, so that answers that question. Not related but an interesting tangent I found.

 

TLDR: I checked the NSF data, I found no such 3 burn tests Exoscientist described, to my surprise. Upon second thought, I believe that if this testing was ever done, it probably occurred earlier in Raptor's development cycle. I would expect that sort of basic development testing to have happened long before any engines were delivered to flight vehicles, which would put those tests before the time at which NSF started collecting data.

I did find a lot of interesting 2 burn tests that seem to correspond to boostback restart testing and landing burn restart testing, with a few clusters that seem to correspond to failures in flight. I may, however, to a certain extent, be seeing patterns where there are none.

I still find it odd that SpaceX has never felt the need repeat those tests (assuming they were ever done) in the time since, but perhaps they like what they are seeing from the actual flights and haven't found a need.

 

Alright, back to the job hunt.

Edited yesterday at 11:04 PM by Ultimate Steve

[AVaughan]

On 1/29/2025 at 1:41 AM, Exoscientist said:

To get to the bottom of it the FAA should require SpaceX to release all videos of the engine bay while the engines are firing, most specifically during restarts.

Why on Earth should the FAA require any such thing?.  Do they require any other rocket company to release videos of any of their engines whilst firing or during restarts?  Why should you expect them to require SpaceX to release such videos?  

And whilst I'm about it, why are you even surprised (let alone reacting like it is part of some conspiracy), if a rocket engine during shutdown might run some fuel through its turbopumps as part of its normal engine shutdown?

Why do you act surprised if a rocket that contains liquified gas vents some of that gas?   You do know that boiloff is a normal process for liquefied gas, right?  And that tanks are designed for a certain maximum safe pressure and will at times need to vent to make sure that they never exceed that safe pressure?  You know that methane gas is flammable, and, in the right mixture, even explosive?  So why do you treat it as a conspiracy if any vented methane gas catches fire?  Isn't that something you would expect might happen?  Indeed, given the risk of explosion, isn't even conceivable that maybe SpaceX wants any vented methane gas to burn, to be sure it does not explode?  

Now I am not saying that I think Raptor is perfectly reliable, or that I think there aren't problems with the booster and ship design, but no-one should expect any commercial company want to release every detail of their design and all their test results to the public.  Virtually no commercial enterprise is ever that open.  On balance I think Elon and SpaceX are more open than most other commercial rocket companies. 

[AVaughan]

2 hours ago, Ultimate Steve said:

I did find a lot of interesting 2 burn tests that seem to correspond to boostback restart testing and landing burn restart testing, with a few clusters that seem to correspond to failures in flight. I may, however, to a certain extent, be seeing patterns where there are none.

I still find it odd that SpaceX has never felt the need repeat those tests (assuming they were ever done) in the time since, but perhaps they like what they are seeing from the actual flights and haven't found a need.

Weren't they intending to keep all the centre engines running in the initial plan for the flip manoeuvre?  So a two burn test would have been appropriate.  (And they probably knew they needed actual flight tests, since I doubt they could accurately replicate on test stands the actual conditions of the flip, including things like fuel slosh).

[darthgently]

Related right now. T-12m

 

[tater]

Expended the booster.

 

[StrandedonEarth]

10 hours ago, tater said:

Expended the booster.

 

Edited 10 hours ago by StrandedonEarth

[Deddly]

 

Spoiler

@StrandedonEarth, right click (or long click on mobile) the gif from Imgur, open image in new tab, copy the url and paste to the forum.

 

Edited 8 hours ago by Deddly

[StrandedonEarth]

4 hours ago, Deddly said:

 

  Hide contents

@StrandedonEarth, right click (or long click on mobile) the gif from Imgur, open image in new tab, copy the url and paste to the forum.

 

Fixed it, thanks! I kinda figured I was missing a step, but was too sleepy at the time...

Edited 10 hours ago by StrandedonEarth

[Exoscientist]

17 hours ago, Ultimate Steve said:

Update: The weary load of scrolling endlessly through jobs I'm not qualified for and updating my rejection spreadsheet wore me down, so I caved and looked at the NSF McGregor engine data set despite the fact that I said I wouldn't and shouldn't.

I made code to go through the data and it returned 102 instances of an engine at McGregor firing two or more times from the same stand in any 30 minute time interval. My code is not perfect - notably, 1 firing, and then 5 firings in 5 minutes 29 minutes later would show up as a "2 firing test" and a "4 firing test" rather than the more sensible arrangement of "1-5" but ehh it is what it is.

Raw output from my code:

Important note: I don't think the NSF data set makes a distinction between Raptor 1, Raptor 2, and Raptor 3. We know for sure Raptor 3 has been fired, but it does not show up in the data set (the whole data set, not just the restart tests). So when it says Raptor 2, keep in mind that it might instead be 1 or 3.

  Hide contents

Engine Test #1: Raptor 2 on stand Horizontal with 2 firings, starting at 2022-05-23T14:44:14
Firing IDs: hUek0mgZKCmmMlA0q85G ntyU9khbP4AzMCAq3yxw 
-- Firing #1 duration: 110.0 seconds
-- Delay of 607.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 1.0 seconds

Engine Test #2: Raptor 2 on stand Horizontal with 2 firings, starting at 2022-05-31T15:02:59
Firing IDs: rtVAzkGymWxkC4FXJDiL B4oBmFL0Z0Kg1brpunwH 
-- Firing #1 duration: 1.0 seconds
-- Delay of 868.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 111.0 seconds

Engine Test #3: Raptor 2 on stand Horizontal with 2 firings, starting at 2022-06-03T07:18:02
Firing IDs: QDBmVe0zCtvdUvCxWLTS kRgxufY2AwyJV9fkaKtl 
-- Firing #1 duration: 2.0 seconds
-- Delay of 705.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 109.0 seconds

Engine Test #4: Raptor 2 on stand Horizontal with 2 firings, starting at 2022-08-09T14:15:04
Firing IDs: lm8IPPnyT63QGICErAfe eo1hQUyReGeA2oCtU7Qj
-- Firing #1 duration: 5.0 seconds
-- Delay of 870.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 105.0 seconds

Engine Test #5: Raptor 2 on stand Horizontal with 2 firings, starting at 2022-09-01T08:13:57
Firing IDs: m5c0brcQVnMaSenNbOJB DQ20qgNPyWns55aiHTnQ
-- Firing #1 duration: 5.0 seconds
-- Delay of 860.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 61.0 seconds

Engine Test #6: Raptor 2 on stand Horizontal with 2 firings, starting at 2022-09-01T14:59:46
Firing IDs: mUotUPhwUMUcPGVeSisI OHo5PIPvFOdmnQtrXisg
-- Firing #1 duration: 5.0 seconds
-- Delay of 618.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 60.0 seconds

Engine Test #7: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2022-09-28T09:46:53
Firing IDs: DGUs8LPUrJrKdLZN2n8a 5oBWETEuSUFzSadJ9R5Q
-- Firing #1 duration: 33.0 seconds
-- Delay of 6.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 5.0 seconds

Engine Test #8: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2022-10-15T12:25:27
Firing IDs: U5H3X18FLB6i9pFY4Uuf TflaEILWeKU86Wgn5Y65
-- Firing #1 duration: 40.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 5.0 seconds

Engine Test #9: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2022-10-17T19:29:57
Firing IDs: eA24x9sprJsLlnBjWRCh k2LvHzzWOGrSshSS5ljU
-- Firing #1 duration: 41.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 5.0 seconds

Engine Test #10: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2022-10-20T17:58:32
Firing IDs: doMkmbzOA3jvo3O4rIZv 8kicYnvfeFTpc9iVgQw0
-- Firing #1 duration: 40.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 1.0 seconds

Engine Test #11: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2022-10-26T13:01:11
Firing IDs: na5dxr6OFV4apJWB4wBb o8x84oCUcBBu0HTrzNGW
-- Firing #1 duration: 39.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 29.0 seconds

Engine Test #12: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2022-10-26T20:31:48
Firing IDs: wmpgRZPr1l2FJBCfoF1X AN8ePvEfUdqGlcyNuMN2
-- Firing #1 duration: 40.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 29.0 seconds

Engine Test #13: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2022-10-27T14:00:14
Firing IDs: xhNgVWVxZ9MZDzlBWha1 ahDtPq8ZBijJrUXlOQGS
-- Firing #1 duration: 39.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 29.0 seconds

Engine Test #14: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2022-10-28T07:12:56
Firing IDs: UnCJrsLDZQbzi2lsPXZ2 TpxemPsbvF1MlUlDxUjM
-- Firing #1 duration: 39.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 29.0 seconds

Engine Test #15: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2022-10-31T16:47:15
Firing IDs: QElXnGFPzAA8jbwGpCDZ XNgT0mjqbbhoG4lWqDzf
-- Firing #1 duration: 39.0 seconds
-- Delay of 10.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 29.0 seconds

Engine Test #16: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2022-12-16T20:49:57
Firing IDs: Hsgc4A70NhEyO75dK7UB 6fXO7thGtJO16vyEXJlP
-- Firing #1 duration: 40.0 seconds
-- Delay of 10.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 16.0 seconds

Engine Test #17: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2022-12-17T11:37:29
Firing IDs: Ofrr4ypEzXFiYBFrHEkH ZXSv2xrX4yvGalAJkQ1E
-- Firing #1 duration: 50.0 seconds
-- Delay of -1.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 40.0 seconds

Engine Test #18: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2023-02-10T18:57:58
Firing IDs: uPqLP0S3FOXAQPmp7gsp 6JP8zs1pDbf823utcsDW
-- Firing #1 duration: 157.0 seconds
-- Delay of -157.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 157.0 seconds

Engine Test #19: Raptor 2 on stand Horizontal with 2 firings, starting at 2023-03-29T17:20:48
Firing IDs: axu9JcUd7IwWfIinoCEH 8CWKlKw687w6WgEPFRJd
-- Firing #1 duration: 102.0 seconds
-- Delay of -102.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 102.0 seconds

Engine Test #20: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2023-03-29T17:23:01
Firing IDs: hkgYzXqwqzq8RYhErzaU 3hrTl5gyZ9R0T31x88Mo
-- Firing #1 duration: 101.0 seconds
-- Delay of -101.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 101.0 seconds

Engine Test #21: Raptor 2 on stand Horizontal with 2 firings, starting at 2023-03-31T12:34:14
Firing IDs: eBnJIbzNRDofkiIHQnWz ipql5ESCQsNYARMfXcAn
-- Firing #1 duration: 116.0 seconds
-- Delay of 632.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 6.0 seconds

Engine Test #22: Raptor 2 on stand Horizontal with 2 firings, starting at 2023-04-13T10:27:57
Firing IDs: Fy3J05uaFg4N8tUknofO E7a7ulU82Zqst2vB6uVV
-- Firing #1 duration: 117.0 seconds
-- Delay of 391.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 2.0 seconds

Engine Test #23: Raptor 2 on stand Horizontal with 2 firings, starting at 2023-04-28T18:59:14
Firing IDs: pJZxZKB6k0lLCsA5ouOT WStRi3nArvM8qAW9BGwJ
-- Firing #1 duration: 124.0 seconds
-- Delay of -124.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 124.0 seconds

Engine Test #24: Merlin on stand Merlin with 2 firings, starting at 2023-05-12T17:46:13
Firing IDs: esrfZsr04ju1SBnJAQia IiDtwjUCrMN35MnkdMx8
-- Firing #1 duration: 56.0 seconds
-- Delay of 241.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 31.0 seconds

Engine Test #25: Raptor 2 on stand Horizontal with 2 firings, starting at 2023-06-02T12:22:57
Firing IDs: PrpTTl4ZAlFUwW6PJdzk U8iBeZ1rt1w3H8RlrYO7
-- Firing #1 duration: 20.0 seconds
-- Delay of 874.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #26: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2023-06-30T15:58:43
Firing IDs: 1xMeP4CBGrqtV9FnACt6 fbVfjRXHC04obiwYJrqC
-- Firing #1 duration: 2.0 seconds
-- Delay of 855.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 81.0 seconds

Engine Test #27: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2023-07-18T09:39:48
Firing IDs: aqZ8XykLH4CYh4Kcjqje GfFKSSiTxLfBjY1G2DZU
-- Firing #1 duration: 80.0 seconds
-- Delay of 788.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 44.0 seconds

Engine Test #28: Merlin on stand Merlin with 2 firings, starting at 2023-09-10T16:10:52
Firing IDs: cNFaLuA7FjjcwTyJNwss R8AJbV4gbRProRfYPRR9
-- Firing #1 duration: 142.0 seconds
-- Delay of -142.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 142.0 seconds

Engine Test #29: Merlin Vac on stand Falcon Stage Two with 2 firings, starting at 2023-10-14T13:01:09
Firing IDs: vMB3r5Emq4vtE3BSRAgf OAuv26dyPXCK76g6AYWb
-- Firing #1 duration: 210.0 seconds
-- Delay of -210.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 210.0 seconds

Engine Test #30: Falcon First Stage on stand Falcon Stage One with 2 firings, starting at 2023-10-14T15:22:46
Firing IDs: Fv5RzvKIaZflqvIJA3EG BF1wnmFaZMeaOAEn4oRv
-- Firing #1 duration: 77.0 seconds
-- Delay of -77.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 77.0 seconds

Engine Test #31: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2023-11-03T16:41:46
Firing IDs: fVs5EIvxkRH5bWttTPDN cHY3D2jhS51fmx9kjmcS
-- Firing #1 duration: 6.0 seconds
-- Delay of 517.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 147.0 seconds

Engine Test #32: Merlin Vac on stand MVac with 2 firings, starting at 2024-01-26T19:58:22
Firing IDs: HKvaMQI4oIBuvGP5Dg5z 4s2X3ypdFaJGjaRoHi5C
-- Firing #1 duration: 162.0 seconds
-- Delay of -162.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 162.0 seconds

Engine Test #33: Raptor 2 on stand Horizontal with 2 firings, starting at 2024-01-26T19:58:27
Firing IDs: molc16ZqaHhHXUdnZrJ2 3jHQ6EN72KOPQ1oc24yU
-- Firing #1 duration: 29.0 seconds
-- Delay of -29.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 29.0 seconds

Engine Test #34: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-04-04T16:26:12
Firing IDs: hAeOtIUavNOf88cc0cv3 kMW9wjcb7J9Gom30K677
-- Firing #1 duration: 60.0 seconds
-- Delay of 10.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #35: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-04-05T16:37:59
Firing IDs: TyuQWBDM1Q6n2ANaf3Wo htNuP5Iz4fDNmd6sz2yF
-- Firing #1 duration: 59.0 seconds
-- Delay of 11.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 9.0 seconds

Engine Test #36: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-04-12T10:36:13
Firing IDs: yu5LnWLar0UE5WhRqrXk Eby60go772zJHFaqAfFa
-- Firing #1 duration: 60.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 10.0 seconds

Engine Test #37: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-04-12T16:33:00
Firing IDs: CZ4DDIspkN7ebLO0Ctcl qZwv7s8nxhZDB9QiW1PT
-- Firing #1 duration: 60.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 10.0 seconds

Engine Test #38: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-04-15T11:51:11
Firing IDs: 6Ixot0EeAW7xcHs3CFWa FMayFfLREYSrrC6dnuMR
-- Firing #1 duration: 60.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 10.0 seconds

Engine Test #39: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-04-17T12:10:10
Firing IDs: VMC2G6cPRcovS6euCNBT UJDNeVS3WFfmNzTX74nk
-- Firing #1 duration: 58.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 10.0 seconds

Engine Test #40: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-04-17T16:25:22
Firing IDs: soH3f7M8KweicvoMdySv u74qIZA3FhMjIMj2zgob
-- Firing #1 duration: 60.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 10.0 seconds

Engine Test #41: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-04-18T16:23:33
Firing IDs: 99OuCVIdRku6uYS2WHQk EfAuGycotvUuIIubqEyi
-- Firing #1 duration: 60.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 10.0 seconds

Engine Test #42: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-04-19T10:31:16
Firing IDs: H22SgCXe5yw61hn66uDG PGkHMFpSlGN2ogMsrub2
-- Firing #1 duration: 60.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #43: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-04-19T15:09:43
Firing IDs: 386yMmIP0Dpc5zc6IFyp 6xpRtJmZIpafPCeAZ4LR
-- Firing #1 duration: 40.0 seconds
-- Delay of 7.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #44: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-04-23T10:34:27
Firing IDs: Beb243Jq3lXbJPkHmOXT bUl6A18RX3LMeVwe5L9h
-- Firing #1 duration: 40.0 seconds
-- Delay of 10.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #45: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-04-23T17:42:31
Firing IDs: Wc1zVHaY821fjB8FQ1Tu UdgEhELBtgK4gUfGQWAl
-- Firing #1 duration: 40.0 seconds
-- Delay of 10.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #46: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-04-24T10:29:14
Firing IDs: lhwC7yfEUdPuz3Rd6aCW yqnG7oxdnA2HYqAHVHC5
-- Firing #1 duration: 40.0 seconds
-- Delay of 10.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #47: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-04-24T16:27:57
Firing IDs: TF8UTzxk5Pd0Jr8XRrec KLGDYDDzsEi8rHtLx2Sw
-- Firing #1 duration: 60.0 seconds
-- Delay of 10.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #48: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-05-15T17:29:12
Firing IDs: M2I0xYGzgWYjk4TIqjVG CKOhTj9bzXIWOPGUhuYs
-- Firing #1 duration: 60.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #49: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-05-16T10:33:16
Firing IDs: 9yWtAhMpgT3P2mKFIXtp RpUrA3U3J7HnbfDy5K0Z
-- Firing #1 duration: 60.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #50: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-05-16T17:53:07
Firing IDs: qS92o6km2bGnscja1YUe 1tMwIF6cFessZa85MRL5
-- Firing #1 duration: 60.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #51: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-05-17T12:05:04
Firing IDs: wFMOqgYFz5NY2IlRtTb1 RKNePBK1klBrmtcEqwlP
-- Firing #1 duration: 60.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #52: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-06-13T09:03:53
Firing IDs: gJPrTXPlvyc7b32hpMT4 VWyEQyZ4477FceqJurks
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 203.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #53: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-06-17T20:12:21
Firing IDs: lDGU48cDp2GiyvymbZlF IDw2tNRp9oWbkgwumwHw
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 201.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #54: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-06-18T20:29:30
Firing IDs: T3xnScYn7namJciT4iP4 UWdsEosfJlyNofUu5ShA
-- Firing #1 duration: 20.0 seconds
-- Delay of 349.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 30.0 seconds

Engine Test #55: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-06-20T12:24:50
Firing IDs: K2g5NITTTeBEX2oyXJZl 2kTYqMir7HmKSr69aW1L
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 200.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #56: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-06-21T08:55:50
Firing IDs: QyZSm5vtQ5Lffh5fMQ3L Ifkt011Q8S0PCWhklEfx
-- Firing #1 duration: 29.0 seconds
-- Delay of 114.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 19.0 seconds

Engine Test #57: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-06-24T20:16:39
Firing IDs: GyqJH2c12Xk8ZZHP9QJD Ul1teSLXWUsYzswr0MDQ
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 116.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #58: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-06-25T15:07:09
Firing IDs: L5qPpHhlVgbqDf3Buq3Z 5NyBuOOPrWSWT2cxZXHj
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 115.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #59: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-06-26T09:01:44
Firing IDs: TkcdxuJaZeNY60nIUn8D zWtzV2AlDFlhfIFTaX4z
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 203.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #60: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-06-26T18:20:07
Firing IDs: 5Rm3mxai2U6oxVs1ZrRc VVOt9NjGCBr9ceSCnKSl
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 203.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #61: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-06-27T12:43:40
Firing IDs: 3wBs8c2q1NwInmE9bjar lqIEZUFXaF0enmJaY0pL
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 98.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #62: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-06-27T20:48:09
Firing IDs: DaTaJLcwueoxX0ruxKWI KpxdAqMNVMuddexNZyxB
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 99.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 5.0 seconds

Engine Test #63: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-06-28T11:42:03
Firing IDs: 8DJHqWCmGliULHVUmcaR PEoCCerQgHWOuz30p4lp
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 100.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #64: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-07-01T15:22:16
Firing IDs: nsRQHtN65cvAUWCwHmrA DiAqQzS0YtX4zWCkYG2a
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 100.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #65: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-07-02T12:37:58
Firing IDs: H8fz6zpM6EP7dZSAwAGk SnUoKSahdxCAIaULJExk
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 101.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #66: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-07-03T12:35:00
Firing IDs: v2CLZZ1K62RBRXxboVAJ W2c9JbAcDZU1V1RN6qTI
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 104.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #67: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-07-09T09:07:04
Firing IDs: jlh45R4Fess3XmYkzXWg yujGtSEdAYLIBDRUfa5O
-- Firing #1 duration: 29.0 seconds
-- Delay of 193.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 19.0 seconds

Engine Test #68: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-07-09T20:47:05
Firing IDs: qyCp4Y0mO4yHUpw94xfe sbxYAFjnhNZdGANAp9pI
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 183.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #69: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-07-10T08:59:31
Firing IDs: EwP21AV8l3lTq0MZbhmY LENN8Uh4On4ojRcVmVC0
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 190.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #70: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-07-11T09:01:20
Firing IDs: aWUsr7SHnLG88jxCpJWE TR2IOJBZxFAN27mXylb6
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 191.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #71: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-07-11T20:44:40
Firing IDs: ZWKGb8gqkSrW4WzUk1Aw AxowFwmcaekkQQpQcxH7
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 11.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 10.0 seconds

Engine Test #72: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-07-12T12:57:32
Firing IDs: rlMJp2eTJhKcwren8XLe qMiWvCPmQz3Ar58G4RNv
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 191.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #73: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-07-29T11:03:36
Firing IDs: wFAj99h4r9nMUOvaTcMq WALy27LF4vUfagWOuwIJ
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 197.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 40.0 seconds

Engine Test #74: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-07-30T12:42:36
Firing IDs: XzXyT9vcIdu8yPoNXSU8 1zqh6rK48p9vgPOQuN70
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 99.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #75: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-07-31T16:45:40
Firing IDs: 1Doar9GDV4019iB5TiwF 8UTYvDFosnJlQ4SPqVA3
-- Firing #1 duration: 40.0 seconds
-- Delay of 199.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #76: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-08-01T12:41:20
Firing IDs: 6HdNH65EuyZfLsZHfbfw 1XhQeLYkkjRNpkVdvfXh
-- Firing #1 duration: 40.0 seconds
-- Delay of 199.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #77: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-08-05T08:53:12
Firing IDs: PvkwQiUjvZjNH7TTVyWr bROeTzMiZckiVryOtU8y
-- Firing #1 duration: 40.0 seconds
-- Delay of 193.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 33.0 seconds

Engine Test #78: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-08-05T15:37:07
Firing IDs: UXE8zADKAi85lpfIo7mQ RWCXK9ureXOW49YEaBoo
-- Firing #1 duration: 40.0 seconds
-- Delay of 198.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 63.0 seconds

Engine Test #79: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-08-15T10:36:53
Firing IDs: 6xlVBfvhd0auwy8bK3lD s43fiwoLEL7ZjntGQa7n
-- Firing #1 duration: 47.0 seconds
-- Delay of 804.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 188.0 seconds

Engine Test #80: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-08-22T07:35:32
Firing IDs: M1Ji0VeNDKgOoDfDECE9 jKvnj6qfFNyG9KH8NOdw
-- Firing #1 duration: 40.0 seconds
-- Delay of 102.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #81: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-08-23T08:53:01
Firing IDs: 23cmNlibGX57cRzfqVYV IG9FkYfBXCZTTEDOvU8s
-- Firing #1 duration: 40.0 seconds
-- Delay of 102.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #82: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-08-23T15:40:07
Firing IDs: 2E8xvxDnuji5rID78773 ntt4BSO7oDAxCESwx9lU
-- Firing #1 duration: 60.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 20.0 seconds

Engine Test #83: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-08-26T14:34:56
Firing IDs: qW6czOKH4Zmecgekq8z7 q7CRc6no8CR5yHFIyOaZ
-- Firing #1 duration: 60.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 40.0 seconds

Engine Test #84: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-08-27T11:49:06
Firing IDs: Aeec27JXmc5PA8ZmqIhb hzWcCgy7HoDAXyupfW82
-- Firing #1 duration: 60.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 30.0 seconds

Engine Test #85: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 2 firings, starting at 2024-09-19T15:35:22
Firing IDs: qL6vR573v3ccP3GLtPkH Ln1eRfYC5dSddp9EKBzR
-- Firing #1 duration: 34.0 seconds
-- Delay of 722.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 34.0 seconds

Engine Test #86: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 5 firings, starting at 2024-10-23T12:21:24
Firing IDs: jh6BBVTPABTKlUoRtF9d OjYLAjHqQYgYNhB7HwNy 7xxw8KMzWe2y5IZnuRne QFj0r3fqLQMPMt2rVASa 71mM2fbr8y89loS6T9s0
-- Firing #1 duration: 14.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 14.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #3 duration: 5.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #4 duration: 15.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #5 duration: 10.0 seconds

Engine Test #87: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 31 firings, starting at 2024-10-23T13:32:20
Firing IDs: dEtOBE4hnpGdTR1YJMas f96UMnulcfm5kdZXXxMN qi384IXVsXGh0SQKiwsJ qw7Tgol0j7bRbzr3ZFZ7 v7FbIgKYt6x1p3LKhmN2 GHkNxAvBnTaqaLwiGGa2 o55JQMFz2nDxWuSYAazP gRh4k6MBKMaRRMAPsOVP gAPCElvneWpRUxUgvwaL ErIQt9k6onxmEVry5WTn KeuPEVwLNT0My4FUbTM0 wh9JSeWNUGzbhpxTv2ll 4lyWK5CmsLwLOx4AEoKm Rbq3zLSxRMWcUukTF4y7 MrHbK20iVUy61x405crx Pnim5Axxk31EA0u88LzJ 7hYrHJlCtlk2TOUvx13r COqfLFjg29B6ZLRWh0YM TgImNUDVcYn1kQRdAj2B Ik6glcdF9oGyRzQ9GB75 K2UXxBnY8w3V91JfxvWJ FFnlQ811LssCVPeOJxDl eH5EtlShkQW7M7INuB6b HuyogoQQbO8awCK2hr4w 3q8Trel9f2EI6Vu0oNUu X7Jegh8uFyaPOZfrFCTb WIhyrd81dLzf12ip33Nn 7E8nDbzjJPP81YiBlspy R5MYzYV7bw4JOnhOAVB2 3VxeQNveA3zjtL957RKR TLT9lhP0KZb9Sr2SKGR5
-- Firing #1 duration: 14.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #3 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #4 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 7.0 seconds
-- Firing #5 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #6 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #7 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #8 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #9 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #10 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #11 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #12 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 7.0 seconds
-- Firing #13 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #14 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #15 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #16 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #17 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #18 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #19 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #20 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #21 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #22 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #23 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #24 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #25 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #26 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #27 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #28 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #29 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #30 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #31 duration: 8.0 seconds

Engine Test #88: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 5 firings, starting at 2024-10-23T13:40:44
Firing IDs: M5WumWfhP8xlvJGPGJK3 kPZDfuoMFecwFOdsIRox Uj6wPmHIsWY1qoVSonmw rfPmZiWdFvqx0f5kvOia 7lq1Yayyjgr8LnLGKOQf
-- Firing #1 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of -8.0 seconds
-- Firing #3 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #4 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of -8.0 seconds
-- Firing #5 duration: 8.0 seconds

Engine Test #89: Raptor 2 on stand Tripod with 12 firings, starting at 2024-10-24T12:27:47
Firing IDs: WRcPPmH6aMe3t15oCXhA agkr37lAuJcN1Y0I7eTR wLgAT2FAHyCfj0BuZ8F9 x8yjvyjTZ3GfVBB9lrUn CQTuZt3znJGrjBTwRIgu nbIuQv51EXGpW6y2BWnL DLsfTcUVcLif8g70Xozn K0Aghhrv1YpI8yXkkzOJ VIwEO06ZrJc2BSGXBUXA vpVp3EeXIgtiRb5MupTJ puqBiP3UF3h8gWogHbcM l7bS3944oZzFJjfTmmdh
-- Firing #1 duration: 15.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #3 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #4 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #5 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #6 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #7 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #8 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #9 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #10 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #11 duration: 8.0 seconds
-- Delay of 8.0 seconds
-- Firing #12 duration: 8.0 seconds

Engine Test #90: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-10-29T12:27:41
Firing IDs: xi2a4iZCsRGmzfc7Jo2p jQU7WwdrPi2PyS7CBHKC
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 100.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 8.0 seconds

Engine Test #91: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-10-30T09:00:55
Firing IDs: PeIMKqAk6mAEqUaWpMBn RxFuXAfoxWZ4e2H8hyvq
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 100.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 8.0 seconds

Engine Test #92: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-10-30T15:30:43
Firing IDs: kkpK0HaZiT5Q7Q5ymYiq mXk0LtIb2P3Q4wXjuZtm
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 99.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 6.0 seconds

Engine Test #93: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-10-31T09:25:07
Firing IDs: yY5RQZfM4Q3LC2pwQolD VdmIxjrIVxJyvmesOSmu
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 100.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 7.0 seconds

Engine Test #94: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-10-31T15:38:34
Firing IDs: C3PDsKeETfa9z4awkUcA XzgJtvktHSP1G3P1ZFXK
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 10.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 46.0 seconds

Engine Test #95: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-11-01T08:56:33
Firing IDs: W1alcXBJIJtHij1xPQ2j ehuHZMObeBYK5tWVjbyo
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 9.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 46.0 seconds

Engine Test #96: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2024-11-05T10:25:08
Firing IDs: P4tAWRQFPY7KcBdpgP0h sg9olKdJ730oB8pptqG4
-- Firing #1 duration: 30.0 seconds
-- Delay of 5.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 46.0 seconds

Engine Test #97: Raptor 2 on stand Vertical with 2 firings, starting at 2025-01-07T16:00:14
Firing IDs: DcvWEk0UFOccV8b6JIl4 l1Q56G1Z4GmS2vH1tnzH
-- Firing #1 duration: 10.0 seconds
-- Delay of 180.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 1.0 seconds

Engine Test #98: Raptor 2 on stand Horizontal with 2 firings, starting at 2025-01-15T09:48:20
Firing IDs: 13ehEwmesIUJaP28zvNE OlXChdyZCEXQ0cDV8bDa
-- Firing #1 duration: 10.0 seconds
-- Delay of 469.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 10.0 seconds

Engine Test #99: Raptor 2 on stand Horizontal with 2 firings, starting at 2025-01-21T20:13:43
Firing IDs: uYpZV8DqShv1DK3ekwx4 keH1lJuypWnwELOAiVcG
-- Firing #1 duration: 10.0 seconds
-- Delay of 420.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 10.0 seconds

Engine Test #100: Raptor 2 on stand Horizontal with 2 firings, starting at 2025-01-22T19:37:37
Firing IDs: I0jO7tFCs7uA00RGhcwC UQJpCHkOm44OQ2hX6hrW
-- Firing #1 duration: 10.0 seconds
-- Delay of 417.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 10.0 seconds

Engine Test #101: Raptor 2 on stand Horizontal with 2 firings, starting at 2025-01-23T09:11:10
Firing IDs: i1qx0tUvqNjvvNtZvbsm hUBGJ32EopU1UcPlvnLl
-- Firing #1 duration: 10.0 seconds
-- Delay of 445.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 10.0 seconds

Engine Test #102: Raptor 2 on stand Horizontal with 2 firings, starting at 2025-01-24T09:42:47
Firing IDs: LBRFSahnc7NILfQ17OKw nxHZmTIbBHb7jASg1meb
-- Firing #1 duration: 10.0 seconds
-- Delay of 417.0 seconds
-- Firing #2 duration: 10.0 seconds

Here are my assessments of the various test campaigns:

  Hide contents

Test 1 is an oddball, a long firing followed by a delay of more than ten minutes followed by a short firing.

Tests 2-6 all appear to be similar, though they are spaced out by months. A first firing of between 1 and 5 seconds, a delay of more than ten minutes, and a second firing of between 1 and 2 minutes.

Tests 7-10 appear to be from the same test campaign, a first firing of 33-41 seconds followed by a delay of 6-9 seconds followed by a second burn of 1-5 seconds (usually 5). This is likely testing boostback restart, as the delay between inner ring shutdown and boostback startup is roughly 9 or so seconds. The final firing in this campaign may have failed as it was the only one to not reach 5 seconds on the second burn.

Tests 11-15 appear to be from a second phase of the previous test campaign, beginning mere days later, also on the tripod, and with a similar profile. These tests are characterized by a first firing of 39-50 seconds, a delay of 9-10 seconds, and a second firing of 29 seconds. This is also likely boostback restart testing, but with a longer second burn. I hesitate on whether or not to call this full duration. The boostback burns on flights 3 and 4 were roughly 50 seconds long. Flight 7's burn was 40 seconds (and that should nominally be a little shorter as there was one engine out). However, this test campaign happened in November of 2022, maybe the profile was different then. This was back when they intended to use "flip staging" and it was back when their vehicles hadn't experienced as much mass growth. So maybe 29 seconds was full duration back then.

Test 16 is 2 months later and similar, but with a 16 second second burn.

Tests 17-20 have negative delays and are likely data collection errors or duplicate tests, unless SpaceX tests multiple Raptors at the same time, which I have not heard of them doing (but I might have simply not heard of it happening).

Tests 21-22 were more horizontal stand "long fire, long delay, short fire" tests.

Test 23 is a negative delay (implying simultaneous firing).

Test 24 is a Merlin.

Test 25 is 2 20 second firings >10 minutes apart.

Test 26 is a short firing and a 1m21s firing >10 minutes apart.

Test 27 is 2 medium duration firings separated by >10 minutes.

Tests 28-30 are all Merlin related, but they all appear to be duplicates of the same test and therefore not multi engine firings.

Test 31 is a short firing, 5-10 minute delay, and a long firing.

Test 32 is a Merlin duplicate.

Test 33 is a duplicate.

Tests 34-51 were conducted in two separate batches in April and May respectively and all appear to be focused on boostback restart. All tests involved two firings on the Tripod stand. Batch #1 (the April batch) consisted of a first firing 40, 50, or 58-60 seconds long, a delay 8-11 seconds long, and a second firing of 9-10  or 20 seconds long. Batch #2 (the May batch) consisted of a first firing 60 seconds long, a delay 8 seconds long, and a second firing 20 seconds long.

Those tests were all shortly after flight 3 and may have been involved in figuring out what went wrong with that flight's boostback burn. Shortly after these tests concluded, SpaceX posted an update announcing that the likely culprit was likely blockage of the liquid oxygen filter.

Tests 52-72 were likely landing burn restart tests and started about a week after flight 4 and were possibly related to the engine restart failure on flight 4. The flight time between boostback shutdown and landing burn startup is roughly 3 to 3 and a half minutes, but this depends on which flight and the flight profile. Every test occurred on the vertical stand, consisted of 2 firings, and consisted of a ~30 second first firing and a ~20 second second firing. A number of different delays between these firings were tested, ranging from 99 seconds to 349 seconds, with many hovering at around that 3-3.5 minute mark.

Tests 73-78 occur starting a couple weeks later, this time on the tripod, and consist of a 30 or 40 second first firing, followed by a delay of 193 to 199 seconds with the exception of test 74, with a shorter 99 second delay, and a second firing of 30, 20, 33, or 63 seconds. The delay matches the boostback -> landing burn delay, and the short second burns match the expected amount of time that the 3 center engines fire for the landing burn. Unsure what the longer second firings would test.

I would like to single out tests 75 and 76 in particular as they are basically exactly what we would expect from  what the center engines go through. One ascent+boostback burn, followed by a ~3-3.5 minute delay, followed by a 20 second landing burn. The durations of the first burns do not match the flight first burns of several minutes but presumably by that point they were confident in Raptor's ability to burn for that long, and were more looking for stuff that arises because of the restart delay, and to actually run the engine for that long would be unnecessary, cause a lot of noise, use up more of the test team's time, and burn a lot of fuel.

Test 79  is a short burn, >10m delay, and a long burn. Unsure.

Tests 80 and 81 are 40s, 102s delay, and 20s firings on the tripod. Unsure what is being tested.

Tests 82-84 are likely more boostback restart tests, all featuring a 8-9 second delay, with initial durations of 60 seconds, and second durations of 20, 40, and 30 seconds, respectively.

Test 85 is 2 34 second firings separated by 722 seconds. No clue.

Test 86 consists of 5 short firings all 8-9 seconds apart.

Tests 87-88 is the infamous 30+ firing test. The reason my code resolves it as 2 tests instead of 1 is because my code only checks to see if two adjacent tests in the dataset are part of the same campaign and then restarts counting if they are not. SpaceX decided to show off by firing a Merlin in the middle of this test, breaking my code.

Unsure exactly what is being tested. Perhaps how Raptor holds up to a lot of cycles. Perhaps a lot of data on how Raptor restarts for boostback (the delay between the firings is 8 seconds). Maybe they wanted a lot of data on restart across some parameter they gradually varied throughout the testing. Unsure.

Tests 90-93 are all on the vertical stand, and consist of a 30 second firing followed by a ~100 second delay, followed by a 6-8 second firing. Unsure as to the purpose.

Tests 94-96 are also on the vertical stand, with a first firing of 30 seconds and a second firing of 46 seconds, with a delay of 10, 9, and 5 seconds between them. Perhaps they were testing something to do with different amounts of time between engine restarts - I'd have to double check, but I think 5 seconds is the fastest restart I've seen yet, though this is at the mercy of third party observers rounding to the nearest second. This seems vaguely boostback related as the second burn duration is roughly how long a boostback burn would take.

Test 97 was 10 seconds, 3 minute delay, 1 second.

Tests 98-102 all consist of 10 second first and second firings, separated by variable durations of between 417 and 469 seconds, possibly some sort of longer duration restart test.

Of the 102 tests, there appear to be:

• 6 Raptor tests with erroneous data
• 5 Merlin tests, likely mostly or fully with erroneous data (No shot they would fire two MVacs at the exact same time from the same stand, that is likely the same burn being accidentally entered into the database twice)
• 19 tests involving a delay between firings of more than 6 minutes
• 34 tests that in my view are likely related to middle-ring engines restarting for the boostback burn
• 27 tests that in my view are likely related to inner or middle ring engines restarting for the landing burn
• 7 tests that in my view do not neatly fit into any given category (this category may be larger as it is possible I have been too broad in what I consider to be boostback/landing restart tests)
• 2 tests involving restarting Raptor several times in a short timeframe (the only two tests to involve more than two burns)

Notably that adds up to only 100 so I miscounted somewhere but I don't want to recount.

Note that the data set only includes tests that succeeded in producing two burns, perhaps there were more with the second firing aborted. And some of the "long duration" tests could be tests of two different things that just happened to be on the same engine less than 30 minutes apart.

Assuming my code doesn't have some catastrophic error, there have been no middle-ring mission profile tests of Raptor since at least April 2022 when this data set starts.

Now what I'm about to do is probably going to sound a lot like moving the goalposts, but I hope that my reasoning is sufficient.

Upon a reinspection of the premise, generally we would expect major engine testing, such as a 3 burn test, to be completed before engines intended for flight are delivered to the launch vehicle. The first full stack was in August of 2021 with a vehicle at the time intended for flight (B4/S20 though it did not end up flying) and I think it had engines installed at the time, though I think they were shuffled around afterwards somewhat. But generally I would expect them to have the Raptor 1 testing done by this point in time. Tests of the first booster with Raptor 2 is a little closer, as the first engines were installed onto B7 in August of 2022 (I have not double checked the ship engine timeline). So that leaves a four month gap between the earliest time we can detect tests and the latest time we could have expected them to have tests done.

And that latest time is generous, you would generally want to make sure that engine can do what is asked of it long before you start building 33 of them to put on a vehicle. I would anticipate that sort of testing having concluded far earlier.

So now that I have reconsidered the problem, I don't think that we would expect to see the first 3 burn Raptor testing in this data set. Whether it happened or not is still an open question, but this kind of basic testing I now believe would have likely taken place before the earliest tests covered by this data set.

Third parties, please call me out if this does not seem like a reasonable conclusion. I found no such tests where I initially expected to find some, and I thought up a benign reason why that may be the case. While I believe that I have done this in good faith, I am not 100% sure I'm not subconsciously starting with a conclusion and then trying to fit the evidence to it, as many of us are accusing Exoscientist of doing.

 

If anyone can find a data set going back further, please let me know.

I do, however, find it interesting that they never repeated that sort of test in the nearly three years since. We might see that sort of test with Raptor 3 in the future.

 

What we have seen, however, is a lot of focus on the transitions between two stages of flight, especially in reaction to times when that transition went wrong on the previous mission. A lot of going from engine on to engine off to engine on again with various parameters, appearing to roughly correspond to liftoff --> boostback and boostback --> landing burn. In these burns, often times the burns are not to full duration. I think there is a benign reason for this and I would like to address this before it is brought up.

Generally, keeping a rocket engine running isn't as difficult as starting one up or shutting one down. Still difficult, but there are a lot less things that can go wrong for a rocket engine in steady state operation than one actively making changes. If a regeneratively cooled rocket engine can fire for 30 seconds, chances are it can fire for 10 minutes (though this is not always the case - I believe the RL-10 operates at a thrust level that causes creep to happen, limiting its total cumulative firing time).  So if you are specifically testing how to shut down an engine and then restart it, it is likely only necessary to fire the engine long enough for it to get into steady state operation. The dynamics of a shutdown after 30 seconds of operation are likely very similar if not indistinguishable from that of a shutdown after 3 minutes of operation, and they are already quite confident that Raptor can burn for 3 minutes just fine. They've even done a burn that was 14 minutes and 57 seconds long.

If that is the case, then why waste the fuel, the time, and the noise pollution of a 3 minute test when a 30 second test works just as well for what they are trying to test?

 

By the way, I did look up McGregor's city ordinances to see if anything there was influencing test duration. Nothing relevant stood out, but I had always wondered about that 14 minute and 57 second Raptor test. Why not go for 15 minutes, a nice round number? Well it turns out that there is an ordinance preventing tests of rockets over 500,000lbf (~226tf) for more than 15 minutes of a time, so that answers that question. Not related but an interesting tangent I found.

 

TLDR: I checked the NSF data, I found no such 3 burn tests Exoscientist described, to my surprise. Upon second thought, I believe that if this testing was ever done, it probably occurred earlier in Raptor's development cycle. I would expect that sort of basic development testing to have happened long before any engines were delivered to flight vehicles, which would put those tests before the time at which NSF started collecting data.

I did find a lot of interesting 2 burn tests that seem to correspond to boostback restart testing and landing burn restart testing, with a few clusters that seem to correspond to failures in flight. I may, however, to a certain extent, be seeing patterns where there are none.

I still find it odd that SpaceX has never felt the need repeat those tests (assuming they were ever done) in the time since, but perhaps they like what they are seeing from the actual flights and haven't found a need.

 

Alright, back to the job hunt.

 Thanks for that impressive review of the Raptor tests. I can say confidently that nobody outside of SpaceX has examined the data on the Raptor tests firings in that detail. In fact, probably many in the propulsion division at SpaceX would find this data review useful. You should definitely post it to the NSF forum and that Discord server on Starship you mentioned.

 You raised a possible explanation for the lack of testing in this data specifically of the actual 3-burn times of an actual mission that perhaps they were done earlier than in this data set. Perhaps. But that would mean they would be on Raptor 1’s. But Raptor 2 and the upcoming Raptor 3’s operate at higher pressures and thrusts. It would be essential to run these tests as well on the later incarnations.  

 Another possibility you mentioned is perhaps they found if a engine ran successfully for a short time that is sufficient to qualify it for running at the full burn time times. I can’t rule that out. But also we need to consider the possibility that the reason some of these static tests were at short burn times was because indications were the engines were getting so far out of nominal that they had to be shut down. This happened multiple times during the flight tests for instance.

 When I say SpaceX is giving an inaccurate portrayal of Raptor reliability I don’t mean they are providing invalid telemetry. I mean in a more basic sense. We know in at least one case in the later test flights, IFT-4, that a Raptor exploded during a landing burn. But SpaceX has not acknowledged it or explained it. Given the prior instances such as during the tests of the SpaceX landing procedure of Raptors leaking fuel and catching fire leading to subsequent explosions, it seems quite likely that leaks and fires also occurred on the IFT-4 flight before that engine exploded.

 Since the Raptor does have this known tendency to leak and catch fire, the possibility still obtains that the plumes seen shooting up the sides of the booster during the landings burns could be due to such leaks and fires. In this regard it is quite notable in the ocean landing of the Starship in IFT-5 flames were seen shooting out of the side as well. See at about the 12 second point in this video on the right side:

https://youtu.be/t-2Wj0NyKQY?si=9KJ-r16nmbfjpoek

 Previously, SpaceX made the argument to the FAA that mishaps investigations were not necessary if no danger to the public was involved. But now we have an instance in IFT-7 that potentially a danger to the public could have arisen from a Starship explosion. SpaceX has made a preliminary appraisal the explosion was due to a failure in the plumbing, not the engines. Perhaps. But given the Raptors tendency to leak and catch fire, the FAA should require SpaceX to release any and all videos of the engine bays in both stages when their engines are firing to be sure.

    Bob Clark

 

Edited 6 hours ago by Exoscientist
Added image of Starship fire during ocean landing

[darthgently]

21 minutes ago, Exoscientist said:

But given the Raptors tendency to leak and catch fire,

SpaceX is way ahead of you.  Thus Raptor 3.  The information they didn’t hide from you is that they completely eliminated the flanges that were likely the source of any leaks.  And clearly not all flanges leak currently, if any do.

They are simply burning through their remaining stock of R2s to test the integrated system to cut waste.  Simple logistics.  By the time everyone evaluated and opinionated on these hypothetical videos you propose no R2s will be in use or would very shortly be extinct.  You aren’t moving as fast as SpaceX is nor on the same page or even in the same book.  Your opinions fall flat because there is no problem to catch them.

[darthgently]

Raptor 3 has become my biggest anticipation lately, second only to orbital refilling and SS recovery and reuse.

Raptor 3 will likely be the first reusable and disposable rocket engine with zero, or very near zero, maintenance.  If it has an issue; scrap.  If it is still within parameters; reuse.  Efficiencies of scale will allow this.  No team of high value pressured expert technicians fussing over old engines to get them ready for another flight.  Big win as very often that brain power is siphoned from the dev team creating the next version.

I confess that in internal monologue (now external dialogue) I call it Rapture 3.  God help me, I am not well, forgive me