SpaceX Starship launch 'shockwaves' seen in amazing slow motion footage

The incredible power of SpaceX Starship is on display in slow motion footage that show shockwaves propagating from the launch on March 14, 2024. Real-time video: www.space.com/spacex-starship...
Also, see slow motion footage of the atmospheric re-entry of Starship.
Credit: Space.com | footage courtesy: SpaceX | edited by Steve Spaleta ( / stevespaleta )
Music courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com:
Tranquil by Elm Lake
7 Days by Hampus Naeselius

[@flippert0]

It's amazing that these thin steel cans just don't fall apart. It's not just the thermal stress, shockwaves must be a huge mechanical stress.

[@watcher9999able]

Well stainless steel may not be the ultimate knife blade, but it’s some pretty badass stuff.

[@hwirtwirt4500]

The acceleration and vibration must be low enough for humans to survive.

[@doodocina]

@@watcher9999ablenot steel, but pressure in tanks makes it solid

[@paulmichaelfreedman8334]

Most of the sheet steel is only 4mm thick. 304L type stainless, or maybe they've already evolved the quality further, haven't heard much about that in the last couple of years.

[@ScienceMinisterZero]

​@@watcher9999ableI highly recommend magnacut.

[@EvilMerlin]

Stunning. Simply stunning. And to think there are still "people" out there that really think this is CGI.

[@loadingnewads]

This is Certainly CGI made with EarthOL!!!😡

[@loadingnewads]

I can see the use of relativity engine!

[@Ryzel_YT]

@@loadingnewads oh shut up

[@slimjim3498]

What did you actually see. If we could actually go anywhere we definitely would be freaking going to the moon as often as Disneyland by now

[@drfirechief8958]

I was standing outside in Dallas Tx when Columbia came over in pieces. We watched the multiple streaks as it broke up. Horrible feeling. I would imagine that's what Starship looked like over the Indian Ocean after the video cut out. It's really amazing that the ship lasted as long as it did considering tumbling as it entered the atmosphere. A very tough "Tin Can" that Elon has made. I'm very confident that IFT-4 will re-enter successfully. Keep up the good work SpaceX!

[@paulmichaelfreedman8334]

Yes, Starship was exposed to plasma on the unprotected parts, as it could not stabilize fast enough. The tumbling was caused by outgassing from a small opening as the PEZ door jammed just after it started moving. This caused a jet with sufficient thrust to throw SS right off. Deffo needs RCS upgrade.

[@haydentravis3348]

I love how the reentry looked exactly like my failures in KSP. They got them wobbles.

[@GabroPlayz]

It's just incredible how much force this "giant metal tube with a cone on top with flaps and the grid thingies" (my brother said that) makes

[@tcumming123]

As they say, "Water towers can fly!!!"

[@agustinvelazques3748]

Much LOVE & Support Team, You're beyond AWESOME! Let's go SpaceX!

[@meixian7229]

10/10 beautiful

[@111danish111]

5:00 incredible speed of 4.6 miles per seconds immediately produces intense heat as soon as the rocket reaches 100 km altitude.

[@antonis190811]

they were right to call it space at 100km xD ps. pls dont call em stupid feet..

[@Goofyspacenerd]

Not at exactly 100km Thats just the line to space Believe it or not the atmosphere extends a few kilometers further with it getting thinner and thinner

[@johnstewart579]

Beautiful never seen before video. Congratulations Space X, look forward to test flight #4

[@lynntparsons]

Starship vibrations of take off footage is amazing wowww Awesome 🔥🔥🔥

[@jerothle]

Come home Starship...! Starship come HOME!!!

[@nieznanyx]

whoever is responsible for creating the antennas and signal transponders for the cameras to relay such high def video from such a distance going at such travel speeds needs a fucking raise and promotion !

[@WildPhotoShooter]

5000 tons, 15 million lbs of thrust, and doing 120 mph as it clears the tower. Astonishing power and astonishing engineering.

[@user-cp5jp6hx2e]

I live in the Cape fear area of coastal NC, when the trajectory is coming my way. I go out side and watch with binoculars getting spectacular views

[@user-nf2mb1zk5f]

At the start it sounds so satisfying

[@JDByers3]

That camera is outstanding, look at all the space junk passing below

[@user-ml1ki8ml1z]

If the sight and sound of Starship taking off does not make your heart flutter, 🤔pretty sure you’re dead🤭

[@WildPhotoShooter]

Could be enough to wake the dead !

[@BenjySparky]

Outstanding, Wow! Peace

[@mfpears]

Sound waves are pressure waves. The reason shocks form is because the high-pressure areas heat up the air and increase the sound speed, which makes them catch up to the low-pressure areas, so walls form, which sound like bangs or crackles. This also changes the index of refraction for light, which makes them visible. Without this effect, the sound would remain like a sine wave and travel farther. But the sharp edges attenuate more quickly.

[@randallmacdonald4851]

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for those humans to witness history, we today see history written more clearly than ever. That giant metal tube is just under 30 feet wide and 165 feet long. Nuclear submarines are 43 feet wide and 560 feet long. Tractor-trailers are 53 feet long and just over 8 feet wide. You can park three tractor-trailers in Starship side by side. SpaceX pushed Starship over 130 kilometers up (80 miles!) to a speed of 26,750 kph (16,620 miles per hour or 4.6 miles PER SECOND). Imagine 7 floors of living space enough for for 100 people to live. (Think a seven room earth-style mansion pushed into orbit.)

[@roger7341]

A fully loaded Starship weighs about 5500 tons. A moderate-size Diesel locomotive weighs about 150 tons. Imagine lifting 37 Diesel locomotives off the ground.

[@rodneybrocke]

@roger7341 Wow! Thank you for the numbers. I had no idea the Starship is that heavy!

[@IanCthrwd]

What G forces were present during launch? It was quick from launch to Mach 1. Would like to see the orbital track map. Very cool video! Nice score🎼

[@pranititiwari6525]

The great SpaceX team 🎉

[@vin90940]

Shockwave🚀🚀🚀

[@cristianotrujillo]

Incrível. Parabéns....😉😉

[@marinmitu995]

2:23 What we see in the pictures is the back of the Star Ship is it? Therefore, as we can see from the graphics, the S28 goes backwards into the atmosphere? It's the only way we see gas coming out at some point. So the plasma forms from behind the ship !

[@unfundedopportunities7278]

It goes up quite fast. Max Q in 56 seconds.

[@nieznanyx]

yea they're improving with each test flight -- the 1st one took 8 seconds JUST to lift off the pad after the engines ignited..

[@SomeRandom6uy]

we demand the full story of the booster landing and the missing of ift-3

[@Chris3141592]

Does anyone remember NASA, and its ability to launch something about twice a year, in a good year?

[@DroneManUK]

Just wow 🎉😊

[@DanFrederiksen]

Interesting that the speed is barely dropping despite being alight with plasma. Almost seems like you want to come in with high vertical speed so you get deep in the atmosphere to have good resistance to slow down and less time in plasma torching but maybe that's wrong thinking. I also wonder if a pure metal surface could work if it slowly rolls the hot side exposure.

[@correoguasa]

Classic KSP strategy there

[@mantaramg60]

Crazy that ice particles are just floating by casually meanwhile starship is being engulfed in flames

[@gottfriedheumesser1994]

Are you sure that this is just ice?

[@Goofyspacenerd]

​@@gottfriedheumesser1994its mostly ice, maybe a few tile fragments here and there

[@gottfriedheumesser1994]

@@Goofyspacenerd Black ice?

[@crazylittlebigthings]

I wish space x the best. I do hope they achieve their goal soon. what they are doing is science fiction.

[@jamiecoogan7034]

clearly see the heat tiles falling away

[@Goofyspacenerd]

Yep just as the ship hits the atmosphere they rip off

[@alioth5837]

The dance of destruction

[@lorryorqueza200]

❤❤❤ wooow amazing

[@user-yy5lw7ew8f]

Thank uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!

[@Pintuuuxo]

The booster is almost fine tuned and it will be the best show in the world for years!!! I'm pretty sure that it will be used for more than the Starship.

[@paulmichaelfreedman8334]

Starship will have many versions, like cargo, tanker, interplanetary transport, moon lander, mars lander, etc. The booster will only be used for starship, but it will be used a LOT.

[@Pintuuuxo]

Thank you Paul.

[@narajuna]

Amazing, is that more waves than SaturnV?

[@Goofyspacenerd]

About twice the thrust of the Saturn V

[@lourdessilva6442]

Sem palavras isso não tem preço es um verdadeiro milagre desde milhares que virão e es gigante e faz a diferença nesse mundo eterna gratidão amo seu trabalho

[@lindagauntt4712]

Elon Musk you , SpaceX it was sooo beautiful job!! I love it!💙❤️‍🔥🚀🌟

[@DavidHands]

It looked like it never really lined up flat but kept rolling.

[@kevinmateri5701]

I follow lots on starship development. Your doing a great job. Woman deserve more well spoken women. I'm in Canada 🇨🇦 I've watch your commentary. But you grow on people with your great content on starship 😊

[@MISTERLeSkid]

I love watching these baby steps getting bigger and bigger. It's way more fun than the old NASA way of NOT blowing things up. Still though, not flying straight or at-all controlled is a pretty important little detail. Imagine if the general shape / design can't ever achieve controlled flight? D'oh!

[@ralphsalernojr]

How many exhaust pipes is this equivelent to.....?

[@user-kw5lo9du9t]

Молодцы!!!!

[@darrinneat2920]

Congratulations Mr Musk🙂 the stars look very different up there don't they🙂 I always thought that the Silence of space makes everything much brighter🙂 remember to send postcards❤

[@noe616]

Incredible plasma views. I guess Everyday Astronaut's recommendation wasn't a good idea. The Starship would've benefited from having cryogenic thrusters, after all, as originally designed.

[@dhpstudios2009]

Where is music from at minute 2:00

[@namenotshown9277]

what is the radius for hearing loss from the rocket? How many animals effected?

[@Goofyspacenerd]

No hearing loss No people or animals in the area Ev was fine

[@D-TRIL]

😯

[@gottfriedheumesser1994]

Hypersonic aerodynamics are beasts! The ship needs better control facilities.

[@frankydog7656]

6:52 Parts to the rear flap melt like a candle burning down.

[@coryseaward975]

My underwear takes on more stress after I eat taco bell..

[@rrrobinson97202]

moving fuel around inside might be causing hard to control reentry

[@snowgorilla9789]

Not exactly as planned, but a great show

[@SCOTTYDP77]

It definitely did enough that’s all that matters for the spaceX teams information

[@Akimitsu64]

5:05 Plasma begins!

[@lousea6760]

SpaceX Team's genius 👏👏👏 has no limits so MARS be ready to welcome a successful LANDING of an Elon Musk's STARSHIP🚀 from 🌎 EARTH !

[@larrydaniels7039]

Koooollll

[@user-xc4nu9lh6t]

Not sure if we are hurting our Mother Earth with such monsters

[@tommorningstar6373]

I actually heard the old MTV theme when watching the view from the top of the tower. Ok.. so I am OLD... sue me.

[@michaeldonnelly2977]

3:03 Does anyone know FOR SURE what those large flakes falling off Starship are? If it’s ice or condensed gas flakes why are they coming off 45 minutes into the mission instead of shortly after MECO? Also why are they all going in a direction opposite Starship? One would think that anything that came off the ship would have the same velocity and thus any loose debris would form a “cloud” and float all around the ship. Maybe those flakes were floating next to Starship the whole time and we only see them leaving Starship at this point in the flight because Starship’s orbit decayed and fell into the atmosphere quicker than the lightweight flakes without much mass or surface area? What say all of you?

[@mgordon1713]

My guess is that the starship is still VERY cold due to the fuel, and when the starship comes down into denser atmosphere it starts freezing on the hull and falls off immediately due to drag.

[@Goofyspacenerd]

A combination of frost, ice and maybe some loose tile fragments

[@lamontglenn6842]

Watch closely the hole ship curves and comes right back down 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@ZeroSpawn]

Nawwicee! But forgot the booster reentry! Those grid fins were working there wittle fins off.

[@dbaider9467]

There must be some very worried engineers at SpaceX. The grid fins didn't self-right the ship. They may be too small.

[@mgordon1713]

The report from SpaceX is that one of the RCS thrusters froze shut. It's likely the reason that Starship came in at the wrong angle.

[@michelangelo3286]

Aliens rn - 😧

[@kizz.Commented]

did we see Heat Tiles leaving the ship???

[@mgordon1713]

Yeah, seems like Starship came in at a wrong angle and spinning, likely causing the loss of the tiles. SpaceX reported shortly after the flight that one of the RCS thrusters had frozen shut, that's likely the cause of the wrong angle.

[@thomengel9720]

Was it near any land mass and was there debris.

[@caimanaraujo479]

No and yes

[@Goofyspacenerd]

​@@caimanaraujo479its just a no Maybe it was above dry mass But its trajectory was into the Indian ocean So either way Nothing would make landfall

[@MasAgungCamp]

Aku ingin melihat kehidupan diluar sana mars

[@schtaan2]

How many db??

[@Goofyspacenerd]

A fuckton lol

[@tomkelly6216]

A graceful whale in space.

[@spinnymathingy3149]

Still waiting for a successful test flight,

[@mgordon1713]

It was successful. All major goals reached. The minor goals were partially reached. Technically starship can at this stage be used as an expendable rocket if need be.

[@Goofyspacenerd]

All flights were successfull SpaceX surpassed their goals each time

[@spinnymathingy3149]

@@Goofyspacenerd not even close buddy, Eg , the first flight was supposed to be like this, “The test flight will launch from South Texas, head over the Gulf of Mexico and ultimately splash down near Hawaii.” As for subsequent flights, exploding after a short while WASNT in the flight plan

[@shirleyswimmer8749]

Spellbinding

[@mastermaster7526]

Купол ей не пробить, странно что показывают без запрета плоскую землю на горизонте, браво Илон Маск

[@Goofyspacenerd]

Braindead to think the earth is flat

[@GorillaheadRC]

16000 mph?

[@Goofyspacenerd]

Yep

[@randywise5241]

Why was it spinning?

[@mgordon1713]

RCS thruster froze making Starship unable to maneuver properly.

[@randywise5241]

@@mgordon1713 That is what I was thinking. Thanks. All the ice falling off the ship when it started it decent looked heavy. One small heating element could have saved the flight. Maybe. They had to have sensors telling them it was an issue. I heard the booster failed to come down right because it ran out of fuel or something. Maybe it was unable to pump it to the engines. All in all, though, it was a good test flight.

[@mgordon1713]

@@randywise5241 Yeah looed like the booster fired 3 random engines and 2 of them shut down immediately again. Could be fuel issue, or maybe it was damaged by the heat during decent. Looking forward to next flight, I'm sure they have solved the issues by then.

[@zen5419-so8kp]

Flat-Earthers will be very upset with this live video.

[@johnstreet797]

where's the shockwaves?

[@datathunderstorm]

They were clearly visible during the launch - for a good few seconds too. Absolutely mind blowing - go take another look 😊

[@mopthermopther]

Loaded with nuclear weapons

[@andrewpotter5956]

Flat Earthers would have declared this Fake and CGI

[@jondoh3471]

Fake and CGI

[@andrewpotter5956]

@@jondoh3471 prove it.

[@andrewpotter5956]

@@jondoh3471 prove it still waiting.

[@kiwismurf4536]

holy crap is the music annoying

[@Rememberwhen201]

Holy crap mute it 😂

[@davidboyle1902]

There was not one moment when Starship wasn’t turning, a good indication the thrusters either weren’t working or were inadequate. If the latter, fixes may not be easy to make.

[@chrisparry1970]

o

[@user-bd8je6cb9z]

President Biden leaving earth 🌍 to destabilize other civilizations... My work is finished here 😅

[@greenharvestproductions6743]

Stop doing this this is a waste of money and time let's fix the Earth we don't need to be i n outer space

[@Ethan_Roberts]

Ignorant comment. Spaceflight directly helps humanity

[@essenegnostic8711]

Obviously fake.

[@Clownler]

Whats all that shit falling off of it during before reentry?

[@mopthermopther]

Boeing parts

[@Clownler]

@@mopthermoptherlmao

[@roger7341]

Only the smart tiles that wanted to avoid the heat.

[@TechOttawa]

@@mopthermopther ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@chrisparry1970]

o