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Wednesday, March 10, 2021
CONTEXT: SpaceX Starship SN10 Hard Landing Possibly Due to Helium Ingestion
SN10 engine was low on thrust due (probably) to partial helium ingestion from fuel header tank. Impact of 10m/s crushed legs & part of skirt. Multiple fixes in work for SN11.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 9, 2021
If you look closely at the moment of engine re-start before the landing, there's a momentary green plume from one of the engines. This would be consistent with “engine-rich combustion” due to fuel starvation and the consequent oxygen-rich mixture burning copper components in the combustion chamber and nozzle.
Update: Elon Musk confirms this speculation. (2021-03-12 13:47 UTC)
Green flame in this context means engine is burning internal components made of copper. This is usually followed by a RUD (Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly).
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 12, 2021
Posted at March 10, 2021 15:00