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Author Topic:   SpaceX Starship Test Flight patches
Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 53539
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 04-14-2023 05:14 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
SpaceX has released its insignia for the first flight test of a fully integrated Starship and Super Heavy rocket from Starbase in Texas:

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 53539
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 04-20-2023 10:07 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
SpaceX is now taking orders for its Starship Test Flight patch.

J Blackburn
Member

Posts: 313
From: Riner
Registered: Sep 2011

posted 04-20-2023 04:04 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for J Blackburn   Click Here to Email J Blackburn     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
So now they are back to producing patches? Even after an unsuccessful test?

Yes, I am aware much data and experience was learned but the vehicle exploded unintentionally (that is a failure).

My comments come because SpaceX stated and held their ground in the past, patches would not be released until the mission was successful. Yes, companies can change their minds but after stopping production of CRS patches before CRS-20 along with other missions, I gave up on collecting SpaceX patches. I find the selling of this patch "amusing" after their patch history disappointments.

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 53539
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 04-20-2023 05:08 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Technically speaking, the vehicle's explosion was intentional — it was commanded by the flight termination systems for both Starship and Super Heavy. It was the failure of the stages to separate and the tumbling that were not to plan.

SpaceX said from the start that "mission success" for this test flight was just clearing the pad. Anything that happened after was just "gravy," adding to the data they collected from the launch. So in that sense, the test flight was a success.

Why SpaceX chose this flight to resume patch sales is unknown. Given they also released several Starship products this week, I suspect it was because they saw the increased interest from the public in this particular flight.

It is also not clear yet if this patch will represent all of the upcoming Starship test flights or if it is unique to the first.

David C
Member

Posts: 1460
From: Lausanne
Registered: Apr 2012

posted 04-21-2023 07:57 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for David C     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by J Blackburn:
Yes, I am aware much data and experience was learned but the vehicle exploded unintentionally (that is a failure).
That's not how flight test of anything works. You have a list of objectives to achieve — primary, secondary etc. You then have a criteria for success. We don't know what all the FTOs were on this, but from what was said pre-flight, it's likely that most, if not all primary objectives were met. It's unlikely to have been 100% successful, but we don't even know that. What's a passing grade? Certainly doesn't require 100%.

J Blackburn
Member

Posts: 313
From: Riner
Registered: Sep 2011

posted 04-21-2023 08:26 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for J Blackburn   Click Here to Email J Blackburn     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Then, may I ask just what was SpaceX's main mission goal yesterday?

There was a mission goal and that goal was documented. According to Space.com the goal was and I quote, "The goal was to get Starship to a maximum altitude of about 145 miles (233 km), then bring it barreling back into Earth's atmosphere for a trial-by-fire reentry, ending with a hard splashdown in the Pacific Ocean not far from the Hawaiian island of Kauai about 90 minutes after liftoff."

I do not think any cigars were lit after yesterday's test.

So, with that said I guess SpaceX has for now changed their direction from their recent patch production history and is now a space swag company. From a post a few years ago on this forum as I remember Elon Musk was quoted of making a statement he did not want to become a "space swag" company. I love space related patches as a collector but do not like when a company in their prime decides to stop selling patches only to start up again after dozens of missions are not available and collections go incomplete.

I am not one who likes knock off patches being made and sold for the lost missions. Yes, it is my choice not to purchase from them but for those who do I wish you the best of luck collecting.

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 53539
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 04-21-2023 09:01 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
No other company in history has launched at the frequency that SpaceX has, such that no other company in history has had to consider the logistics of issuing patches when there is a new one every week (or even every couple of days).

SpaceX does produce and sell collectibles for both their employees and the public, so they recognize the desire that exists. It just may have been there wasn't as a large demand for, say, CRS-23, as there was for Starship Flight Test 1. (That doesn't exactly answer the lack of patch sales for the Crew Dragon flights, but maybe SpaceX figures it is being respectful to the crew's own patch by keeping its own design in-house.)

(As for the details of first test flight, we have a separate topic where that is being discussed and debated.)

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 53539
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 04-25-2023 01:58 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
RetroRocket Emblems is taking pre-orders for its SpaceX Starship flight test patch, an original design.
On Thursday, April 20, 2023, the SpaceX Starship full stack made it's maiden flight. Like many flights of this type, the milestones were generous and it achieved several before veering out of control and terminating its flight over the Gulf of Mexico. This patch notes several of the milestones that the test flight did achieve and shows the six Raptor engines that failed along the way.

The patch is 4" in diameter. Delivery expected mid-May.

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 53539
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 11-18-2023 07:35 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
SpaceX is now taking orders for its Starship Flight 2 patch.

onesmallstep
Member

Posts: 1489
From: Staten Island, New York USA
Registered: Nov 2007

posted 11-20-2023 09:10 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for onesmallstep   Click Here to Email onesmallstep     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Retrorocket Emblems has produced a patch for the second Starship test launch.

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 53539
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 03-14-2024 08:54 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
SpaceX is now taking orders for its Starship Flight 3 patch.

J Blackburn
Member

Posts: 313
From: Riner
Registered: Sep 2011

posted 03-15-2024 02:22 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for J Blackburn   Click Here to Email J Blackburn     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
It appears SpaceX is now sold out of the Flight 3 patches. The web store shows "Coming Soon" with a "Notify me" tab.

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 53539
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 03-19-2024 03:47 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Retrorocket Emblems has produced a patch for the third Starship test launch.
This patch commemorates three of the milestores accomplished by Starship S28: the payload door opening, the propellant transfer test and partial reentry.

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 53539
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 04-10-2024 07:27 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by J Blackburn:
The web store shows "Coming Soon" with a "Notify me" tab.
The Starship Flight 3 mission patch is now back in stock.

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 53539
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 06-04-2024 10:13 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
It appears that SpaceX's patch for Flight 4 has been shared online early (though it is not yet available for sale):

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 53539
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 06-06-2024 07:38 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
SpaceX has released its Starship Flight 4 patch for sale.

Here is SpaceX's image of the patch, to compare with the leaked version above:

J Blackburn
Member

Posts: 313
From: Riner
Registered: Sep 2011

posted 06-06-2024 08:00 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for J Blackburn   Click Here to Email J Blackburn     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Being this patch was released for sale on the SpaceX website store makes it the official patch compared to the leaked version.

In relation to the "leaked" version from yesterday the patch seems to be the same except for thread color which could be due only to the camera and lighting taking the picture. A comparison of the actual two patches should be made to determine if the leaked version is a counterfeit.

Liembo
Member

Posts: 870
From: Bothell, WA
Registered: Jan 2013

posted 06-06-2024 10:17 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Liembo   Click Here to Email Liembo     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The seller on ebay has sold legitimate employee and souvenir SpaceX patches in the past and I have no reason to assume this patch is any less legitimate.

J Blackburn
Member

Posts: 313
From: Riner
Registered: Sep 2011

posted 06-06-2024 01:48 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for J Blackburn   Click Here to Email J Blackburn     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Liem, maybe it is legitimate but only a detailed investigative comparison will tell. With all respect to the seller, if a buyer asks for proof of authenticity then he or she should respectfully reply. This has happened on more than one occasion and to different potential buyers with this seller as I assume you have dealt with.

We have got away from "official" patches and now look at each different patch of the same design as a "different version" which most are not. Instead of calling them a different version if it cannot be determined to be authentic then they are fraudulent, stolen, etc. and should be labeled that way.

Does anyone have any info as to what method the leaked patch was initiated such as X (Twitter), Facebook, etc.?

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 53539
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 06-06-2024 03:35 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Retrorocket Emblems is producing a patch for the fourth Starship test flight.
Initially I designed the patch to highlight the booster soft-landing. After watching the launch, the clear universal highlight was "The Little Flap That Could": the incredibly resilient forward flap that still performed it's tasks despite the substantial damage due to thermal tile loss on re-entry.

I decided to go with the original design as this was the original major milestone of this flight test, as it paves the way to actual booster capture and recovery at the launch tower. The patch depicts Booster 11's steamy water landing while Starship 29 continues its flight downrange (there's some artistic license here).

The patch will be 4 inches tall and delivery is expected mid-July 2024.

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 53539
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 10-13-2024 07:54 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
SpaceX's Starship Flight 5 mission patch is now available:

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 53539
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 10-14-2024 05:27 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Retrorocket's SpaceX Starship IFT-5 flight test patch is available for pre-order.
History was made again with the Starship Heavy program on October 13, 2024 when the Starship booster returned to base and was captured by the enormous "chopsticks" on its launch tower. Millions watched in awe as a 17-story object landed precisely and safely captured for reuse. This patch from Retrorocket Emblems is a bit different than previous offerings and goes with a bold Japanese style with literal chopsticks gripping Booster 12 with the text that translates to "SPACE IS DELICIOUS!".

The patch will be 4 inches tall and delivery is expected mid-November 2024.

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 53539
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 11-19-2024 05:20 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
SpaceX's Starship Flight 6 mission patch is now available:

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 53539
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 11-22-2024 02:27 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Retrorocket's SpaceX Starship IFT-6 flight test patch is available for pre-order.
On Nov. 19, 2024, SpaceX launched the sixth integrated flight test of the Starship-Super Heavy stack. The milestones of this mission were another tower catch and atmospheric reentry stress-test on the Starship spacecraft.

The tower landing was aborted, but the booster and Starship landed at sea in controlled burns. The Starship used previous generation tiles and had more exposed skin areas to test their exposure to heat.

This patch depicts a stress gauge that is pegged out to max and shows a stylized representation of the Starship heat shields after the test with missing and broken tiles, which were expected for this flight.

Patch will ship at the beginning of January 2025.

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