Maybe they chose it because it’s 
day.
Mmm, pi. Though I still prefer tau day. Two pies!
Some more info from SpaceX:
Similar to the previous timeline, but with the addition of a payload door test and a propellant transfer demo. We knew about the propellant demo, though not much in the way of detail. Probably a transfer between the header and main tanks, though. Didn’t know about the payload door test. And I’m curious about the order of events: it goes Payload door open, Propellant transfer demo, Payload door close. Are the two things related somehow? I don’t see how they would be, but I dunno. Maybe there’s a venting event that needs to have the door open or something.
Edited: Fake FAA account. Well, they got me. The explosives guys are real, though.
ETA2: In my defense, they got the Washington Post space reporter (Christian Davenport) first.
The Flight Termination System explosives crew is on their way:
Ok, the license is actually real this time:
Tomorrow is still a go, though weather looks dicey. Launch window opens at 8 am Eastern. Excitement guaranteed!
The actual FAA tweet:
I should have looked for the grey checkmark previously. But whatever, it’s here now and in time for the launch.
Less than 10 hours away, in principle. Couldn’t tell you the odds, though.
Zero chance, they usually never launch when they’re supposed to
IFT-2 was delayed a day, but that happened two days earlier. Once they reached the targeted day, they launched only 2 minutes into the window.
For IFT-3, they were initially targetting 7:30 central, but apparently there are some wayward boats and are now shooting for 8:02. So a bit delayed. Not bad, though, if they keep to it.
Everyday Astronaut stream is going here:
He’s a bit more excitable that I’d usually like, but he does have good cameras. SpaceX will have a stream going here:
But they’re streaming via Twitter and the quality is probably not as high as YouTube.
Now targeting 8:10 due to the boats. You’d think they could install some missiles or lasers or something to make chasing them down easier.
T-one minute!
It’s off! Looking good so far.
ETA: Hot staging success!
ETA2: Looks like the booster didn’t explode on boostback this time. Still alive.
ETA3: Whoa, some wild swings on the booster on the touchdown burn. Looks like the booster was lost. Probably fuel starvation. Upper stage still going, though.
ETA4: Nominal engine cutoff for Starship. It’s in (almost) orbit!
ETA5: I think we can say that Raptor reliability is a solved problem. Two flights in a row now with all 39 engines firing correctly. Only problem so far is booster controllability in the atmosphere. Maybe a grid fin problem? They didn’t seem to be doing the job.
Amazing! I happened to catch the stream right when it was starting. Sad to see the booster fail at what is basically the last stage (it lined up for its landing burn but either blew up or failed to stop, it couldn’t light all the engines and then connection was lost) but that was a reach goal anyways.
If they manage to complete the orbit with Starship, can we finally put this thread out of its misery? Or at least edit the title? 
Are we in orbit? I tuned out for a second and when I came back they said “come back in 40 minutes for the deorbit burn”
From the feed (and we had great onboard footage this time), the booster was rotating axially with greater and greater movements. I expect that the fuel was being flung out to the sides or just generally agitated and that led to starvation. Could be some of the grid fins weren’t working, or their control loop needs tweaking. That’s an element that hasn’t been tested before.
Yep, Starship is in orbit. Or at least their planned almost-but-not-quite orbit. Nominal, at any rate. They plan a deorbit burn over the Indian ocean. And in the meantime, some payload door and prop transfer tests.
ETA: I would say this is orbit for the purposes of this thread. It was always planned to be less than a full loop around the Earth. But it’s at orbital velocity and a totally nominal flight of the upper stage so far.
ETA2: Oooh, some nice views of the inside of the payload bay now. We don’t get to see that often.
And only 2 years late to answer the thread with a ‘yes’. Honestly, not all that bad at all.
I’m confident the booster problems will be worked out. For me the big issue is, did/can the upper stage survive reentry intact? That’s everything; the entire vision for Starship depends on that.
Reentry is still about 20 minutes off.
ETA: Maybe having trouble with closing the payload door? Should have closed by now. I saw it move but it didn’t look smooth. They still have a few minutes to figure things out…
Any word yet on how the launch pad held up to takeoff?
Computer issues with the pod bay doors?
I’m sorry Dave, I can’t do that.
It held up perfectly with IFT-2, so I anticipate the same with this test. The new water deluge system worked as expected.