Eureka!. The Archimedes Drive interview is out.

A similar take about the flaps, with perhaps an explanation.

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Could the fiber insulation be the fuel source? And the burning embers seen afterwards?. One would think not, given the location requires non-flammable materials. Yet we could see burning stuff adrift. And it is where the damage occurs.

Something combusted. But this requires 3 things. 1) Fuel.2) Oxidizer.3) Heat source. The venting provided either 1 or 2 (hopefully not both). The plasma was the heat source. Atmosphere at 89km not likely to provide the oxygen. The concentration of damage is odd as well.

Including this rather large cinder

Followed by many bright burning objects for several seconds

Next comes a bright flash

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Prior to the event E6 begins to purge gas from its nozzle. Same side as the damage

The energetic skirt event was an explosion. Not an impact. 🧵

Took off my robotics hat for a day.

Still, what caused the initial damage?. Is it linked to the later, more energetic skirt event?. Too coincidental to see similar root damage to both flaps prior to reentry. Something systemic.

Though experiencing identical heating and forces, the starboard flap endured better than port flap despite earlier damage. Left and right images an nearly identical despite heating. Since its damage did not include the skirt area, the flow regime was smoother and hence cooler

The damage allows the plasma heating to significantly erode the trailing edge of the flap over time. Sans this damage, the flap may have suffered far less or no burn-through

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First view of port flap post skirt event at T+50:53. Damage likely caused by event, and not heating at this point

First image of starboard flap after skirt event at T+49:07. No new damage

The skirt event at T+47:00. Likely not an impact, but an explosive event of some kind. This causes damage to the port flap, but no new damage to the starboard flap

A view of the opposite side port-aft flap, at T+45:49 showing no damage, before the skirt event. Ideally, the starboard-aft flap should be just as pristine

A better view of damage at T+43:40 well before the skirt event

At T+39:55 is the first image with damage, soon after the raptor relight, and well before atmospheric reentry at 132km altitude. Not from heating. Something energetic happened

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At T+14:00 is the last view of the flap in perfect condition

What caused premature damage to the Starship starboard-aft flap?. Well prior to the skirt energetic event and reentry heating.🧵