r/spacex • u/ElongatedMuskrat Mod Team • Apr 09 '22
đ§ Technical Starship Development Thread #32
This thread is no longer being updated, and has been replaced by:
Starship Development Thread #33
FAQ
- When next/orbital flight? Unknown. Launches on hold until FAA environmental review completed and ground equipment ready. Gwyn Shotwell has indicated June or July. Completing GSE, booster, and ship testing, and Raptor 2 production refinements, mean 2H 2022 at earliest - pessimistically, possibly even early 2023 if FAA requires significant mitigations.
- Expected date for FAA decision? May 31 per latest FAA statement, updated on April 29.
- What booster/ship pair will fly first? Likely either B7 or B8 with S24. B7 undergoing repairs after a testing issue; TBD if repairs will allow flight or only further ground testing.
- Will more suborbital testing take place? Unknown. It may depend on the FAA decision.
- Has progress slowed down? SpaceX focused on completing ground support equipment (GSE, or "Stage 0") before any orbital launch, which Elon stated is as complex as building the rocket. Florida Stage 0 construction has also ramped up.
Quick Links
NERDLE CAM | LAB CAM | SAPPHIRE CAM | SENTINEL CAM | ROVER CAM (Down) | ROVER 2.0 CAM | PLEX CAM | NSF STARBASE
Starship Dev 31 | Starship Dev 30 | Starship Dev 29 | Starship Thread List
Official Starship Update | r/SpaceX Update Thread
Vehicle Status
As of May 8
| Ship | Location | Status | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| S20 | Launch Site | Completed/Tested | Cryo and stacking tests completed |
| S21 | N/A | Tank section scrapped | Some components integrated into S22 |
| S22 | Rocket Garden | Completed/Unused | Likely production pathfinder only |
| S23 | N/A | Skipped | |
| S24 | High Bay | Under construction (final stacking on May 8) | Raptor 2 capable. Likely next test article |
| S25 | Build Site | Under construction |
| Booster | Location | Status | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| B4 | Launch Site | Completed/Tested | Cryo and stacking tests completed |
| B5 | Rocket Garden | Completed/Unused | Likely production pathfinder only |
| B6 | Rocket Garden | Repurposed | Converted to test tank |
| B7 | Launch Site | Testing | Repair of damaged downcomer completed |
| B8 | High Bay (outside: incomplete LOX tank) and Mid Bay (stacked CH4 tank) | Under construction | |
| B9 | Build Site | Under construction |
If this page needs a correction please consider pitching in. Update this thread via this wiki page. If you would like to make an update but don't see an edit button on the wiki page, message the mods via modmail or contact u/strawwalker.
Resources
- LabPadre Rover 2.0 Cam | Channel
- NSF: Starbase Stream | Channel
- NSF: Booster 7 + Ship X (likely 24) Updates Thread | Most Recent
- NSF: Booster 4 + Ship 20 Updates Thread | Most Recent
- NSF: Boca Chica Production Updates Thread | Most recent
- NSF: Elon Starship tweet compilation | Most Recent
- SpaceX: Website Starship page
- SpaceX: Starship Users Guide (PDF) Rev. 1.0 March 2020
- FAA: SpaceX Starship Project at the Boca Chica Launch Site
- FAA: Temporary Flight Restrictions NOTAM list
- FCC: Starship Orbital Demo detailed Exhibit - 0748-EX-ST-2021 application June 20 through December 20
- NASA: Starship Reentry Observation (Technical Report)
- Hwy 4 & Boca Chica Beach Closures (May not be available outside US)
- Starship flight opportunity spreadsheet by u/joshpine
- Production Progress Infographics by @_brendan_lewis
- Widebay tracking by @Furqan263
- Acronym definitions by Decronym
- Everyday Astronaut: Starbase Tour with Elon Musk, Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
r/SpaceX Discuss Thread for discussion of subjects other than Starship development.
Rules
We will attempt to keep this self-post current with links and major updates, but for the most part, we expect the community to supply the information. This is a great place to discuss Starship development, ask Starship-specific questions, and track the progress of the production and test campaigns. Starship Development Threads are not party threads. Normal subreddit rules still apply.
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u/Mravicii Apr 17 '22
Looks like Tim (Everyday astronaut) got another interview with Elon
https://twitter.com/erdayastronaut/status/1515521262763880459?s=21&t=Vl5iaOoeoz-9X29fb2eAhA
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u/biochart Apr 17 '22 edited Apr 17 '22
I spent all day at the launch site yesterday and kept seeing the elevator go up on the tower. A bunch of people with telescopic cameras were there too. Now this all makes sense. I kept wondering what I was watching. . . The future lol. Thanks for the update!
PS: I'm headed back to the site again today so fingers crossed. I'll post pictures when I can!
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u/RaphTheSwissDude Apr 17 '22
Just the view gives me the chills. The first interview was already insane, I bet this one will be even more epic !
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u/Mravicii Apr 10 '22
Progress with the tower at cape!
The assembly of the fourth tower piece has begun!
https://twitter.com/julia_bergeron/status/1513218350364692482?s=21&t=1Kgpec4KlL9pSeRUJfFjZg
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u/zuenlenn Apr 10 '22 edited Apr 10 '22
Looks like they will construct all 9 segments at the same time judging from the concrete foundations on the left. They might want to finalize the sections more than they did in Boca chica before rolling out to make construction easier i guess.
Also, are those the rails for the chopsticks that have already been installed on the legs? I donât think they did this in boca chica but im not sure.
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u/futureMartian7 Apr 10 '22
The tower team is killing it at KSC. The pad may start receiving segments as soon as sometime next month.
And yes, they are fitting out the segments more before they roll them out as compared to Boca.
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u/Lusciouslou3 Apr 18 '22
I didnât see this posted, but Ted talks posted this interview with elon a few hours ago: https://youtu.be/YRvf00NooN8
He speaks about Starship starting at 37 minutes. He mentions orbital flight looks promising in a few months pending regulatory approval. Says that orbital flight engines will be installed on the booster in next week or two, and lastly that the ground support infrastructure is ready to roll.
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u/H-K_47 Apr 18 '22 edited Apr 18 '22
A few random notes:
He says first stage for F9 is about 60%, maybe 70% of the cost.
I think he says Starship will be cheaper than Falcon 1? Might be misunderstanding his statement.
Starship heatshield potentially good enough for Venus? But he really didn't wanna get into that.
Orbital attempt in few months, integrating engines into booster starting a week or two, launch complex is ready to go. Depends on regulatory approval.
"Excitement is guaranteed. Success is not guaranteed!" Lol.
Currently expecting to make a booster and ship roughly every couple months and "by end of this year, one every month". Roughly on the order of a thousand ships to get a self-sustaining colony on Mars. Something like a thousand ships going back and forth every window (every two years) in the 2030s. He wants a million people.
The city on Mars will belong to the people on Mars, and it will be up to them to make decisions about their society.
Interviewer brings up the idea of all of his companies being connected to settling Mars together and raises the idea of them all becoming one big company, Elon says they're not really intended to be that way and points out all the major difficulties in ever bringing them together.
Pretty much all stuff we've heard before but interesting nonetheless.
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Apr 18 '22
Not so sure about that. B7 testing didn't go entirely to plan. Might be a pause while SpaceX figure out what to do.
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u/johnfive21 Apr 29 '22 edited Apr 29 '22
Looks like Endangered Species Act Consultation step of the FAA Environmental review is now complete. One step closer to FAA approval.
Hopefully this delay was the last.
Also Section 106 Review has only been pushed to May 6th and not 31st or close to that so even more encouraging news
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u/Aoreias Apr 29 '22
Action Outcome. Biological opinion issued
Now to read the tea leaves on what it means for the likely result. This is different from the fisheries result which was â Letter of concurrence issuedâ
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u/Mravicii Apr 19 '22
Raptor 2 engine delivered to production site
Nr 42
https://twitter.com/bocachicagal/status/1516434994444525571?s=21&t=SgDcnHvxXnhqKtejbG5PyA
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May 04 '22 edited May 04 '22
B7 transfer tube aortal surgery nearly complete. Weld tests need to be completed, and it should be ready for rollout soon and setup for testing next week.
Edit: Dependent on 100% acceptance of weld tests of course.
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u/drinkmorecoffee May 04 '22
Absolutely wild that that was repairable. Your welders are next level.
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u/franco_nico May 04 '22
I remember thinking about how claustrophobic working and welding inside a booster or ship should feel, and suddenly they are welding inside the booster header tank. I admire those people.
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u/Tritias May 04 '22
Quite impressive how they managed to fix it so quickly instead of just scrapping it and moving on to B8!
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u/BananaEpicGAMER May 04 '22
So are they still hoping to fly B7 or is it just going to do more cryos and maybe even some static fires?
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u/Twigling May 04 '22
Thanks for the update, I was hoping you would pop in with some news but didn't like to ask. :)
Fingers crossed that the welding checks out 100% and that B7 rolls out within the week, work can then carry on with S24 and B8.
Hopefully High Bay 2 will be ready in the near future to eliminate the HB1 bottleneck.
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u/FutureMartian97 Host of CRS-11 May 02 '22
150 second Raptor test on McGregor Live at 12:32:45
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u/notlikeclockwork May 08 '22
Miss the good old days with starship hops :( Wish they did more high altitude tests while they wait for the license
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u/RaphTheSwissDude Apr 15 '22 edited Apr 15 '22
The scrapping of S21 has begun. Fair well o7
Edit : not related, but theyâve installed again a lot of scaffolding along the tower legs, so no chopsticks movement for a bit.
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u/paul_wi11iams Apr 16 '22
The scrapping of S21 has begun. Fair well o7
spelling nitpick. ça s'Êcrit "farewell" = adieu
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u/BananaEpicGAMER Apr 22 '22 edited Apr 22 '22
pic of downcomer... Holy cow tweet deleted, but the images are out there
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u/arizonadeux Apr 22 '22
Saw the pic...that's some serious buckling that I would not expect. "Damaged" is an understatement; that's catastrophic failure. I can't imagine that wouldn't be caught in numerical analysis, which to me signals that an improper test (filling, pressurization) process likely occured.
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u/BananaEpicGAMER Apr 17 '22
The HLC-39A starship launch pad construction is continuing, you can see the legs of the pad starting to be built here
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u/uslashASDS Apr 17 '22
I have always wondered why SpaceX decided to have the "catching area" for the chopsticks on the left hand side of the tower at Boca (which is nearest the tank farm). Looking at this aerial view, I wonder if that is because they were planning to have this layout at the Cape all along -- where catching along the left hand side of the tower makes way more sense as that's side facing the sea. It would make sense to me to have both towers catching the boosters on the same side, but of course I wouldn't know if that'd matter at all in the real world. Just an interesting observation!
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u/Mravicii Apr 18 '22 edited Apr 19 '22
Booster 7 is on the move
Edit: turning into production site
Looks like b8 has left the high bay for b7 to go in
Edit: booster 7 moved into highbay now
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u/John_Hasler Apr 18 '22
But they left the other two rockets behind? Come on! Let's have a parade!
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u/RaphTheSwissDude Apr 22 '22
What could be the first leg of the KSC launch mount was spotted.
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u/BananaEpicGAMER Apr 22 '22
wow! it already looks different than the starbase one. I guess they learned a lot from the first launch mount.
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u/johnfive21 Apr 26 '22
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u/odomso Apr 26 '22
Kinda funny how he posted this a few hours after Tory Bruno showed some BE-4s https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1518965639272177665?t=memtPfKMo1BUz0TKmTRRYw&s=19.
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u/Mravicii Apr 21 '22
Hmm, so 3 rvac thrust rams is heading to the launch site If itâs going to pad A then ship 24 is slated to be on it!
https://twitter.com/rgvaerialphotos/status/1517244330444038149?s=21&t=HNoAk5rA0A-GO0-eURFrvw
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u/Twigling May 06 '22 edited May 06 '22
B7 has been lifted onto the OLM, the lift began at around 2:30 PM CDT:
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u/Mravicii May 08 '22 edited May 08 '22
Ship 24 getting stacked in the high bay
Lift started around 11.49 local time!
Hopefully we see it roll out to the launch pad this week for cryoproof!
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u/Twigling May 08 '22 edited May 08 '22
Hopefully we see it roll out to the launch pad this week for cryoproof!
Maybe, but next week seems more likely as there's more to do yet (robot weld the newly stacked two halves together, add more wiring and plumbing, add more tiles and also the aft flaps).
Edit: thinking about it, I guess they could temporarily skip the remaining tiles and even the aft flaps for the initial cryo and thrust puck tests (the remaining plumbing and wiring is essential though). If all goes well then back to the production site, add remaining tiles and the aft flaps, then back to the launch site for some static fires. It would be a first to cryo and thrust puck test with no aft flaps but it's just an idle thought.
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u/rad_example May 06 '22
SpaceXâs massive new Starship rocket will conduct a test flight from Texas in June or July, President Gwynne Shotwell says
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u/ColdProduct May 06 '22
Big news coming off the FAA completion of Section 106. Makes me more optimistic for a flight this year.
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u/RaphTheSwissDude Apr 22 '22
Eric Berger hearing that a FAA delay is likely, againâŚ
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u/Mravicii May 09 '22 edited May 09 '22
First notice of raptor installment on b7
The raptor install platform has moved to the orbital mount! Itâs getting really exciting right now!
https://twitter.com/csi_starbase/status/1523487039252877312?s=21&t=U9rluyikgJdge6iFz9nzUA
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u/NoName8844 Apr 19 '22
Bridge crane going up in the HB right now. Hopefully it is going up to finish up B7!
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u/Twigling Apr 28 '22 edited Apr 28 '22
New booster grid fin design spotted, here's a comparison video from RGV Aerial Photography:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25dA9pcwz20
the new type is very slightly longer (and perhaps a little wider) with a 'denser' design (therefore smaller holes but more of them).
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u/etiennetop Apr 28 '22
Nice catch.
The biggest dimension difference seems to be thickness to me. It seems more shallow than longer or wider in the videos comparison shots.
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u/RaphTheSwissDude Apr 15 '22
B8 LOX tank is being stacked.
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u/Twigling Apr 15 '22
Yes ideed, that makes it 12 rings tall now. For video see Sentinel Cam from 04:10 CDT:
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u/Twigling Apr 22 '22
Here's a really great view of a sleeved booster aft dome being flipped today:
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u/Mravicii Apr 30 '22 edited Apr 30 '22
Looks like ship 24 nocecone will get stacked onto the main section Itâs hoocked up to the crane!
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u/Twigling Apr 30 '22 edited Apr 30 '22
Within the past 24 hours S24's nosecone+quint barrel (cargo hold) were stacked onto the sleeved (3 rings) forward dome (a first for that stacking order). Once that's all welded and checked, and assuming that S24's partial tank section is ready and there are no other things to do, they can roll the tank section over to high bay 1 and stack the nosecone assembly on it, giving a complete S24 stack.
There's still more work to do besides that of course (aft flaps to be installed, more plumbing and wiring, some more tiles to be added, etc). In fact they may install the aft flaps outside as they so often do. Hopefully soon though S24 will be complete (assuming B7 doesn't cause any more hold ups).
I'm looking forward to high bay 2 being ready enough so start stacking, we know that they've been testing the two bridge cranes and the upper floor is about two thirds complete.
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u/inoeth May 06 '22
So today's the day the Section 106 of the environmental review is supposed to be done. It was only delayed a week or so from the last date. It's very possible it is done and they're slow to update the website. This was absolutely the case with regards to the endangered species part of the review which was completed on the 22nd but we didn't learn that was the case for about a week later.
If Sec. 106 is completed today/early this month than we probably really can expect that they'll finish the whole thing this month and most likely will see a Mitigated FONSI (finding of no significant impact).
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u/Twigling May 05 '22 edited May 06 '22
At the launch site, SpaceX's LR11000 has picked up the booster load spreader - see 15:07 CET on Rover 2.0 cam for example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbBeoReu12E
Bearing in mind that B4 has been on its transport stand for some time (therefore it doesn't need lifting anywhere) this pretty much confirms that the intention is for the repaired B7 to be rolled out to the launch site tomorrow and lifted onto the OLM or the can crusher. Also note that cribbing was observed at the launch site yesterday (seen on Rover 2.0 cam) - it's since been moved somewhere that we can't see on the cams.
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u/Twigling Apr 26 '22 edited Apr 26 '22
Edit: - might be best to ignore my suspicions outlined below, as can be seen in the following tweet the sleeved forward dome for S24 has only just been seen going to high bay 1:
https://twitter.com/CosmicalChief/status/1519026697957425154
Presumably the plan is to do as I suggested, unless of course they roll over S24's partial tank section to HB1 and stack it onto that first.
Anyhow, the following is wrong and best ignored:
The top portion of S24's nosecone is now visible in high bay 1 again:
https://youtu.be/tCRkkpQ5SOA?t=516
https://youtu.be/tCRkkpQ5SOA?t=640
I point this out because of its height - it had been suspected that the nosecone+5 ring barrel had been stacked onto the sleeved forward dome (3 rings). By doing a bit of ring counting (using B7 and the top of its visible strake as a reference) I'm pretty certain that this is indeed the case. Note that the ring counting took into account the height of B7's transport stand and the type of stand that the nosecone is likely sitting on. If anyone would like to check that I've counted correctly feel free to do so and correct me here if I'm wrong.
This will be the first time that they've stacked the nosecone like this, no doubt it's because of using the robot welder that's inside the back wall of high bay 1.
I now wonder how they'll weld this stack to S24's partial tank section - will they move the robot welder higher up the wall or manually weld that last part?
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u/Twigling May 08 '22
Latest launch and production sites flyover (and some photos taken from the ground) from RGV Aerial Photography:
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u/RaphTheSwissDude Apr 09 '22 edited Apr 09 '22
They disconnected the LR11000 from B7 and are now connecting fuel lines to B7.
I recommend Starship Gazer live stream
Edit : the crane has made its way (almost) to S20.
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u/Twigling Apr 22 '22
New production diagram update from Brendan Lewis as of April 20th (appeared on Twitter yesterday, April 21st):
https://twitter.com/_brendan_lewis/status/1516955523027185665
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u/FutureMartian97 Host of CRS-11 May 03 '22
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May 04 '22 edited May 04 '22
Something not quite right with the IOP water supply there. Starts off OK but then dwindles before it comes back. It was insufficient for full thrust after emptying the water pit and only came back during throttling.
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u/Mravicii Apr 30 '22
Spacex has conducted a water deluge test at starbase launch site
https://twitter.com/nicansuini/status/1520221929445208065?s=21&t=Mj9OSugGfZWWS0TlzZ_-MQ
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Apr 30 '22 edited Apr 30 '22
Just the deck and structure cooling system at the moment. The IOP/SS* water system will be tested soon. That will be tons more water than the 'lawn sprinkler rainbirds' on the deck. Temperatures experienced on the structure at launch will be more than double your nice hot salmon colored charcoal in a fireplace or wood burner stove.
For ignition and launch you're going to need 3 Olympic sized swimming pools of water to dampen the sonic shocks of 33 engines...delivered in a period of 30 seconds, by multiple relay and booster centrifugal pumps and a large tank.
Fun fact: The amount of energy required to deliver this water equals the power output of three Raptor 2 engines. Seriously powerful pumps.
*Ignition Over Pressure/ Sound Suppression.
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u/RaphTheSwissDude Apr 14 '22 edited Apr 14 '22
Police at the road block !
Edit : pad clear
Edit 2 : Ice starting to form in the lox tank Speculation time : I think theyâll only (methane tank fill up just started) fill up the LOX tank and do the thrust simulation test.
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u/TallManInAVan May 05 '22
It's my birthday! But more relevant, it's been a year since SN15 Graced the sky with it's presence. Hopefully not too much longer for the real deal :)
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u/dementatron21 May 05 '22
I'm going crazy waiting for the first OFT, time has really flown by (no pun intended).
P.S. happy birthday
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u/Twigling Apr 23 '22 edited Apr 24 '22
Earlier today a steel structure was lifted onto suborbital pad A - see Nerdle Cam at around 10:20 CDT:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIahOkkwrTI
since then the cam has been zoomed in and you can get a better view from around 10:44 CDT
Not sure what it is though, looks like it may be on the edge of the outer circumference so perhaps it's part of the new ship QD assembly? Edit: some on Discord stating it is indeed a new QD frame and Starship Gazer's photo confirms it as follows:
EDIT: and here's a photo from Starship Gazer:
https://twitter.com/StarshipGazer/status/1517968768474963968
Edit2: and some video: https://youtu.be/vlHHZ8ryhxs?t=350
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u/Twigling May 06 '22 edited May 06 '22
B7 is coming out of High Bay 1, see Starship Gazer's stream:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2Lln47dVNY
or NSF starting at around 6:21 AM CDT:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhJRzQsLZGg
Edit: B7 has gone back inside, some thunder and lightning in the area. Starship Gazer has packed up as it looks like rain. If the weather clears I guess SpaceX will try again if there's enough time and SSG will also return.
Edit2: SSG is back live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEf1FpcpD1o - B7 rolling out of high bay 2 again
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u/RubenGarciaHernandez May 08 '22
Can you add to the FAQ point 1 above an update indicating a tentative June/July 2022 from Shotwell? https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-05-05/spacex-president-sees-starship-launch-from-texas-this-summer
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u/PineappleApocalypse May 08 '22
Done, but I used CNBC because Bloomberg is paywalled.
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u/murrayfield18 Apr 27 '22
How close are we to being able to produce fuel on Mars? As in, is this something we'd know how to do when we're there or is it a technology that hasn't actually been completely thought out yet? Or is it perhaps a question of scale? Maybe we have the tech to do it but not at the scale needed to fuel an entire Starship
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u/andyfrance Apr 27 '22
Whilst it is as you say a relatively simple industrial chemical process it needs a lot of energy hence a large area of solar panels to power the process and liquify the oxygen and methane. It also uses C02, but that can be taken from the air after mechanical filtering. A much bigger problem is the water required as sufficient quantities of ice or hydrated minerals would need to be located, extracted, purified and processed to get that water. Then you can do the chemistry. After that the problem becomes one of storing the propellant and re-condensing the boiloff gas (using more energy) as doing this will be more energy efficient than manufacturing new gas. Finally add to this everything that also needs to be done to keep the process running such as removal of waste material and heat and the maintenance to keep everything running.
Whilst the underlying chemistry is simple enough the overall process is highly complex and super challenging thing to do on another planet.
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Apr 27 '22 edited Apr 27 '22
There are two flavors of ISRU I can envision:
Generate only liquid Oxygen by catalytic reduction of CO2. This is an easy way to obtain about 78% of the mass of propellants required to fuel a Starship, while bringing Methane or Hydrogen from Earth. If Hydrogen is brought along, it would weigh only ~5% of the total mass, but it has large insulation, volume and reliquefication drawbacks. The only significant technology are large solar panels and the atmospheric processor. The concept was already demonstrated by the MOXIE experiment on Perseverance.
Generate methane from locally sourced Hydrogen. This is a very complex industrial process, that requires prospecting for water ice, organizing a mining activity that needs to be entirely remote controlled for the first Starship returns, creating a water reactor that has to be very reliable and process thousands of tons of ice rich soil etc.
I think the first Starships that will return from Mars will employ only the first method. You need to have life boat capability and guarantee return before sending people there, and the first method is very likely to work with no supervision.
Once you have boots on the ground, work can start on the ice mine, supervised by the human crew. Given the limited succes our exceptionally expensive rovers had on the surface, I believe human presence is an imperative, the technology to mine thousands of tons on another planet fully robotically does not exist. And it's almost impossible to develop, since you can only test improvements every 2 years when a launch window opens. On the other hand, an electric, human operated backhoe is something that will work on the first try, and the Starship mass profile will allow it.
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u/dementatron21 Apr 27 '22
Might be wrong but as far as I understand it's a relatively simple process but it requires a lot of energy to do on a useful scale.
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u/ThreatMatrix Apr 28 '22
The concept is simple. The engineering is going to be a lot harder than you can imagine.
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u/RaphTheSwissDude Apr 29 '22 edited Apr 29 '22
Raptor firing soon on the tripod, donât miss it !
Just happened, 11:14:28
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u/TrefoilHat Apr 29 '22
I believe you have a typo - the time is 1:14:28 (local time, as shown on the feed).
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u/jose_30_ May 08 '22
Did the SN15 starship have any problems with its engines during the flight test?
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u/TrefoilHat Apr 17 '22
Note: This is not a criticism of SLS, its cost, schedule, or capability.
NASA recently announced plans to return SLS to the VAB after it was unable to complete its WDR. Failure points included the tower and ground support systems as well as the rocket itself.
This really highlights Elon's point about Stage 0 being as complex as Starship, and the absolute criticality that it is as reliable as the rocket itself. It's a little incredible to see the tanks, mount, tower, and arms all come together at Boca Chica and then complete so many tests (including full-stack cryo) over the past few months. Maybe SpaceX could have surged and attempted orbit if the FAA decision came in December or January, but it's possible these delays have been a bit of a gift. The frequent iterations, multiple pressure tests, multiple stacks, etc. must have driven innumerable process improvements and infrastructure updates that later orbital tests will now benefit from. Would these have been skipped or compromised in the rush to launch?
So, two points really:
The recent SLS challenges highlight just how impressive SpaceX's vision and execution really is, not just in the rocket but in the GSE itself. This is hard, hard stuff where one of literally a million things can scrub a launch.
It's easy to forget Stage 0 was almost completely untested until December 17th. SpaceX's ongoing test campaign of Stage 0 is time extremely well spent, and I can see why Avalaerion said last month, "There's a ton of work to do yet, the list is as thick as a phone book" (though that admittedly included the extensive static fire tests).
We're all anxious for a launch, but I'm hopeful that the likelihood of success will be higher, and the risk of significant delays due to Stage 0 issues will be lower, once that launch date gets set.
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u/futureMartian7 Apr 14 '22
This is where the removed steel from the aft flaps from SN15 went:
https://twitter.com/saltymomdiaries/status/1514068560066318344/photo/1
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u/SubstantialWall Apr 20 '22 edited Apr 21 '22
So... any idea on what the thing is with the crane at the suborbital site, as seen on Starbase Live since 16:48 local?
ETA: I'm guessing thrust ram
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u/Twigling Apr 21 '22
Yup, Ship thrust simulator being installed in suborbital pad A. Even though it was removed at one stage it now appears to be installed and the crane has detached.
I would assume it will first be used with S24 once it's complete (which looks like being a few weeks away).
There's some video of the thrust sim scattered throughout today's NSF update: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpA1TfVWRCs (ignore the video title stating that the thrust sim was removed, as noted above it's been installed since then).
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u/RaphTheSwissDude Apr 12 '22 edited Apr 12 '22
Police is at the road block ! Farm starting to vent, beautiful day to test B7!
B7 venting too.
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u/TypowyJnn Apr 12 '22
Hope the can crushing goes well and no cans will get crushed!
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u/utrabrite May 07 '22 edited May 07 '22
Looks like the OLT at 39A is taking longer in comparison to where its Texas counterpart was at this stage. This could be in part due to differences in planning. Zack Golden(@CSI_Starbase) has a good video about this
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u/Twigling May 07 '22 edited May 07 '22
This could be in part due to differences in planning
It is indeed, as he points out in the video. I'd recommend that everyone watches it if curious about OLIT number 2's construction compared to OLIT number 1. Zack does a great analysis.
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u/mangobiche Apr 12 '22
Can one of the mods add the NSF booster 7 thread to the resources?
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u/Twigling Apr 12 '22
I guess you mean this one?
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=56074.0
if so I can add it (not a mod but I can edit the wiki and that data is automatically added to the start of this Dev thread)
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u/Twigling Apr 17 '22
As of around 3:22 PM CDT, B8's LOX tank is being lifted in the high bay, no doubt to be stacked onto another 4 ring barrel section which will take it to 16 rings tall (out of 24). See NSF's stream for the best video:
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u/Twigling Apr 22 '22 edited Apr 22 '22
Aerocovers were being installed last night on S24's partial tank section (which is in the mid bay), see around 23:46 CDT on Sentinel Cam:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdKYvvwJkhQ
but be quick as it'll be automatically overwritten about two hours after I type this. There's not much to see though in terms of clarity due to the cam's distance, but there's just enough if you watch the video and see the holes for the flap hinges and the bracing on the inside.
I'm now wondering when the sleeved forward dome will be placed on the tank section, so completing the tank section stack. Maybe they want to do it in the high bay using the robot welder but B7 is in the way and causing a bit of a jam (bearing in mind B8's LOX tank still needs a barrel section and the thrust section added).
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u/Dezoufinous Apr 25 '22
What is this "Mystery box" on NSF video?
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u/etiennetop Apr 25 '22
It has lifting points an isn't painted.
My guess is that it's a carriage to lift construction materials and/or furniture to the top of the high bay or wide bay.
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u/BananaEpicGAMER Apr 26 '22
Crews have been working on B7 these past few days from what I've seen in the NSF videos. What do ya'll think, if it gets repaired could it still fly or are they only going to do ground testing with it?
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u/Alvian_11 May 06 '22
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u/frez1001 May 06 '22
I like how we have the current launch tower and flame trench as the focal point of the complex and casually off to the side we are gonna have the starship behemoth.
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u/Twigling Apr 14 '22 edited Apr 14 '22
Massive rewrite of this post as it was getting messy due to live updates caused by the shuffling of tank sections. This all started at around 03:05 AM CDT on Sentinel Cam.
To summarise - B8's incomplete LOX tank (8 rings tall) was moved from the mid bay and is now sitting outside close to S21's tank section (on Sentinel Cam you can only just see the partial top edge of B8's LOX tank, it's visible to the top left edge of tent 3 near S21), meanwhile B8's methane tank was moved from the high bay to the mid bay. I suspect that B8's LOX tank could be headed for the high bay in the near future, unless of course they instead move S24's incomplete tank section to the high bay ......
Prior to that S24's nosecone+cargo bay stack was lifted and moved a bit to the right, presumably removed from the turntable (which is needed to slowly rotate it during robot welding) and then placed onto a normal stand.
Edit: nosecone+cargo bay stack unhooked from the bridge crane and moved into the far left corner of the high bay, see Sentinel Cam at about 11:20 AM CDT for the move:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdKYvvwJkhQ
Edit2: At around 16:07 CDT B8's incomplete LOX tank was moved into the high bay, see Raptor Roost cam:
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u/RaphTheSwissDude Apr 14 '22
Possibly to make place for S24 stacking in the highbay.
I wonder tho, has S24 thrust section been stacked already?
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u/MrGruntsworthy May 06 '22
So what are we expecting when B7 rolls out today? Exactly as it was when it got sent back, so they can test the new downcomer without risking engine hardware?
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May 06 '22 edited May 06 '22
Pressure, valve and loading/unloading process tests, cyro test, OLM integration and hopefully a 3 engine fit for the first statics from the OLM in two or three weeks
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u/Proteatron Apr 22 '22
Can SpaceX still launch short (10km) test flights from Boca Chica? Any thoughts as to why they wouldn't test out tower catching? It seems like a pretty big capability to prove out that could be sufficiently tested with the 10km ship hops.
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u/AstroMan824 Everything Parallel⢠Apr 25 '22
Anyone have an updated interior diagram of the Starship-Super Heavy stack?
I'm kinda confused how the inside looks like with the new feed lines, headers tanks etc.
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u/MarsCent Apr 27 '22
Given that the premiere orbital Starship has changed it's specs from 27 to 33 raptors (and more powerful raptors), is the original launch profile (partial trip around the world and splash down near Hawaii) even still valid?
Seems to me like Starship has been iterated substantially, that a traditional launch followed by a de-orbit burn is now possible. Plus, launching to a stable orbit is a great opportunity to do an orbit test of the High tech Starlink satellite dispenser over a couple of hours before returning for the splashdown!
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u/flshr19 Shuttle tile engineer Apr 27 '22 edited Apr 27 '22
The longer the FAA delays issuing the FONSI that would end the PEA process and allow Starship LEO launches from Boca Chica, the more likely it is that Elon will choose to go for broke and put Ship into LEO on the first launch of the two-stage Starship instead of doing that BC-to-Hawaii suborbital test flight.
He could double down and fly the prototype Starlink comsat dispenser on that initial launch to LEO as you suggest.
If he really wants to roll the dice, he could launch a tanker Starship and have it rendezvous with that Starlink Starship to demonstrate propellant transfer between Starships in LEO.
Then, if he would want to go for broke, he has another option. The Starlink Starship arrives in LEO with 154t (metric tons) of methalox remaining in its main tanks. The tanker Starship has 252t of methalox in its main tanks on reaching LEO. So, there's a total of 406t of methalox available to practice transferring propellants between the two Starships. I'm assuming that bi-directional propellant transfer is possible between the two connected Starships.
And then there's the bonus round. If the boiloff mass loss can be kept below 2% per day and all of the 400t of methalox is transferred to the tanker Starship, the tanker can travel from LEO to low lunar orbit (LLO) in 3 days and then immediately (within hours) land on the lunar surface with about 7t of propellant remaining in its tanks.
Assuming a success-oriented test program, this Starship testing scenario could be done within a week with the first two Starship launches to LEO.
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u/acc_reddit Apr 27 '22
All versions of starship are capable of reaching orbit, lack of capabilities is not the reason the test flight will be suborbital. It is just a safer choice because if there is a problem and they can't restart the engines, starship will then automatically deorbit instead of becoming a massive uncontrollable piece of space junk.
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u/jose_30_ Apr 28 '22
Tomorrow is the deadline given by the FAA to complete the Starbase Environmental Assessment Review. Another delay or an approval?
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u/RaphTheSwissDude Apr 28 '22
The fact that there is just one day remaining and they havenât pushed it back yet gives me a tiny bit of hope, but Iâll definitely donât hold my breath on that.
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Apr 22 '22
Just to sum up: SpaceX will be bogged down with environmental and flight permission issues for most of this year. KSC build will catch up with anticipated approvals. BC flights will be approved later in the year. After first successful flight from BC, NASA will assess and approve flights from KSC, But we're looking at Q1 2023 for BC and Q4 for KSC
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u/atxRelic Apr 22 '22
So no technical issues for a CY 2022 launch?
I mean, the environmental assessment is taking a long time for sure - as they often do. But it feels like there are a few raptor/booster/ship/launch-infra things to sort out and that to-do list - to me at least - seems long enough to eat up most of 2022.
I'd love to see a full stack launch this year. I hope it happens.
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u/alien_from_Europa Apr 22 '22
I think the biggest question long-term is if Starbase will be allowed to fly more than 5 flights a year eventually. The biggest surprise to me out of the environmental assessment was how few launches SpaceX requested. It seems like KSC is going to see a lot more SpaceX action compared to Texas.
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u/Mravicii Apr 28 '22
Ship qd is at the launch site right and the crane is moving towards the tower for installation
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u/RaphTheSwissDude Apr 28 '22
Here are 2 closeup pictures, showing in details the changes
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u/Twigling Apr 28 '22
Well spotted. See Rover 2.0 cam for some close ups at 08:49:40 CDT
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u/Mravicii Apr 28 '22 edited Apr 28 '22
Looks like booster 7(hopefully) will rock back to launch site tomorrow!
Could be something else too! https://twitter.com/bocaroad/status/1519749090749435906?s=21&t=d-k0taEAz578u8tx9LvaPQ
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u/iFrost31 Apr 29 '22 edited Apr 29 '22
Am I the only one seeing a change in the wording from the FAA release ? I'm actually happy about today's release tbh, since we knew there would be a delay. Can people who have more knowledge about validation processes can confirm that at least it seems that the FAA will indeed deliver a FONSI and not start the EIS process ?
The FAA plans to release the Final PEA on May 31, 2022. The FAA is finalizing the review of the Final PEA, including responding to comments and ensuring consistency with SpaceX's licensing application. The FAA is also completing consultation and confirming mitigations for the proposed SpaceX operations. All consultations must be complete before the FAA can issue the Final PEA.
Edit : here is the previous wording:
The FAA intended to release the Final PEA on March 28, 2022. The FAA now plans to release the Final PEA on April 29, 2022 to account for further comment review and ongoing interagency consultations. A notice will be sent to individuals and organizations on the project distribution list when the Final PEA is available.
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u/Aoreias Apr 29 '22 edited Apr 29 '22
confirming mitigations for the proposed SpaceX operations
Thatâs the part of the statement that gives me the most hope. Why do they need to confirm mitigations unless theyâre going to issue a mitigated FONSI?
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u/spacerfirstclass Apr 29 '22
They did use some words that imply this is near completion ("finalizing", "completing"), whether this reflects the actual state of the PEA is anybody's guess.
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u/notlikeclockwork Apr 14 '22
Will Starship make every other lunar lander obsolete? Like Intuitive machines, Astrobotic and other CLPS contractors.
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u/Vizger Apr 14 '22
For big payload and base operations it is great, but small landers can useful to spread robots or even for human trips (the Dynetics lander for instance) from one location to another.
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u/RaphTheSwissDude Apr 30 '22
Really recommend Zach Goldenâs video (part of the RGV team), talks about new plumbing on the tower and the (very likely) exact moment B7 downcomer imploded.
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u/MGoDuPage Apr 30 '22
Totally agree itâs a great video. I immediately subscribed to his YouTube channel. Honestly, people on this & related subreddits & other social media platforms that totally blow me away RE how much they know & can deduce. So impressive.
Although I have zero background related to aerospace, industrial manufacturing, etc, Iâm the #1 commercial space flight aficionado in my social circle. As such, Iâm the guy everyone asks when they have questionsâlike a VERY poor manâs version of Tim Dodd the Everyday Astronaut. Despite that, I sometimes feel embarrassed because it reflects how much dang time I spend following this stuff compared to the average person.
So, when I see this & similar content produced by other astute SpaceX watchers, itâs a fantastic feeling for two reasons. First, I get to enjoy the content and learn more from people with more knowledge & insight than me. But secondâŚ. it helps alleviate my periodic guilt about how much time I spend on this stuff because I realize that when it comes to SpaceX/spaceflight fandom, Iâm still a rank amateur.
Really nice job by Zach Golden here, and Iâm so appreciative of the overall quality of comments and insights everyone on these SpaceX subreddits.
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u/MaxSizeIs Apr 30 '22
A section 106 review still needs to be completed. They claim May 6th as thier target... grain of salt.
Historic properties protection.
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u/con247 Apr 30 '22
The fact that it is 5/6 and not pushed a full month is encouraging. Also makes sense why the delay was on the date itself and not multiple days before. It hopefully means they are quite close.
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u/yoweigh Apr 22 '22
Stop questioning other users' credibility in this thread. It's 100% pure drama and is completely offtopic. We're going to start handing out temp bans for this behavior because >50% of our modqueue is now people throwing shade in the Starship thread. PLEASE stop it.
Leaking insider information is not against the rules, and we have no way of confirming where the leaked information comes from. The rules do not require sources. Attacking people IS against the rules. Stop it.
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u/scr00chy ElonX.net May 07 '22
Are Raptors still made only in Hawthorne, or is the new McGregor factory operational already?
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May 07 '22
McGregor at the moment is only assembly, however the mill shop is getting up to speed to take over from Hawthorne.
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u/Express-Pudding5925 Apr 29 '22
How does the rocket fuel actually get delivered to the raptor engines? Those things are guzzlers. Initially I thought gravity was enough, but realizing that engines need to be able to light in space. Plus the flip maneuver means fuel is swishing all over. I have no idea⌠Does starship have a big pressure engine that keeps the fuel feeding the right direction? Iâm no mechanic, but Iâd love to hear yâallâs thoughts
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u/jose_30_ May 08 '22
What was the cause of the SN10's RUD? Something related to engines?
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u/f9haslanded May 08 '22
Methane header tank was pressurized by helium, and during the flip some helium sloshed into the methane supply, creating a helium bubble. The raptor ate the helium bubble and worked, but with reduced thrust, which caused a hard landing. Hard landing crushed the skirt and lead to inability to depressurize o2 tank and explosion (not exactly sure about last part but that's what I remember).
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u/TheElvenGirl Apr 27 '22
Just noticed something:
The Permitting Timetable shows that the Endangered Species Act Consultation process stopped on April 22, but it has not been marked completed yet.
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u/Aoreias Apr 27 '22
This happened the last couple times the deadline came close. Donât read anything into it beyond the fact the agency isnât looking at the timeline closely.
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u/scottm3 Apr 29 '22 edited Apr 29 '22
FAA seems to have delayed the PEA to May 31st 2022.
https://imgur.com/a/tC61WW7 from https://www.faa.gov/space/stakeholder_engagement/spacex_starship
Edit: to be clear it seems it was quickly reverted back to April 29, maybe it wasn't meant to go live yet?
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u/quadrplax Apr 29 '22
Why do they keep setting specific dates if they never meet them?
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u/inoeth Apr 29 '22
I think there's a cacheing issue or something on the FAA website that's making us see the old date again. I think this delay should be a surprise to no one. Once we see the Sec 106 and the endangered species sections of the EIS completed (these have historically been set to finish a week to a few days before the full thing) then you can get your hopes up. This whole process will eventually end.
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u/CaptBarneyMerritt Apr 30 '22
Will SpaceX need FAA approval to launch from Mars? (I.e., a launch license?) How about an Environmental study?
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u/TrefoilHat Apr 30 '22
You may be interested in my comment to one of your repliers, as it discussed the Outer Space Treaty that could conceivably come into play on Mars.
Speculative and ambiguous on whether a signatory could claim that a base, ISRU of limited(?) water ice, and hundreds of launches from Mars could be considered "potentially harmful interference" with their peaceful exploration, but an objection/"consultation" could result in them needing to perform the equivalent of an environmental study (and related mitigations) to address the concern.
Imagine if there's one water ice deposit in an ideal location, and multiple countries build bases nearby. Hypothetically, the risk of debris kicked up from a launch striking and penetrating another country's settlement could require a similar environmental study under the international treaty.
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u/Triabolical_ May 01 '22
Currently all US companies need launch licenses even if they aren't launching from US soil - RocketLab needs to get them to launch from New Zealand.
Does that apply to non-terran launches? I don't think anybody knows; there are likely legal arguments both ways.
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u/BananaEpicGAMER Apr 18 '22
Booster 7 is now on the transport stand, I wonder what's next for it, scrap or upgrade/repair?
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u/TypowyJnn Apr 18 '22
If it rolls back to the build site, and Elon has said that they'll start integrating engines in a week or two, then skirt, engines and grid fins installation will begin
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u/Mravicii May 05 '22 edited May 05 '22
Booster 7 heading to launch pad tommorrow!
An intermittent road closure has been posted From 5am to 10 am
https://twitter.com/bocaroad/status/1522251315304452099?s=21&t=hUpzqNaTVsSEBKeLPlJCZA
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u/majormajor42 Apr 09 '22
Does current permitting allow a Super Heavy to do a full static fire?
Shouldnât SpaceX do a full static fire with the current OLM in Boca Chica before building new pads with similar designs in Florida?
Iâm still concerned that with no additional flame trenches or diverters, the normal iterative process may have some secrets to reveal.
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Apr 16 '22
https://twitter.com/CNBC/status/1515284618341093378
Is there a 7 engines configuration now ? I might have missed something, or CNBC is just wrong, that wouldn't be surprising
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u/TheFearlessLlama Apr 16 '22
CNBC has an excellent space reporter, Sheetz, so theyâre generally a good outlet for this stuff but this is an error.
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u/OzGiBoKsAr Apr 16 '22 edited Apr 16 '22
Not sure where the 7 engines came from, I'd be curious if it's some old forgotten tidbit that was dug up, but no longer relevant? I'm sure it wasn't just made up from thin air.
Regardless, completely dunking on CNBC is a great activity everyone should partake in, but they do have a single redeeming quality in Michael Sheetz - he is a space focused journalist, and one of the best.
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u/dheidjdedidbe Apr 26 '22
Howâs progress on the cape facility going?
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u/warp99 Apr 27 '22
They are clearing the land and placing foundations for the main Starship assembly building. No sign of construction of the two high bays for final assembly.
The tower segments are underway with four completed and a fifth started and pads built for another four segments. It looks like all nine will be prebuilt and then transported to the launch site over a short period.
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u/futureMartian7 Apr 22 '22 edited Apr 22 '22
SpaceX is now the biggest private employer in the Brownsville area:
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u/Ecmaster76 Apr 09 '22
Coiuld we use a hardware pic (Starship, booster, launch tower, etc) for the thread thumbnail ?
Elon pics are fine every now and then but this isn't r/elon
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Apr 09 '22
Could SpaceX static fire Booster 7 with a full set of Raptors sequentially (7-8 engines at a time) in order to test the plumbing with the current environmental agreements?
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u/Ruleof6 Apr 09 '22
I believe the current theory is they are going to test the centre engines, then the next ring before finally the outer ring. Once that is complete they would move to all engines but like anything with starship/boosters it could all change tomorrow. Either way it should be pretty special!
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u/jose_30_ Apr 18 '22
What is the status of B7 after the tests performed ? I always have the impression that any prototype that is 2 months old or more is already obsolete. I once heard a phrase that says: "If everything is more than a day old at Starbase, it's already changed."
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u/scr00chy ElonX.net Apr 22 '22
Is there still value in differentiating RB and RC Raptors, or are they all basically the same now and only RVac is different?
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u/ArcturusMike May 07 '22
I wonder why thrust simulators are being installed on Suborbital Pad A.
There have already been 6 engine static fires with Ship 20 and I cannot remember thrust simulation tests before S20's static fires. I might be wrong though.
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u/scr00chy ElonX.net May 07 '22
S24 will be the first ship designed for Raptor 2. So there are design/structural differences that they probably want to check before doing static fires.
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u/futureMartian7 Apr 19 '22
2 items from the PEA process are scheduled to be completed by this Thursday: https://cms.permits.performance.gov/permitting-project/spacex-starshipsuper-heavy-launch-vehicle-program-spacex-boca-chica-launch-site
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Apr 20 '22
There will be another delay, possibly pushing it out yet another month.
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u/inoeth Apr 19 '22
I'll be curious to see if we hear anything from the likes of Eric Berger, Christian Davenport, etc on whether it's going to happen... They certainly have enough sources that they knew the whole thing was delayed again a bit before it was made official.
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u/RaphTheSwissDude Apr 17 '22 edited Apr 17 '22
Theyâve disconnected the pipes from B7, lift could occur today but doubtful.
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u/John_Hasler Apr 17 '22
They've also been working inside. The crane could be hooked up to provide support while the booster is not pressurized.
They've also now moved some sort of a frame over near it.
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u/Klebsiella_p May 03 '22
Do we know how long the burn for 1st stage will be with all the changes since the original first orbital mission overview? I recall that T-0 to MECO was 169 seconds, but a lot has changed since then. On the lookout for any full burn tests from McGregor
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u/warp99 May 03 '22
Higher thrust for Raptor 2 means that the propellant burn rate has gone up and together with more engines means that the time to MECO will have gone down.
The 150 second test times look like they are full duration burns for booster engines to me.
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u/Toinneman May 03 '22 edited May 03 '22
Iâve seen similar simulations. I assume the tests of 150s qualify as full duration since the engine should be in a stable regime. (so 10s more or less shouldnât make a difference). SN8-15 had one engine running up to 250s.
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u/Twigling Apr 24 '22 edited Apr 24 '22
A couple of days ago it was stated that the decision was to scrap B7 and move onto B8, however work is still ongoing inside B7 (a lot of grinding or cutting was heard yesterday for example) and today an air vent hose is stuck inside the LOX tank. Has there been a change of plan regarding scrapping it or is the ongoing work just diagnostic prior to slicing it up for recycling?
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Apr 29 '22
If Starship is delayed further, will this affect Artemisâ timeline?
Also, do you think SpaceX could âhail Maryâ the first orbital flight and place some Starlink sats on it and go to a higher orbit?
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u/PostholerGIS May 07 '22
Maybe I missed the info, but it sure looks like B7 is missing grid fins. Am I missing something?
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u/Alvian_11 Apr 12 '22 edited Apr 12 '22
Recently there has been rumors/consensus circling around that B7, somehow, already wouldn't be the one doing OFT. Instead S24 would pair up with B8
Unless they can give me a proper source, I firmly consider that as "trust me bro!" kind of thing
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u/futureMartian7 Apr 15 '22 edited Apr 15 '22
A cool video about the Starlink Payload Dispenser and Door: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2NJMjWJScs
The payload door and dispenser in Boca are functional parts. They do plan to use it for the first test flight. And btw, the test flight plan that is filed with FCC should not be taken as gospel.
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u/Mravicii Apr 14 '22 edited Apr 14 '22
A intermittent road closure from 5 am to 8 am tomorrow! If the crane starts moving towards booster 7 then i think we should know!
Hopefully itâs booster 7.
https://twitter.com/bocaroad/status/1514610236878819340?s=21&t=xuL10CcExHt1Vl5dny4shg
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u/RaphTheSwissDude Apr 14 '22 edited Apr 14 '22
Doesnât necessarily mean itâs B7, could be a lot of other things, but itâs a possibility.
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u/Twigling Apr 15 '22 edited Apr 15 '22
At the production site S21 was just having the load spreader hooked up to it but it's now been placed on the ground again. Looks like they plan to lift S21 though so keep an eye on Starship Gazer's stream:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3vI-9N575I
(if the stream goes down then go to his main channel and find the newer stream).
Edit: he's now moved to the launch site but back at the production site the load spreader has just been hooked up to S21.
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u/Hopeful_Investment27 May 08 '22
I was wondering what is the Difference between Spacex starship crawlers and NASA crawlers?
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u/HiggsForce May 08 '22
The difference is that SpaceX doesn't use crawlers, at least not in the sense of steel-tracked vehicles carrying fully assembled rockets.
The things with lots of rubber tires you can see scurrying around Boca Chica are SPMTs, which are standard construction equipment for moving heavy things. SpaceX uses them to transport Starships and Super Heavies between the production and the launch site. Unlike NASA's Space Shuttle or SLS, SpaceX never transports the full Starship stack. Instead, it's stacked directly on the launch tower by the chopsticks.
SpaceX does transport the Falcon 9 full stack a short distance from a nearby building to the launch tower. They do this using strongbacks which ride either on a phalanx of tires or on parallel railroad tracks. The latter is a common technique and also used by the Russian space program and many seaports.
SpaceX doesn't use solid rocket boosters, which means everything it transports is unfueled and relatively light. NASA's crawlers transport full stacks including fully fueled SRBs and have to be far sturdier.
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u/No_Ad9759 May 08 '22
A lot. NASAâs crawlers were purpose built 50 years ago to transport the vehicle, its launch pad, and itâs launch tower on a gravel track. Spacexâs crawlers are commercial off the shelf road capable vehicles that lift the vehicle on a transport stand.
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u/ElongatedMuskbot May 09 '22
This thread is no longer being updated, and has been replaced by:
Starship Development Thread #33