this post was submitted on 09 Dec 2023
28 points (93.8% liked)

SpaceX

1811 readers
41 users here now

A community for discussing SpaceX.

Meme community is over at [email protected].

Non-SpaceX news and discussion over at [email protected].

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
28
submitted 6 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
 

SpaceX Starship page

Portions of this thread copied from the Starship Dev thread on r/SpaceX.

FAQ

  1. When next launch? IFT-3 is NET Feb 2024, and after completion of the IFT-2 mishap investigation. Candidate vehicles are Booster 10 and Ship 28.
  2. When previous launch? (IFT-2)? Booster 9 and Ship 25 launched on 2023-11-18.
  3. What was the result? Successful lift off with minimal pad damage. Successful booster operation with all engines to successful hot stage separation. Booster destroyed by AFTS after attempted boost-back. Ship fired all engines to near orbital speed then destroyed by AFTS. No re-entry attempt.
  4. Was IFT-2 a complete failure? No. As part of an iterative test programme, many milestones were achieved. Perfection is neither expected nor desired at this stage.

​---

Quick Links

RAPTOR ROOST | LAB CAM | SAPPHIRE CAM | SENTINEL CAM | ROVER CAM | ROVER 2.0 CAM | PLEX CAM | NSF STARBASE

Starship Dev 51 | Starship Dev 50 | Starship Dev 49 | Starship Dev 48

Official Starship Update


Status

Road Closures

Type Start (CDT) End (CDT) Status
Primary Date 2023-12-18 08:00 2023-12-18 20:00 Closure Revoked. HWY 4 and Boca Chica Beach will be open.
Alternative Date 2023-12-19 08:00 2023-12-19 20:00 Closure Revoked. HWY 4 and Boca Chica Beach will be open.
Alternative Date 2023-12-20 08:00 2023-12-20 20:00 Closure Concluded. HWY 4 and Boca Chica Beach now open.
Primary Date 2023-12-21 08:00 2023-12-21 20:00 Closure Concluded. HWY 4 and Boca Chica Beach now open.
Alternative Date 2023-12-22 08:00 2023-12-22 20:00 Closure Concluded. HWY 4 and Boca Chica Beach now open.
Primary Date 2023-12-27 08:00 2023-12-27 20:00 Closure Revoked. HWY 4 and Boca Chica Beach open.
Primary Date 2023-12-29 06:00 2023-12-29 16:00 Possible closure.
Alternate Date 2024-01-03 08:00 2024-01-03 18:00 Possible closure.
Alternate Date 2024-01-04 08:00 2024-01-04 18:00 Possible closure.

Up to date as of 2023-12-27

Vehicle Status

As of 2024-01-05

Follow Ring Watchers on Twitter and Discord for more.

Ship Location Status Comment
S24 Gulf of Mexico Destroyed April 20th (IFT-1): Destroyed by flight termination system after successful launch.
S25 Atlantic Ocean Destroyed Mostly successful launch and stage separation
S26 Rocket Garden Mysterious Static fire Oct. 20. No fins or heat shield, multiple mysterious changes. Completed 3 cryo tests, latest on Oct 10.
S28 Highbay Pre-flight prep Static fired Dec 29th
S29 Megabay 2 Pending engine install 3x cryo
S30 Massey's Cryo testing 2x cryo: Jan 3rd and Jan 5th
S31 High Bay Receiving aft flaps
S32 High Bay Under construction Stacking in progress.
S33-34 Build Site Parts spotted To be scrapped in preparation for Starship V2

 

Booster Location Status Comment
B7 Gulf of Mexico Destroyed Destroyed by flight termination system after successful launch.
B9 Gulf of Mexico Destroyed Successfully launched, destroyed during Boost back attempt.
B10 Megabay 1 Pre-flight prep Static fired Dec 29th.
B11 Megabay 1 Finalizing Completed 2 Cryo tests.
B12 Massey's Pending cryo testing
B13 Megabay 1 Stacking LOx tank stacked
B14 Build Site Assembly Assorted parts spotted
B15 Build Site Assembly Potential aft end spotted Jan 5th

Resources

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] [email protected] 12 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Starbase activities (2023-12-08):

[–] sleep_deprived 8 points 6 months ago (5 children)

Thanks for this! Really want to keep up with the goings on in space but it's really hard without Reddit.

load more comments (5 replies)
[–] [email protected] 8 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Starbase activities (2023-12-13):

[–] lefty7283 8 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Lmao the SPMT reminds me of the festive raptor engine from a couple years ago

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago

I had forgotten about this! "Christmas tree" indeed. They've certainly simplified the Raptor engines since then.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 6 months ago

Starbase activities (2023-12-12):

In other Starship news, Kathy Lueders (now general manager of Starbase) states that they are working to shift as much testing as possible from the launch site to Masseys.

Starbase itself is a hotbed of construction activity these days, she said, with a second orbital launch pad on tap as well as a million-square-foot factory, additional employee housing and office space all coming online, she said. The second pad is necessary for SpaceX’s goal of a faster launch cadence, while much of the engine testing is now taking place at SpaceX’s Massey test site on a former gun range west of Starbase, Lueders said.

“That test site is very critical,” she said. “What it allows us to do is keep our test operations … away from the beach. We know that it’s a pain in the butt for everybody when we have to (be) close the beach. And so we’re moving more of our testing over there so that it doesn’t impact operations that are over near the beach.”

She also confirms that the AFTS was triggered on IFT-2:

Lueders said Starship’s anomaly investigation team was still looking into why the Nov. 18 flight’s Automated Flight Termination Systems were activated.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 months ago

Starbase activities (2023-12-15):

[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Daily summary compiled from users on the Starship dev thread over on Reddit

12/15/23

It appears that Tower Pieces are being moved from Florida to Texas. The launch ring in Hangar M at the Cape might roll out onto a barge soon. There was a second tower under construction at 39A, and parts at Roberts Road were intended for a second Starship tower at KSC. SpaceX initially planned a second tower at Boca Chica but dropped the permit request. Now, it seems the tower segments at Roberts Road are destined for a second Starship tower in Boca Chica, possibly for launching and landing Tanker Starships in a rapid salvoing process. It seems like the limiting factor might be the tank farm's capacity to fill Tankers with methalox. The ultimate goal may be controlling multiple Ships in LEO for refilling missions. Tower segments are being transported to Starbase, with various activities observed throughout the day.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 months ago

Thanks for posting this! Looks like this is OLT #3 segment 7.

Videos of rollout and loading onto a barge at the KSC Turning Basin.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Starbase activities (2023-12-09):

Other Starship news:

What are people's thoughts on the fate of S26? Will it be scrapped? Will they do further modifications or testing?

[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

Starbase activities (2023-12-10):

  • Not too much action today.
  • No observed changes to S26. Still connected to up to a crane in the rocket garden.
  • Work on the OLM continues
  • The SpaceX LR 11000 crane was rolled over to the launch tower. Later in the day, the crane was connected to the Ship Quick Disconnect arm. Looks like they're planning on lowering at least a portion of it. (Rover 2.0 Cam)
  • For the first time in several days, I didn't spot any lifts at S28. Perhaps this means it is ready for rollout tonight?
[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Disconnect arm. Looks like they’re planning on lowering at least a portion of it. (Rover 2.0 Cam)

They removed the flex pipes.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 months ago

Starbase activities (2023-12-16):

[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Starbase activities (2023-12-18):

Other related activities:

[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Starbase activities (2023-12-20):

[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 months ago (1 children)

The LR11000 has moved into the space near gate D2 where they recently demolished the storage sheds. I think it's there to handle the last three horizontal tanks (unless it's just there to compact the new asphalt...)

[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (2 children)

Thanks for posting! For posterity, here a link to the video of the crane movement.

Vicki and Zack speculate that it could be there to remove one of the old vertical tanks currently used for water storage.

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 months ago

Starbase activities (2023-12-29):

Other:

[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Starbase activities (2024-01-01):

[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Starbase activities (2023-12-31):

  • Not much action today.
  • No major vehicle movement or testing.
  • Minor work on the OLM, chopsticks, and tank farm, visible on NSF Starbase Live and LabPadre Rover 2.0.

Other:

Happy New Year, all!

[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Starbase activities (2024-01-03):

[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Starbase activities (2023-12-23):

[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Starbase activities (2024-01-05):

Other:

[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 months ago

NSF are live for today's testing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWYZ90lAUOk

S28 has performed a static fire. B10 is up next.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Starbase activities (2023-12-21):

Other:

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago

Starbase activities (2023-12-25):

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago

Starbase activities (2023-12-26):

  • Another very quiet day.
  • Chopsticks have been lowered.
  • Road closure still possible for December 27th.
[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Starbase activities (2023-12-27):

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Starbase activities (2023-12-28):

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

Starbase activities (2023-12-24):

  • 'Twas the night before Christmas, and all throughout Starbase, not a creature was stirring, not even an SPMT or Aerial Work Platform.
  • Nice timelapse of the "SPACEX" letters being installed yesterday (2023-12-23), ending with a shot of them lit up alongside "GATEWAY TO MARS".

Other Starship dev related info:

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

[–] clothes 3 points 6 months ago

And may Starkitty be nestled all snug in their bed, while visions of launch licenses dance in their head. Merry Christmas :)

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago

Starbase activities (2023-12-22):

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago

NSF are live for potential B10 static fire: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJKVjLA1cMg

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Starbase activities (2024-01-04):

Other:

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago

Starbase activities (2024-01-02):

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Starbase activities (2023-12-11):

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Starbase activities (2023-12-14):

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago

Starbase activities (2023-12-30):

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago

Starbase activities (2023-12-17):

  • Not too much action today.
  • Starlink ground-station antennas installed at the Sanchez site.
  • At least one lift observed near S28. Monday road closure still scheduled for potential static fire.
  • Work on the OLM and chopsticks continues.

Since not much happened today, here are some more videos of Saturday's drone show:

Other:

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago

Road closure revoked for today.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago (2 children)

They're now cutting up the shell of one of the vertical methane tanks. They managed to suck all the perlite out when we weren't looking.

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Starbase activities (2024-01-06):

Other:

[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 months ago (2 children)

Really hoping for no major setback after what happened during the last tests with the booster.

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 months ago

Potential static fire of S28 today. NSF are live: https://youtube.com/watch?v=vO4olRWhFQs

[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 months ago

Static fire!

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Acronyms, initialisms, abbreviations, contractions, and other phrases which expand to something larger, that I've seen in this thread:

Fewer Letters More Letters
AFTS Autonomous Flight Termination System, see FTS
FAA Federal Aviation Administration
FCC Federal Communications Commission
~ (Iron/steel) Face-Centered Cubic crystalline structure
FTS Flight Termination System
GSE Ground Support Equipment
HLS Human Landing System (Artemis)
ITS Interplanetary Transport System (2016 oversized edition) (see MCT)
~ Integrated Truss Structure
KSC Kennedy Space Center, Florida
LEO Low Earth Orbit (180-2000km)
~ Law Enforcement Officer (most often mentioned during transport operations)
LN2 Liquid Nitrogen
LOX Liquid Oxygen
MCT Mars Colonial Transporter (see ITS)
NSF NasaSpaceFlight forum
~ National Science Foundation
OLM Orbital Launch Mount
SPMT Self-Propelled Mobile Transporter
TPS Thermal Protection System for a spacecraft (on the Falcon 9 first stage, the engine "Dance floor")
Jargon Definition
Raptor Methane-fueled rocket engine under development by SpaceX
Starlink SpaceX's world-wide satellite broadband constellation
iron waffle Compact "waffle-iron" aerodynamic control surface, acts as a wing without needing to be as large; also, "grid fin"
methalox Portmanteau: methane fuel, liquid oxygen oxidizer

[Thread #25 for this sub, first seen 10th Dec 2023, 02:00] [FAQ] [Full list] [Contact] [Source code]

load more comments
view more: next ›