The Briefing Room
General Category => Science, Technology and Knowledge => Space => Topic started by: kevindavis007 on December 28, 2019, 12:17:26 am
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What I decided to do is create a thread dedicated to anything SpaceX and Blue Origin.
This is where all of the news regarding these two companies will go.
Good or idea or bad. If bad, this will go away.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-jd1Cd4Taw (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-jd1Cd4Taw)
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:2popcorn:
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Bad? How can it be bad to learn things...... I may ask dumb questions tho...
@Cyber Liberty is hogging all the popcorn so will have to get my own.. :2popcorn:
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To see what is happening in Boca Chica Texas, with regards to Starship Mark 3, here is an entire playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7SbFivj3VrmORg2b7wn4blFWf7pD_6-L (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7SbFivj3VrmORg2b7wn4blFWf7pD_6-L)
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Elon Musk Expects Starship Flight Hopefully in Two-Three Months
https://www.isn-news.com/2019/12/elon-musk-expects-starship-flight.html (https://www.isn-news.com/2019/12/elon-musk-expects-starship-flight.html)
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Sorry if Musk's being able to allow his Telsa Boongdoggle tempers my enthusiasm a bit. His ability to suck on the left hind teat of the US Taxpayer makes me comment accordingly.
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SpaceX's Elon Musk reveals schedule for Crew Dragon's astronaut launch debut
http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,387351.0.html
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SpaceX's Elon Musk reveals schedule for Crew Dragon's astronaut launch debut
http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,387351.0.html
Don't know if I would want to be manning an experimental space ship with a mission named "Demo". :silly:
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Don't know if I would want to be manning an experimental space ship with a mission named "Demo". :silly:
I don't think anybody will man the Demo mission.... wink777
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@kevindavis
I didn't realize that there were that many Topics posted to Space that we needed to bundle some together.
I just did a search on Blue Origin and SpaceX. I got 5 hits on Blue Origin for the last 60 days and 16 for SpaceX.
Not a lot of traffic to be lumping them together.
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@Elderberry
I understand, but there have been a lot of videos of SpaceX and Blue Origin so I figure that I post them in a single thread.
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@Elderberry
I understand, but there have been a lot of videos of SpaceX and Blue Origin so I figure that I post them in a single thread.
@kevindavis
Knock yourself out. You're the Mod. Feel free to merge the one's I post when I forget where you want them to go.
Are you going to add the ones that have been posted in the past? Or just from now on?
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I have but one vote, and I'd say the past threads can be left alone.
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@kevindavis
Knock yourself out. You're the Mod. Feel free to merge the one's I post when I forget where you want them to go.
Are you going to add the ones that have been posted in the past? Or just from now on?
@Elderberry
Going forward. Past threads can stay separate.
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I have but one vote, and I'd say the past threads can be left alone.
Past threads is going to be left alone
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Past threads is going to be left alone
Thanks!
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SpaceX 2019 Boca Chica Review
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNRHlcofU6c
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Blue Origin and SpaceX Launch Pads and Facility Development Satellite Timelapse
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GqWBAEIFT4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GqWBAEIFT4)
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SpaceX Starship Update- Elon Musk details SpaceX progress and flight timelines
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Miw6KDHuphs&t (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Miw6KDHuphs&t)
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SpaceX Starship Stacking, Crew Dragon Animation, Inflight Abort Test and Starlink launch coming up
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcfrYSJGe7g
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With Monday night launch, SpaceX to become world’s largest satellite operator
ARS Technica by Eric Berger - 1/6/2020
https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/01/with-monday-night-launch-spacex-to-become-worlds-largest-satellite-operator/ (https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/01/with-monday-night-launch-spacex-to-become-worlds-largest-satellite-operator/)
In 2019 SpaceX launched two batches of 60 Starlink satellites—one experimental, and the second operational. On Monday, the company plans to add 60 more satellites with a nighttime launch of the Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
If all goes to plan, this mission will be just the first of as many as 20 Starlink launches this year as SpaceX builds up a constellation of satellites in low-Earth orbit to provide global Internet service. SpaceX may begin to offer "bumpy" service by the middle of this year to some consumers.
Following this next launch, scheduled for 9:19pm ET Monday (02:19 UTC Tuesday), SpaceX will have a constellation of nearly 180 satellites in low-Earth orbit, each weighing a little more than 220kg. This will make the company simultaneously the world's largest private satellite operator (eclipsing Planet Labs), while also being the most active private launch company.
More at link.
STARLINK MISSION
https://www.spacex.com/webcast (https://www.spacex.com/webcast)
SpaceX is targeting Monday, January 6 at 9:19 p.m. EST, or 2:19 UTC on January 7, for its third launch of Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. A backup launch opportunity is available on Tuesday, January 7 at 8:57 p.m. EST, or 1:57 UTC on January 8.
Falcon 9’s first stage supported a Starlink mission in May 2019, the Iridium-8 mission in January 2019, and the Telstar 18 VANTAGE mission in September 2018. Following stage separation, SpaceX will land Falcon 9’s first stage on the “Of Course I Still Love You†droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. Approximately 45 minutes after liftoff, SpaceX’s fairing recovery vessel, “Ms. Tree,†will attempt to recover a payload fairing half.
You can watch the launch live below, starting about 15 minutes before liftoff, and learn more about the mission in our press kit (http://www.spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/starlink_media_kit_jan2020.pdf).
http://youtu.be/HwyXo6T7jC4 (http://youtu.be/HwyXo6T7jC4)
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Check this out:
https://twitter.com/joroulette/status/1214303608516349952
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SpaceX Starship Updates – The Great Capsule Race Between Boeing Starliner & SpaceX Crew Dragon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKgj3uVwtsk
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Dragon cargo capsule brings home space station science experiments
Spaceflight Now by Stephen Clark January 7, 2020
https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/01/07/dragon-cargo-capsule-brings-home-space-station-science-experiments/ (https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/01/07/dragon-cargo-capsule-brings-home-space-station-science-experiments/)
SpaceX’s 19th Dragon resupply mission to the International Space Station ended Tuesday with the capsule’s splashdown in the Pacific Ocean southwest of Los Angeles with nearly 3,600 pounds of cargo and experiments.
The reusable Dragon supply ship concluded a 30-day stay at the space station at 5:05 a.m. EST (1005 GMT) Tuesday, when the station’s Canadian-built robotic arm released the Dragon spacecraft.
The release of the Dragon capsule came after the spaceship was detached from the station’s Harmony module and maneuvered to a position below the complex using the robotic arm.
SpaceX flight controllers in Hawthorne, California, monitored the Dragon spacecraft’s departure from the space station, while station commander Luca Parmitano tracked the capsule’s movements until it exited the vicinity of the research lab.
The Dragon spacecraft closed its navigation bay door later Tuesday and ignited its Draco engines for a nearly 13-minute deorbit burn at 9:51 a.m. EST (1451 GMT). The braking maneuver put the spacecraft on a trajectory to re-enter the atmosphere on a northwest to southeast flight path over the Pacific Ocean.
The SpaceX supply ship jettisoned a disposable trunk section to burn up in the atmosphere, while a heat shield protected the Dragon’s pressurized compartment during a scorching hot plunge back to Earth.
More at link.
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NASA, SpaceX prepare for Falcon 9 rocket to explode over the Atlantic
CNET by Eric Mack 1/8/2020
https://www.cnet.com/news/nasa-and-spacex-are-prepping-to-explode-a-falcon-9-rocket-over-the-atlantic/ (https://www.cnet.com/news/nasa-and-spacex-are-prepping-to-explode-a-falcon-9-rocket-over-the-atlantic/)
To test its Crew Dragon's ability to escape an emergency, SpaceX must make a sacrifice.
If you've gotta break a few eggs to make an omelet, perhaps it's no surprise you have to blow up a few space vehicles to get to space. SpaceX and NASA are preparing for the latest trial of the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft, and the in-flight abort test is likely going to lead to the destruction of a Falcon 9 rocket in the process.
That test has been pushed back a week, to Jan. 18, to allow "additional time for spacecraft processing," NASA said Monday. The goal of the test is to demonstrate the Dragon's emergency escape system before NASA gives the final thumbs-up for the craft to begin ferrying astronauts to the International Space Station as part of the agency's Commercial Crew program.
While much has been made what will happen to Crew Dragon during the test -- it will separate from the Falcon 9, fire its SuperDraco engines to get away from the rocket and parachute to an ocean landing -- there's been less of a focus on the fate of the Falcon 9 rocket that will enable the process.
More at link.
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Elon Musk reveals how SpaceX Starlink customers will get online
Slash Gear by Chris Davies - Jan 8, 2020
https://www.slashgear.com/elon-musk-reveals-how-spacex-starlink-customers-will-get-online-08606331/ (https://www.slashgear.com/elon-musk-reveals-how-spacex-starlink-customers-will-get-online-08606331/)
SpaceX’s Starlink satellite constellation may be starting to take shape in orbit, but we’re only just starting to find out what the user-experience of the internet service will be like down on the ground. Elon Musk’s ambitious plan to build a network of satellites tens of thousands in number will eventually, if the plan pans out, deliver internet connections to areas previously underserved by ISPs or offline altogether.
The satellites, though, are only half of the story, albeit the tougher part to deploy. Back on Earth, subscribers to Starlink will need special hardware to get online. If you’re instantly thinking of cumbersome and tricky to set up satellite phones, though, the good news is that it should be a far easier proposition.
SpaceX isn’t quite ready to show off its so-called Starlink Terminals yet, but that hasn’t stopped Elon Musk from sharing some early details. The device itself “looks like a thin, flat, round UFO on a stick,†Musk tweeted this week. That’s presumably a circular antenna atop an extended pole to try to lift it away from any other objects that might block its line-of-sight.
More at link.
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Past threads is going to be left alone
@kevindavis
Wouldn't hurt to put links to them at the top,and maybe even especially the bottom,of this thread so that anytime anyone knew to it clicks on to it,they can go to the beginning and work their way forward.
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@kevindavis
Wouldn't hurt to put links to them at the top,and maybe even especially the bottom,of this thread so that anytime anyone knew to it clicks on to it,they can go to the beginning and work their way forward.
Watch what you ask for. The beginning goes back a ways. I don't know how far back the beginning was. Like this one?
NASA awards space taxi contract to Boeing and SpaceX (http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,149032.msg602853.html#msg602853)
« on: September 16, 2014, 05:05:09 PM »
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@kevindavis
Wouldn't hurt to put links to them at the top,and maybe even especially the bottom,of this thread so that anytime anyone knew to it clicks on to it,they can go to the beginning and work their way forward.
Nice idea, but it goes way back.. At least 6 years!!!!
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SpaceX Starship Tank Test Performs "Pretty Good" & Dragon IFA Delayed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyrbGRo1n6w (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyrbGRo1n6w)
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Nice idea, but it goes way back.. At least 6 years!!!!
@kevindavis
Maybe do a stand-alone link for each year? That way anyone really interested could download a whole year of posts at a time to look over,and it would just take one link per year?
Talking off the top of my head here because have no idea of the amount of actual work or time that would be needed.
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@kevindavis
Maybe do a stand-alone link for each year? That way anyone really interested could download a whole year of posts at a time to look over,and it would just take one link per year?
Talking off the top of my head here because have no idea of the amount of actual work or time that would be needed.
I'll see what I can do.
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Inside look at Blue Origin headquarters
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztn6Iyg38-8
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Elon Musk And Tesla Are Hobbling SpaceX's Long-Term Viability
Seeking Alpha by John Engle 1/10/2020
https://seekingalpha.com/article/4316215-elon-musk-and-tesla-are-hobbling-spacexs-long-term-viability (https://seekingalpha.com/article/4316215-elon-musk-and-tesla-are-hobbling-spacexs-long-term-viability)
Summary
Tesla's brand – as well as Elon Musk's personal brand – is built on sustainability and futurist positivity; while beneficial for the EV company, this has limited another Musk company.
SpaceX has successfully disrupted the space launch industry, but has failed to become profitable; with fewer launches in 2019 than in either 2018 or 2017, it needs another income stream.
Government weapon systems contracts would make an obvious and synergistic play for SpaceX; however, it is foreclosed from pursuing the opportunity due to the potential negative impact on Tesla's brand.
Tesla's brand and reputation are buoyed by a hardcore of true believers, but supported by a much wider following; moving into weapon systems, though more stable and lucrative than launch, could alienate customers from Tesla.
Thanks to the deep pockets of the Defense Department, weapon systems contracts are immensely valuable and big multi-year development contracts, with a tendency for massive cost overruns to be the norm rather than the exception adding to their allure. Such contracts are the bread and butter of many aerospace firms. Lockheed Martin's (LMT) F-35 jet fighter program is expected to cost U.S. taxpayers upward of $1 trillion over its 60-year lifecycle.
With so much money to be made, it stands to reason that an upstart like SpaceX (SPACE) might want to get in on the action. For an unprofitable company with a $33.3 billion valuation and mounting competition in its core launch business, it might seem like a no-brainer.
Yet, the upstart aerospace firm, which has competed head-to-head against established industry stalwarts for rocket launch contracts, often successfully, has steered clear of the weapons sector.
More at link.
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Japanese billionaire Maezawa seeks girlfriend for SpaceX voyage
Fox Business by Sam Nussey 1/12/2020
https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/japanese-billionaire-maezawa-girlfriend-spacex-voyage (https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/japanese-billionaire-maezawa-girlfriend-spacex-voyage)
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa's search for a girlfriend to join him on a voyage around the moon will be the subject of a new documentary program, in the latest attention-grabbing stunt by the entrepreneur.
44-year-old Maezawa, who sold his online fashion retailer Zozo Inc to SoftBank Group Corp, is seeking single females aged over 20 for the show, which will be shown on streaming service AbemaTV.
"As feelings of loneliness and emptiness slowly begin to surge upon me, there's one thing that I think about: continuing to love one woman,'' wrote Maezawa on a website for applicants.
More at link.
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Before 2020 Is Over, SpaceX Will Offer Satellite Broadband Internet
The Motley Fool by Rich Smith 1/12/2020
https://www.fool.com/investing/2020/01/12/before-2020-is-over-spacex-will-offer-satellite-br.aspx (https://www.fool.com/investing/2020/01/12/before-2020-is-over-spacex-will-offer-satellite-br.aspx)
By 2025, SpaceX could be earning $22 billion a year.
For the better part of a decade, the world has waited for SpaceX to deliver on its promise to provide high-speed internet from space. The wait is finally over.
Broadband satellite internet is here ... or will be before the year is out.
Satellites galore
Over time, SpaceX intends to launch at least 12,000 -- and possibly as many as 42,000 -- "Starlink" internet satellites. Granted, this is a long-term, stretch goal, and it will take years to orbit all of the (tens of) thousands of satellites envisioned. But Elon Musk says Starlink will be able to begin delivering at least "moderate" internet coverage to many locations on Earth once SpaceX has gotten 800 satellites into orbit.
How close is SpaceX to that goal?
On Monday evening, January 6, SpaceX successfully launched its second "official" Starlink mission, carrying 60 satellites into orbit aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. In addition to the 115 operational satellites put into orbit on previous launches, this gives the company about 175 operational internet satellites in orbit today.
Assuming SpaceX continues putting satellites in orbit at a rate of 60 satellites per launch (and doesn't attempt to accelerate deployment by using bigger Falcon Heavy or Starship rockets), 11 more Falcon 9-Starlink missions should suffice to surpass the 800-sat threshold for "moderate" internet coverage. At a planned launch rate of two Falcon 9 launches per month, therefore, Starlink should reach this goal by the end of June 2020. By the end of the year, Starlinks in orbit should reach 1,500.
More at link.
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Before 2020 Is Over, SpaceX Will Offer Satellite Broadband Internet
The Motley Fool by Rich Smith 1/12/2020
https://www.fool.com/investing/2020/01/12/before-2020-is-over-spacex-will-offer-satellite-br.aspx (https://www.fool.com/investing/2020/01/12/before-2020-is-over-spacex-will-offer-satellite-br.aspx)
60 Satellites per launch... they must be small, softball size?
Will each of these 1500 orbits be individually controllable?
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Japanese billionaire Maezawa seeks girlfriend for SpaceX voyage
Fox Business by Sam Nussey 1/12/2020
https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/japanese-billionaire-maezawa-girlfriend-spacex-voyage (https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/japanese-billionaire-maezawa-girlfriend-spacex-voyage)
Maybe Musk can turn his Space X ship into a brothel. He's already had sex with the American Taxpayer for his Tesla subsidized boondoggle.
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60 Satellites per launch... they must be small, softball size?
Will each of these 1500 orbits be individually controllable?
Why will Starlink satellites use krypton instead of xenon for electric propulsion?
Space Exploration Beta
https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/36165/why-will-starlink-satellites-use-krypton-instead-of-xenon-for-electric-propulsio/36169 (https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/36165/why-will-starlink-satellites-use-krypton-instead-of-xenon-for-electric-propulsio/36169)
The press kit for the first Falcon 9 Starlink launch and deployment of the first 60 satllites scheduled for May 15, 2019 says:
With a flat-panel design featuring multiple high-throughput antennas and a single solar array, each Starlink satellite weighs approximately 227kg, allowing SpaceX to maximize mass production and take full advantage of Falcon 9’s launch capabilities. To adjust position on orbit, maintain intended altitude, and deorbit, Starlink satellites feature Hall thrusters powered by krypton. (emphasis added)
Most of the electric propulsion systems that I've heard of use xenon. While the lighter krypton would have a higher Isp at a given acceleration voltage, I assume Xenon has a slightly lower ionization potential and so would be easier to ionize.
DC power for electromagnets for confinement and RF power supply for plasma excitation can dominate the weight of an ion propulsion engine (depending on the specific design and principle), so in for these svelte and featherweight spacecraft I would have thought that the'd go with the lower ionization potential of xenon which presumably can be ionized with lower electron energy.
(https://www.teslarati.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Starlink-solar-array-bus-and-stack-SpaceX-1-tall.jpg)
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Before 2020 Is Over, SpaceX Will Offer Satellite Broadband Internet
br.aspx]https://www.fool.com/investing/2020/01/12/before-2020-is-over-spacex-will-offer-satellite-br.aspx[/url]
42,000 satellites in geosynchronous orbit? How is anyone going to keep these things from bumping into each other?
A billion years from now the next intelligent being that finds us is going to first think we are ringed planet, but are going to be shocked when they find it is mostly just metal debris.
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Maybe Musk can turn his Space X ship into a brothel. He's already had sex with the American Taxpayer for his Tesla subsidized boondoggle.
@catfish1957
I don't care. He managed to launch a sports roadster off into interstellar space with an astronaut pressure suit sitting behind the wheel,and I am ready to forgive him for damn near anything because of that.
I can't help but imagine the impact this will have when some alien race hundreds of years from now spots this strange thing entering their area,and sending out a ship to investigate.
Makes for a little "happy moment" for me every time I think of it.
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Why will Starlink satellites use krypton instead of xenon for electric propulsion?
Space Exploration Beta
https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/36165/why-will-starlink-satellites-use-krypton-instead-of-xenon-for-electric-propulsio/36169 (https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/36165/why-will-starlink-satellites-use-krypton-instead-of-xenon-for-electric-propulsio/36169)
That is wild..... thanks
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMDUd-ZIjj8#)
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@catfish1957
I don't care. He managed to launch a sports roadster off into interstellar space with an astronaut pressure suit sitting behind the wheel,and I am ready to forgive him for damn near anything because of that.
I can't help but imagine the impact this will have when some alien race hundreds of years from now spots this strange thing entering their area,and sending out a ship to investigate.
Makes for a little "happy moment" for me every time I think of it.
Okay....he screwed us with style. :cool:
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I don't care. He managed to launch a sports roadster off into interstellar space with an astronaut pressure suit sitting behind the wheel,and I am ready to forgive him for damn near anything because of that.
I can't help but imagine the impact this will have when some alien race hundreds of years from now spots this strange thing entering their area,and sending out a ship to investigate.
Makes for a little "happy moment" for me every time I think of it.
@sneakypete
I hope that hundreds of years from now the heliocentric orbit that the Tesla is in will be crowded with "Space Train Cars" carrying goods between Earth and Mars.
https://www.popularmechanics.com/space/moon-mars/a16571489/elon-musk-space-tesla-mars/ (https://www.popularmechanics.com/space/moon-mars/a16571489/elon-musk-space-tesla-mars/)
Elon Musk's Space Tesla Isn't Going to Mars. It's Going Somewhere More Important.
The Falcon Heavy launch would place the Roadster into a heliocentric orbit, meaning that like the planets and comets and so on, it will be orbiting the sun. More specifically, the Muskmobile will go into a type of heliocentric orbit called Trans-Mars injection, which it is the easiest and least energy-intensive way to move objects back and forth between Earth and Mars.
At specific moments every two years, the conditions are right to fire up the spacecraft’s engines and slide from one orbit to the other. A future transportation network that supplies a Martian colony would benefit from this kind of scheduling. Think of Musk's car like a city bus on a scheduled run through the solar system, slung this way and that to take advantage of the gravitational pull of the sun to make it easier to get into Earth or Martian orbits.
Since the Tesla doesn’t have thrusters, it won’t make that jump into Martian orbit. It'll be a Flying Dutchman, careening through the solar system for billions of years. Even so, the opportunity for a private company to launch anything on a jaunt through the solar system is itself a game changer. The fact that the launch may help lay the groundwork for industrialization and colonization makes this far more than a publicity stunt.
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@sneakypete
I hope that hundreds of years from now the heliocentric orbit that the Tesla is in will be crowded with "Space Train Cars" carrying goods between Earth and Mars.
@Elderberry
I do,too . Eventually mankind is going to need another place to live,and if we wait until then to go looking,it will be too late.
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SpaceX Starship Testing Continues - Pad 39A & Fairing Upgrades For U.S. Space Force
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW4jAX6cSnc#)
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Start-ups join Google, SpaceX and OneWeb to bring new technologies to space
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/01/10/startups-join-google-spacex-to-bring-new-technologies-to-space.html
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SpaceX Crew Dragon In-Flight Abort Test
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARIZnaMXTEU
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Launch Pad for #BlueOrigin 16 January 2020
https://twitter.com/John_Winkopp/status/1217897040627273732
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SpaceX Crew Dragon In-Flight Abort is GO for Launch
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP7ivI_qykM#)
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Space Industry Investments Hit Record High As Venture Capital Seeks The Next SpaceX
https://isn-news.com/2020/01/space-industry-investments-hit-record.html (http://isn-news.com/2020/01/space-industry-investments-hit-record.html)
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It is an interesting world, with Musk putting huge rockets up, etcc.
And selling electric vehicles, which some claim to be a folly.
And old businesses like Sears lost their mojos decades ago.
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It is an interesting world, with Musk putting huge rockets up, etcc.
And selling electric vehicles, which some claim to be a folly.
And old businesses like Sears lost their mojos decades ago.
@truth_seeker
Sears lost it's Mojo when the family decided they were executives,and let managers take over the board and control the company,while they lived like Royalty on the stock profits.
Managers tend to not have any personal connection to a company or it's long-term survival,and focus on maximizing profits THIS quarter,and worry about the next quarter the next quarter. When this happens long-time employees start resenting being treated like cogs in a machine,and having some suit and tie cretin tell him how he has been doing everything wrong for the last 30 years,so they retire and sell off their stock options.
You end up with a company being operated by people only concerned with this quarters profits,and employees that are newbies and only there until they can find a better paying job.
Wal-Mart is feeling the effects of this now,and it couldn't happen to a more deserving group of people.
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Jeff Bezos and the idea of a factory in space
https://livemint.com/opinion/online-views/jeff-bezos-and-the-idea-of-a-factory-in-space-11579111298402.html
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I don't know if all of this space stuff will accomplish anything but I am sure glad the big dreamers still exist...
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It is an interesting world, with Musk putting huge rockets up, etcc.
And selling electric vehicles, which some claim to be a folly.
And old businesses like Sears lost their mojos decades ago.
@truth_seeker
I thought that Tesla will be gone by now. Boy was I wrong.
This is an interesting time to live in.
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I don't know if all of this space stuff will accomplish anything but I am sure glad the big dreamers still exist...
@EdinVA :yowsa: :yowsa:
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What I decided to do is create a thread dedicated to anything SpaceX and Blue Origin.
This is where all of the news regarding these two companies will go.
Good or idea or bad. If bad, this will go away.
I know this is kinda crazy, but I thought it wil be better if this thread contains all articles that talks about the private space industry since it might take off this year (no pun intended).
Just an FYI: Right now Virgin Galactic is now at $15.69 (so far I have made a nice little profit from it). Best to get it now. This stock could skyrocket.
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I don't know if all of this space stuff will accomplish anything but I am sure glad the big dreamers still exist...
@EdinVA
I agree. I imagine if Howard Hughes didn't go bonkers he could have done it was well.
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Virgin Galactic Stock Takes Off Before SpaceX and Blue Origin
https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/virgin-galactic-stock-takes-off-before-spacex-and-blue-origin-2020-01-17
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What SpaceX and Blue Origin stock? Or do they mean Alphabet and Amazon stock instead?
Or is stock here meaning the vehicles? I would think that the stock of SpaceX vehicles takes off before the other two.
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SpaceX delays Crew Dragon abort test launch to Sunday due to bad weather
Space.com by Amy Thompson 1/18/2020
https://www.space.com/spacex-crew-dragon-abort-test-launch-weather-delay.html (https://www.space.com/spacex-crew-dragon-abort-test-launch-weather-delay.html)
Liftoff is set for 8 a.m. EST (1300 GMT) during a 6-hour launch window.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — SpaceX postponed a critical launch escape test of its Crew Dragon astronaut taxi today (Jan. 18) due to bad weather at the mission’s launch site. The next attempt will be on Sunday, the company said.
The California-based spaceflight company was scheduled to launch its unpiloted Crew Dragon spacecraft on a used Falcon 9 rocket at 8 a.m. EST (1300 GMT) today from the historic Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. However, bad weather at the launch site, coupled with rough seas at Crew Dragon's recovery zone in the Atlantic Ocean, prompted the delay.
"Standing down from today's in-flight Crew Dragon launch escape test due to sustained winds and rough seas in the recovery area," SpaceX wrote in a mission update on Twitter. "Now targeting Sunday, January 19, with a six-hour test window opening at 8:00 a.m. EST, 13:00 UTC."
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SpaceX Crew Dragon In Flight Abort Test : Jan 19 2020
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IMNXNVOOM0
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SpaceX Crew Dragon In Flight Abort Test : Jan 19 2020
Too bad we did not have that in 1986.....
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Too bad we did not have that in 1986.....
I concur. They should built the Shuttle with an Abort section. When I see Americans not flying on Russian rockets, that will be a glorius day for every American.
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Who would YOU want to ride with into space, SpaceX, NASA,, of General Motors?
An impressive amount of new technology, resulted from the US federal government space program.
How will new technology move from privately owned SpaceX (and others) into the broader American economy?
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Elon Musk talking about Starship after the In-Flight Abort Press Conference.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsjq1Rfh9C4#)
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Who would YOU want to ride with into space, SpaceX, NASA,, of General Motors?
An impressive amount of new technology, resulted from the US federal government space program.
How will new technology move from privately owned SpaceX (and others) into the broader American economy?
@truth_seeker
I don't care who it is. SpaceX, Blue Origin, or NASA. I will not fly on a Russian Rocket.
As for the tech transfer, it is going to be yuge. It is going to make the previous transfer look small.
Unlike the last time. This movement to space is going to be perm (I hope).
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The Bezos, Musk and Branson billionaire space race is happening right now
https://news.yahoo.com/the-bezos-musk-and-branson-billionaire-space-race-is-happening-right-now-131003282.html
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"It's just going to be wonderful to get astronauts back into orbit from American soil after almost a decade of not being able to do so. I think that's super exciting. [...] Reusability is extremely fundamental to revolutionizing Space" ––
Elon Musk
https://twitter.com/thirdrowtesla/status/1218993551175872512
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SpaceX aims to launch astronauts this spring after Crew Dragon escape test success
https://www.isn-news.com/2020/01/spacex-aims-to-launch-astronauts-this.html
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SpaceX aims to launch astronauts this spring after Crew Dragon escape test success
https://www.isn-news.com/2020/01/spacex-aims-to-launch-astronauts-this.html
I'd like to see that. Dragon has a crew capacity of seven.
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I'd like to see that. Dragon has a crew capacity of seven.
Yes, a crew capacity of seven, but only 4 seats on NASA Missions. I guess the other 3 have to sit on the floor.
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Yes, a crew capacity of seven, but only 4 seats on NASA Missions. I guess the other 3 have to sit on the floor.
I think that's because NASA wants some cargo capacity, and there is no sense in sending more than three astronauts at a time to the ISS because crew capacity for the Station itself is still low. I would expect that capacity balance to change when they start looking at missions beyond Low Orbit.
Keeping a Dragon as a "lifeboat" for ISS would be a good idea, and that would not be limited to three astronauts.
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I think that's because NASA wants some cargo capacity, and there is no sense in sending more than three astronauts at a time to the ISS because crew capacity for the Station itself is still low. I would expect that capacity balance to change when they start looking at missions beyond Low Orbit.
Keeping a Dragon as a "lifeboat" for ISS would be a good idea, and that would not be limited to three astronauts.
@Cyber Liberty
@Elderberry
Either way it is going to be nice to Americans go up in American Rockets. Finally.
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@Cyber Liberty
@Elderberry
Either way it is going to be nice to Americans go up in American Rockets. Finally.
You betcha. Not just "yeah," but "Hell yeah." Bush and O'Bastard really laid us low by dropping the ball on manned flight in favor of welfare recipients. Our 'nauts deserve a Bentley, not a Yugo. At the very least, a Mercedes.
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I wanted so much to support the Shuttle Replacement after supporting Shuttle Flights from STS-8 to STS-135, but its been so long in coming. I had co-workers who supported Apollo, laid off when the program ended, but came back to support the Shuttle. That was a span of 9 yrs. If a Shuttle Replacement flies this year, it'll be another 9 year gap. Me go back? Naaaaaaaah!
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SpaceX Mars city: Elon Musk reveals how you will pay for your trip
https://www.isn-news.com/2020/01/spacex-mars-city-elon-musk-reveals-how.html
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SpaceX Starship Updates – Kennedy Space Center SpaceX & Blue Origin Update
http://youtube.com/watch?v=UVLGadI2hyc
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NASA selects Axiom Space to build commercial space station
https://www.isn-news.com/2020/01/nasa-selects-axiom-space-to-build.html
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SpaceX Boca Chica - Preparing Starship Test Tank 2 for Cryo Testing
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atfmsOqQEJ8#)
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SpaceX Starship Updates - 01/27/2020
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sU1PpGJVTiA&t=726s (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sU1PpGJVTiA&t=726s)
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SpaceX Boca Chica - Starship Test Tank 2 Destructive Cryo Test
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TDaMCMEc8Q#)
The good part about this test, it past the saftey for bar for human space flight.
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SpaceX Starship SN1 Is A Go!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bF1fvVyXN9U
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NASA to allow researchers to fly on commercial suborbital vehicles
Space News by Jeff Foust — January 31, 2020
https://spacenews.com/nasa-to-allow-researchers-to-fly-on-commercial-suborbital-vehicles/ (https://spacenews.com/nasa-to-allow-researchers-to-fly-on-commercial-suborbital-vehicles/)
NASA plans for the first time to allow researchers to fly with their payloads on commercial suborbital vehicles, ending years of debate and deliberation.
NASA released Jan. 29 a draft solicitation seeking payloads for its Flight Opportunities program, which provides rides for such payloads on high-altitude balloons, parabolic aircraft flights and commercial suborbital vehicles. That includes reusable suborbital spacecraft currently being flight tested by Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic.
In the past, researchers could propose flying payloads on Blue Origin’s New Shepard or Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo, but the payloads had to be automated. In the draft solicitation, researchers can, for the first time, propose flying with their payloads on those vehicles.
“Human spaceflight participants on these missions is increasingly viable and being demonstrated,†said Jim Reuter, NASA associate administrator for space technology, in a Jan. 29 talk at the 23rd Annual Commercial Space Transportation Conference here announcing plans to allow researchers to fly with their payloads.
More at link.
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SpaceX Starship SN1 First Triple Stack Time Lapse At Boca Chica, Texas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOwbB5Mbv2I
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Virgin Galactic White Knight Two Carrier Aircraft Lands at Mojave Air & Spaceport + Tower Audio
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YpnCVWmQMI#)
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2020 Year Of The SpaceX
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kutA8xD71Dw
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Virgin Orbit nearing first launch
Space News by Jeff Foust — February 5, 2020
https://spacenews.com/virgin-orbit-nearing-first-launch/ (https://spacenews.com/virgin-orbit-nearing-first-launch/)
Virgin Orbit says it is weeks away from the first orbital launch of its LauncherOne rocket as the company makes plans to move quickly into operations if that flight is successful.
The company said in a series of tweets Jan. 31 that is in final preparations for its test launch, with the LauncherOne rocket attached to its Boeing 747 aircraft for a final series of tests and dress rehearsals at the Mojave Air and Space Port in California. That includes a captive carry flight, where the plane will take off with the rocket attached for the entire flight.
The company didn’t disclose when that launch would take place beyond that it was “really close†to being ready for the flight. Dan Hart, chief executive of Virgin Orbit, said that launch would take place in the “coming weeks†during a panel discussion at the SmallSat Symposium here Feb. 4.
“We are positioned at the end of the runway in Mojave. Our rocket is married to our 747,†he said. “We’re going through launch rehearsals.â€
In an interview after the panel, Hart said that the company was ready to move into operatons quickly should that test launch be a success. “If we have a great day, we’re poised to go forward pretty much immediately,†he said. The next LauncherOne rocket is currently “well along†in assembly at the company’s Long Beach, California, factory.
More at link.
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SpaceX Starship Updates – Possible Starship launch date
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HI_8cZwP5XA
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Watch live: First satellites off OneWeb’s new Florida assembly line are launched
Spaceflight Now by Stephen Clark February 4, 2020
https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/02/04/first-satellites-off-onewebs-new-florida-assembly-line-set-for-launch-this-week/ (https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/02/04/first-satellites-off-onewebs-new-florida-assembly-line-set-for-launch-this-week/)
The first 34 satellites manufactured on a new commercial spacecraft assembly line just outside the gates of the Kennedy Space Center in Florida are scheduled for liftoff on a Soyuz rocket Thursday halfway around the world in Kazakhstan, kicking off a sequence of up to 20 launches from three countries to deploy nearly 650 satellites for OneWeb’s global Internet network.
Stacked on a dispenser inside the payload shroud of a Soyuz-2.1b booster, the 34 OneWeb satellites will rocket into orbit at 2142:41 GMT (4:42:41 p.m. EST) Thursday from the Complex 31 launch site at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
Liftoff is timed for 2:42:41 a.m. local time Friday at the Baikonur Cosmodrome.
It’s the first of around 20 launches planned over the next two years, each booked through French launch services provider Arianespace with 32 to 36 satellites on-board, to build out the first phase of the OneWeb constellation.
More at link.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=23&v=y13iQJ8m1Ms&feature=emb_logo#)
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There could be a new Elon Musk stock for investors to bet on: SpaceX’s Starlink
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/06/spacex-starlink-may-ipo-a-new-elon-musk-stock-for-investors.html
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There could be a new Elon Musk stock for investors to bet on: SpaceX’s Starlink
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/06/spacex-starlink-may-ipo-a-new-elon-musk-stock-for-investors.html
I would definiitely be interested in investing early on in SpaceX.
OTOH, just as a warning.... Musk has been less than forthright in the financials and deliverables around Telsa. I don't trust his ass.
Then add the fact he has his car company sucking on the left hind teat of government subsidies? What a weasel.
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SpaceX Starship 20 km Launch is Coming Fast & so is DEMO-2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tCP8sdZmrw
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Space Inc: The new space businesses and tech
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDQIT0rKtnk
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SpaceX Crew Dragon Demo 2 launch is May 7 | Starship Well Underway Inside New Texas Factory
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8m4gSxbNt0#)
This is yuge news!!!!!
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SpaceX Starship Updates – Two Starships Confirmed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXI1HOO4lFc
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SpaceX Starship Updates – Two Starships Confirmed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXI1HOO4lFc
@kevindavis
These really are amazing times we are living in. Most of our parents never even thought such a thing would ever be possible,yet here we are,at a stage in history where we know we CAN do it,and the discussion is about expenses,not engineering and possibilities.
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@kevindavis
These really are amazing times we are living in. Most of our parents never even thought such a thing would ever be possible,yet here we are,at a stage in history where we know we CAN do it,and the discussion is about expenses,not engineering and possibilities.
@sneakypete
I agree these are interesting times. To be honest, I thought I would never see a thing like this to be honest, but here we are.
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How do you all like this thread so far?
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SpaceX Starship Begins Stacking & Crew Dragon Arrives in Florida | SpaceX in the News
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJollyijG2A
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How do you all like this thread so far?
:yowsa: :yowsa: :yowsa: :yowsa: :yowsa:
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SpaceX Crew Dragon arrives at launch site for the 1st orbital crew flight from US soil since 2011
https://www.isn-news.com/2020/02/spacex-crew-dragon-arrives-at-launch.html (https://www.isn-news.com/2020/02/spacex-crew-dragon-arrives-at-launch.html)
This is yuge!
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SpaceX Crew Dragon arrives at launch site for the 1st orbital crew flight from US soil since 2011
Space.com by Mike Wall 2/15/2020
https://www.space.com/spacex-crew-dragon-launch-site-arrival-demo-2.html (https://www.space.com/spacex-crew-dragon-launch-site-arrival-demo-2.html)
The spacecraft that will fly SpaceX's first-ever crewed mission has made it to Florida.
A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule arrived on Florida's Space Coast on Thursday (Feb. 13), NASA officials said, completing a cross-country trek from the company's California headquarters.
"The spacecraft now will undergo final testing and prelaunch processing in a SpaceX facility on nearby Cape Canaveral Air Force Station," NASA officials said in an update.
Technicians at a SpaceX processing facility at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station can now start prepping the vehicle for the launch that will kick off Demo-2, a historic test mission that will send NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken to the International Space Station (ISS).
More at link.
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3 Ways to Invest in the Space Economy
https://www.fool.com/investing/2020/02/15/3-ways-to-invest-in-the-space-economy.aspx (https://www.fool.com/investing/2020/02/15/3-ways-to-invest-in-the-space-economy.aspx)
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Commerce Department seeks big funding boost for Office of Space Commerce
https://www.isn-news.com/2020/02/commerce-department-seeks-big-funding.html
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Virgin Galactic shares lose ground in volatile trading after space tourism stock tops $40
CNBC by Michael Sheetz 2/20/2020
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/20/virgin-galactic-shares-jump-as-space-tourism-stock-spce-tops-40.html (https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/20/virgin-galactic-shares-jump-as-space-tourism-stock-spce-tops-40.html)
Key Points
• Virgin Galactic shares swung back-and-forth in heavy trading Thursday, with the stock giving dropping midday after gaining.
• The space tourism stock earlier soared past $40 to a new record.
• Virgin Galactic’s rally has taken even the most bullish Wall Street analysts by surprise.
Virgin Galactic shares swung back-and-forth in heavy trading Thursday, with the stock giving dropping midday after climbing earlier.
Shares had jumped more than 13% and soared past $40 to a new high, heading for its ninth consecutive day of gains. But the stock later reversed and fell, dropping as much as 17% to about under $32.
The space tourism’s stock has climbed more than 350% in the past three months, with a large portion of the gains coming in the past two weeks. Virgin Galactic has become Wall Street’s favorite speculative play. In the first hour of trading on Thursday, more than 40 million Virgin Galactic shares traded hands, several times its daily average volume.
More at link.
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SpaceX Starship Launch Timeline Updated | SpaceX in the News
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qop-NFsugU0
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SpaceX To Fly Test Starship Before Easter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TS-L2zd6pQA
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Elon Musk’s Plan to Settle Mars
https://www.nationalreview.com/2020/02/mars-elon-musk-plan-to-settle-red-planet
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Am I the only one that has personally known otherwise intelligent people who seriously thought the moon landings were staged because it was impossible to leave Earth?
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Am I the only one that has personally known otherwise intelligent people who seriously thought the moon landings were staged because it was impossible to leave Earth?
My great grandad swore till the day he died, 101. that it was a hollywood stunt... No matter how much proof we brought...
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My great grandad swore till the day he died, 101. that it was a hollywood stunt... No matter how much proof we brought...
@EdinVA
My own parents,born before 1915,never came out and said it was fake,but they were HUGELY skeptical. In their defense,neither had an education (my father couldn't even read or write because he had to quit school in the 3rd grade and work to support his family),and they grew up in a time when having electricity and running water in your house was a marvel.
Not hard to understand why they were so skeptical when you look back and see how much the world has changed in just the last 100 years. Truthfully,probably more than it had changed in the thousand years previous. That's a LOT to take in for people becoming of age as it is happening.
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SpaceX Starship Update || SpaceX Beginning Final Assembly of Starship Ahead of Roll to The Pad
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qx8uYH4RxXQ
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SpaceX Starship To Ignite This Weekend
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMXxnM7p-jA
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SpaceX's Starship SN1 prototype appears to burst during pressure test
Space.com 2/29/2020
SpaceX's new Starship prototype appeared to burst during a pressure test late Friday (Feb. 28), rupturing under the glare of flood lights and mist at the company's south Texas facility.
The Starship SN1 prototype, which SpaceX moved to a launchpad near its Boca Chica, Texas, assembly site earlier this week, blew apart during a liquid nitrogen pressure test according to a video captured by SPadre.com.
A separate video posted by NASASpaceflight.com member BocaChicaGal clearly shows the Starship SN1's midsection buckle during the test, then shoot upward before crashing back to the ground.
More: https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-sn1-prototype-bursts-videos.html (https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-sn1-prototype-bursts-videos.html)
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SpaceX Boca Chica - Starship SN1 cryo proof test failure - Feb 28, 2020
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYeVnGL7fgw#)
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Elon Musk Explains New Starship Details
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YU6bBAepNq0
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New Glenn 7 meter fairing completed in Cape Canaveral
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aL5adkFtfgk
Inside look at the New Glenn 7 meter fairing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaEYpzSu8Ck
New Glenn First Stage Tank Production
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avg0XZU2OBo
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SpaceX Boca Chica - Starship SN2 Test Tank Cryo Test
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlDBjHa0NkU#)
At SpaceX's Boca Chica launch site, the Starship SN2 Test Tank underwent what appears to have been a successful cryo proof test under pressurization.
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Kewl!
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SpaceX Back On Tracks With Starship SN 2 And Blue Origin News
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrofI3JH56U
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Take a look at this:
https://twitter.com/blueorigin/status/1237725784745230336
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SpaceX's Starship will soon be made of different stuff
https://www.isn-news.com/2020/03/spacexs-starship-will-soon-be-made-of.html
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So what's he going to pick? 317?
https://www.nickelinstitute.org/media/1667/designguidelinesfortheselectionanduseofstainlesssteels_9014_.pdf (https://www.nickelinstitute.org/media/1667/designguidelinesfortheselectionanduseofstainlesssteels_9014_.pdf)
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So what's he going to pick? 317?
https://www.nickelinstitute.org/media/1667/designguidelinesfortheselectionanduseofstainlesssteels_9014_.pdf (https://www.nickelinstitute.org/media/1667/designguidelinesfortheselectionanduseofstainlesssteels_9014_.pdf)
Rearden Metal.
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Blue Origin pressing on with rocket and engine development as industry copes with coronavirus
Space News by Sandra Erwin — March 17, 2020
https://spacenews.com/blue-origin-pressing-on-with-rocket-and-engine-development-as-industry-copes-with-coronavirus/ (https://spacenews.com/blue-origin-pressing-on-with-rocket-and-engine-development-as-industry-copes-with-coronavirus/)
WASHINGTON — As the coronavirus outbreak continues to shake up every sector of the U.S. economy, including the space industry, Blue Origin CEO Bob Smith says the company so far has been able to continue on with the development of its space vehicles and engines.
The response to this crisis is fast moving and shifts from day to day, Smith told SpaceNews March 16. The company is headquartered in Kent, Washington, near one of the epicenters of the coronavirus outbreak. Blue Origin weeks ago stood up a task force to lead response efforts.
“We meet with our task force every day,†Smith said. “It’s a changing environment, and we make adjustments and continue to operate,†he said. “We’re just trying to respond to the changing environment.â€
Even tough travel is highly restricted and most employees are teleworking, Smith said Blue Origin plans to continue to conduct test flights of its New Shepard suborbital vehicle that last flew in December. The company has said the goal is to start flying people to the edge of space as early as 2020.
More at link.
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SpaceX stacks third Starship prototype ahead of testing (photos)
https://www.space.com/spacex-stacks-starship-prototype-sn3.html (https://www.space.com/spacex-stacks-starship-prototype-sn3.html)
Space.com By Mike Wall 3/27/2020
The SN3 could take to the skies soon.
SpaceX's newest Starship prototype is standing tall.
The latest test version of the Mars-colonizing Starship spacecraft, called the SN3, has been stacked at SpaceX's South Texas facilities, new photos tweeted out by company founder and CEO Elon Musk show.
More at link.
(https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/JXcWJz2BrcpuFbKkFH9tUD-650-80.jpg)
Elon Musk posted this photo of SpaceX's recently stacked Starship prototype, the SN3, on March 26, 2020.
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SpaceX Starship Updates – Prototype Schedule Update – NASA Orders Dragon XL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ty0Urm-rsNg&t=1s
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NASA and SpaceX prepare to launch astronauts from the US again
https://www.isn-news.com/2020/04/nasa-and-spacex-prepare-to-launch.html (https://www.isn-news.com/2020/04/nasa-and-spacex-prepare-to-launch.html)
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Virgin Orbit selects Japanese airport as launch site
Space News by Jeff Foust — April 2, 2020
https://spacenews.com/virgin-orbit-selects-japanese-airport-as-launch-site/ (https://spacenews.com/virgin-orbit-selects-japanese-airport-as-launch-site/)
Virgin Orbit announced April 2 it has identified an airport in Japan as a potential site for launch operations, joining airports in the United States and Great Britain as hosts for the air-launch company.
Virgin Orbit said that, working with ANA Holdings and Space Port Japan Association, it selected Oita Airport on the island Kyushu as its preferred site. The company and Oita Prefecture, the local government, will work together on a technical study to confirm the feasibility of carrying out launch operations from the airport starting as soon as 2022.
Oita Airport has a single runway 3,000 meters long. The airport is primarily used for domestic flights by several airlines, as well as flights to Seoul.
“As Japan looks to establish a regional launch hub for Asia, we’re very excited to work alongside Oita to enable launch operations for space ventures, stimulate the local economy and facilitate the growth of Japan’s broader space ecosystem,†Dan Hart, chief executive of Virgin Orbit, said in a statement.
More at link.
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SpaceX: Elon Musk’s Starship SN3 prototype collapses in cloud of white smoke during test
https://www.thenational.ae/world/the-americas/spacex-elon-musk-s-starship-sn3-prototype-collapses-in-cloud-of-white-smoke-during-test-1.1001042 (https://www.thenational.ae/world/the-americas/spacex-elon-musk-s-starship-sn3-prototype-collapses-in-cloud-of-white-smoke-during-test-1.1001042)
NASA has said the failed test means SpaceX will have to rely on other Starship models
A test on SpaceX’s Starship SN3 has ended in failure after the prototype dramatically collapsed in a cloud of white smoke at its Boca Chica facility in Texas.
NASA has said that the misfiring of the Starship SN3, which had been designed to carry cargo and people to a variety of different destinations including Mars, means SpaceX will now have to focus on future Starship models.
Testing began at the south Texas facility on Thursday and continued into Friday morning when the collapse occurred.
However, the billionaire SpaceX founder and CEO, Elon Musk, has just said that issues with the prototype may have been caused by the test configuration.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFXQ5SRCy74&feature=emb_logo#)
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SpaceX Starship News, SN4 to reuse thrust section, Starship Users Guide surprises and Tesla Updates
Marcus House
128K subscribers
It has been another incredible week of SpaceX news. SpaceX's Starship SN4 will reuse the thrust section we have only just learned. Interesting new information in the new Starship Users Guide. I'm also super happy to have Zac and Jesse from the Youtube channel Now You Know joining us for some Tesla Updates. If you haven’t heard by now we did sadly lose the SN3 starship due to a bizarre mishap the other night. Not necessarily an issue with the build itself, but a testing process that failed here. Looking back at the week for the SN3 Starship is however still interesting because much of what we’ve learned will apply to the SN4 Starship already underway.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdZrsoXACNI#)
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Private companies find role in developing nuclear power for space travel
https://www.isn-news.com/2020/04/private-companies-find-role-in.html (https://www.isn-news.com/2020/04/private-companies-find-role-in.html)
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SpaceX Starship SN4 prototype comes together quickly after SN3's demise
CNET by Eric Mack 4/12/2020
https://www.cnet.com/news/spacex-starship-sn4-prototype-comes-together-quick-after-sn3s-demise/ (https://www.cnet.com/news/spacex-starship-sn4-prototype-comes-together-quick-after-sn3s-demise/)
While many businesses in Texas are shuttered due to the COVID-19 pandemic, SpaceX is busy working at its Boca Chica development facility to assemble another Starship prototype shortly after a previous version collapsed during a pressure test earlier this month.
A webcam set up by a nearby resident captured the above time lapse video of the Starship prototype SN4 getting stacked inside the company's on-site vehicle assembly building. NASASpaceflight.com reports that bulkheads for another unit, SN5, are also being built at the facility.
This has been the company's operating mode during Starship's development -- to rapidly assemble two prototypes at the time to be able to quickly pivot to a new unit if one fails. So far, both SN1 and SN3 have failed during pressure tests, while SN2 passed.
More at link.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=Kaay1HFezss&feature=emb_logo#)
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NASA sets May 27 launch date for SpaceX commercial crew test flight
https://www.isn-news.com/2020/04/nasa-sets-may-27-launch-date-for-spacex.html (https://www.isn-news.com/2020/04/nasa-sets-may-27-launch-date-for-spacex.html)
Finally.. There will be a live thread.
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SpaceX launches Starlink 6 mission - Another 60 satellites
SpaceX launched 60 Starlink satellites atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center on April 22, 2020. The launch brings the number of satellites in orbit for the megaconstellation to 422.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWtkMotC4bM#)
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SN4 passed ambient pressure test!!!
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1254430299313836036
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Starship SN4 - Ambient Temperature Pressure Test - SpaceX Boca Chica (25-04-2020)
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1[/url (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUH9poSXX9c#)
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Elon Musk says SpaceX’s newest Starship just passed its first test
TESLARATI By Eric Ralph 4/26/2020
https://www.teslarati.com/elon-musk-says-spacexs-newest-starship-just-passed-its-first-test/ (https://www.teslarati.com/elon-musk-says-spacexs-newest-starship-just-passed-its-first-test/)
Elon Musk says that SpaceX’s newest Starship prototype just passed its first test, clearing the way for the rocket to perform a form of testing that has destroyed all previously full-scale prototypes.
Known as a cryogenic proof test and reportedly scheduled to kick off as early as tonight (April 26th), SpaceX will fill some or all of the Starship SN4 prototypes with ultra-cold liquid nitrogen. Used to simulate the similarly cold properties of Starship’s liquid oxygen and methane, liquid nitrogen (LN2) is chemically neutral and wont catch fire or explode in the event of a leak or total vehicle failure. SpaceX has performed many of those tests over the last six or so months, none of which were completed successfully with full-scale rocket tanks.
A series of test tanks (the same width as Starship but much shorter) did manage some impressive successes and proved that SpaceX’s current methods can technically build a rocket that’s up to the standards of spaceflight. Still, SpaceX needs to demonstrate that that remains true when multiple tanks and other components are attached to form a complete rocket. Enter Starship SN4’s April 25th and proposed April 26th tests.
Aiming for cryo pressure test tonight
More at link.
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Elon Musk says SpaceX’s newest Starship just passed its first test
@Elderberry
I wish him luck!
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@Elderberry
I wish him luck!
@sneakypete
I hope so too! My son will be working out there in a little over a week. I sure don't want him to get blown up.
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@sneakypete
I hope so too! My son will be working out there in a little over a week. I sure don't want him to get blown up.
@Elderberry
Ahhh,living on the cutting edge of the 21st Century! I envy him!
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SpaceX Starship SN4 passes key test, Elon Musk says
https://www.isn-news.com/2020/04/spacex-starship-sn4-passes-key-test.html (https://www.isn-news.com/2020/04/spacex-starship-sn4-passes-key-test.html)
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'Uphill battle': SpaceX overcame obstacles on road to historic 1st crew launch
https://www.isn-news.com/2020/04/uphill-battle-spacex-overcame-obstacles.html (https://www.isn-news.com/2020/04/uphill-battle-spacex-overcame-obstacles.html)
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NASA picks SpaceX, Dynetics and Blue Origin-led team to develop Artemis moon landers
https://www.isn-news.com/2020/04/nasa-picks-spacex-dynetics-and-blue.html (https://www.isn-news.com/2020/04/nasa-picks-spacex-dynetics-and-blue.html)
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Starship reaches milestone: Prototype survives hyper cold pressure test
American Military News by Steve Clark - The Brownsville Herald April 30, 2020
https://americanmilitarynews.com/2020/04/starship-reaches-milestone-prototype-survives-hyper-cold-pressure-test/ (https://americanmilitarynews.com/2020/04/starship-reaches-milestone-prototype-survives-hyper-cold-pressure-test/)
Late on April 26, the company’s CEO, Elon Musk, posted a brief Twitter video from a vantage point beneath the SN4 as the towering cylinder shed ice crystals following a successful cryogenic pressurization test meant to simulate the extremely cold fuel conditions that Starship would endure in space.
“Snowing in Texas,†was Musk’s caption.
“Great work by SpaceX engineering!†he tweeted again. The critical cryogenic test, which encased much of the stainless-steel-clad ship in frost, was preceded by an equally successful ambient pressurization test over the weekend. Musk tweeted early Monday that a static-test of the SN4’s single Raptor engine can take place “hopefully later this week.â€
Development of Starship, which the company is designing to carry humans to the Moon and Mars as well as Earth destinations, hasn’t been entirely smooth, though rocket science never is. Starship Mk1, the gleaming, finned prototype that lured countless sightseers to SpaceX’s roadside rocket works near Boca Chica Beach east of Brownsville, was destroyed during a “cryo proof†in November. The subsequent prototype, SN1, failed the same test on Feb. 28, delaying plans for a suborbital test flight this spring.
More at link.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5t-oEbBprc#)
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Watch how SpaceX’s first human spacecraft performed during its key in-flight escape test
Tech Crunch by Darrell Etherington 5/1/2020
https://techcrunch.com/2020/05/01/watch-how-spacexs-first-human-spacecraft-performed-during-its-key-in-flight-escape-test/ (https://techcrunch.com/2020/05/01/watch-how-spacexs-first-human-spacecraft-performed-during-its-key-in-flight-escape-test/)
SpaceX is getting ready to launch its first-ever spacecraft with humans on board, the Commercial Crew Demo-2 mission (DM-2) that will take off from Florida on May 27. There are still a couple of things remaining to finish up prior to flight, including a final parachute system test that’s happening later today. The company also posted a video recap of its most recent uncrewed Crew Dragon flight, the in-flight escape demonstration that it flew on January 19.
The video provides a look at the processes involved in the test, including a look at mission control, with astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley looking on during the flight. You can see the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch with the Crew Dragon attached, as well as watch it explode in a ball of fire (as intended) during the early emergency separation. Then, watch as the capsule itself descends safety back to the ocean where it’s recovered by a SpaceX vessel.
More at link.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=48&v=DJ70N5HahDU&feature=emb_logo#)
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SpaceX Boca Chica - Starship SN4 spotted with a Raptor, nosecone prototypes make progress
NASASpaceflight 4/30/2020
A beehive of activity at SpaceX's Texas Starship factory today. SN4 being readied for static fire and hop with a single Raptor engine, work on the build site progresses, and SN5 takes shape.
Photos and Video by Mary (@BocaChicaGal) for NASASpaceflight.com. Edited by Jack Bayer (@thejackbeyer).
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crBTqLxxD2Q#)
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SpaceX is getting ready to launch its first-ever spacecraft with humans on board, the Commercial Crew Demo-2 mission (DM-2) that will take off from Florida on May 27.
They are truly some brave people. Every bit as brave as Columbus and the crews of his ship,or any other pioneer of history anyone can think to name.
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They are truly some brave people. Every bit as brave as Columbus and the crews of his ship,or any other pioneer of history anyone can think to name.
But it is good to see Americans going on a American Made Rocket from American soil into space again.
Make Space Great Again
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SpaceShipTwo makes first flight from Spaceport America
Space News by Jeff Foust — May 1, 2020
https://spacenews.com/spaceshiptwo-makes-first-flight-from-spaceport-america/ (https://spacenews.com/spaceshiptwo-makes-first-flight-from-spaceport-america/)
Virgin Galactic conducted the first test flight of SpaceShipTwo from its New Mexico spaceport May 1 as the company edges closer to finally beginning commercial flights of the suborbital spaceplane.
The company’s WhiteKnightTwo aircraft, with the VSS Unity SpaceShipTwo attached to it, took off shortly before 11 a.m. Eastern from Spaceport America in southern New Mexico. After reaching a planned altitude of about 15,000 meters, WhiteKnightTwo released SpaceShipTwo, which glided back to the runway at the spaceport.
While SpaceShipTwo has performed many glide flights, all previously took place from Mojave Air and Space Port in California. SpaceShipTwo arrived with WhiteKnightTwo at Spaceport America in February to begin a final series of glide and powered test flights before starting commercial operations.
Pilots Dave Mackay and CJ Sturckow performed maneuvers during the glide test to compare the vehicle’s performance against earlier tests. They and the rest of the flight team also used the flight to familiarize themselves with operations in the New Mexico airspace.
More at link.
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SpaceShipTwo makes first flight from Spaceport America
Space News by Jeff Foust — May 1, 2020
https://spacenews.com/spaceshiptwo-makes-first-flight-from-spaceport-america/ (https://spacenews.com/spaceshiptwo-makes-first-flight-from-spaceport-america/)
@Elderberry
Somebody PLEASE tell me that thing has power,and ain't a glider/rock.
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@Elderberry
Somebody PLEASE tell me that thing has power,and ain't a glider/rock.
@sneakypete
It goes Up powered. It comes Down as a glider/rock.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceShipTwo (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceShipTwo)
SpaceShipTwo is carried to its launch altitude by a Scaled Composites White Knight Two, before being released to fly on into the upper atmosphere powered by its rocket engine. It then glides back to Earth and performs a conventional runway landing.
https://www.virgingalactic.com/learn/ (https://www.virgingalactic.com/learn/)
SpaceShipTwo is powered by a hybrid rocket motor – combining elements of solid rockets and liquid rocket engines. Both types of rocket engine have important advantages; the hybrid aims to combine the simplicity of a solid motor with the controllability of a liquid. SpaceShipTwo’s rocket motor can be shut down quickly and safely at any point during the flight.
SpaceShipTwo’s most innovative feature is its unique capability to change its shape in space to ensure a repeatable safe re-entry. By rotating its wings and tail booms upwards while in space, the vehicle’s stability and rate of deceleration in descent is controlled by aerodynamic forces. This “feathering†design takes the best from both the traditional capsule and winged space vehicle designs, and adds a little magic of its own. The “feathering†concept is often compared to a badminton shuttlecock or birdie – and proves that sometimes the most disruptive designs can emerge from the most humble of origins.
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@sneakypete
It goes Up powered. It comes Down as a glider/rock.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceShipTwo (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceShipTwo)
@Elderberry
Thanks,but that's not really what I wanted to hear. I guess those Space Cadets are just more trusting than Ground Pounders.
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@Elderberry
Thanks,but that's not really what I wanted to hear. I guess those Space Cadets are just more trusting than Ground Pounders.
@sneakypete
Trust can be a strange thing. Reminds me when I was learning to jump. I felt it was better for me to jump than have to ride some more in that plane. I didn't trust those pilots.
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@sneakypete
Trust can be a strange thing. Reminds me when I was learning to jump. I felt it was better for me to jump than have to ride some more in that plane. I didn't trust those pilots.
@Elderberry
I didn't/don't trust airplanes. First one I ever rode in was a old C-119 "Flying Boxcar",and the damn thing would hit a airpocket and drop 100 feet or more,scaring the crap out of me. When I got on it,I was worried about not being able to jump out of it,and suddenly I was afraid nobody was going to open the damn door so so I COULD jump.
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SpaceX Starship: incredible Elon Musk photo shows the rocket’s true size
https://www.inverse.com/innovation/spacex-starship-incredible-elon-musk-photo (https://www.inverse.com/innovation/spacex-starship-incredible-elon-musk-photo)
The giant ship has been captured in an image that demonstrates the scale of the Mars-bound ship.
The Starship, SpaceX's under-development ship for sending humans to Mars, has been captured in a new image that reveals its sheer size.
Ahead of a planned static test fire, CEO Elon Musk shared an image on Twitter Monday of the underside of the rocket, with a single Raptor engine attached. The final ship is expected to use six engines, paired with a Super Heavy booster adding up to 37 more that's designed to help the ship leave Earth. From there, it will be set to reach the moon, Mars and beyond.
The "SN4" prototype in the image is set for a static test fire that fires the engine at a stationary position, a precursor to a potential "hop test" that would see the prototype jump in the air. That test may be postponed, however, after Musk posted on Twitter that a Monday morning static fire "seems unlikely right now."
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EXJNQWPUMAAqdmE?format=jpg&name=large)
But prototype models of the ship, under development at the Boca Chica facility in Texas, have been somewhat hard to visualize from far-away shots. Photos like these show the impressive design and indicate that it's clearly pretty big, but it's still hard to picture the exact size. This is a ship designed to transport 100 people into space – its size is one of its biggest breakthroughs.
It's not the first time the public has had a visualized peek at the Starship's size. Back when it was known as "BFR," 3D modeler Reese Wilson produced a series of models in 2018 that showed the then-348-foot BFR against a series of landmarks:
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=233&v=dlo3rBFDLug&feature=emb_logo#)
(More photos at link.)
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I thought the plan was,as always,to "not fight gravity" by assembling sections here on Earth,and then boosting them into low Earth orbit for final assembly?
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Not Fight Gravity? Maybe if someone invents Teleportation. No matter where the assembly takes place it takes the same amount of energy per pound to get materials to the moon,depending on the efficiency of the rocket engines. So it behooves us to utilize raw materials not from the earth, such as mined from the moon or asteroids.
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Not Fight Gravity? Maybe if someone invents Teleportation. No matter where the assembly takes place it takes the same amount of energy per pound to get materials to the moon,depending on the efficiency of the rocket engines. So it behooves us to utilize raw materials not from the earth, such as mined from the moon or asteroids.
That's the way I see it. Assembling components in space may be easier in terms of hefting and stacking stages, but it still takes heavy lifters to get them up there. The most interesting idea I've seen is refueling a rocket in space with a tanker, after it expends its first fuel getting to orbit. Saves a stage or two.
I like the concept Virgin has been working, where they launch an orbit-bound rocket from 50,000 feet.
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SpaceX's plan for in-orbit Starship refueling: a second Starship
It seems simple.
https://www.engadget.com/2019-09-28-starship-refueling-spacex.html (https://www.engadget.com/2019-09-28-starship-refueling-spacex.html)
During an update on the SpaceX Starship program, Elon Musk just showed off a brief clip that explained part of the plan for using these vehicles to reach Mars. It involved a Starship in orbit around Earth, meeting a similarly-sized vehicle to refuel before it goes on the long trip to another planet. Musk has long touted his desire to make human life "multiplanetary" and expressed this as the way to achieve his goal.
He explained the Starship only requires its "Super Heavy" booster for launches from Earth, so it seems possible that the second vehicle could launch from the Moon powered only by its own Raptor engines.
In a graphic, the process is explained as "Propellant settled by milli-g acceleration using control thrusters." The way Musk described it, having the ability to refuel a Starship means it can carry a full 1200 ton propellant load when leaving Earth's orbit. He also showed off an updated version of the Starship's design, with its 50m-long body covered in 301 stainless steel, with ceramic tiles in certain high heat areas.
(https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dimse/5845cadfecd996e0372f/12c02c1b2ed15a45cde9bb04b04d85a679572367/cmVzaXplPTIwMDAlMkMyMDAwJTJDc2hyaW5rJmltYWdlX3VyaT1odHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnMueWltZy5jb20lMkZvcyUyRmNyZWF0ci11cGxvYWRlZC1pbWFnZXMlMkYyMDE5LTA5JTJGOGUwOGIwNzAtZTI2MS0xMWU5LThmZWQtN2E1NGFlNWIwZjBlJmNsaWVudD1hMWFjYWMzZTFiMzI5MDkxN2Q5MiZzaWduYXR1cmU9NzhiMjcwZTZlNzY2NTU2MTIwNGQyNGZhMmI2ZTcxNjkyZmJmZjQxNQ==)
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Not Fight Gravity? Maybe if someone invents Teleportation. No matter where the assembly takes place it takes the same amount of energy per pound to get materials to the moon,depending on the efficiency of the rocket engines. So it behooves us to utilize raw materials not from the earth, such as mined from the moon or asteroids.
@Elderberry
True,but it is much harder to build larger and more complex rockets that have enough lift to elevate such heavy items into LEO,and the result is MUCH bigger explosions when a launch goes wrong.
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That's the way I see it. Assembling components in space may be easier in terms of hefting and stacking stages, but it still takes heavy lifters to get them up there. The most interesting idea I've seen is refueling a rocket in space with a tanker, after it expends its first fuel getting to orbit. Saves a stage or two.
I like the concept Virgin has been working, where they launch an orbit-bound rocket from 50,000 feet.
@Cyber Liberty
I like it too,and was unaware that was in the planning stage.
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It would take a whole lot of Virgin's SpaceShipTwo flights to build anything substantial in LEO.
Virgin plans to market the 200 kg (440 lb) payload delivery to Sun-synchronous orbit for under US$10,000,000 per mission, while the maximum payload for LEO missions is 230 kg (500 lb).
Aircraft model: SpaceShipTwo
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So Virgin is using a 747 instead of a First Stage Rocket to launch small payloads(Tourists). It can't be very fuel efficient.
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So Virgin is using a 747 instead of a First Stage Rocket to launch small payloads(Tourists). It can't be very fuel efficient.
Maybe not, but it's off-the-shelf. It's the same reason NASA used a converted 747 to ferry the Space Shuttles around.
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Maybe not, but it's off-the-shelf.
@Cyber Liberty
Which will save a TON of money that can be used to fund the development of tech that doesn't currently exist in a usable form.
In the long run,it is a decision to save both money and time.
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@Cyber Liberty
Which will save a TON of money that can be used to fund the development of tech that doesn't currently exist in a usable form.
In the long run,it is a decision to save both money and time.
I'd be surprised if, after a few years, Branson is still launching from a 747.
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I'd be surprised if, after a few years, Branson is still launching from a 747.
@Cyber Liberty
Me,too. Innovation breeds even more innovation. It can do nothing else.
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I'd be surprised if, after a few years, Branson is still launching from a 747.
Perhaps a Verne Gun.
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Perhaps a Verne Gun.
@Elderberry
Please explain. That term rings some VERY distant bells,but I just can't put it together.
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Space Gun
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_gun (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_gun)
Not to be confused with Raygun, a type of gun common in science fiction. For other uses, see Space gun (disambiguation).
The Quicklauncher spacegun
A space gun, sometimes called a Verne gun because of its appearance in From the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne, is a method of launching an object into space using a large gun- or cannonlike structure. Space guns could thus potentially provide a method of non-rocket spacelaunch. It has been conjectured that space guns could place satellites into Earth's orbit (although after-launch propulsion of the satellite would be necessary to achieve a stable orbit), and could also launch spacecraft beyond Earth's gravitational pull and into other parts of the Solar System by exceeding Earth's escape velocity of about 11.20 km/s (40,320 km/h; 25,050 mph). However, these speeds are too far into the hypersonic range for most practical propulsion systems and also would cause most objects to burn up due to aerodynamic heating or be torn apart by aerodynamic drag. Therefore, a more likely future use of space guns would be to launch objects into near Earth orbit, from where attached rockets could be fired or the objects could be "collected" by maneuverable orbiting satellites.[citation needed]
In Project HARP, a 1960s joint United States and Canada defence project, a U.S. Navy 410 mm (16 in) 100 caliber gun was used to fire a 180 kg (400 lb) projectile at 3,600 m/s (12,960 km/h; 8,050 mph), reaching an apogee of 180 km (110 mi), hence performing a suborbital spaceflight. However, a space gun has never been successfully used to launch an object into orbit or out of Earth's gravitational pull.
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Branson wants to shoot tourists into space. I don't think the 10s of Gs produced from being shot out of a cannon is conducive to Branson's objective.
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Branson wants to shoot tourists into space. I don't think the 10s of Gs produced from being shot out of a cannon is conducive to Branson's objective.
You're right. I don't think he even has plans, at least in the near term to even achieve low earth orbit. Only sub-orbital flights into space and then down again with passengers.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/virgin-galactics-plan-to-revolutionize-travel-on-earth-113934966.html (https://finance.yahoo.com/news/virgin-galactics-plan-to-revolutionize-travel-on-earth-113934966.html)
Virgin Galactic’s plan to monetize space tourism includes using its “proprietary technologies and capabilities for other commercial and governmental uses,†according to the company’s first earnings report released last week. Its growth strategy also envisions the development of “high speed global mobility vehicles that drastically reduce travel time from point to point,†for instance from Los Angeles to Tokyo in just two hours.
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Starship SN4 LIVE Static Fire Attempt From SpaceX's Boca Chica Launch Site
SpaceX is set to conduct a static fire attempt of the Starship SN4 prototype from their Boca Chica, Texas launch site. This will be the first static fire of a Raptor engine on a Starship vehicle.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwSfIMWSG7E#)
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Well it didn't blow up. It was hard to see through all the fog.
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You're right. I don't think he even has plans, at least in the near term to even achieve low earth orbit. Only sub-orbital flights into space and then down again with passengers.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/virgin-galactics-plan-to-revolutionize-travel-on-earth-113934966.html (https://finance.yahoo.com/news/virgin-galactics-plan-to-revolutionize-travel-on-earth-113934966.html)
@Elderberry
That boy is going to end up making,AND EARNING,"stoopid money".
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Starship SN4 Static Fire Test
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cp2oaguCzN8
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SpaceX Boca Chica - Starship SN6 build-up begins amid SN4 testing and SN5 stacking
NASASpaceflight
Ahead of another test of Starship SN4 tonight, SN5 stacking ops continue around the VAB and sections of SN6 have been spotted out in the wild near the big tents!
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdbkHQNdtdc#)
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SpaceX fires up Starship rocket twice in 30 hours ahead of next big tests
TESLARATI by Eric Ralph 5/8/2020
SpaceX has successfully fired up a full-scale Starship rocket for the second time in barely 30 hours and removed the ship’s Raptor engine to perform an additional suite of “cryo testingâ€.
Around 7pm CDT on May 6th, SpaceX technicians began loading the fourth full-scale Starship with liquid oxygen and methane, filling up a large portion of its massive propellant tanks. Just the latest in a line of several tests involving wet dress rehearsals (WDR) completed in the days prior, this test would soon become exceptional. About an hour and a half after work began, Starship SN4’s lone Raptor engine ignited and burned for ~3 seconds, marking the first time in history a next-generation SpaceX rocket truly came alive with one of the engines designed to take it all the way to orbit.
In line with tests performed with Starhopper – a low-fidelity, subscale tested that flew twice with Raptor – last year, it would have been business as usual if SpaceX had called it a day and moved on to something else with Starship SN4. Instead, Starship performed another WDR and fired up its Raptor engine for a second time in just 30 hours after SpaceX teams inspected the rocket and cleared it for another round. It’s unknown why two back-to-back static fires were performed but, to be clear, every step Starship SN4 takes forward is a step into uncharted territory. Already, the ship’s next steps could come as soon as Friday, May 8th.
According to CEO Elon Musk, SpaceX’s second Starship SN4 static fire test was completed successfully and actually marked the operational debut of a critical aspect of the next-generation launch vehicle and spacecraft. Known as header tanks, Starship needs two smaller secondary propellant tanks to complement its main tanks, a need driven mainly by the challenges of landing such a large and mobile spacecraft. Smaller header tanks will also make it dramatically easier for SpaceX to insulate cryogenic propellant and ensure it remains liquid over long-duration cruises in space, but safe and reliable landings are a more pressing concern for these early prototypes.
Yes. Static fire feeding from fuel header vs main tank.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7LbzUdkdIY#)
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@Elderberry
EXCITING STUFF!
Thank you for keeping us up to date on the progress!
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@Elderberry
EXCITING STUFF!
Thank you for keeping us up to date on the progress!
Dittos that! And thanks to @kevindavis, too!
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Blue Origin preparing to enter the orbital arena
Spaceflight.com by Colin Fletcher May 4, 2020
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/05/blue-origin-orbital-arena/ (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/05/blue-origin-orbital-arena/)
Blue Origin has been making significant progress on the structures, systems, propulsion, and infrastructure supporting their New Glenn heavy lift rocket. Though the company is traditionally quite secretive about most of their operations, they have recently been revealing more and more information as they work towards a first flight date of no earlier than 2021. They also won through as part of the Human Landing System (HLS) award winners as its goals move from the suborbital, through to Low Earth Orbit and beyond.
Engine Development
At their facility in West Texas, Blue Origin has been conducting test fires of both its BE-4 first stage engine and BE-3U upper stage engine. BE-3U is a variant of the BE-3PM engine that has powered the suborbital, reusable New Shepard vehicle on 12 flights. Unlike the tap-off cycle PM variant, BE-3U operates on an open expander cycle, which in turn with a vacuum optimized nozzle creates higher thrust, efficiency, and provides for multiple restarts in space.
On February 14, 2020, Blue Origin opened a “high-rate engine production facility†in Huntsville, Alabama for both the BE-4 and BE-3U engine. Nearby, the company is currently in the process of renovating test stand 4670 at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.
More at link.
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SpaceX Boca Chica - Full Drive-Past Entire Facility Video from Mary (@BocaChicaGal)
Mary takes you on an updated drive past the growing facility at SpaceX Boca Chica, from the launch site to the production facility. Very useful to get one's bearings. No fancy editing or timelapse, just a fateful of Boca Chica, which most of you will appreciate!
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBic402S38c#)
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SpaceX Starship SN4 Passes Cryo Test!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiAU3_DKFLg&t=363s
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SpaceX’s Starship rocket just took a big leap towards orbit with latest test success
TESLARATI by By Eric Ralph 5/10/2020
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-leap-towards-orbit-test-success/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-leap-towards-orbit-test-success/)
A full-scale Starship rocket has passed a critical test for the first time ever, strongly suggesting that the next-generation launch vehicle could be much closer to orbital readiness than most would imagine.
To be clear, a huge amount of work remains before Starship can be deemed anywhere close to its first orbital flight tests, not the least of which is the fabrication and assembly of the first massive Super Heavy booster(s). However, after Starship SN4’s latest successful May 9th test, it’s hard to see any apparent showstoppers that can’t be handled with a combination of fairly routine testing and iterative progress, as well as time and money. There is certainly room for improvement throughout the program but SpaceX has effectively demonstrated that the biggest practical concerns about its approach to Starship are moot.
This time, SpaceX – having successfully gathered data from two static fire tests and several wet dress rehearsals – was ready to risk Starship SN4 and pressurized it all the way to 7.5 bar (~110 psi). While ~12% shy of minimum human spaceflight standards, Starship SN4 successfully reached and maintained 7.5 bar while the ship stressed with hydraulic rams to simulate the thrust of three Raptor engines, all of which it survived fully intact. What 7.5 bar does offer, however, is a 1.25x safety factor – on the higher end of aerospace industry standards for uncrewed orbital spaceflight (i.e. cargo/satellite launches).
Perhaps the most important unknown is whether SpaceX’s recent May 2020 WDRs and static fires have used autogenous pressurization, a more efficient method of pressurizing rockets by using hot gas generated by their own engines. It’s extremely likely that SpaceX has been autogenously pressurizing Starship SN4 for its recent tests, but if that weren’t the case, it would be a big source of schedule uncertainty without significant redesign work.
More at link.
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Why SpaceX Bought An Entire Village
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4ZNgremZ4U#)
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Why SpaceX Bought An Entire Village
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4ZNgremZ4U#)
I don't blame SpaceX...
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SpaceX’s first high-flying, triple-Raptor Starship is almost finished
TESLARATI by Eric Ralph 5/12/2020
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-first-triple-raptor-prototype/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-first-triple-raptor-prototype/)
SpaceX’s first high-flying, triple-engine Starship prototype is rapidly approaching completion at the same time as the company is preparing for the rocket’s predecessor to lift off on its inaugural test flight.
Known as serial number 5 (SN5), it will be the fifth full-scale Starship prototype completed by SpaceX since November 2019 and the fourth since late-January 2020. Following in the footsteps of Mk1, SN1, SN3, and SN4, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has recently stated that Starship SN5 will be the first prototype to have three Raptor engines and a nosecone installed and could be the first to be outfitted with new and improved aerodynamic control surfaces.
In the meantime, Starship SN4 is perhaps less than 30 hours away from performing a third Raptor static fire test, potentially paving the way for the biggest challenge yet for a full-scale Starship prototype: powered flight. Scheduled no earlier than 9am CDT (14:00 UTC), May 13th, Starship SN4’s next static fire is meant to ensure that a replacement Raptor engine is functioning properly. If successful, the building-sized rocket will effectively be ready to attempt its first launch – also a first for the Starship program overall – pending FAA approval.
Currently, SpaceX has been focused on testing just the tank section of Starship prototypes, representing the vast majority of the technical challenges that must be solved to fully realize the next-generation launch vehicle’s ambitions. Excluding a smaller secondary liquid oxygen tank situated in the tip of Starship nosecones, the nose section is effectively irrelevant – putting the cart before the horse – until Starship tank sections are more of a known quantity.
When that would be the case was entirely up in the air until just the last week or so, when Starship SN4 became the first full-scale prototype to pass a cryogenic proof test, perform a wet dress rehearsal (WDR) with real propellant, complete static fire(s) with a Raptor engine installed, and – finally – pass a more challenging cryogenic pressure test in quick succession. With those milestones passed for the first time ever, SpaceX has effectively proven that it’s solved the what is arguably the most unprecedented aspect of its Starship program: building orbital-class pressure vessels for pennies on the dollar on the South Texas coast.
More at link.
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SpaceX Starship: Elon Musk praises render that shows its incredible size
https://www.inverse.com/innovation/spacex-starship-render-size (https://www.inverse.com/innovation/spacex-starship-render-size)
SpaceX's Starship, the giant stainless steel rocket under construction at a facility in Texas, is shaping up to be one giant machine. A concept render highlighted by CEO Elon Musk Tuesday has captured the sheer scale of this machine in new detail.
The fully-reusable rocket is designed to send humans to Mars and beyond, with the impressive ability to send up to 100 people into space at once. When paired with the Super Heavy booster that enables it to leave the Earth, the whole construction is set to measure nearly 400 feet – the exact figure being in flux as development continues. On Tuesday, Musk praised on Twitter a rendering of the full construction completed by South Australia-based Alex Delderfield:
I don't think enough people fully appreciate exactly how massive this vehicle is," Delderfield wrote in response. "Both in terms of scale and what it will go on to achieve for humankind."
The images demonstrate just how massive the full ship will look in reality. Musk first unveiled the predecessor to the Starship, dubbed BFR at the time, back in September 2017. The goal was to create a ship that could replace older rockets like Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy while also powering ambitious ideas like a manned mission to Mars. This all-purpose rocket would prove more economical as it could take on more of SpaceX's day-to-day tasks. It could take on its first commercial mission in 2021.
The Inverse analysis – The Starship is one huge machine, and Musk's tweet demonstrates its incredible size. The ship is expected to have around 1,000 cubic meters of cabin space, enough to send up to 100 humans into space with around two or three people per cabin. It's also designed to send over 150 tons of cargo into space with its alternate configuration. A more restricted 1,000-person version is expected to send people around the Earth within an hour. But while these numbers sound huge on paper, Monday's post brings home just how huge this ship is expected to be.
More at link.
(https://imgix.bustle.com/uploads/image/2020/5/12/a977201c-33fd-408e-8915-b5dbea810c3c-screenshot-2020-05-12-at-113411.png?w=710&h=863.9327731092436&auto=format%2Ccompress&cs=srgb&q=70&fit=max&crop=faces)
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NASA estimates having SpaceX and Boeing build spacecraft for astronauts saved $20 billion to $30 billion
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/13/nasa-estimates-having-spacex-and-boeing-build-spacecraft-for-astronauts-saved-up-to-30-billion.html
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SpaceX Will Have Two Functional Starship Prototypes Within Days – Orbital Flight Is Now in Sight
WCCFtech by Rohail Saleem 5/13/2020
https://wccftech.com/spacex-will-have-two-functional-starship-prototypes-within-days-orbital-flight-is-now-in-sight/ (https://wccftech.com/spacex-will-have-two-functional-starship-prototypes-within-days-orbital-flight-is-now-in-sight/)
SpaceX has consistently demonstrated its honed logistics and engineering prowess over the course of 2020. Up till now, the company has constructed four starship prototypes, with the fourth iteration – known as the SN4 – currently undergoing extensive testing. Now, however, the company seems to be on the verge of another historic milestone.
Prior to the SN4, each previous Starship prototype could not graduate beyond the initial testing phase and was quickly destroyed. Consequently, SpaceX could only have a single prototype at any given time. This modus operandi now appears to be on the verge of a dramatic change. As per the pertinent reporting, SpaceX is now only a week away – at the longest – from completing its fifth Starship prototype, the SN5. This means that, for the first time ever, the company will have two functioning Starship prototypes concurrently.
So, why is SpaceX working on SN5 while the SN4 is undergoing testing? This question has a one-word answer: contingency. SN4’s approaching maiden flight test will be a risky endeavor, to say the least. For undisclosed reasons, the company has scrapped SN4’s Raptor engine – purportedly the SN18 – following extensive initial testing that included two static fire tests, one of which was publicly declared a success by Elon Musk himself. On the 10th of May, SpaceX installed a new Raptor engine – the SN20 – on the fourth Starship prototype. Now, the SN20 engine is slated to undergo several preliminary tests, including wet dress rehearsals and static fire testing, in order to gauge its operational readiness. Should these tests prove successful, the SN4 will undergo its first live flight test, comprising of a 500ft hop test – a first for any Starship prototype.
More at link.
(https://cdn.wccftech.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/GettyImages-1177999678-2500x1666-1-740x493.jpg)
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SpaceX Will Have Two Functional Starship Prototypes Within Days – Orbital Flight Is Now in Sight
WCCFtech by Rohail Saleem 5/13/2020
https://wccftech.com/spacex-will-have-two-functional-starship-prototypes-within-days-orbital-flight-is-now-in-sight/ (https://wccftech.com/spacex-will-have-two-functional-starship-prototypes-within-days-orbital-flight-is-now-in-sight/)
(https://cdn.wccftech.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/GettyImages-1177999678-2500x1666-1-740x493.jpg)
@Elderberry
WOW! Does that thing look like some sort of Rube Goldberg rocket ship from a cheesy 50's sci-fi movie,or what?
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@Elderberry
WOW! Does that thing look like some sort of Rube Goldberg rocket ship from a cheesy 50's sci-fi movie,or what?
@sneakypete
Just what I was thinkin'.
And he has Grandiose plans for them:
Elon Musk shares details about SpaceX’s Starship, including estimated 20 to 30-year service life
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-e&q=grandiose (https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-e&q=grandiose)
He has discussed some of this before, but Musk reiterated that Starship will need to operate on a brisk schedule, ferrying many megatons per year of cargo to the Red Planet in order to establish and maintain a human presence there. Musk said that the spacecraft is being designed with the plan of flying it for an average of three flights per day, each carrying over 100 tons per flight, for a total of mor than 1,000 flights per year, per vehicle.
Ultimately, Musk says that he hopes to achieve a construction rate of 100 Starships being produced per year, with a goal of hitting 1,000 in total in service over the course of the next decade, which can transport as much as 100 megatons per year in cargo, or about 100,000 people “per Earth-Mars orbital sync†in terms of human passengers. That translates to a schedule of roughly once every two years, when Earth and Mars are closest to one another because of the coincidence of their respective orbits around the Sun.
Musk clarified in response to another question that the way this will work will be getting the Mars fleet into a staging orbit above Earth, where they can be refueled in space prior to their synchronized departure. Then, once every 26 months approximately 1,000 ships will all depart over the course of 30 days for their Mars transit. While Starship will require an in-orbit refuel to make the trip to Mars leaving from Earth, because of how much boost is needed to exit Earth’s atmosphere, the same is not true for the reverse trip, Musk pointed out.
SpaceX’s goal, according to Musk, is to ultimately send one million people to Mars by 2050, something Musk also confirmed in another reply to a Twitter user. The goal is to make it common enough and affordable enough that “anyone can go if they want, with loans available for those who don’t have money.†Plus, Musk also noted that there “will be lots of jobs on Mars†for potential colonists.
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@sneakypete
Just what I was thinkin'.
And he has Grandiose plans for them:
@Elderberry
Well,to be fair to him and the "ship" shown in the photo,it is just for test purposes and is never going to fly,anyhow.
Hell,it was probably banged together from parts of crashed test models. That would help explain all the dents.
Still,you would THINK a guy like Musk with all his bucks,all his ego,and all his understanding of PR would have insisted a more attractive model be put on display,wouldn't you?
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@sneakypete
Its going to be used for a 150 meter test hop very soon. And if it survives it will be used for the following 20 km launch. Otherwise SN5 will be used. They are already building SN5, 6 and 7.
They are not built for looks.
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@sneakypete
Its going to be used for a 150 meter test hop very soon. And if it survives it will be used for the following 20 km launch. Otherwise SN5 will be used. They are already building SN5, 6 and 7.
They are not built for looks.
@Elderberry
True,but the ones build for actual launches are going to have to be a lot "smoother" than that. Aerodynamics is a demanding bitch.
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SpaceX Will Have Two Functional Starship Prototypes Within Days – Orbital Flight Is Now in Sight
WCCFtech by Rohail Saleem 5/13/2020
https://wccftech.com/spacex-will-have-two-functional-starship-prototypes-within-days-orbital-flight-is-now-in-sight/ (https://wccftech.com/spacex-will-have-two-functional-starship-prototypes-within-days-orbital-flight-is-now-in-sight/)
(https://cdn.wccftech.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/GettyImages-1177999678-2500x1666-1-740x493.jpg)
This is just the top stage, minus the core stage and/or boosters?
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This is just the top stage, minus the core stage and/or boosters?
Yes, this is the upper stage. It is confusing because the upper stage is called the Starship, and both the upper stage And the booster are called the Starship.
The upper has 6 Raptor engines and has enough power to do launch tests and land and launch on the Moon and Mars. I believe for Moon landings there will be an additional engine for the Moon landing. Even using just one Raptor engine to land on the Moon will cause a crater while landing. I believe the SN4 will have 3 Raptor engines mounted for the 150 meter test.
The booster is required to achieve orbit.
The booster has 31 of the same Raptor engines as the upper stage.
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I'd think the heaviest load on this Starship's engines would be achieving escape velocity to break Earth orbit?
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I'd think the heaviest load on this Starship's engines would be achieving escape velocity to break Earth orbit?
Back when Man was going to the Moon, the Saturn V was not used to break orbit from the Earth. It didn't even achieve orbit. It was only used to propel objects into Low Earth Orbit.
I believe the heaviest loads on the rocket engines are due to atmospherics and not due to gravity. During Shuttle launches they would always back down the engines when they were approaching "Max Q".
Max q From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_q (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_q)
The max q condition is the point when an aerospace vehicle's atmospheric flight reaches maximum dynamic pressure. This is a significant factor in the design of such vehicles because the aerodynamic structural load on them is proportional to dynamic pressure. This may impose limits on the vehicle's flight envelope.
Dynamic pressure, q, is defined mathematically as
q = 1/2 Ïv2
Rocket launch examples
During a normal Space Shuttle launch, for example, max q occurred at an altitude of approximately 11 km (35,000 ft).[1] The three Space Shuttle Main Engines were throttled back to about 60-70% of their rated thrust (depending on payload) as the dynamic pressure approached max q;[2] combined with the propellant grain design of the solid rocket boosters, which reduced the thrust at max q by one third after 50 seconds of burn, the total stresses on the vehicle were kept to a safe level.
During a typical Apollo mission, max q occurred between 13 and 14 km of altitude (43,000–46,000 ft);[3][4] approximately same values occur for the SpaceX Falcon 9.[5]
The point of max q is a key milestone during a rocket launch, as it is the point at which the airframe undergoes maximum mechanical stress.
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SpaceX Starship Updates – A History Of Starship Evolution
•May 14, 2020
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-k5m7U3CbRo#)
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spaceXcentric
SpaceX's Starship Fleet Is Growing
SpaceX in the News Episode 93.
Today we watch Boca Chica sprout Starships in south Texas; prepare ourselves for Crew Dragon's DEMO-2 launch; look into Starlink's upcoming flight; then finish with today's Honorable Mention.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbbPDkifPj0#)
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VOX Space Missions to Now Occur from Andersen AFB in Guam
SMALLSAT NEWS 5/8/2020
https://smallsatnews.com/2020/05/08/vox-space-missions-to-now-occur-from-andersen-afb-in-guam/ (https://smallsatnews.com/2020/05/08/vox-space-missions-to-now-occur-from-andersen-afb-in-guam/)
VOX Space, the Virgin Orbit subsidiary, has signed a new agreement with the Department of the Air Force, allowing the company’s LauncherOne system to conduct missions to space from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam.
VOX Space President Mandy Vaughn and U.S. Air Force 36thWing Commander Brig. Gen. Gentry Boswell, signed the Commercial Space Operations Support Agreement (COSOSA) Annex in early April, setting the stage for the STP-27VP mission, VOX Space’s first launch from Andersen Air Force Base.
Virgin Orbit and VOX Space first expressed interest in launching from the Pacific island of Guam in mid-2019. Due to Guam’s low latitude and clear launch trajectories in almost all directions, the company’s uniquely mobile LauncherOne system can effectively serve all orbital inclinations, such as delivering up to 450 kg to a 500 km equatorial orbit.
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Space Test Program (STP) procured the STP-27VP launch with VOX Space under the Rapid Agile Launch Initiative (RALI), leveraging the Defense Innovation Unit’s (DIU) Other Transaction Agreement. One of the first missions to fly on LauncherOne, the STP-27VP manifest consists of several CubeSats from various government agencies performing experiments and technology demonstrations for the DoD.
More at link.
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Rocket Crafters Prepares for Launch Following Successful Testing of the Comet Rocket Engine
SMALLSAT NEWS 5/13/2020
https://smallsatnews.com/2020/05/13/rocket-crafters-prepares-for-launch-following-successful-testing-of-the-comet-rocket-engine/ (https://smallsatnews.com/2020/05/13/rocket-crafters-prepares-for-launch-following-successful-testing-of-the-comet-rocket-engine/)
Rocket Crafters, the first space launch company to use additive manufacturing to 3D print rocket fuel, has concluded testing for their Comet engine, a large-scale, proof of concept test model of the company’s STAR-3D™ hybrid rocket engine.
The tests were designed to show that the patent-pending hybrid rocket engines could scale from the laboratory to a size more commercially relevant. With 49 successful laboratory tests under their belt ranging from 250 to 500 pounds of thrust, Rocket Crafters initiated testing of the Comet 5000-pound thrust engine in February of this year.
Comet was tested three times. The first two tests were successful, closely matching the performance models that Rocket Crafters created. While still considered successful in terms of research and development, the third test experienced an overpressure anomaly, resulting in damage to the test stand and test engine.
More at link.
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Check out this neat video:
The Path To Mars - SpaceX Starship 2020
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIWQzRxiC7U
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Starship SN4 Static Fire LIVE From SpaceX's Boca Chica Launch Site
SpaceX is expected to conduct a static fire test with the Starship SN4 prototype at their Boca Chica, Texas launch site. The test will help verify that Raptor SN20 is functioning properly on the launch vehicle ahead of a planned hop to 150 meters.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnyPCM1HQAs#)
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Starship SN4 Static Fire LIVE From SpaceX's Boca Chica Launch Site
SpaceX is expected to conduct a static fire test with the Starship SN4 prototype at their Boca Chica, Texas launch site. The test will help verify that Raptor SN20 is functioning properly on the launch vehicle ahead of a planned hop to 150 meters.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnyPCM1HQAs#)
@Elderberry
I am so ignorant of engineering and technology at this level that I am in absolute awe of people who can say they are going to power something this heavy 150 meters into the air,and then have it sit down unharmed.
And they say it like it's as common as the sun rising in the east.
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@Elderberry
I am so ignorant of engineering and technology at this level that I am in absolute awe of people who can say they are going to power something this heavy 150 meters into the air,and then have it sit down unharmed.
And they say it like it's as common as the sun rising in the east.
@sneakypete
They've been working on this at SpaceX since before 2011.
SpaceX reusable launch system development program From Wikipedia,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceX_reusable_launch_system_development_program (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceX_reusable_launch_system_development_program)
The SpaceX reusable launch system development program is a privately funded program to develop a set of new technologies for an orbital launch system that may be reused many times in a manner similar to the reusability of aircraft. SpaceX has been developing the technologies over several years to facilitate full and rapid reusability of space launch vehicles. The project's long-term objectives include returning a launch vehicle first stage to the launch site in minutes and to return a second stage to the launch pad following orbital realignment with the launch site and atmospheric reentry in up to 24 hours. SpaceX's long term goal is that both stages of their orbital launch vehicle will be designed to allow reuse a few hours after return.[1]
The program was publicly announced in 2011. SpaceX first achieved a successful landing and recovery of a first stage in December 2015. The first re-flight of a landed first stage occurred in March 2017[2] with the second occurring in June 2017, that one only five months after the maiden flight of the booster.[3] The third attempt occurred in October 2017 with the SES-11/EchoStar-105 mission. Second flights of refurbished first stages then became routine, with boosters having powered up to five missions as of March 2020.
The reusable launch system technology was developed and initially used for the first stage of Falcon 9.[4] After stage separation, the booster flips around, an optional boostback burn is done to reverse its course, a reentry burn, controlling direction to arrive at the landing site and a landing burn to effect the final low-altitude deceleration and touchdown.
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@sneakypete
They've been working on this at SpaceX since before 2011.
SpaceX reusable launch system development program From Wikipedia,
@Elderberry
I know all of that on the "information level",but am still in awe of it because knowing about something isn't the same thing as understanding it.
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@Elderberry
I know all of that on the "information level",but am still in awe of it because knowing about something isn't the same thing as understanding it.
@sneakypete
Then understand it by getting your hands dirty in it. Well you really don't have to build one to understand it. But if you dwell in the design of one, you will gain understanding.
Build Your Own Thrust Vectored Rockets For Vertical Landings Like SpaceX
https://makezine.com/2019/10/25/build-your-own-thrust-vectored-rockets-for-vertical-landings-like-spacex/ (https://makezine.com/2019/10/25/build-your-own-thrust-vectored-rockets-for-vertical-landings-like-spacex/)
If you love rockets, you can’t help but notice that real space launch vehicles lift off the pad slowly,but model rockets zip up like darts. That’s how I became obsessed with using thrust vector control (TVC) — gimbaling the rocket motor — instead of fins to keep model rockets upright, so they can launch, and land, far more realistically.
ZERO TO ROCKETEER
I started out from scratch in rocketry; I’m all self-taught. After graduating with a degree in audio engineering from Berklee College of Music in 2014, I saw what SpaceX and other aerospace companies were going for with propulsive landing technology and I was hooked. I knew I wanted to get into rocketry to get a job at one of these companies, and I wasn’t in a position to pay for another college degree. I figured instead I could demonstrate what I was teaching myself by propulsively landing a model rocket the same way SpaceX landed the Falcon 9. It was a literal “shower idea.â€
I started BPS in 2015 with the goal of achieving vertical takeoff and vertical landing (VTVL) of a scale model Falcon 9 rocket. This would require me to solve two tough problems — thrust-vectored flight and propulsive landings — using solid-fuel hobby rocket motors.
I picked up a few textbooks (I strongly recommend Rocket Propulsion Elements by George Sutton and Structures by J.E. Gordon), found a few good YouTube tutorials for coding and mechanical design, and got to work experimenting.
More at link.
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SpaceX aborted a static fire test with the Starship SN4 prototype at their Boca Chica, Texas launch site. The test was meant to help verify that Raptor SN20 is functioning properly on the launch vehicle ahead of a planned hop to 150 meters. It is unclear when another attempt will be made.
The static fire attempt was aborted, but there are still a few hours remaining in today's launch window which lasts until 6 pm central time. If the activity picks up again, we will start a new stream.
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SpaceX Starship prototype in limbo after engine test lights rocket on fire
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-prototype-limbo-test-fire/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-prototype-limbo-test-fire/)
The fate of SpaceX’s fourth full-scale Starship prototype appears to be in limbo after a third (seemingly successful) engine ignition test unintentionally caught the rocket on fire.
Now more than 12 hours after Starship SN4 fired up its new Raptor engine, the ~30m (~100 ft) tall, 9m (~30 ft) wide prototype is apparently trapped with one or both of its propellant tanks still partially filled with liquid (or gaseous) methane and/or oxygen. An initial road closure scheduled from noon to 6pm local quickly came and went and SpaceX and Cameron County Texas have since modified the paperwork, extending the closure a full 24 hours. In other words, SpaceX has reason to believe that Starship SN4 may continue to be unsafe (i.e. pressurized) as many as ~30 hours after it technically completed its third static fire test – extremely unusual, to say the least.
There’s only one obvious conclusion to draw. Whether it was something invisible to the public eye or damage related to the off-nominal fire that burned for some 15 minutes after Raptor shut down, SpaceX appears – to some extent – to have lost control of Starship SN4.
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SpaceX Starship prototype in limbo after engine test lights rocket on fire
@Elderberry
Ya THINK?
Whoever wrote that headline is a master of understatement.
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SpaceX Starship rocket catches fire during third Raptor engine test
TESLARATI 5/20/2020 by Eric Ralph
SpaceX appears to have successfully fired up its fourth full-scale Starship prototype for the third time, although the Raptor engine test ended with the aft end of the ship catching fire and burning for quite some time.
Around May 7th, hours after Starship SN4 completed its second wet dress rehearsal and Raptor static fire in ~24 hours, SpaceX removed the SN18 Raptor engine it had used to support those tests, transporting it back to storage facilities a mile down the road. Three days later, SpaceX sent Raptor SN20 down the same same road and installed it on Starship SN4 – a swap made for unknown reasons.
Regardless, that swap meant that SpaceX would need to perform at least one more static fire test to prove that Starship and its new Raptor engine were getting along before the company could proceed to hop test preparations. After several days of at least 4 aborted Starship static fire attempts, SpaceX has finally managed to fuel Starship SN4 and ignite Raptor engine SN20 – but not before a new challenge cropped up.
More at link.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=povBCjZDYbQ#)
Static Fire @ 1:30:18
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Virgin Orbit to do something special with a rocket and a Boeing 747
Digital Trends by Trevor Mogg 5/20/2020
https://www.digitaltrends.com/news/virgin-orbit-to-fire-a-rocket-from-a-boeing-747-on-sunday/ (https://www.digitaltrends.com/news/virgin-orbit-to-fire-a-rocket-from-a-boeing-747-on-sunday/)
Like SpaceX, Virgin Orbit wants to build a business sending small satellites into low-Earth orbit. But the two deployment methods couldn’t be more different.
While SpaceX went with conventional ground-based rocket launches, Virgin Orbit plans to release a rocket in mid-air from a modified Boeing 747. Yes, you read that right.
And in the coming days, the Virgin Galactic spinoff plans to test the entire system for the very first time.
If conditions permit when the launch window opens on Sunday, May 24, the California-based team will fly its Boeing 747 — named Cosmic Girl — from Mojave Air and Space Port over the Pacific Ocean before releasing its 70-foot long, two-stage LauncherOne orbital rocket from beneath the aircraft’s left wing. The booster will then ignite in mid-air for the first time, sending the rocket to space where it will deploy a dummy payload.
More at link.
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SpaceX's Starship Catches Fire, but Crew Dragon is GO for Launch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTHLzi_kzWs
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The SpaceX Starship Could Fly This Summer!
Universe Today May 22, 2020 by Matt Williams
https://www.universetoday.com/146167/starship-could-fly-this-summer/ (https://www.universetoday.com/146167/starship-could-fly-this-summer/)
And, after being scrubbed three times since last Friday (May 15th), SpaceX conducted the third static fire test with the SN4 on Tuesday, May 19th. Unfortunately, an unexpected fire near the base of the rocket caused the prototype to get a bit scorched and caused some internal damage. However, the prototype survived and is back in working order, which means SpaceX is moving ahead with more tests in preparation for a full-scale launch.
The fire in question occurred immediately after ignition, apparently due to a methane line bursting because of the sudden change in pressure. The engine continued to burn for a few more seconds and shut down as planned, but the fire continued and managed to ignite insulation wrapped around the rocket’s launch mount. Luckily, the remotely-controlled water jets positioned around the pad managed to suppress the fire before long.
In addition to scoring the hull, the fire is believed to have caused damage to the prototype’s wiring, which resulted in the ground crews partially losing control of it. Fortunately, the electrical damage did not prevent ground crews from safely offloading its remaining propellant and vent the gases building up inside the cryogenic tanks, which preventing the SN4 from bursting like its predecessors.
More at link.
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First commercial space taxi a pit stop on Musk’s Mars quest
It all started with the dream of growing a rose on Mars.
That vision, Elon Musk’s vision, morphed into a shake-up of the old space industry, and a fleet of new private rockets. Now, those rockets will launch NASA astronauts from Florida to the International Space Station -- the first time a for-profit company will carry astronauts into the cosmos.
It’s a milestone in the effort to commercialize space. But for Musk’s company, SpaceX, it’s also the latest milestone in a wild ride that began with epic failures and the threat of bankruptcy.
If the company’s eccentric founder and CEO has his way, this is just the beginning: He’s planning to build a city on the red planet, and live there.
“What I really want to achieve here is to make Mars seem possible, make it seem as though it’s something that we can do in our lifetimes and that you can go,†Musk told a cheering congress of space professionals in Mexico in 2016.
Read More: https://www.isn-news.com/2020/05/first-commercial-space-taxi-pit-stop-on.html (https://www.isn-news.com/2020/05/first-commercial-space-taxi-pit-stop-on.html)
Fingers crossed!
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Elon Musk’s SpaceX rocket is loaded with pop-culture references
https://www.isn-news.com/2020/05/elon-musks-spacex-rocket-is-loaded-with.html
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Rocketman (and woman): Elon and Gwynne, the pair who made SpaceX
https://www.isn-news.com/2020/05/rocketman-and-woman-elon-and-gwynne.html
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SpaceX’s Starship factory is churning out steel rockets faster than ever
TESLARATI By Eric Ralph 5/26/2020
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-factory-mass-production-speed/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-factory-mass-production-speed/)
SpaceX’s South Texas Starship factory is churning out steel rocket hardware faster than ever before according to photos of yet another prototype already in the works.
At the same time as SpaceX works around the clock to test SN4 and prepare the ship for what will be the first flight of a full-scale Starship prototype, the company is building not one; not two; but three additional prototypes. A confirmation that a third Starship was being simultaneously manufactured in South Texas came on May 25th when local Boca Chica resident and observer Mary (bocachicagal) captured a photo of a pair of stacked steel rings rather conspicuously labeled “SN7â€.
While it’s possible that “SN7†is just a coincidence, it’s far more likely that it refers to Starship serial number 7 (SN7), set to be the seventh full-scale prototype built by SpaceX. The apparent start of SN7’s steel ring assembly process some two weeks ago also suggests that no less than several other rings are likely being mated in one or more of SpaceX’s three main manufacturing tents or a much taller windbreak structure. In fact, SpaceX is building Starship prototypes so quickly that the company is actively assembling a second launch mount, suggesting that two Starships could soon be tested more or less simultaneously without stepping on each other’s steel toes.
The most impressive aspect of SN7’s appearance, however, is the fact that SpaceX is already in the late stages of stacking Starship SN5 and begun preparing to stack Starship SN6 directly beside it just a few days ago. Based on labels attached to the side of a new steel nosecone section rolled out of SpaceX’s tent factory a few days ago, Starship SN5 will likely become the first full-scale Starship to reach its full height in a permanent, functional fashion. Back in October 2019, SpaceX did technically stack Starship Mk1 to its full height for a few weeks, but the ship’s nose section was never permanently attached and really only served as a pathfinder and full-scale mockup.
More at link.
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Elon Musk sure thinks big. IMO you can't help but admire the guy...
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Elon Musk sure thinks big. IMO you can't help but admire the guy...
:amen:
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Elon Musk sure thinks big. IMO you can't help but admire the guy...
To me, the big story is how little press attention Wednesday's flight has gathered, considering we haven't had manned space flights in this country for almost 10 years.
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To me, the big story is how little press attention Wednesday's flight has gathered, considering we haven't had manned space flights in this country for almost 10 years.
We can't have the Proles thinking of great dreams. The press can't have us remembering the lost dreams of the space age. Socialized Welfare has become more important than exploration. O'Bastard was a symptom, not the disease, when he let the space program whither into just another Moslem outreach project.
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To me, the big story is how little press attention Wednesday's flight has gathered, considering we haven't had manned space flights in this country for almost 10 years.
Does anyone know what time and channel for liftoff?
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Does anyone know what time and channel for liftoff?
There will be many sites that will show the launch. Here is one: https://www.nasa.gov/nasalive (https://www.nasa.gov/nasalive)
Here is another:
UPCOMING LAUNCH: Crew Demo-2
Returning Human Spaceflight to the United States
https://www.spacex.com/launches/ (https://www.spacex.com/launches/)
SpaceX is targeting Wednesday, May 27 for Falcon 9’s launch of Crew Dragon’s second demonstration (Demo-2) mission from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This test flight with NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley on board the Dragon spacecraft will return human spaceflight to the United States.
The instantaneous launch window opens at 4:33 p.m. EDT, or 20:33 UTC, with backup instantaneous launch opportunities available on Saturday, May 30 at 3:22 p.m. EDT, or 19:22 UTC, and on Sunday, May 31 at 3:00 p.m. EDT, or 19:00 UTC. Tune in here to watch the launch webcast. Coverage will begin about 4 hours before liftoff.
Countdown
Min/Sec Event
- 45:00 SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for propellant load
- 42:00 Crew access arm retracts
- 37:00 Dragon’s launch escape system is armed
- 35:00 RP-1 (rocket grade kerosene) loading begins
- 35:00 1st stage LOX (liquid oxygen) loading begins
- 16:00 2nd stage LOX loading begins
- 07:00 Falcon 9 begins engine chill prior to launch
- 05:00 Dragon transitions to internal power
- 01:00 Command flight to begin final prelaunch checks
- 01:00 Propellant tank pressurization to flight pressure begins
- 00:45 SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for launch
- 00:03 Engine controller commands engine ignition sequence to start
- 00:00 Falcon 9 liftoff
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Does anyone know what time and channel for liftoff?
I wouldn't bet against a real time thread here from Mr. Davis tomorrow.
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I wouldn't bet against a real time thread here from Mr. Davis tomorrow.
Already set up: SpaceX Crew Dragon Launch Live Thread Launch: Wednesday, May 27, 4:33 p.m. ET (http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,403117.0.html)
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Already set up: SpaceX Crew Dragon Launch Live Thread Launch: Wednesday, May 27, 4:33 p.m. ET (http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,403117.0.html)
Thanks... I have always been a fan of live space events. Back to when I as a child watching the Gemini launches.
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Thanks... I have always been a fan of live space events. Back to when I as a child watching the Gemini launches.
I've always loved watching them as well. I pray things go well for the astronauts.
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Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0fG_lnVhHw#)
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Thanks... I have always been a fan of live space events. Back to when I as a child watching the Gemini launches.
I take it you were not around, or just don't remember watching the Mercury launches.
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I take it you were not around, or just don't remember watching the Mercury launches.
Would have been 6 on the last one.. I am pretty sure I probably watched them, but don't remember hearing the Mercury terminology.
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To me, the big story is how little press attention Wednesday's flight has gathered, considering we haven't had manned space flights in this country for almost 10 years.
@catfish1957
The media and the DNC are owned outright by the left,and the left hates any positive "pro private enterprise" reporting.
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To me, the big story is how little press attention Wednesday's flight has gathered, considering we haven't had manned space flights in this country for almost 10 years.
I'm all for space exploration but are manned flights at this point really a good value for our tax dollars?
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I'm all for space exploration but are manned flights at this point really a good value for our tax dollars?
I agree. But I think the incentive is more not having to pay the Russians for rides and supplies to the ISS. Whether its enough to cover this program, I don't know.
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I'm all for space exploration but are manned flights at this point really a good value for our tax dollars?
Long term yes.
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Long term yes.
Even with what the Chicoms have stolen?
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Even with what the Chicoms have stolen?
I'm not grasping what the Chicoms stole that would have us giving up on the dream of manned exploration?
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I'm not grasping what the Chicoms stole that would have us giving up on the dream of manned exploration?
I am thinking along lines of money lost in technology and intellectual property theft. Again in the vein of "was it a good investment"?
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I am thinking along lines of money lost in technology and intellectual property theft. Again in the vein of "was it a good investment"?
Still yes. Short term yes.. Long term yes. We shouldn't let those Commie Bastards stop us from moving forward.
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I am thinking along lines of money lost in technology and intellectual property theft. Again in the vein of "was it a good investment"?
Losing IP to anybody is always a bad investment, but I'm not sure how that relates to "Is manned space exploration good?"
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I didn't notice if this got posted yet....
Virgin Orbit’s rocket has failed on its first attempt to get into space
May 26
The news: Virgin Orbit failed in the first test of its LauncherOne rocket yesterday, after seven years of development and testing. The rocket was transported by a Boeing 747 and released over the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of California. It was supposed to fall for a few seconds, ignite, and then propel itself into low Earth orbit. Instead, it ignited and fell into the sea. The flight had been intended to gather data rather than to actually launch a satellite into space. The crew on board the plane, and a second safety plane, safely returned to the Mojave Air & Space Port.
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Losing IP to anybody is always a bad investment, but I'm not sure how that relates to "Is manned space exploration good?"
Agreed. However, I remember the argruments I had at the TOS with people who hated Manned Space Exploration.
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Virgin Orbit: Elon Musk responds to firm's failed rocket mission
Inverse by Mike Brown 5/26/2020
https://www.inverse.com/innovation/virgin-orbit-elon-musk-responds-to-failed-mission-attempt (https://www.inverse.com/innovation/virgin-orbit-elon-musk-responds-to-failed-mission-attempt)
Virgin Orbit, the Virgin Galactic spin-off aiming to make its grand debut Monday, has failed in its first major mission. But Elon Musk, the SpaceX CEO with experience in orbital flights, suggested after the bad news that it's not a show-stopping moment.
The firm was planning to attempt an orbital launch with the LauncherOne two-stage rocket, the first outing for this new vehicle. The plan was to send up a Boeing 747 dubbed Cosmic Girl with LauncherOne attached to the underside. It would then launch the rocket, deploy a test payload and de-orbit.
Although it ended in failure, the mission is still a remarkable step forward for Virgin Orbit. As outlined before the mission by the company, it marks the first time anyone had ignited the engine on an orbital-class liquid-fueled vehicle flying horizontally. The feat was performed on the first attempt, making it all the more impressive.
Responding to the events on Twitter, Musk wrote:
"Sorry to hear that. Orbit is hard. Took us four attempts with Falcon 1."
More at link.
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Agreed. However, I remember the argruments I had at the TOS with people who hated Manned Space Exploration.
Yeah, I remember those "discussions" too. Between those and Willie Greene's Choo-Choos they got to be quite entertaining. happy77
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Yeah, I remember those "discussions" too. Between those and Willie Greene's Choo-Choos they got to be quite entertaining. happy77
I kinda missed those "discussions"
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I kinda missed those "discussions"
Me too. I think Willie shifted off the mortal coil, but I like to keep things alive.
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Me too. I think Willie shifted off the mortal coil, but I like to keep things alive.
Well tomorrow is going to be very interesting.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVIs1bnIcCY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVIs1bnIcCY)
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Virgin Orbit provides more details about what went right with its first launch demo
Tech Crunch by Darrell Etherington 5/27/2020
https://techcrunch.com/2020/05/27/virgin-orbit-provides-more-details-about-what-went-right-with-its-first-launch-demo/ (https://techcrunch.com/2020/05/27/virgin-orbit-provides-more-details-about-what-went-right-with-its-first-launch-demo/)
Virgin Orbit performed a demonstration of its full launch system on Monday, and while it didn’t go quite as planned, with the mission cut short just a few seconds after Virgin’s LauncherOne separated from its Cosmic Girl carrier aircraft, the company says it still learned a lot — and a lot went right, too.
Spaceflight is tough stuff, and it’s actually pretty common for a new spacecraft to not quite get everything right on its first time out. SpaceX took four tries with its original Falcon 1 rocket to make it to space, for instance. Test flights are tests for a reason, and Virgin Orbit notes that it actually did ace a lot of the aspects of the test, including launch-vehicle release, the controlled drop after that release point, igniting the rocket on LauncherOne and even the first couple of seconds of powered flight after that — all of which it says proves out the viability of its launch model.
Meanwhile, Virgin Orbit says that this test did prove a number of important things about its approach to launching spacecraft. First, that its mobile, flexible ground operating system that can launch outside of U.S. federal ranges works as designed. Second, that its autonomous flight safety system works as designed to protect the safety of the general public. Also, this is the first time that Cosmic Girl and LauncherOne have flown with liquid oxygen fuel on board, so this is a verification that its fuel containment system works. And, as mentioned, the LauncherOne release and initial flight matched simulations perfectly, so Virgin Orbit knows that part of the system is well-designed.
More at link.
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SpaceX At Two Starship Per Month Construction Rate
nextBIG Future by Brian Wang | May 27, 2020
https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2020/05/spacex-at-two-starship-per-month-construction.html (https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2020/05/spacex-at-two-starship-per-month-construction.html)
SpaceX has started building its seventh Starship prototype. This is the second Starship construction start in May. They now have four Starship prototypes under active testing or construction. SN4 is being prepared for a test flight. SN4 has passed tank pressurization tests that show it could withstand the pressures needed to fly to orbit.
SpaceX is started two Starship prototype construction in May, 2020. SN6 and SN7 had construction starts in May. SN5 was started in April.
Elon Musk indicated that SpaceX would build two Starships every week in 2021.
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Starship SN4 static fire LIVE from Boca Chica
3,953 watching now
•Started streaming 35 minutes ago
NASASpaceflight
71.3K subscribers
SpaceX is set to perform another static fire test with the Starship SN4 prototype at their Boca Chica, Texas launch site. If successful, today's test would be another step forward towards the planned 150-meter hop test.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EFymcXko6U#)
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SN4 Kablooey
Michael Sheetz
@thesheetztweetz
·
3m
The SpaceX Starship rocket prototype SN4 exploded after an engine test this afternoon in Texas.
https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1266442557107699718?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet (https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1266442557107699718?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet)
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Ooops.
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SN4 Kablooey
Michael Sheetz
@thesheetztweetz
·
3m
The SpaceX Starship rocket prototype SN4 exploded after an engine test this afternoon in Texas.
https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1266442557107699718?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet (https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1266442557107699718?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet)
Yikes... Well, that is why they test..
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My son said he could feel it in the tents. I don't know how far away that is. And he said he'll be part of the crew to rebuild the test pad.
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(https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/starship-sn4-explodes.gif)
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My son said he could feel it in the tents. I don't know how far away that is. And he said he'll be part of the crew to rebuild the test pad.
I can imagine.
Look at the first second of that clip. That is one hell of a percussive blast.
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Lawyerforlaws @lawyer4laws
Ironic . . . Listening to info about tomorrows Falcon 9 Launch . .
They "Can't Predict" if they'll Launch tomorrow because of weather . .
But somehow . . We're to believe "Climate Change" models can predict years and decades in advance . . .?
:pondering:
4:03 PM · May 29, 2020
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EZX2k3yWsAA48ZZ?format=jpg&name=medium)
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"Funeral for a Friend"
SpaceX Boca Chica - Starship SN4 Aftermath - Successors Line Up
•May 30, 2020 NASASpaceflight
Following the loss of Starship SN4 during its fifth Static Fire test, work has begun on clearing the launch site of debris. At the production area, the successors are being prepared to take their turn at testing.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vh88ZAhmTxo#)
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Blue Danube Docking of SpaceX Crew Dragon With Space Station
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdrXYgHanA8
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Blue Danube Docking of SpaceX Crew Dragon With Space Station
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdrXYgHanA8
Thanks for posting that....unreal!
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SpaceX successfully launches 60 satellites from the Space Coast
WESH2 by Dan Billow 6/3/2020
https://www.wesh.com/article/spacex-to-launch-60-satellites-into-space-wednesday/32759396 (https://www.wesh.com/article/spacex-to-launch-60-satellites-into-space-wednesday/32759396)
Fresh off its unforgettable return of astronaut launches to Central Florida, it’s back to business Wednesday for SpaceX.
The company launched 60 satellites into space on Wednesday.
Launch pad 40 is a few miles from pad 39-A at the Kennedy Space Center, where SpaceX made the first commercial launch of astronauts Saturday.
Instead of a 5-ton crew capsule, the SpaceX Falcon 9 carried 15 tons of satellites. Inside the nose cone, 60 Starlink satellites were stacked in a single dispenser, waiting to be dealt out like playing cards when they get to space.
In previous launches, they could be seen from the ground, looking like a string of bright lights.
The successful launch means SpaceX has a total of 420 of the satellites in orbit, but the plan is to someday have as many as 12,000.
The satellites are intended to beam internet access to the ground, giving SpaceX a worldwide business that could be a big moneymaker.
More at link.
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Blue Danube Docking of SpaceX Crew Dragon With Space Station
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdrXYgHanA8
Created by our very own @pjcomix! I liked it a lot!
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SpaceX set for a swift return to testing following Starship SN4 anomaly
NASA Spaceflight by Michael Baylor June 5, 2020
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/06/spacex-swift-testin-starship-sn4-anomaly/ (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/06/spacex-swift-testin-starship-sn4-anomaly/)
Following the May 29 explosive failure of the Starship SN4 prototype during a Static Fire test, SpaceX workers have been quickly making repairs to its Boca Chica, Texas launch facility. Starship SN5 is expected to roll to the launch site in the coming days in preparation for testing to begin on June 10.
The anomaly totaled the existing test stand used to hold down the vehicle during the testing milestones. On June 3, a replacement launch stand was installed at the launch site. SpaceX had already been working on a new launch stand before the May 29 accident – a factor that accelerated the recovery process.
The new stand appears to be similar in design to the original Starship launch mount.
In the coming days, teams will continue to repair Ground Support Equipment (GSE) at the launch site. There was significant damage to GSE infrastructure due to the anomaly, but SpaceX will have the GSE repaired in time for testing to resume on June 10, per the latest notice of road closures.
More at link.
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SpaceX set for a swift return to testing following Starship SN4 anomaly
NASA Spaceflight by Michael Baylor June 5, 2020
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/06/spacex-swift-testin-starship-sn4-anomaly/ (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/06/spacex-swift-testin-starship-sn4-anomaly/)
This goes to show failures were expected, Musk is no fool and is prepared to push ahead to get 'er done. This is a fellow who has obviously been dealt some problem hands, and still walks away from the table a winner. Dare I say it...there is a lot of Donald Trump in this guy.
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Don’t Stop Me Now | Electron Prelaunch Preview
June 4, 2020 In Prelaunch Preview ROCKET LAB
https://everydayastronaut.com/prelaunch-preview-electron-dont-stop-me-now/ (https://everydayastronaut.com/prelaunch-preview-electron-dont-stop-me-now/)
Rocket Lab’s “Don’t Stop Me Now†mission, launching from their Launch Complex 1 situated on the serene Mahia peninsula in New Zealand, will fly five payloads into orbit atop its Electron rocket. That’s one each for NASA’s ELaNa program and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), along with three for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). Despite its colourful name, this mission is somewhat sombre, having been named in memory of former Rocket Lab board member, Stanford Scott Smith – an avid fan of the iconic rock band Queen – who recently passed away.
Lift Off Time (Subject to change) June 11, 2020 | 04:43 — 06:32 UTC |
More at link.
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Elon Musk Tells SpaceX Workers Starship Rocket Is Top Priority: CNBC
https://www.isn-news.com/2020/06/elon-musk-tells-spacex-workers-starship.html (https://www.isn-news.com/2020/06/elon-musk-tells-spacex-workers-starship.html)
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Virgin Galactic Stock Won’t Benefit Now From SpaceX’s Success
By Ian Bezek, InvestorPlace Contributor Jun 8, 2020
https://investorplace.com/2020/06/virgin-galactic-spce-stock-spacex-success/ (https://investorplace.com/2020/06/virgin-galactic-spce-stock-spacex-success/)
Virgin Galactic (NYSE:SPCE) stock has been one of the hottest trading names of 2020. The company, which went public via a special purpose acquisition company at $10 per share, blasted off to a high of $42 in February. Shares sunk back to $10 at the depths of the March crash, but have recovered to $17. And they could soar again soon. The market is in a speculative frenzy right now. On top of that, space travel is making major headlines.
That brings us to SPCE stock. Though seemingly having a related ticker symbol, SPCE actually represents Virgin Galactic, which has no economic interest in the Crew Dragon or other SpaceX flights.
SpaceX Blasts Off
SpaceX’s successful rocket launch has had an impact on Virgin Galactic’s stock. We saw this around the Crew Dragon launch. SpaceX intended to lift off on a Wednesday. Virgin Galactic stock traded up more than 5% that day with the excitement around SpaceX.
Once the launch was delayed, however, Virgin Galactic stock gave back its gains. The SpaceX launch subsequently happened on a Saturday when the stock market was closed.
SpaceX Makes Recent Virgin Orbit Failure Look Worse
InvestorPlace’s Josh Enomoto recently highlighted how the Virgin Orbit planned launch did not live up to expectations. Virgin Orbit was supposed to demonstrate an ability to launch small payloads into space. However, the launch was a failure.
More at link.
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You can watch a launch triple header from SpaceX, Rocket Lab and Japan tonight. Here's how.
Space.com By Tariq Malik 6/12/2020
https://www.space.com/spacex-rocket-lab-interstellar-technologies-launch-triple-header-webcasts.html (https://www.space.com/spacex-rocket-lab-interstellar-technologies-launch-triple-header-webcasts.html)
Be ready to stay up late (or rise super-early)!
Editor's note: Interstellar Technologies has postponed the launch of its Momo-F5 rocket to Saturday afternoon. This guide has been updated with that new launch time.
In the next 24 hours, no less than three rockets — built by Rocket Lab (https://www.space.com/rocket-lab.html), SpaceX and Interstellar Technologies — will launch from three different countries in a space age triple-header. But if you want to watch them all online, you're going to need to stay up late (or rise super early).
The action will begin early Saturday (June 13) with the launch of a Rocket Lab Electron booster (https://www.space.com/rocket-lab-us-spy-satellites-launch-june-2020-webcast.html) carrying five small satellites for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office, NASA and the University of South Wales Canberra Space.
Liftoff is scheduled for 12:43 a.m. EDT (0443 GMT) from Rocket Lab's Launch Site 1 on the Mahia Peninsula of New Zealand. You'll be able to watch the launch live on Space.com here (https://www.space.com/17933-nasa-television-webcasts-live-space-tv.html), courtesy of Rocket Lab. The webcast should begin about 20 minutes before launch time. However, Rocket Lab has a nearly two-hour window in which to launch the Electron booster (https://www.space.com/electron-rocket.html), so the start time could change closer to liftoff.
Rocket Lab will webcast the launch here (http://www.rocketlabusa.com/live-stream), as well as on its YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/user/RocketLabNZ/videos).
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SpaceX's Starship Super Heavy Booster Coming Soon & SN7 Testing is Next | SpaceX in the News
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cC6JiuTCG6Q (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cC6JiuTCG6Q)
spaceXcentric 6/12/2020
SpaceX's Starship Super Heavy Booster Coming Soon & SN7 Testing is Next | SpaceX in the News Episode 97. Today we go over a ton of good news concerning Starship Super Heavy; briefly talk about dragon; review some developing Starlink updates; and finish with today's Honorable Mention.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cC6JiuTCG6Q#)
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SpaceX launches 58 Starlink satellites and 3 Planet SkySats, nails rocket landing
Space.com By Amy Thompson 6/13/2020
https://www.space.com/spacex-starlink-8-planet-satellite-launch-rocket-landing-success.html (https://www.space.com/spacex-starlink-8-planet-satellite-launch-rocket-landing-success.html)
The Starlink constellation is growing fast.
SpaceX successfully launched its first rideshare mission into orbit today (June 13), lofting a new batch of 58 Starlink internet satellites along with three small Earth-observation satellites before nailing a Falcon 9 rocket landing at sea.
It was a mostly clear morning, with just a few clouds above the launch pad here at Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at liftoff. Onlookers were treated to an awesome view in the predawn sky — the glow from the rocket's engines were visible well into the flight as it launched at 5:21 a.m. EDT (0921 GMT).
The exhaust from the rocket was illuminated by the sun, which was just below the horizon. The resulting cloud appeared as a nebula hanging in the sky.
More at link.
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This is some impressive stuff,I don't give a damn how high your standards are.
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Interstellar Technologies’ privately-developed MOMO-5 rocket falls short of reaching space
Tech Crunch by Darrell Etherington 6/13/2020
https://techcrunch.com/2020/06/13/interstellar-technologies-privately-developed-momo-5-rocket-falls-short-of-reaching-space/ (https://techcrunch.com/2020/06/13/interstellar-technologies-privately-developed-momo-5-rocket-falls-short-of-reaching-space/)
Private launch companies seeking to lower the coast of reaching space continue to develop new vehicles, and the latest to attempt a trip to space is Interstellar Technologies (IST), a Japanese private launch company founded in 2003. The company first launched a vehicle in 2017, but the launch didn’t go exactly as planned and failed to reach space – in 2019, its MOMO-3 sounding rocket did break the Karman line, though just barely, and unfortunately its MOMO-5 sounding rocket launched today did not make space as planned, instead apparently suffering some kind of malfunction and loss of control around the time it reaches max Q, or the point of maximum aerodynamic pressure prior to exiting Earth’s atmosphere..
MOMO-5 took off at 8:15 PM UTC (4:15 PM EDT), and liftoff seemed to go smoothly. This demonstration launch was meant to build on IST’s existing development program, and put it closer to establishing a new, affordable rocket option fo redelivering small payloads to orbit using a small, affordable rocket that the company describes as a “family sedan for the stars.â€
IST’s approach is interesting it that in doesn’t claim to be cutting-edge; instead, the company says that it focuses on leveraging “legacy methods†of rocketry, along with advances including additive manufacturing and more modern materials to reduce costs as much as possible and lower the bar in terms of affordability to serve a wide range of customers. To some extend, that’s similar to the approach taken by SpaceX and Rocket Lab, but IST’s approach is even less focused on modernization, and more intent on efficiencies, than some of its operational competitors, which could theoretically give it a cost advantage once it starts serving companies with regular commercial launches.
More at link.
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Interstellar Technologies’ privately-developed MOMO-5 rocket falls short of reaching space
Tech Crunch by Darrell Etherington 6/13/2020
https://techcrunch.com/2020/06/13/interstellar-technologies-privately-developed-momo-5-rocket-falls-short-of-reaching-space/ (https://techcrunch.com/2020/06/13/interstellar-technologies-privately-developed-momo-5-rocket-falls-short-of-reaching-space/)
Rats. 2 out of 3?
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SpaceX’s month-long launch blitz adds Korean military satellite mission
TESLARATI by Eric Ralph 6/11/2020
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-launch-blitz-korean-military-satellite/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-launch-blitz-korean-military-satellite/)
Preliminary schedules show that SpaceX – on top of plans for a record-breaking four-launch month (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-first-four-launch-month-june-2020/) – wants to add a Korean military satellite launch to the mix, meaning that the company could attempt five launches in five weeks.
SpaceX partially broke the news on June 9th when it opened media accreditation for the Korean military mission, scheduled to launch no earlier than (NET) July. LaunchPhotography.com (http://www.launchphotography.com/Delta_4_Atlas_5_Falcon_9_Launch_Viewing.html) was able to get even more specific, stating that South Korea’s ANASIS II communications satellite could lift off on a Falcon 9 rocket sometime in early July, while Teslarati has learned that the mission is tentatively scheduled to launch as soon as the second week of the month.
If SpaceX manages to launch Starlink-8, Starlink-9, and GPS III SV03 on time this month and can turn its Kennedy Space Center (KSC) LC-39A pad around in time for South Korea’s ANASIS II by July 8th, it’ll have sustained a weekly launch cadence for well over a month. The odds are heavily stacked against SpaceX’s favor but with Starlink V1 L8 on track for a June 12th launch and Starlink V1 L9 expedited from June 24th to June 22nd, the company actually has a shot at completing five launches in five weeks.
More at link.
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Today sn7 test tank has been tested till it has popped
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kR_BvbO7AgQ#)
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TESMANIAN
https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/spacex-test-tank (https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/spacex-test-tank)
Today, June 15, SpaceX conducted a cryogenic pressure test on a Starship dome tank prototype referred to as SN7. The tank was filled with super-chilled liquid nitrogen which caused the entire structure to fill with visible frost all around – “…There a few known weak points on this test tank, probably capable of more pressure,†Musk said, “The second test tank to follow shortly has addressed the weak points.†The stainless-steel SN7 dome tank reached strength of around 7.6 bar –“Tank didn’t burst, but leaked at 7.6 bar,†Musk shared, “This is a good result & supports idea of 304L stainless being better than 301. We’re developing our own alloy to take this even further. Leak before burst is highly desirable,†he explained.
Then, the dome tank was intentionally pressured to the max, as seen in the video below, until it bursted. SpaceX will mix their own stainless-steel alloy for future starships to increase the strength factor. The goal is to develop a structure that could withstand a 8.6 bar -which would be the ideal strength to take astronauts to space aboard Starship.
The next prototypes will undergo the same tests. SpaceX runs 24/7 operations in South Texas. Musk sees Starship development as the company’s top priority. "We need to accelerate Starship progress," Musk told his teams. And asked them to "consider spending significant time" at Boca Chica to help the company accelerate Starship development, “For those considering moving, we will always offer a dedicated SpaceX aircraft to shuttle people.†He aims to conduct a 150-meter and a 20-kilometer test-flight above Boca Chica this year and hopes to take a Starship to orbit soon.
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Wait 'til he tries Reardon Steel.
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SpaceX set to finish three Starship prototypes in the same month
TESLARATI By Eric Ralph 6/18/2020
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-three-starship-prototypes-one-month/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-three-starship-prototypes-one-month/)
SpaceX appears to be on track to complete its third Starship prototype in a month just days after the company finished testing a new steel tank and at the same time as it prepares to roll another full-scale ship to the launch pad.
Postponed by several weeks after the (fleeting) success of the Starship serial number 4 (SN4) prototype, violently destroyed by a minor testing mishap on May 29th, SpaceX’s fifth full-scale Starship tank section (SN5) could roll to an adjacent testing facility at any point in the next few days. In fact, SN4’s successor has likely been ready to begin tank proof and static fire testing for several weeks since it was stacked to its full height on May 12th. SN4 rolled to the launch pad on April 23rd and remained SpaceX’s top Starship priority until its demise more than a month later.
As it turns out, the explosion that destroyed the ship also launched a ~25 metric ton (~55,000 lb) counterweight installed a few days prior some 100m (300+ ft) into the air, where it proceeded to fall back to earth and obliterate the steel mount Starship SN4 sat on. The loss of that pad hardware necessitated its own several-week delay but SpaceX appears to be nearly done installing and outfitting replacements as of June 18th – an incredible turnaround given the scale and complexity of everything involved. Of course, the whole purpose of those rapid repairs is to get back to the business of testing Starships as quickly as possible.
More at link.
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Three Starship prototypes in line for testing
Behind the Black by Robert Zimmerman 6/18/2020
https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/three-starship-prototypes-in-line-for-testing/ (https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/three-starship-prototypes-in-line-for-testing/)
Capitalism in space: SpaceX’s assembly line for building Starship prototypes is heating up, with three such ships completed or under construction (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-three-starship-prototypes-one-month/) in Boca Chica, Texas.
Initially numbered 5 through 7, the goal of the first two will be to do the first full scale vertical hops, flying as high as 7.5 miles.. #7 however has a different purpose:
While stouter than an actual Starship-class methane or oxygen tank, this particular test tank is maybe only 25% shorter than the methane tanks installed on Starship prototypes. According to Musk and effectively confirmed by writing all over the prototype, this particular test tank – formerly Starship SN7 – was built to determine if a different kind of steel could be preferable for future ships.
Shortly after the June 15th test began to wind down, Musk announced that the new material (304L stainless steel) had performed quite well, reaching 7.6 bar (110 psi) before it sprung a leak. The fact alone that it sprung a leak instead of violently depressurizing is already a major sign that 304L is preferable to 301L, as it means that Starships built out of it could fail much more gracefully in the event of a leak instead of collapsing or violently exploding. A step further, SpaceX has already managed to repair the leak on SN7 and will likely test the tank again in the next few days.
SpaceX is once again demonstrating how to properly do this kind of cutting edge development. You test, you fix or, you change, based on what your tests tell you. You don’t lock down design in the early stages, because at that point you really don’t know enough to do so.
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Wait 'til he tries Reardon Steel.
Is that an Ayn Rand reference? I really need to read those books.
Anyway, I do admire Elon Musk for thinking this big.
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Is that an Ayn Rand reference? I really need to read those books.
Anyway, I do admire Elon Musk for thinking this big.
Yes, it's something from Atlas Shrugs. And Elon Musk is indeed thinking big. I like that too.
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Yes, it's something from Atlas Shrugs. And Elon Musk is indeed thinking big. I like that too.
My problem with Musk is his acceptance of government subsidies for electric cars. That's 2 1/2 strikes by itself.
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My problem with Musk is his acceptance of government subsidies for electric cars. That's 2 1/2 strikes by itself.
Nobody has ever accused Musk of being conservative. :shrug:
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My problem with Musk is his acceptance of government subsidies for electric cars. That's 2 1/2 strikes by itself.
:shrug:
I no longer care about that stuff. He's a capitalist.
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Nobody has ever accused Musk of being conservative. :shrug:
From what I can see he's basically apolitical although he did mention something about taking the red pill a few weeks ago before this nonsense started.
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:shrug:
I no longer care about that stuff. He's a capitalist.
On your and my dime.....
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SpaceX Starship event expected this September, says Elon Musk
https://www.isn-news.com/2020/06/spacex-starship-event-expected-this.html (https://www.isn-news.com/2020/06/spacex-starship-event-expected-this.html)
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https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-event-elon-musk-update-2020/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-event-elon-musk-update-2020/)
By Eric Ralph 6/29/2020
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has implied that he will continue the tradition of annual Starship update events later this year, likely presenting on the progress the company has made over the last 12 months at its South Texas rocket factory.
Beginning in Guadalajara, Mexico at the September 2016 International Astronautical Congress (IAC), Musk has presented a detailed annual update on the status of SpaceX’s next-generation Starship launch vehicle in September or October for the last four years. Formerly known as the Interplanetary Transport System (ITS) and Big Falcon Rocket (BFR), Starship is effectively a continuation of the unprecedented progress SpaceX has made with Falcon 9 and Heavy reusability.
SpaceX has managed to reliably reuse Falcon boosters 5+ times and is on the way to replicating that with payload fairings, but Musk has concluded that the Falcon family – despite being some of the largest operational rockets in existence – is just too small to feasibly recover and reuse the orbital second stage. With Starship, SpaceX wants to take a slightly different approach.
September sounds about right
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 24, 2020
(https://www.teslarati.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Starship-Super-Heavy-launch-render-May-2020-SpaceX-1-c-1024x473.jpg)
A senior SpaceX engineer and executive believes that Starship’s first orbital launch could still happen by the end of 2020. (SpaceX)
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SpaceX GPS III Launch | LIVE
spaceXcentric
124K subscribers
SpaceX is targeting Tuesday, June 30 for a Falcon 9 launch of the GPS III Space Vehicle 03 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The 15-minute primary launch window opens at 3:55 p.m. EDT. SpaceX will land Falcon 9’s first stage on the “Just Read the Instructions†droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. The fairings will be recovered from the water. We will begin our stream at 3:35 p.m. EDT.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtsvTQdRGYw#)
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SpaceX set for rocket recovery first after US military satellite launch
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-first-rocket-recovery-us-military-launch/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-first-rocket-recovery-us-military-launch/)
A SpaceX Falcon 9 is set to become the first commercial rocket to attempt to land after an operational launch for the US military, potentially paving the way for an even more significant milestone somewhere down the road.
Featuring brand new booster B1060 and a new upper stage and payload fairing, Falcon 9 is scheduled to launch the US military’s third upgraded GPS III satellite (PS III SV01) no earlier than (NET) 3:55 pm EDT (19:55 UTC) on June 30th. While it will be the second time a Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket has lifted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) Launch Complex 40 (LC-40) with a GPS III satellite in tow, the mission will mark a critical first for SpaceX and the US military. For the first GPS III mission, the US Air Force somewhat inexplicably required SpaceX to expend the new Falcon 9 booster assigned to the December 2018 launch.
The US military never offered a technical explanation for why Falcon 9 couldn’t land after launching a ~3900 kg (~8600 lb) GPS III SV01 to a medium orbit but could, for example, land after launching a dozen metric tons and two NASA astronauts. Regardless, the US Air Force Space and Missile Systems Command (SMC) has decided that SpaceX can now attempt to land Falcon 9’s first stage during the company’s second GPS III launch. A step further, on the eve of the mission, SMC has revealed that it may even be opening up to the idea of reusing SpaceX boosters on future military launches.
More at link.
1st Stage Landing was successful.
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Blue Origin delivers the first BE-4 engine to United Launch Alliance
Space News by Sandra Erwin — July 1, 2020
https://spacenews.com/blue-origin-delivers-the-first-be-4-engine-to-united-launch-alliance/ (https://spacenews.com/blue-origin-delivers-the-first-be-4-engine-to-united-launch-alliance/)
The engine Blue Origin delivered is a pathfinder engine to be used in tests.
Blue Origin this week delivered a BE-4 rocket engine to United Launch Alliance. ULA will use two BE-4s in the main stage of its future Vulcan Centaur rocket
In a celebratory tweet July 1 with the hashtag #CountdowntoVulcan ULA announced that a BE-4 engine arrived at its rocket factory in Decatur, Alabama.
“The engine delivered is the first pathfinder engine to be mated with the Vulcan Centaur and will support ULA’s testing,†a Blue Origin spokesperson told SpaceNews. “We are planning on delivering the second engine in July.â€
A pathfinder is a development engine. Blue Origin has not said when a flight-qualified engine will be delivered.
The BE-4 uses liquid oxygen and liquefied natural gas propellants and generates 75,000 horsepower. The engine was developed by Blue Origin with some financial support from ULA.
ULA announced in September 2018 its selection of the BE-4 as Vulcan’s main engine. The vehicle was projected to make its first launch in 2020 but engine delays set ULA back.
More at link.
(https://spacenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Eb23ZNhU4AEe_dn-843x485.png)
A Blue Origin BE-4 engine arrived at ULA's factory in Decatur, Ala. Credit: ULA via Twitter
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SpaceX is accelerating Starship development -Starship SN5 completes a pressure test
TESMANIAN by Evelyn Arevalo July 01, 2020
https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/starship-cryogenic-test (https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/starship-cryogenic-test)
SpaceX engineers are in the process of developing Starship, an enormous stainless-steel spacecraft that will one day launch one hundred passengers to the moon and Mars. Starship prototypes are under construction at the company’s South Texas facility located at Boca Chica Beach in Brownsville, TX. The company will build a spaceport along Boca Chica’s coast. The first crewed Starship voyage is scheduled for the year 2023, booked by Japanese entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa who plans to take a circumlunar trip. SpaceX is working on a tight schedule to develop a space-ready Starship.
Tuesday night, SpaceX teams at Boca Chica conducted a cryogenic pressure test of the Starship SN5 prototype. The stainless-steel SN5 vehicle was subjected to conditions it would experience during spaceflight. The structure was filled with sub-cooled liquid nitrogen that causes the vehicle to experience max pressure, while a thrust simulator system imitates the force of a Raptor engine by pressing at the bottom of the vehicle. This test is to determine if the vehicle can withstand highly pressurized propellant and high-stress of flight. Starship must withstand a pressure of 6 bar to conduct an orbital flight, a pressure strength of 8.5 bar is needed to take astronauts to space. NASASpaceflight reporters captured footage of last night’s cryogenic pressure test, shown below.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXz45d3brgA&feature=emb_logo#)
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The part of all of this that impresses me the most is the fist stage hitting that barge out in the middle of the ocean... Easy to entertain I guess... lol
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Upper-level winds force a seven-week delay for the Vega rocket
ars Technica by Eric Berger - 7/1/2020
https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/07/launch-of-europes-smallest-rocket-is-delayed-seven-weeks-for-weather/ (https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/07/launch-of-europes-smallest-rocket-is-delayed-seven-weeks-for-weather/)
“We understand the impatience of our 21 customers, and we share it.â€
The European rocket firm Arianespace has been trying to launch a Vega rocket carrying dozens of small satellites for the better part of a year.
First, the launch was delayed from mid-2019 after the Vega rocket experienced its first failure in 15 flights. (That happened in July 2019.) Early this year, after the rocket's failure was investigated and addressed, Arianespace set a date for Vega's return-to-flight mission of March 23. But then the COVID-19 pandemic began spreading around the world, and the European spaceport in French Guiana was ultimately closed for about three months.
Finally, the launch date was reset for June 18. The four-stage rocket and its payload of 53 separate satellites—ranging from 1kg CubeSats up to 500kg mini-satellites—was readied. All appeared go for launch with this "VV16" mission nearly two weeks ago—then the forecast turned unfavorable.
The Vega rocket has a fairly narrow launch corridor for polar missions, and winds in the upper atmosphere along this path were unfavorable on June 18. The winds continued to be obstinate for rescheduled launch dates this past weekend (June 27 and June 28).
More at link.
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Rocket Report: SpaceX faces South Texas review, the Angara A5 costs too much
ars TECHNICA by Eric Berger - 7/3/2020
https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/07/rocket-report-dod-rescinds-rocket-awards-europeans-talk-up-ariane-7/ (https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/07/rocket-report-dod-rescinds-rocket-awards-europeans-talk-up-ariane-7/)
"Ariane 6 is a necessary step, but not the ultimate aim."
Welcome to Edition 3.06 of the Rocket Report! On Saturday, Americans will celebrate the Fourth of July with preposterously small solid rockets. Readers of this report, however, will know that every day of the year is worth celebrating with rockets. And there's plenty of news to go around this week, so let's get to it.
As always, we welcome reader submissions, and if you don't want to miss an issue, please subscribe using the box below (the form will not appear on AMP-enabled versions of the site). Each report will include information on small-, medium-, and heavy-lift rockets as well as a quick look ahead at the next three launches on the calendar.
(https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/smalll.png)
Weather forces a very long delay in Vega launch. The European rocket firm Arianespace has been trying to launch a Vega rocket carrying dozens of small satellites for the better part of a year. Most recently, unfavorable upper-level winds scuttled three different launch attempts in late June. On Wednesday, Arianespace seemed to throw up its hands in frustration and postpone the flight until August 17, "when the forecast is expected to be more favorable based on modeling of the winds."
OK, it wasn't just weather ... A seven-week delay due to weather seems excessive, so Ars dug a little further. The forecast for the next week or 10 days does look cruddy with regard to upper-level winds. But after that time, batteries onboard the vehicle (and some of the payloads) will need to be recharged, and doing so would delay an Ariane 5 launch planned for July 28. So Vega's return-to-flight mission got punted.
DoD withdraws small-launch contract awards. Well, that was fast. On June 16, the Defense Department announced it had selected Aevum, Astra, X-Bow, Rocket Lab, Space Vector, and VOX Space to receive noncompetitive contracts to launch two rideshare missions for government customers over the next 24 months. On Wednesday, the department reversed the decision.
More at link.
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Total Contract Values for NASA Human Landing System (HLS) winners: SpaceX $2.252B, Dynetics $5.273B, Blue Origin $10.182B
Reddit Posted byu/spacerfirstclass 7/3/2020
https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/comments/hkju5i/total_contract_values_for_nasa_human_landing/ (https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/comments/hkju5i/total_contract_values_for_nasa_human_landing/)
I was looking through recent SpaceX government contract awards and noticed they got $94M for HLS on May 19th, more interestingly the award showed a Base and All Options Value (Total Contract Value) of $2.252B. So I looked up the other two winners, they each has their own Base and All Options Value (Total Contract Value) as shown in the title of this post, here're the award pages in case you'd like to view them yourself:
SpaceX award 80MSFC20C0034 (https://beta.sam.gov/awards/90321762%2BAWARD): Total Contract Value $2.252B
Dynetics award 80MSFC20C0035 (https://beta.sam.gov/awards/90129403%2BAWARD): Total Contract Value $5.273B
Blue Origin award 80MSFC20C0020 (https://beta.sam.gov/awards/90133353%2BAWARD): Total Contract Value: $10.182B
So what does this mean? A simple guess is that this is the amount each company submitted in their HLS bid for finishing the development of their respective lander and doing the 2024 landing. Note this is speculation since I'm not sure what exactly the Total Contract Value covers, although SpaceX and Blue Origin's number is about what I would have guessed for the cost of their respective landers, but Dynetics' number seems to be way higher than I expected.
My expectation is based on the Source Selection Document (https://beta.sam.gov/api/prod/opps/v3/opportunities/resources/files/3488c1f1556745cb87c046135d8ffe00/download) for HLS, there is a discrepancy between these Total Contract Values and the Source Selection Document in that the Source Selection Document states:
Blue Origin has the highest Total Evaluated Price among the three offerors, at approximately the 35th percentile in comparison to the Independent Government Cost Estimate. Dynetics’ and SpaceX’s prices each respectively fall beneath the 10th percentile.
More at link.
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Rocket Lab launch failure
Behind the Black by Robert Zimmerman July 4, 2020
https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/rocket-lab-launch-failure/ (https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/rocket-lab-launch-failure/)
UPDATE: Mere seconds after I uploaded the post below, Rocket Lab announced that something had gone wrong late in the launch, resulting in the loss of all seven satellites.
This failure is the company’s second since their first test launch attempt. It will certainly prevent them from their goal this year of monthly launches.
The failure also changes the launch standings below. Rocket Lab is no longer among the leaders, and the U.S. leads China 16 to 14.
The original post:
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Capitalism in space: Rocket Lab today successfully completed the thirteenth launch of its Electron rocket, placing seven smallsats into orbit.
The picture above, captured from their live feed 34 seconds before launch, is most amusing because of the white sheep and black cattle grazing in the foreground.
This launch, three weeks after their previous launch, was their fastest turn-around so far. They made no attempt this time to recover the first stage, but noted that they plan to do so on their seventeenth launch, four launches from now.
The leaders in the 2020 launch race:
14 China
10 SpaceX
7 Russia
3 ULA
3 Rocket Lab
The U.S. now leads China 17 to 14 in the national rankings.
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SpaceX Starship prototype bears down on first Raptor engine tests
TESLARATI by Eric Ralph 7/6/2020
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-sn5-raptor-test-schedule (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-sn5-raptor-test-schedule)
SpaceX’s fifth full-scale Starship prototype is fast approaching its first Raptor static fire tests after the company recently delivered one of the newest engines to the launch site.
Known as Starship SN5, the ship is the fifth SpaceX has built since full-scale prototype development began in early 2019, as well as the fourth full-scale ship the company has completed since it began producing upgraded hardware in January 2020. SN5 rolled from SpaceX’s Boca Chica, Texas rocket factory to nearby test and launch facilities on June 24th, less than a month after Starship SN4 was destroyed by operator error minutes after completing its fourth Raptor static fire in four weeks.
While Starship SN5 was already more or less complete, SN4’s explosive demise damaged the launch mount (used to secure and fuel prototypes) beyond repair, forcing SpaceX to rapidly build and outfit a replacement. SpaceX finished that replacement mount around June 20th, installed SN5 on it a few days later, and then spent about a week finalizing and inspecting both components.
After barely a month of downtime, Starship SN5 kicked off its first gauntlet of tests late on June 30th, carrying on into the early morning of July 1st. As usual, SpaceX began with an ambient-temperature pressure test, filling Starship’s tanks with neutral nitrogen gas to check for leaks. This time around, SN5 must have been put together with exceptional care, as the company was able to immediately proceed into the ship’s first cryogenic proof test just a few hours later.
CEO Elon Musk has yet to offer any confirmation but the implication is that SN5 performed beautifully during its first liquid nitrogen proof test. Notably, based on NASASpaceflight.com’s excellent unofficial coverage, SN5’s cryo proof was uniquely ambitious. It’s unclear what if the test infrastructure, SN5, general confidence in the vehicle, or some combination of the above components were upgraded, but SpaceX appeared to load Starship SN5 with liquid nitrogen incredibly quickly, taking just 20-30 minutes to fully fuel the rocket. Given that all of that liquid nitrogen (some 1000+ metric tons or ~3.2 million gallons) is being loaded through a single “quick disconnect†panel, it’s no mean feat and far outweighs SpaceX’s already speedy Falcon 9 and Heavy propellant loading.
More at link.
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SpaceX Super Heavy ‘high bay’ construction begins in South Texas
TESLARATI By Eric Ralph 7/7/2020
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-super-heavy-high-bay-construction/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-super-heavy-high-bay-construction/)
After several weeks of preparations, SpaceX has begun assembling the massive ‘high bay’ it will use to stack and outfit Starship’s massive Super Heavy boosters.
Over the last six or so months, SpaceX has been hard at work expanding and upgrading its Boca Chica, Texas Starship factory, part of which has included building multiple ‘high bays’ (also known as vehicle/vertical assembling builds or VABs). So far, those buildings have been sized explicitly for Starship production and are not even tall enough to allow Starships to be fully integrated, instead serving as bays for Starship tank section assembly.
The VAB SpaceX has been almost exclusively using for the last four or so months is roughly 45m (115 ft) tall, leaving just enough clearance for Starship tank sections to be stacked by an external crane on simple work stands. The Starship VAB is also wide enough for two ships to be simultaneously stacked and outfitted, a capability SpaceX recently took advantage of while building Starships SN4, SN5, and SN6. With a conical nose section installed, Starship alone will measure some 50m (165 ft) from tail to tip – more than 70% as tall as an entire two-stage Falcon 9 or Falcon Heavy rocket. The ship’s Super Heavy booster (first stage), however, is dramatically larger, still, and will need its own similarly-sized production facilities.
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NASA Moon Budget Denied & Boca Chica At Risk Due To FAA? [Starship SpaceX News]
2 The Future with Jixuan & Sebastian 7/13/2020
Can SpaceX Colonize the Moon & Mars SIMULTANEOUSLY?! https://youtu.be/3pHrIrLAAjk (https://youtu.be/3pHrIrLAAjk)
10 Reasons To Colonize The Moon BEFORE Mars! https://youtu.be/pzzDWqQ-zes (https://youtu.be/pzzDWqQ-zes)
Or Is Mars The FIRST Place To Go: https://youtu.be/xD6h5fT72Jg (https://youtu.be/xD6h5fT72Jg)
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_x_th_8vmA#)
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SpaceX Starship kicks off busy week of tests to prepare for flight debut
TESLARATI by Eric Ralph 7/20/2020
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-test-week-flight-debut-prep/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-test-week-flight-debut-prep/)
After many delays, SpaceX’s fifth full-scale Starship prototype is almost ready for a busy week of crucial tests that will determine whether the rocket will become the first of its kind to take flight.
On June 24th, SpaceX lifted Starship serial number 5 (SN5) onto a robotic transporter and rolled the giant steel rocket about a mile down the road to the company’s nearby test facilities and launch pad. Already slowed down a number of weeks by Starship SN4’s explosive end a month prior, teams were in the middle of completing extensive pad repairs (and likely some upgrades, too). Nevertheless, about a week after arriving at the pad, SpaceX kicked off two important tests – both of which SN5 would need to pass to move on to bigger challenges.
Pass those tests Starship SN5 certainly did, completing an ambient temperature pressure test to check for leaks, immediately followed by a cryogenic proof test that proved the ship was structurally sound and ready for short hops. While significant, SpaceX has only tested SN5 (and its repaired pad systems) with benign liquid nitrogen – still extremely cold but chemically unreactive (i.e. nonexplosive). The pad repairs still need to be fully put through their paces with combustible liquid methane and oxygen propellant, as does Starship SN5. Enter today’s planned test.
Video: SpaceX Boca Chica continues its rapid cadence of production. Numerous new parts were spotted being fabricated on Saturday. Meanwhile, SN5 is set for a fuel tanking test on Monday.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8s4vIuQLYI&feature=emb_logo#)
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Starship SN5 - Venting + Falcon 9 Landing - SpaceX Boca Chica (20-07-2020)
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh4ae2gvRr8#)
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SpaceX begins building upgraded Starship prototype
TESLARATI By Eric Ralph 7/21/2020
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-sn8-upgraded-prototype/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-sn8-upgraded-prototype/)
A Starship part spotted on July 20th confirms that SpaceX is already well into the process of building a significantly upgraded full-scale prototype.
Following in the footsteps of five or six full-scale ships before it, information published by NASASpaceflight.com suggests that Starship SN8 will be a substantial departure from its predecessors. Thanks to data gathered by testing the Starship SN7 test tank to destruction on June 24th, SpaceX has determined that a different alloy – known as 304L – is superior to the 301 stainless steel all Starship prototypes have been built out of up to now.
SN8 is SpaceX’s response to that discovery. As usual, the company has performed smaller tests before deciding to build a full-scale Starship prototype – identical to all previous SNx prototypes beyond the alloy change – out of 304L stainless steel. As a result, Starship SN8 – once complete – may have the most potential of any prototype built thus far, but its fate will also be more uncertain than most of its predecessors.
On June 24th, SpaceX destroyed the SN7 Starship test tank as part of a controlled cryogenic proof test – essentially a pressure test at cryogenic (ultra-cold) temperatures. Departing from routine, CEO Elon Musk never commented on the test, leaving its results shrouded in mystery. According to NASASpaceflight, however, SN7 “achieved a record pressure before it failed.â€
More at link.
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Virgin Orbit identifies cause of engine shutdown on first LauncherOne flight
Space News by Jeff Foust — July 22, 2020
https://spacenews.com/virgin-orbit-identifies-cause-of-engine-shutdown-on-first-launcherone-flight/ (https://spacenews.com/virgin-orbit-identifies-cause-of-engine-shutdown-on-first-launcherone-flight/)
The first flight of Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne rocket failed to reach orbit in May when a propellant line broke seconds after the ignition of the rocket’s first stage engine, the company’s chief executive said July 22.
Speaking at a webinar organized by the Space Generation Advisory Council, an organization for young space industry professionals, Dan Hart said the demonstration mission for the LauncherOne rocket May 25 went well until several seconds after the ignition of the NewtonThree engine that powers the rocket’s first stage.
“We had a component break in our engine system. It was a high-pressure feed line,†he said. Liquid oxygen “stopped going into the engine and our flight was terminated.â€
The company has performed an investigation and identified what needs to be fixed in the engine to strengthen the components that failed. A second LauncherOne rocket is in final integration right now and will be leaving the factory in the next few weeks while modifications to the engine continue. “We’ll be targeting our next flight before the end of the year,†Hart said.
More at link.
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SpaceX Boca Chica - The Spaceport survives a brush with Hurricane Hanna
Mary takes us on a tour around the soggy SpaceX production facility after Hurricane Hanna dumped large amounts of rain the previous day. Small amounts of flooding appear to have been contained to the surrounding areas outside of the facility.
Video and Pictures from Mary (@BocaChicaGal). Edited by Brady Kenniston (@TheFavoritist)
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsx6KJimmmw#)
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Live: Starship SN5 Static Fire Test From Boca Chica, Texas
SpaceX is set to conduct a static fire test with the Starship SN5 prototype in Boca Chica, Texas. If successful, the test may clear the way for the 150-meter hop.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd7eA9L6J0s#)
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SpaceX Starship engine test aborted twice in one day by hurricane damage and bugs
TESLARATI by Eric Ralph 7/28/2020
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-engine-test-two-aborts-one-day (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-engine-test-two-aborts-one-day)
SpaceX has been unable to catch a break in the last few weeks and CEO Elon Musk says that a Starship Raptor engine test was delayed twice in one day by minor hardware bugs and damage caused by Hurricane Hanna.
Although it quickly devolved into a tropical storm and largely missed the southernmost tip of Texas, where SpaceX has built its Starship factory and test facilities, Hanna caused significant damage just a few dozen miles to the north. Above all else, the flooding caused by Hanna has by far been the worst part of the storm. Boca Chica managed to dodge the bulk of that element but was still hit by heavy rain that lasted for a day or two, drenching everything that wasn’t covered and nearly flooding the only access road.
According to Musk, an unspecified “connector†related to Starship SN5 or the pad supporting it was damaged by Hanna’s glancing encounter with SpaceX’s facilities. The connector was ultimately fixed around 7-8 pm CDT per unofficial webcasts showing technicians working around the rocket after they returned to the pad, but SpaceX’s test window technically closed at 8 pm CDT (01:00 UTC).
I was just out at the launch pad. Connector damaged in the storm, but fixed now. Might be able to fire tonight or at least get to the next issue.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 28, 2020
Nevertheless, SpaceX must have been able to work with local sheriffs to extend that road closure into the night, and – as promised by CEO Elon Musk – testing restarted around 9:30 pm CDT. About an hour and a half later, Starship SN5 appeared to make it all the way through a partial wet dress rehearsal before its Raptor engine test fire was aborted a second time. Based on four static fires completed by Starship SN4 in May 2020, the rocket could have been just a few minutes away from ignition.
Fuel spin valve didn’t open. Will fix & try again tomorrow. Also, some odd TVC hydraulic pump behavior.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 28, 2020
According to Musk, Starship SN5’s fuel (methane) “spin valve†– presumably a valve that opens to allow methane gas to spin up Raptor’s fuel turbopump – failed to open when it was supposed to. To ensure Raptor’s health after three inactive weeks spent installed on Starship out in the elements, SpaceX likely planned what is known as a “spin prime†test directly prior to the static fire. If Raptor successfully spun up its turbopumps, SpaceX would proceed directly into static fire operations without having to detank Starship.
During SN5’s second July 27th static fire attempt, Raptor was unable to start that spin prime test, forcing SpaceX to stand down to diagnose and fix the problem. Musk says that SpaceX will attempt to static fire Starship SN5 again tomorrow (July 28th) – assuming the issue can be quickly rectified.
More at link.
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SpaceX Starship Updates! SN5 Static Fire Testing Aborted! TheSpaceXShow
TheSpaceXFans
10.1K subscribers
Welcome to the latest SpaceX Starship updates video from TheSpaceXFans. Today’s episode begins with a couple of SpaceX updates with the upcoming launch of Starlink-9 and some info on the astronauts who will fly on the Crew Dragon Crew-2 mission. However, most of the video consists of looking at Boca Chica infrastructure updates, as well as the SN5 static fire testing which was aborted twice. Then, we wrap up the video with a new SN8 component that has arrived. Sit back and enjoy!
All sorts of cool and up to date SpaceX info from launches to boosters and more: https://thespacex.fans/ (https://thespacex.fans/)
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wApQW0i6Scc#)
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SpaceX Starship static fire success sets rocket up for hop debut
TESLARATI by Eric Ralph 7/31/2020
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-static-fire-success-hop-test/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-static-fire-success-hop-test/)
At long last, SpaceX’s fifth Starship prototype has successfully ignited its lone Raptor engine in a test known as a static fire, paving the way for the first flight of a full-scale Starship as early as this weekend.
After almost three weeks of delays and several aborted attempts, SpaceX managed to fix a variety of relatively minor hardware bugs described by CEO Elon Musk on July 28th. The first static fire attempt was originally scheduled as early as July 10th and wound up gradually slipping a few days at a time to July 25th. Thus began another series of delays after static fire attempts – with varying progress from each – were aborted on July 25th, 27th (x2), and the morning of the 30th.
Thankfully, though those aborts and scrubs and delays have finally come to an end – at least for the moment. If things go according to plan over the next several days and teams are able to rectify a critical issue discovered earlier this week, Starship SN5 could become the first full-scale of its kind to lift off (intentionally) just a few days from now.
More at link.
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I don't know if this was posted when the story was new (7/17), but splashdown of the Crew Dragon is scheduled for this Sunday.
NASA plans to return its astronauts in SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft on Aug. 2
-- NASA plans to return astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley on board SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft.
-- The spacecraft is scheduled to splash down in the Atlantic Ocean on Aug. 2.
-- Splashdown and recovery would mark the conclusion of NASA and SpaceX’s Demo-2 mission, the first time Elon Musk’s company has flown astronauts.
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/17/nasa-plans-to-return-astronauts-in-spacexs-crew-dragon-on-aug-2.html (https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/17/nasa-plans-to-return-astronauts-in-spacexs-crew-dragon-on-aug-2.html)
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I don't know if this was posted when the story was new (7/17), but splashdown of the Crew Dragon is scheduled for this Sunday.
NASA plans to return its astronauts in SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft on Aug. 2
I posted it here:http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,409481.0.html (http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,409481.0.html)
Crew Dragon Splashdown | Astronauts Bob and Doug Homecoming
« on: July 25, 2020, 09:21:01 PM »
Kennedy Space Center 8/2/2020 TBA
https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/launches-and-events/events-calendar/2020/august/crew-dragon-splashdown (https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/launches-and-events/events-calendar/2020/august/crew-dragon-splashdown)
Two months ago, astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley became the first humans to launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center to the International Space Station (ISS). On August 1st, Bob and Doug plan to undock from the ISS to begin their return home. Their safe splashdown, targeted for August 2nd, will mark the success of the mission and the beginning of regular crew flights to the space station.
If the splashdown date and time are within visitor complex’s operating hours, guests may be able to watch the splashdown live feed from the main visitor complex with an Explore More admission ticket. Check back here or follow us on social media for the announcement of a time for the homecoming of these two astronauts.
Please note that similar to rocket launches, the scheduled splashdown date, time and viewing opportunities are subject to change. The splashdown time can be affected by technical and mechanical issues as well weather, either in advance or at the last minute.
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NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken prepare for historic return to Earth in SpaceX capsule
https://www.foxnews.com/science/nasa-astronauts-doug-hurley-bob-behnken-prepare-return-to-earth-spacex (https://www.foxnews.com/science/nasa-astronauts-doug-hurley-bob-behnken-prepare-return-to-earth-spacex)
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Watch SpaceX hop Starship SN-5!
•Started streaming 7 minutes ago
Everyday Astronaut
Gene and Rachel from Spadre [@SouthPadreIsle] are right at the edge of the exclusion zone with one of my my slow motion cameras to catch SpaceX perform a test flight of Starship SN-5!
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ux_t7R-heM#)
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I just got a txt that the hop has been pushed to 6:30.
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T - ~32 Minutes
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T - ~ 10 Minutes
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It appears that they are de-tanking.
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"De-Tanking." I guess it's off?
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Possible problem with the Raptor Engine's fuel pump.
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Trevor Mahlmann @TrevorMahlmann
SCRUB: SN5 testing is done for the day.
“A turbopump spin start valve didn’t open, triggering an automatic abort.â€
-@elonmusk
See y’all tomorrow!
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:shrug:
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That's what testing's all about.
I used to think that there was nothing more boring than a successful test. But I was testing computer systems, not rockets.
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SN5 is being fueled again.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QbM7Vsz3kg#)
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10 minute Siren 5 minutes ago T - ~4 minutes
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Lift-Off!!
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It landed standing!!!
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It landed standing!!!
Damn I missed it. We are one step closer to Mars.
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Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwVTKCYKuR0#)
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Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwVTKCYKuR0#)
CRAP...why did you have to post this stuff...lol. I viewed it on Youtube on my office computer and didn't get a thing done...lol. All your fault...lol. It was sooooo cooool to watch though. Tiny little legs...amazing it was even able to land on them.
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Another hop video
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=60&v=s1HA9LlFNM0&feature=emb_logo#)
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SpaceX's Starship Program Gathers Momentum | SpaceX in the News
spaceXcentric
131K subscribers
SpaceX's Starship Program Gathers Momentum | SpaceX in the News Episode 106. Today we heat things up by starting off with the most recent Starship updates available. Then debrief the now completed Demo-2 mission, as well as this morning's Starlink launch. Then finish with today's Honorable Mention.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yH0jbpp6Fvs#)
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SpaceX Boca Chica - The first ever Starship Post Flight Processing Flow
1,218 views
•Aug 8, 2020
A full video showing how the SpaceX teams took care of Starship SN5 following her hop on to the landing pad. This is the first time - for Starship - that there's been a post-flight processing flow.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XhckZNid94#)
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SpaceX Starship Updates – How did SN5 do? – Super Heavy: How to fit 31 Raptor Engines
•Aug 7, 2020
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NabfBi8Ey8Q#)
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SpaceX Starship Updates – How did SN5 do? – Super Heavy: How to fit 31 Raptor Engines
•Aug 7, 2020
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NabfBi8Ey8Q#)
Thanks for posting this.
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SpaceX reveals plans for a Texas spaceport resort in new job ad
Techcrunch by Darrell Etherington 8/10/2020
https://techcrunch.com/2020/08/10/spacex-reveals-plans-for-a-texas-spaceport-resort-in-new-job-ad/ (https://techcrunch.com/2020/08/10/spacex-reveals-plans-for-a-texas-spaceport-resort-in-new-job-ad/)
SpaceX has big plans for its Boca Chica, Texas site – where it’s currently building and testing Starship, the company’s next-generation passenger and cargo spacecraft. A new job posting spotted by CNBC’s Micheal Sheetz seeks a “Resort Development Manager†to be based out of Brownsville, the nearest neighboring town to the small Boca Chica area where SpaceX has built out its existing test and development site.
The job posting seeks a manger to “oversee the development of SpaceX’s first resort from inception to completion,†with the ultimate aim of turning Boca Chica into a “21st century Spaceport.†That would include overseeing the entire design and construction process, as well as getting all necessary work permits and regulatory approvals, and completing the ultimate build of the facility.
SpaceX has provided some concept designs of what its ideal spaceports might look like, and CEO Elon Musk shared his intent to build floating spaceports for both interstellar and point-to-point Earth travel back in June, when the company announced it was seeking Offshore Operations Engineers, also to be located in Brownsville.
More at link.
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SpaceX Boca Chica Launch Schedule:
SPadre
@SpacePadreIsle
SN6 - Encore
SN7 - Walk the plank
SN5 - You know what to do
SN8 - Fly my pretty!
http://twitter.com/i/status/1293348232286920709 (http://twitter.com/i/status/1293348232286920709)
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SpaceX Starship prototypes swap places for next hop test
TESLARATI by Eric Ralph 8/11/2020
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-swap-sn5-sn6-next-hop-test/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-swap-sn5-sn6-next-hop-test/)
SpaceX is swapping two almost identical Starships to allow for the first flight-proven prototype to be repaired while wasting no time preparing for the next Starship hop test.
Known as Starships serial number 5 and 6 (SN5/SN6), the twin prototypes were built more or less simultaneously and completed within a few weeks of each other. Due to a number of delays largely unrelated to Starship SN5 itself, the rocket’s test campaign suffered several weeks of delays, giving SpaceX’s production team plenty of time to complete sister ship SN6 well before it was needed. For a time, it wasn’t even clear if SN6 had a future, given comments made by CEO Elon Musk that the next full-scale prototype – Starship SN8 – would be a significant upgrade, potentially making SN6 redundant.
However, on August 3rd, SN5 stunned with what appeared to be an almost flawless Starship hop debut. The success confirmed that the design – while likely outdated upon SN8’s arrival – was still more than satisfactory for low-altitude, low-velocity flight tests. In the afterglow of a milestone ~18 months in the making, Musk almost immediately revealed that SpaceX’s next goal was to perform hop test after hop test until Starship flight operations are more or less routine. Today’s transport operations mean that that multi-hop test campaign could be right around the corner.
SN7 will be new alloy test tank taken to burst pressure. SN8 will have body flaps & nosecone.
In line with additional information conveyed by Musk a few days after SN5’s hop debut, SpaceX has transported Starship SN5 back to nearby production facilities and quite literally traded places with Starship SN6 in a vertical assembly hangar.
We’ll do several short hops to smooth out launch process, then go high altitude with body flaps
More at link.
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SpaceX vs. Blue Origin: Elon Musk responds to Starship size comparison
Inverse by Mike Brown 8/14/2020
https://www.inverse.com/innovation/spacex-vs-blue-origin-elon-musk-responds-to-starship-size-comparison (https://www.inverse.com/innovation/spacex-vs-blue-origin-elon-musk-responds-to-starship-size-comparison)
How big will the SpaceX Starship internal cabin be? Thanks to a new illustration, we have a slightly clearer idea.
A size comparison shared on Twitter Friday has caught the attention of SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. The image, produced by Georgia Tech industrial designer Ken Kirtland IV, shows six rocket fairings with a person inside to demonstrate their sheer scale. The image shows a United Launch Alliance Vulcan fairing in both standard and extended variants, a Blue Origin New Glenn fairing, and three SpaceX fairings. The SpaceX fairings cover the current Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy fairing, an extended variant for the Falcon Heavy, and the nosecone used on the upcoming Starship.
Responding to the size comparison, Musk explained:
"Starship fairing will actually have more height than shown here. Dome will be flatter & more of tip is accessible. Usable volume ~1000 cubic meters."
The image helps put into perspective the sheer scale of the project currently being undertaken at SpaceX. The company is developing the Starship at its Boca Chica facility in Texas. The fully-reusable ship stands around 400 feet tall when paired with the Super Heavy booster, and is capable of transporting over 150 tons or 100 people into space at a time. SpaceX plans to use the ship to establish a human city on Mars by 2050.
The ambitious ship requires an ambitious fairing. The company is aiming to offer up to 1,000 cubic meters of volume. That should result in pressurized cabin space of comparable size to an Airbus A380. Musk has explained before his plans to offer cabins for two to three people, using each side of the room more effectively due to the nature of zero gravity.
More at link.
(https://imgix.bustle.com/uploads/image/2020/8/14/1e33980b-e0f8-41f2-8476-93f7275ea2ee-screenshot-2020-08-14-at-124107.png?w=710&h=1097.1644295302015&auto=format%2Ccompress&cs=srgb&q=70&fit=max&crop=faces)
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Starship SN6 successful cryogenic test (1) Mr. Best 8/16/2020
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dydPcapk3Xk#)
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SpaceX Boca Chica - Introducing Starship SN9, while SN8 is flipped
NASA Spaceflight 8/15/2020
Two new SpaceX Starships are being assembled in Boca Chica with SN8's Aft Section flipped while SN9 made its first public appearance in the form of its Common Dome.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wm_1YPo7-E4#)
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SN6 begins test campaign as future Starships hatch plans for SpaceX’s next leap
NASA Spaceflight by Chris Bergin August 16, 2020
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/08/sn6-campaign-future-starships-hatch-next-leap/ (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/08/sn6-campaign-future-starships-hatch-next-leap/)
Following the successful test of Starship SN5 during its 150-meter hop just a week ago, the next Starship (SN6) is preparing to repeat the test in the coming days. With a potential tag-team – or hop-team – role for SN5 and SN6, a roadmap is starting to form ahead of the more ambitious tests that will involve Starships SN8 and SN9 – both of which are already under various stages of construction at SpaceX Boca Chica.
With the incredible build and test cadence continuing at SpaceX’s facility in South Texas, a “hot-swap†in the Mid Bay was required after SN5 rolled back from the launch site, following what was the first successful hop of a Starship test vehicle.
With SN6 already assembled in the Mid Bay and waiting patiently for her turn at testing, the two prototypes swapped places, allowing SN5 to take SN6’s slot in the bay, while the latter rolled to the vacated test mount at the launch site.
Starship SN6 – a near-twin to SN5 – is currently pushing through a pre-hop test sequence that includes proof-testing ahead of a Static Fire test, laying the path toward its own 150-meter hop.
SpaceX CEO and Chief Designer Elon Musk recently noted there will be numerous hops to refine the launch sequence, providing useful data ahead of the next major milestones that will see a future Starship launch as high as 20 kilometers.
This could result in SN5 and SN6 tag-teaming over the coming weeks, each replaying their 150-meter hops under the power of a single Raptor engine.
More at link.
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Why SpaceX’s Starship will fall like a skydiver and not fly like an airplane
Everyday Astronaut 10/16/2018
Ever since SpaceX tweeted this photo on September 13th, 2018, a lot of people fear the BFR is slowly turning into the space shuttle. Quoting ever growing wings and a giant heat shield covering the belly of the ship… so how is this any different than the Space Shuttle?
Today we’ll to cover three topics. First, we’ll compare the reentry of the space shuttle to the reentry of the BFS and show how they differ. Then we’ll explain what control surfaces allow the BFS to perform this reentry, and then we’ll compare the thermal protection systems of the Shuttle and the BFS.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCCw_M8MAU0#)
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Upcoming Space Mission To Test Purdue-Developed Drag Sail Pulling Rocket Back To Earth
WBIW by Kayla Wiles 8/20/2020
http://www.wbiw.com/2020/08/20/upcoming-space-mission-to-test-purdue-developed-drag-sail-pulling-rocket-back-to-earth/ (http://www.wbiw.com/2020/08/20/upcoming-space-mission-to-test-purdue-developed-drag-sail-pulling-rocket-back-to-earth/)
A rocket is going up into space with a drag sail. The goal? For the drag sail to bring the rocket back to Earth, preventing it from becoming like the thousands of pieces of space junk in Earth’s lower orbit.
The drag sail, developed by Purdue University engineers, will be on board a Firefly Aerospace (https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUUSiWNZZsAThTr7oW1FroSc-3DaMVx_yr-2BB7GhRmt281BQRpjbkBqGWK5juyunyub-2FeA1N-2F3PUaqMIAn9wsvG2BCmZEZ6BrWLDYme5XCBjlP5QNw61CutHPdWE8khX4VrVttdClX-2BtOBRSi0Lr5VKVgh3AzmjITjhQkgjbQeTfLGBzM2zoE4M2N7YkpWsGh0WsY0oymHIXyXs67-2FiugW4QUz2PfhFfzPBgVm1itTlj7iPg-2BjZ-2BYpM-2F9-2BaaMRNHKhn2q6b4UYop6h2-2FGxGHOfG6A16lz1KcF4eAPfuF79Ia5efSmuMet-2BnsN0ouB08SWsuCiSgI4-2BDPdVyuLR0xzEE9b5Pk8YM1elAYtwE8MC2pxrB3CbHwjDQ-3D-3D) rocket expected to launch in November from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
This sail and six other “Dedicated Research and Education Accelerator Mission†(DREAM) payloads are flying on Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha launch, the first flight for the launch vehicle company.
Purdue spacecraft laboratory engineer Anthony Cofer works in a vacuum chamber where he tested the drag sail’s motor and controller. (Purdue University photo/Mark Simons)
“High-value orbits around Earth are getting congested,†said David Spencer, a Purdue adjunct associate professor of aeronautics and astronautics and the mission manager for the Mars Sample Return Campaign at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
More at link.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=60&v=M3iwIPbYwSE&feature=emb_logo#)
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The drag sail, developed by Purdue University engineers,
Ok,ok,Purdue UNIVERSITY,not the Purdue dog food guys.
I don't mind admitting that came as a bit of a relief. Should have been in the damn headline!
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And it wasn't the Purina dog food guys either.
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Latest in space
@latestinspace
·
14h
Future rocket engineers
http://twitter.com/i/status/1296777757628805120 (http://twitter.com/i/status/1296777757628805120)
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SpaceX Successful SN6 Static Fire @ 19:44 CDT
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORQeJNXM_FA#)
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SpaceX Successful SN6 Static Fire @ 19:44 CDT
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORQeJNXM_FA#)
Great!!!!
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SpaceX hopes to 'hop' another Starship prototype this weekend
cnet by Eric Mack 8/26/2020
https://www.cnet.com/news/spacex-hopes-to-hop-another-starship-prototype-this-weekend/ (https://www.cnet.com/news/spacex-hopes-to-hop-another-starship-prototype-this-weekend/)
If you missed it the first time around, there may be another opportunity, in the coming days, to see an early version of Elon Musk's Mars rocket take a very short flight.
SpaceX has been working at its Boca Chica, Texas, site to develop Starship, its next-generation spacecraft designed to eventually take people to the moon, Mars and even farther.
Cameron County, Texas, where the development site is located, has issued an all-day road closure for this Friday, with backup dates on Saturday and Sunday, suggesting that SpaceX hopes to hop SN6, its next prototype, this weekend.
More at link.
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Watch the Starship SN6 150m HOP LIVE
RocketGyan
Live @ 12:30PM 8/30 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzjNSoOvu7M (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzjNSoOvu7M)
Watch the Elon Musk's SpaceX Launch Starship SN6 150m hop LIVE.
With a first successful hop test under their belts using a full-scale prototype, SpaceX is pressing ahead with the testing of the Starship. Tomorrow (on Sunday, August 30th), SpaceX will be attempting to make a second 150 meter (500 ft) hop test, this time with their sixth Starship prototype (SN6). It’s all part of a very busy weekend for SpaceX, with no less than three launches planned.
SpaceX’s Starship will be attempting its second test flight with Starship Serial Number (SN)-6. SN-6 will launch from its Boca Chica launch site in South Texas. The vehicle will fly to an altitude of 150 meters, and come down for a landing at a landing pad next to the launch site. SN-6 is SpaceX’s latest prototype vehicle to be tested. If all goes well, it will pave the way for future, higher hops.
Starship is SpaceX’s next-generation super-heavy launch vehicle. Starship can refer to the second stage of the vehicle or the entirety of the launch vehicle. Its first stage, known as Super Heavy, will have 31 Raptor engines and will produce 71.2 MN (16 million lbf) of thrust. That will make it more powerful than the Saturn V moon rocket. Starship and Super Heavy will lift off from a launchpad in either Boca Chica, Texas, Cape Canaveral, Florida, or from a modified oil rig. After main engine cut-off (MECO), Super Heavy will separate from Starship and perform several maneuvers to go back and land on a landing pad near the launch site. Starship will continue on to orbit. Depending on the mission, Starship will either deploy its payload or rendezvous with several “tanker†Starships and refuel before continuing to the Moon or Mars.
More text at link.
Live @ 12:30PM 8/30
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzjNSoOvu7M#)
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LIVE: SpaceX Hops Starship SN6 to 150 Meters
14,313 watching now
•Started streaming 50 minutes ago
NASASpaceflight
124K subscribers
SpaceX is attempting to hop Starship SN6 to an altitude of 150 meters. Starship SN6 is outfitted with Raptor SN29 for the test flight.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVA01awAEBY#)
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Tank Farm Activity.
Hop in ~ 40 min????
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Propellant loaded. Hop <20min away.
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Aborted hop for now.
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Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0FpwPv5N-A#)
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Too Windy to hop
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Too Windy to hop
Looking at Tuesday, right?
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Looking at Tuesday, right?
They are going to try again Tomorrow.
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Don't look good. Winds gusting to 30mph.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQJInT3-_-s#)
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They are on the coast and it's Texas...what did they expect. The wind always blows here. Seriously how much could a 30 mph wind blow that heavy thing? We used to play in tennis tourneys in Corpus Christi and the wind always blew.
Since it's just the booster, I suspect it's a "drag-sensitive" object. 30 MPH puts a significant horizontal stress on the rocket booster. That could foul the test results.
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Sapphire Cam - Starship SN6 Launching Live At SpaceX Boca Chica Launch Facility
LabPadre
70.3K subscribers
WEDNESDAY 9/02/2020 BOCA CHICA NEWS: || New TFR posted for 1,800 FT. || SN6 Hop test Sept 3rd, 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. CDT, backup dates, Sept 4th & 5th 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. CDT || SN 7.1 testing scheduled. Sept 6, 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. CDT w/backup 7th & 8th, 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. CDT || F9 Starlink launch, delayed to Sept 3rd. 8:46 a.m EDT, (12:46 UTC) || SN8 stacked in MB. || HB final level work continues.
Thank you for watching LabPadre's live stream from Boca Chica and South Padre Island in Texas. Subscribe for more SpaceX live coverage.
Live Nerdle Cam(1) Link: https://youtu.be/Ky5l9ZxsG9M (https://youtu.be/Ky5l9ZxsG9M)
Live Lab Cam(2) Link: https://youtu.be/ZCKpMjrlWfY (https://youtu.be/ZCKpMjrlWfY)
Live Predator Cam(4) Link: https://youtu.be/QsfTL-Wr9LE (https://youtu.be/QsfTL-Wr9LE)
Live Sentinel cam(5) Link: https://youtu.be/n5ozYnVQahE (https://youtu.be/n5ozYnVQahE)
Onsite Weather - http://weather.labpadre.com (http://weather.labpadre.com)
Boca Chica Operations - http://www.cameroncounty.us/space-x/ (http://www.cameroncounty.us/space-x/)
FAA Notices To Airmen - https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr2/list.html (https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr2/list.html)
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQJInT3-_-s#)
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Road closed @ 9:13 Winds 11mph w gusts of 16mph
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Pad Clear @ 10:01 Wind now 15 - 21mph
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Pad Clear @ 10:01 Wind now 15 - 21mph
Not looking good....
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They need to start a couple of hours before dawn and launch right after dawn. That's when my son and I would launch his Estes rockets, before the wind picked up.
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They need to start a couple of hours before dawn and launch right after dawn. That's when my son and I would launch his Estes rockets, before the wind picked up.
Exactly what I was thinking. The wind always seems to lay down around dawn. Hard to get those engineers up early I guess...lol.
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Fueling. SN6 is starting to vent wind 20 - 25 mph
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siren! 10 Minutes to hop ignition
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10 min. siren....
Winds are as high as the other day....odd they'd try it.
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Bravo!!!!
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So when they vent before and after the flight are they venting methane? If they are then I'd love to know their carbon footprint...LOLOL.
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So when they vent before and after the flight are they venting methane? If they are then I'd love to know their carbon footprint...LOLOL.
They are venting both oxygen and methane to empty the fuel tanks.
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SpaceX launches another Starship test vehicle in South Texas [video]
TESMANIAN by Evelyn Arevalo September 03, 2020
https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/starship-sn6-hop-test (https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/starship-sn6-hop-test)
SpaceX is in the initial phase of developing its Mars launch vehicle, Starship. It will be a gigantic stainless-steel spacecraft capable of transporting one hundred passengers on long-duration voyages. Today, September 3, SpaceX completed another low-altitude test flight of a Starship prototype in South Texas. The vehicle called Starship SN6 soared 150-meters above Boca Chica beach’s sunny sky, powered by a single Raptor engine; SN6 deployed a set of six legs to perform a controlled landing on a nearby pad. The incredible feat that demonstrated SpaceX’s engineering talent was captured on video by residents, shown below.
This ‘hop’ test launch comes after a previous prototype SN5 conducted a similar flight less than a month ago. The company aims to make flying Starship test vehicles routine at Boca Chica. Every test flight will offer engineers insight about the Raptor engine power and spacecraft design. Every test takes SpaceX one step closer towards developing a space-ready Starship. The aerospace company aims to fly as many as twenty Starship prototypes in Texas, each will feature slight changes towards improving the craft. SpaceX already has multiple Starships under assembly at the rocket factory that is less than five miles down the launch pad’s road.
Unlike the cylinder prototype that took flight this afternoon, the next prototype that will take flight, SN8, will be a fully assembled vehicle with a nose cone and a set of aerodynamic fins that resemble the company’s planned spacecraft design. Starship SN8 will be powered by a trio of Raptor engines to conduct a higher-altitude test flight of around 20-kilometers.
More at link.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=jVcn2yQReDI&feature=emb_logo#)
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SpaceX Releases Footage of Successful Starship SN6 Hop | SpaceX in the News
121,277 views
•Sep 3, 2020
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nho9HWVPgh4#)
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SpaceX Starship Prototype Flight Comparison SN5 VS SN6
smallstars •Sep 4, 2020
Lets look at the cool little differences between SpaceX's SN5 and SN6's Starship Prototype Test flight side by side!
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Dkp8Ziom8U#)
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Mary@BocaChicaGal
A peek at Starship SN6 on the landing pad at SpaceX Boca Chica. SN6 successfully completed a 150m hop on September 3rd.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1302413476627873793?cn=ZmxleGlibGVfcmVjcw%3D%3D&refsrc=email (https://twitter.com/i/status/1302413476627873793?cn=ZmxleGlibGVfcmVjcw%3D%3D&refsrc=email)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EhMX1mNXkAIzm0H?format=jpg&name=small)(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EhMX2-dXkAEoJdO?format=jpg&name=small)
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Mary@BocaChicaGal
A peek at Starship SN6 on the landing pad at SpaceX Boca Chica. SN6 successfully completed a 150m hop on September 3rd.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1302413476627873793?cn=ZmxleGlibGVfcmVjcw%3D%3D&refsrc=email (https://twitter.com/i/status/1302413476627873793?cn=ZmxleGlibGVfcmVjcw%3D%3D&refsrc=email)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EhMX1mNXkAIzm0H?format=jpg&name=small)(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EhMX2-dXkAEoJdO?format=jpg&name=small)
Odd that the "grain silo" has such a lean to it on landing. I noticed in flight that it had this same lean.
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Odd that the "grain silo" has such a lean to it on landing. I noticed in flight that it had this same lean.
It's probably flying and landing at an angle due to only being powered by one engine that is mounted "off center".
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Elon Musk says Starship SN8 prototype will have a nosecone and attempt a 60,000-foot return flight
Tech Crunch by Darrell Etherington 9/12/2020
https://techcrunch.com/2020/09/12/elon-musk-says-starship-sn8-prototype-will-have-a-nosecone-and-attempt-a-60000-foot-return-flight/ (https://techcrunch.com/2020/09/12/elon-musk-says-starship-sn8-prototype-will-have-a-nosecone-and-attempt-a-60000-foot-return-flight/)
Elon Musk has shared some details about future testing of Starship, the SpaceX launch vehicle currently being developed by the company at its Boca Chica, Texas facility. Recently, SpaceX has completed short, 150 meter (just under 500 feet) test flights of two earlier Starship prototypes, SN5 and SN6 – and SN8, which is currently set to be done construction “in about a week†according to Musk will have “flaps & nosecone†and ultimately is intended for a much higher altitude test launch.
The prototypes that SpaceX has flown and landed for its so-called ‘short-hop’ tests over the past few weeks have been full-sized, but with a simulated weight installed on the top in place of the actual domed nosecone that will perch atop the final production Starship and protect any cargo on board. SN5 and SN6, which are often compared to grain silos, are also lacking the large control flaps on either side of the nosecone that will help control its flight. SN8 will have both, according to Musk.
This version of the prototype will also undergo the same early testing and its precursors, including a static fire and other ground checkouts, followed by another static fire before ultimately attempting to fly to an altitude of 60,000 feet – and then returning back to the ground for a controlled landing.
(https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/SpaceX-Starship-Mk1-29.jpg?w=1390&crop=1)
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Astra's 1st orbital test launch fails during first-stage engine burn
Space.com by By Mike Wall 9/12/2020
https://www.space.com/astra-launches-first-orbital-mission.html (https://www.space.com/astra-launches-first-orbital-mission.html)
But Astra wasn't expecting perfection.
Astra's first orbital mission got off the ground, but it soon came back down again.
The California-based spaceflight startup launched its first orbital test flight tonight (Sept. 11), sending its two-stage Rocket 3.1 skyward from the Pacific Spaceport Complex in Alaska at 11:19 p.m. EDT (7:19 p.m. local Alaska time and 0319 GMT on Sept. 12).
The 38-foot-tall (12 meters) booster, which was carrying no payloads, didn't make it all the way to the final frontier.
"Successful lift off and fly out, but the flight ended during the first-stage burn. It does look like we got a good amount of nominal flight time. More updates to come!" Astra tweeted tonight. (https://twitter.com/Astra/status/1304622467042820105)
More at link.
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Elon Musk says Starship SN8 prototype will have a nosecone and attempt a 60,000-foot return flight
Tech Crunch by Darrell Etherington 9/12/2020
https://techcrunch.com/2020/09/12/elon-musk-says-starship-sn8-prototype-will-have-a-nosecone-and-attempt-a-60000-foot-return-flight/ (https://techcrunch.com/2020/09/12/elon-musk-says-starship-sn8-prototype-will-have-a-nosecone-and-attempt-a-60000-foot-return-flight/)
(https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/SpaceX-Starship-Mk1-29.jpg?w=1390&crop=1)
The rate at which they are building/testing these things is astounding. I'm not sure I'd want to be one of the 100 that will be crammed into the thing for the trip to Mars.
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SpaceX strapped a camera to a Falcon 9 rocket. Watch what happened
CNN 9/11/2020
https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2020/09/11/spacex-falcon-9-polar-orbit-launch-orig.cnn-business/video/playlists/stories-worth-watching/ (https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2020/09/11/spacex-falcon-9-polar-orbit-launch-orig.cnn-business/video/playlists/stories-worth-watching/)
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SpaceX strapped a camera to a Falcon 9 rocket. Watch what happened
CNN 9/11/2020
https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2020/09/11/spacex-falcon-9-polar-orbit-launch-orig.cnn-business/video/playlists/stories-worth-watching/ (https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2020/09/11/spacex-falcon-9-polar-orbit-launch-orig.cnn-business/video/playlists/stories-worth-watching/)
Freakin' awesome!
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SpaceX Starship test tank survives first two nights of stress testing
TESLARATI by Eric Ralph 9/16/2020
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-sn7-1-test-tank-survives-stress-tests/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-sn7-1-test-tank-survives-stress-tests/)
SpaceX’s newest Starship test tank has survived the first two nights of stress testing, pushing the steel tank one step closer to a destructive finale (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-test-tank-sn7-1-destructive-finale/).
Known as Starship SN7.1, the new tank – aside from one critical difference – is similar to Starship SN2 (pictured above), a full-scale prototype SpaceX repurposed into a test tank in March 2020. SN2 served to test improvements made to the design of Starship’s “thrust puck,†a dense steel cone that must transmit the thrust of three Raptor engines through the rest of the rocket. Much like SN2, SN7.1 is a test tank with a focus on the behavior of Starship’s engine section under extreme loads at cryogenic temperatures.
Unlike SN2, however, SN7.1 is built almost entirely out of a new steel alloy – closer to 304L than the 301 stainless used on all previous prototypes.
SpaceX is conducting testing with the Starship SN7.1 test tank tonight in Boca Chica, Texas.
The exact details of the test have not been confirmed, but probably not much to see. The press to failure test will likely occur towards the end of the week.https://t.co/CISBVb9XeH (https://t.co/CISBVb9XeH)
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SpaceX Starship test tank survives first two nights of stress testing
TESLARATI by Eric Ralph 9/16/2020
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-sn7-1-test-tank-survives-stress-tests/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-sn7-1-test-tank-survives-stress-tests/)
I watched the testing last night hoping she'd explode. No such luck... :laugh:
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SpaceX Boca Chica - SN7.1 Burst Test Attempt - SN5 and 6 Moved Into High Bay
NASASpaceflight
SN7.1's burst test that failed to end in failure of the test tank and so it gets to live a bit longer. SN5 and 6 were moved into the High Bay, potentially due to high winds, new legs and a new downcomer were delivered. Work on the High Bay continues and a common dome section was prepared for flipping.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4qiDLRLz-Q#)
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SpaceX Boca Chica - SN7.1 Burst Test Attempt - SN5 and 6 Moved Into High Bay
NASASpaceflight
SN7.1's burst test that failed to end in failure of the test tank and so it gets to live a bit longer. SN5 and 6 were moved into the High Bay, potentially due to high winds, new legs and a new downcomer were delivered. Work on the High Bay continues and a common dome section was prepared for flipping.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4qiDLRLz-Q#)
According to the yahoos on the Labpadre site, they didn't try to pop the SN7 as of yet. They moved it onto another test stand and plan the pop until Monday evening, when they can close the road. Of course those Labpadre yahoos are probably kids in their parents basements....so....take it with a grain of salt....lolol.
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LIVE: Starship SN7.1 Press to Failure
•Streamed live 9 hours ago
NASASpaceflight
SpaceX is set to intentionally destroy the Starship SN7.1 prototype in a pressurize to failure test. The test will help SpaceX understand the limits of the current design.
Pop around 6:28
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnWf_kdLlcU#)
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LIVE: Starship SN7.1 Press to Failure
•Streamed live 9 hours ago
NASASpaceflight
SpaceX is set to intentionally destroy the Starship SN7.1 prototype in a pressurize to failure test. The test will help SpaceX understand the limits of the current design.
Pop around 6:57
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnWf_kdLlcU#)
Silly me.... I left the youtube Lab stream of the "pop" on live on my bedroom tv. I woke up at 2 am and the geeks narrating said they expected the "pop" in an hour. I watched for 30 min then dosed off. Woke up at 6 and had missed the "pop". Wasn't worth the wait. I sure won't do that again....lol.
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SpaceX Starship pop test opens the door for 60,000 foot hop [update]
TESLARATI By Eric Ralph 9/23/2020
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-pop-test-60000-foot-hop/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-pop-test-60000-foot-hop/)
SpaceX has successfully destroyed a Starship ‘test tank’ for the fourth time, opening the door for the first high-altitude prototype to roll to the launch pad as soon as tomorrow.
The culmination of three nights and more than 20 hours of concerted effort, SpaceX was finally able to fill Starship test tank SN7.1 with several hundred tons of liquid nitrogen before dawn on September 23rd. With just an hour left in the day’s test window, SpaceX closed the tank’s vents, allowing its cryogenic contents to boil into gas and expand with no outlet. At 4:57 am CDT, SN7.1 burst, bringing its lengthy test campaign to a decisive end.
A handful of hours later, new road closure notices revealed SpaceX’s plan to roll Starship SN8 – the first full-size prototype and first ship meant for high-altitude testing – from its Boca Chica factory to the launch site.
Update: All road closures planned for Starship SN8’s roll to the launch pad (Sept 24) and first test campaign (Sept 27-29) have been canceled. Stay tuned for updates on the high-altitude prototype’s test schedule.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=190&v=CkFFgngw6Q4&feature=emb_logo#)
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SpaceX’s first orbital Starship engine just breathed fire
TESLARATI by Eric Ralph 9/24/2020
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-first-orbital-starship-raptor-vacuum-test/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-first-orbital-starship-raptor-vacuum-test/)
Less than three weeks after shipping to Texas, SpaceX says that Starship’s first Raptor Vacuum engine has completed a “full duration test fire†on the march towards orbital test flights.
Known as Raptor Vacuum or RVac, the engine is almost entirely based off of its sea level-optimized cousin, taking all of the complex turbomachinery and combustion chambers that represent the bulk of a rocket engine. Things start to diverge below the throat of the combustion chamber (the narrow part of the central hourglass-like curve), where SpaceX has expanded Raptor’s existing bell nozzle by a factor of five or more.
SpaceX’s reusable Starship spacecraft will use a mix of three sea level Raptors and three Raptor Vacuum engines to give it the thrust it needs to reach orbit and ensure efficient operations both in atmosphere and vacuum.
Completed a full duration test fire of the Raptor Vacuum engine at SpaceX’s rocket development facility in McGregor, Texas pic.twitter.com/0GPSdSifnn (http://pic.twitter.com/0GPSdSifnn)
(https://www.teslarati.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Raptor-RVac-SSME-F1-SpaceX-AJR-NASA-1-c-1024x574.jpg)
In simple terms, a rocket engine can benefit from a vacuum-optimized nozzle because the added surface area (more or less) gives the extremely high-pressure gases exiting its combustion chamber even more footholds to push against. Rocket nozzles are at their most efficient when the engine’s exhaust gas finishes expanding to match ambient pressure at the exact moment it exits the bell. Logically, at sea level on Earth, the ambient air pressure is quite high, meaning that rocket exhaust doesn’t have to expand as much to equalize.
In the vacuum of space, however, exhaust gases must expand far more to reach the same pressure as its surroundings. For rocket propulsion, that extra expansion can be exploited to make a more efficient engine, squeezing extra energy out of the same propellant and in a perfect vacuum, the most efficient nozzle would technically be infinite. Engineering and physical infinities don’t exactly get along, unfortunately, so vacuum rocket engineers are forced to settle on a nozzle size at a scale that humans can feasibly manufacture.
In theory, Starship doesn’t need Raptor Vacuum engines to be a functioning orbital spacecraft and CEO Elon Musk himself floated a design with seven sea-level engines just two years ago. Since then, the SpaceX CEO revealed that Raptor was making such good progress that the company undid the removal of vacuum-optimized engines from Starship’s baseline design.
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SpaceX’s first orbital Starship engine just breathed fire
TESLARATI by Eric Ralph 9/24/2020
The speed at which they are constructing things at Boca Chica is simply amazing.
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(https://www.teslarati.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Raptor-RVac-SSME-F1-SpaceX-AJR-NASA-1-c-1024x574.jpg)
Looks a lot like the Saturn Stage 1 engine...about the same size.
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Why Can't we Remake the Rocketdyne F1 Engine?
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovD0aLdRUs0#)
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SpaceX’s Starship Moon lander passes NASA review alongside Blue Origin, Dynetics
TESLARATI By Eric Ralph 9/26/2020
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-moon-lander-nasa-review-blue-origin/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-moon-lander-nasa-review-blue-origin/)
A variant of SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft optimized to land NASA astronauts on the Moon has passed the space agency’s first review alongside competing teams lead by Blue Origin and Dynetics.
Aside from reiterating the fact that NASA is drawing heavily from its experience with the Commercial Crew Program (CCP), the completion of “certification baseline reviews†for Blue Origin, Dynetics, and SpaceX’s proposed lunar landers is a significant step forward for the Human Landing System (HLS) and Artemis programs. According to NASA’s official HLS “Broad Agency Announcement†or BAA, providers must submit a vast amount of paperwork and data to pass the certification baseline review (CBR).
NASA’s acceptance criteria for CBR documentation is about as general as the space agency gets, requiring providers to demonstrate at least a basic level of maturity and expertise. Like the name suggests, it sets a baseline from which NASA and SpaceX, Dynetics, and Blue Origin’s National Team will hone in on challenges and concerns specific to each system. SpaceX’s proposal is almost certainly unique, however, given that the company is the only one anywhere close to performing actual flight tests of a (relatively) similar system.
Singer says all three HLS companies have competed certification baseline reviews, working towards confirmation reviews in December. [Blue Origin and Dynetics had disclosed last week completing those certification baseline reviews; SpaceX had not.]
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Chris B - NSF
@NASASpaceflight
·
Sep 26
Sidenote: Did SN7.1 get to an acceptable bar rating before pop? (per SN8 confidence, given the same alloy).
Elon Musk
@elonmusk
·
Sep 26
8 bar differential in ullage, 9 bar at base due to propellant head. It’s enough. Improvements in work.
Viv
Dragon
@flcnhvy
·
Sep 26
Did you switch to 30X yet? Or is it still 304L?
Elon Musk
@elonmusk
Replying to
@flcnhvy
@NASASpaceflight
and 2 others
Mostly 304L, some 301. Broke at 301 to 304 interface. SN9 will be all 304. Also, we’re making some tweaks to the 304 alloy mixture.
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SpaceX launches 60 Starlink satellites and lands rocket at sea
Space.com by Amy Thompson 10/6/2020
https://www.space.com/spacex-starlink-12-internet-satellites-launch (https://www.space.com/spacex-starlink-12-internet-satellites-launch)
It's the third launch and landing for this Falcon 9!
SpaceX delivered its 13th batch of Starlink satellites to orbit Tuesday (Oct.6), following a two-week delay due to bad weather.
The two-stage Falcon 9 rocket blasted off from Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center at 7:29 a.m. EDT (1129 GMT), hauling a full stack of 60 Starlink satellites. Approximately 9 minutes later, the booster's first stage came back to Earth, landing on one of SpaceX's drone ships in the Atlantic Ocean.
The launch marks SpaceX's 17th mission so far in 2020, and its 94th Falcon 9 flight to date. The company's fleet of flight-proven boosters has been busy this year, with the California-based rocket builder reaching a few new milestones, including launching and landing the same first-stage booster six times.
The launch also came amid World Space Week 2020, which is celebrating the impact satellites have on everyday life.
More at link.
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SpaceX’s Mars-Colonizing Starship Is Ready for Its First Huge Test
Observer By Sissi Cao • 10/05/20
https://observer.com/2020/10/spacex-starship-prototype-sn8-prepares-test-mars-colonizing/ (https://observer.com/2020/10/spacex-starship-prototype-sn8-prepares-test-mars-colonizing/)
The newest prototype of SpaceX’s moon-landing and Mars-colonizing spaceship, Starship, is expected to undergo its first high-altitude test flight this month. The giant spacecraft’s development site in Boca Chica, Texas has been extremely busy over the past few weeks with preparation for the big test.
Starship is SpaceX’s ultimate rocket designed for future interplanetary trips. Two previous prototypes, Starship SN5 and SN6, successfully performed 500-foot-high (150 meters) hops in a test flight last month. The latest prototype, SN8, aims to fly up to 50,000 feet (9.3 mile) above sea level, paving the way for SpaceX’s next target to reach Earth’s orbit.
On Friday, Elon Musk said on Twitter that an orbit-reaching prototype called “V1.0†would be revealed before the end of October. “Starship update coming in about 3 weeks,†he tweeted. “The design has coalesced. What is presented will actually be what flies to orbit as V1.0 with almost no changes.â€
More at link.
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Amazing. Do you think we’ll get to Mars in our lifetime?
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Amazing. Do you think we’ll get to Mars in our lifetime?
I surely think so, but I've been a Science Fiction and now Space Buff ever since I discovered the science fiction books in my Elementary School library.
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Amazing. Do you think we’ll get to Mars in our lifetime?
@Gefn
"OUR" time?
Maybe yours,but not mine,or anyone else over 60.
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@Gefn
"OUR" time?
Maybe yours,but not mine,or anyone else over 60.
@sneakypete I’m almost that.
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@sneakypete I’m almost that.
@Gefn
I can't even see that in my rear view mirror.
Not even if I am wearing my glasses.
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Elon Musk says SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket 'could probably do 100+ reflights'
TESMANIAN by Evelyn Arevalo October 06, 2020
https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/100-flights (https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/100-flights)
SpaceX is a leader in aerospace innovation, rocket reusability is one of its top priorities. The company has designed and manufactured some of the world’s most advanced rockets, capable of launching payload to orbit and returning from space to be reused. Most aerospace companies use a rocket once and discard it; SpaceX engineers developed a rocket recovery system to reuse the first-stage booster of the two-stage Falcon 9. The 229-feet-tall launch vehicle is the most flown operational rocket in the United States, it has flown 94 times.
Falcon 9’s nine Merlin 1D engines are powered by a combination of rocket-grade kerosene, known as RP-1, and liquid oxygen, LOX. It is capable of producing over 1.7 million pounds of thrust as it lifts off through Earth’s atmosphere. In the vacuum of space, it produces over 1.8 million pounds of thrust. The rocket’s second stage, which is the top section that propels the payload in space, is powered by a single Merlin engine, it can carry 25 tons of payload to low Earth orbit.
A Falcon 9’s first-stage features the capability to conduct vertical landings on autonomous drone ships at sea and on land. Engineers truly introduced a great innovation to the aerospace industry. To date, the company has successfully returned 61 orbital-class rocket boosters from space soon after deploying payload. Overall, SpaceX has reused previously-flown Falcon 9 first-stage boosters 43 times --a first in the history of rocketry.
Falcon 9 is capable of being 85% reusable. Engineers aim to eventually accomplish developing a next-generation rocket that can be as reusable as airplanes. For now, SpaceX’s reusability goal is to refly a booster 10 times, they are halfway towards reaching that milestone. A couple of Falcon 9 first-stage boosters have already re-flown 6 times. Today, SpaceX founder Chief Engineer Elon Musk said the company is "aiming for 10+ flights of booster & fairing by end of next year."
More at link.
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SpaceX Boca Chica - SN8 Pressure Testing, RCS Thruster Test - Bluezilla Disassembled
NASA Spaceflight 10/6/2020
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oz1zn7FWpM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oz1zn7FWpM)
SN8 pressure testing continued last night/this morning, including some RCS thruster tests. Bluezilla disassembly begins, Tankzilla is prepped for a move- to where we don't know yet, and an interesting new piece of machinery is delivered. Earth work at the Launch Site continued, and Super Heavy's LOX Stack 1 was moved around the build site.
Video and Pictures from Mary (@BocaChicaGal). Edited by Jack Beyer (@TheJackBeyer)
Click "Join" for access to early fast turnaround clips, exclusive discord access with the NSF team, etc - to support the channel.
Updates: https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/ind... (https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/ind...)
Articles: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/?s=St... (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/?s=St...)
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oz1zn7FWpM#)
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SpaceX Boca Chica - SN8 Pressure Testing, RCS Thruster Test - Bluezilla Disassembled
NASA Spaceflight 10/6/2020
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oz1zn7FWpM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oz1zn7FWpM)
SN8 pressure testing continued last night/this morning, including some RCS thruster tests. Bluezilla disassembly begins, Tankzilla is prepped for a move- to where we don't know yet, and an interesting new piece of machinery is delivered. Earth work at the Launch Site continued, and Super Heavy's LOX Stack 1 was moved around the build site.
Video and Pictures from Mary (@BocaChicaGal). Edited by Jack Beyer (@TheJackBeyer)
Click "Join" for access to early fast turnaround clips, exclusive discord access with the NSF team, etc - to support the channel.
Updates: https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/ind... (https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/ind...)
Articles: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/?s=St... (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/?s=St...)
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oz1zn7FWpM#)
Thanks for posting these updates @Elderberry .
You got me hooked....dang you! :laugh:
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Inside Relativity Space’s 3D-printing rocket ‘factory of the future’
CNBC by Michael Sheetz 10/8/2020
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/07/inside-relativity-space-hq-3d-printer-rocket-factory-of-the-future.html?mc_cid=7fab2c7bb5&mc_eid=ccdc8e505f (https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/07/inside-relativity-space-hq-3d-printer-rocket-factory-of-the-future.html?mc_cid=7fab2c7bb5&mc_eid=ccdc8e505f)
Key Points
• Rocket builder Relativity Space this summer moved into its new headquarters in Long Beach, California.
• “The new printers are operational and actually printing our first flight parts right now, so we have several printers building the first rocket we’re actually going to fly to orbit,†Relativity CEO Tim Ellis told CNBC.
• The company is building the first iteration of its Terran 1 rocket, with about 95% of the parts being 3D-printed.
Rocket builder Relativity Space this summer moved into its new headquarters in Long Beach, California – and already the company is manufacturing the parts it needs for its first launch late next year.
Relativity is currently building the first iteration of its Terran 1 rocket. But unlike other rockets, Relativity is using multiple 3D-printers, all developed in-house, to build Terran 1. The rocket is designed to have about 95% of its parts be 3D-printed, which allows Relativity’s rocket to be less complex, and faster to build or modify, than traditional rockets. Additionally, Relativity says its simpler process will eventually be capable of turning raw material into a rocket on the launchpad in under 60 days.
While Relativity had made progress testing its 3D-printing technology (https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/12/relativity-space-verifies-3d-printing-works-to-build-its-rocket.html), the company’s 120,000 square foot headquarters will serve as the foundation for its manufacturing and launch business. Relativity is now on its third generation of 3D-printers, capable of manufacturing a single piece of metal up to 32 feet tall – as high as the new ceiling allows.
More at link.
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Starship SN8 Passes Cryogenic Proof Test
42,226 views
•Streamed live 6 hours ago
NASASpaceflight
145K subscribers
SpaceX is set to perform a cryogenic proof test with Starship SN8. The proof test is when the vehicle is pressurized with cryogenic liquid nitrogen and pressed against with a thrust simulator to minmic the flight environment. The test will verify that the Starship is ready for static fire testing later this month.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h330T4zx1Sg#)
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SN8 receiving Raptors as prelude to advanced Starship testing
Spaceflight.com by Chris Bergin October 11, 2020
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/10/sn8-raptors-prelude-advanced-starship-testing/ (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/10/sn8-raptors-prelude-advanced-starship-testing/)
Installation of the three Raptors that will power Starship SN8’s unique test flight began on Sunday at SpaceX Boca Chica. The brand new engines will be the focal point of a test program that will involve at least two Static Fire tests ahead of a test flight to 50,000 feet.
Starship SN8:
SN8 underwent a total of three cryo proofing tests during the week. The first was deemed acceptable per the test parameters, but a small leak “opened up near the engine mounts, possibly due to differential shrinking,†according to SpaceX Chief Designer and CEO Elon Musk.
The repair was completed in time for a second test the following night, which appeared to show SN8 fully loaded with LN2 (Liquid Nitrogen), but without any reference as to how it went from Elon. Roadblocks were then called for the third time, pointing to another test 24 hours later.
This time the test concluded with Elon noting cryo proofing was a success.
Passed cryo proof
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 9, 2020
With this milestone complete, the Thrust Rams were removed from underneath SN8 to make room for installing the three Raptor engines.
More at link.
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SpaceX schedules Starship’s first triple-Raptor static fire test
TESLARATI by Eric Ralph 10/14/2020
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-first-triple-raptor-static-fire-schedule/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-first-triple-raptor-static-fire-schedule/)
Curiously, SpaceX remained quiet for several days after Starship SN8 passed its first big test. Whereas with past Starship prototypes SpaceX has often filed test plans (appearing in the form of road closures) even before the current phase of testing is complete, the company waited until Tuesday, October 14th to file closure notices for “SN8 static fire†testing.
Cryo proof complete, SpaceX installed Starship SN8’s engines – the first time multiple Raptors have been fully integrated with a rocket or test stand – in preparation for another Raptor first: multi-engine static fires. While modern computation fluid dynamics (CFD) and modeling mean that the great unknowns of rocket propulsion are rarely as opaque as they used to be, the first test of multiple powerful engines in close proximity is still a guaranteed recipe for surprises.
Thanks to expertise hard-won from nearly 100 Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches, SpaceX is likely the world’s foremost expert in the challenges and dynamics of the proximity operation of more than two rocket engines. At the same time, though, Raptor is a dramatically different engine than Merlin 1D and while Starship will only have six engines at most, those six engines will produce thrust equivalent to almost two entire Falcon 9 boosters.
In other words, even with a (relatively) simple three-Raptor static fire, SpaceX will be treading new ground and will almost certainly end up learning one or several things about Raptor’s design and operation. More likely than not, SpaceX will begin Starship SN8’s static fire test campaign with a wet dress rehearsal (like a cryo proof but with real liquid methane and oxygen propellant) and transition into a Raptor spin prime (turbopump spin-up) or preburner test (a turbopump spin-up but with partial combustion) if the WDR goes smoothly. If all three Raptor engines appear healthy, SpaceX may recycle and attempt the first static fire just an hour or two later.
Starship SN8’s triple-Raptor static fire test window opened at 9pm CDT on October 14th and closes at 6am on the 15th, with an identical 9pm-6am backup on the 15th and another window from 8am to 4:30pm on the 16th. LabPadre (below) will continue to offer 24/7 views of Starship, including any static fire testing, while NASASpaceflight.com will likely provide live coverage once testing begins in earnest.
More at link.
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SpaceX Status Report – October 16, 2020
https://spacexstatusreport.com/ (https://spacexstatusreport.com/)
Boca Chica, Texas
Starship SN8 Testing Schedule
• 10/15/2020 – 9:00 pm – 6:00 am – ABORT: Starship SN8 Preburner & Static Fire Testing
• 10/16/2020 – 8:00 am – 4:30 pm – Canceled
• 10/18/2020 – 9:00 pm – 6:00 am
• 10/19/2020 – 9:00 pm – 6:00 am
• 10/20/2020 – 9:00 pm – 6:00 am
Starship Construction Status
---(SN5,6,8,9)---
• SN10 – Under construction
• 10/16/2020 – Common dome section has now been stacked in the Mid-Bay.
• 10/14/2020 – Stacking began in the Mid-Bay.
• 10/03/2020 – Trust section mated to leg skirt in the shipyard.
• 10/03/2020 – Thrust section spotted in the shipyard.
• 10/03/2020 – Leg skirt spotted in the shipyard. WO: 133 7367
• 09/09/2020 – The forward dome was sleaved with a four-ring stack. All of the previous upper bulkheads have been sleeved with a three-ring stack.
• 09/04/2020 – Thrust puck and fuel downcomer delivered.
• SN11 – Under construction
• 10/07/2020 – Thrust dome flipped
• 10/05/2020 – Trust dome has been sleeved.
• 10/03/2020 – Methane Header tank spotted
• 09/20/2020 – Common Bulkhead spotted
• 09/14/2020 – Thrust puck and fuel downcomer delivered.
• 09/09/2020 – Aft dome section spotted in the shipyard.
• SN12 – Under construction
• 09/20/2020 – Leg Skirt spotted in the shipyard.
• SN13 – Under construction
• SN14 – Under construction
• 10/10/2020 – Methane downcomer spotted.
• SH1 – Super Heavy Booster – Under construction
• 10/07/2020 – Lox Stack 2 spotted in the shipyard.
• 10/01/2020 – Fuel Stack spotted in the shipyard.
• 10/01/2020 – Forward dome was sleeved with a four ring stack labeled “FWD BARREL ASSY BOOSTERâ€.
• 10/02/2020 – Lox Stack 1 spotted in the shipyard.
• 09/28/2020 – Lox Stack 4 spotted in the shipyard.
• 09/22/2020 – Milestone – First Super Heavy booster Common Dome Assembly spotted in the shipyard.
• 09/02/2020 – The first Super-Heavy booster (Per Elon Musk).
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Starship SN8 conducts preburner test ahead of Static Fire and nosecone firsts
NASA Spaceflight by Chris Bergin October 18, 2020
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/10/starship-sn8-static-fire-nosecone-firsts/ (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/10/starship-sn8-static-fire-nosecone-firsts/)
The stage is set for a milestone Static Fire test for Starship SN8. The latest attempt – during a lengthy window that extended into Monday morning – saw an aborted preburner test, followed by a preburner test – laying the foundations for a potential repeat preburner and an actual Static Fire test on Tuesday.
Pending a successfully Static Fire, SN8 will be able to look forward to nosecone’s installation – with a header tank – for a repeat test in around a week.
SN8 Static Fire:
Sunday night’s test follows an aborted attempt earlier in the week.
Although SpaceX has conducted numerous Static Fire tests with its Starship prototypes, this is the first time three Raptors will have been fired together. This includes at SpaceX’s test center in McGregor, Texas – where Raptors are test fired individually.
The test path has been refined over the evolution of Starship, with two objectives within a few hours of each other set to take place.
Once the vehicle has been prop-loaded, controllers can conduct a preburner test – as was the case during the Sunday/Monday overnight window.
A preburner is essentially a small engine that powers a turbopump. Each Raptor engine has two, one for the liquid oxygen oxidizer and one for the methane fuel.
Providing the data from this objective is deemed acceptable; recycling of the vehicle will prepare for the Static Fire test that will utilize Raptors SN30, 32, and 39.
More at link.
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SpaceX Starship go for nosecone installation forward after historic static fire
TESLARATI By Eric Ralph 10/21/2020
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-nosecone-installation-static-fire-success/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-nosecone-installation-static-fire-success/)
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has confirmed that Starship and Raptor’s first triple-engine static fire was a success, opening the door for nosecone installation.
Around 3:13 am CDT, October 20th, Starship serial number 8 (SN8) successfully fired up three Raptor engines less than two hours after completing the first successful three-engine preburner test. With zero direct human intervention, SpaceX remotely detanked the rocket’s cryogenic liquid methane and oxygen propellant – the remnants now too warm to be used again in a controlled manner. In an hour or less, SpaceX engineers combed through the data produced and concluded that all three Raptor engines were healthy after their partial ignition test.
Effectively reset to a stable state, SpaceX once again proceeded to load Starship SN8’s propellant tanks with a small amount of supercooled LOx and LCH4, almost exactly mirroring the preburner test. Around 50 minutes after the recycle commenced and 25 minutes after propellant loading kicked off, Starship SN8 ignited three Raptors simultaneously – a major milestone for any rocket engine. Static fire now completed, Starship SN8 has been cleared to become the first operational prototype to reach its full 50m (~165 ft) height.
Data from 3 engine Starship static fire this morning looks good. Proceeding with nosecone mate.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br1xFIbf5y4#)
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SpaceX Starship go for nosecone installation forward after historic static fire
TESLARATI By Eric Ralph 10/21/2020
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-nosecone-installation-static-fire-success/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-nosecone-installation-static-fire-success/)
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br1xFIbf5y4#)
I've been watching them move the mother of all cranes to the launch site. This live stuff is addictive.
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I've been watching them move the mother of all cranes to the launch site. This live stuff is addictive.
It appears that nosecone stacking is going on NOW. @Elderberry
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SpaceX launches second Starlink mission of the week
NASA Spaceflight.com by Danny Lentz October 24, 2020
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/10/spacex-second-starlink-mission-in-week (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/10/spacex-second-starlink-mission-in-week)
Two days after scrubbing a previous attempt shortly before launch, and still less than a week after the previous Starlink flight, SpaceX launched its third batch of Starlink satellites this month into orbit at 11:31 EDT (15:31 UTC) on Saturday, 24 October. The v1.0 L14 mission — the 14th launch of operational satellites and 15th Starlink flight overall — was launched from pad SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
The payload for this flight was a batch of 60 satellites for SpaceX’s Starlink satellite constellation that will provide high speed internet service. With each satellite having a mass of about 260 kg, the full payload stack massed nearly 16 metric tons. According to pre-launch data released on Celestrak, the targeted deployment orbit was approximately 260 x 270 km.
The Falcon 9 launch vehicle for this mission was booster 1060.3, which launched the GPS III SV03 and the Starlink 11 operational flight earlier this year. The vehicle performed a successful static fire test Wednesday, 21 October to verify that it was ready for flight. This was the 19th Falcon 9 launch this year (including the suborbital In-Flight Abort Test), and the 13th Starlink mission of the year.
Starlink beta testing begins:
As SpaceX nears the beginning of wider beta testing and the subsequent start of service in the northern U.S. and southern Canada, SpaceX recently qualified to participate in the first round of Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC’s) Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) Auction (https://www.fcc.gov/auction/904), which will disburse $16 billion to internet providers over the next decade for connecting locations that do not currently have access to speedy internet connections at reasonable prices.
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(https://odysee.com/public/img/odysee_white.png)
NASA Inspects Starship Moon Lander & Fully Stacked SN8 Ready For Flight (Video)
October 24th, 2020
0:00 Intro: NASA is inspecting SpaceX Starship moon lander for the 2024 Artemis moon mission. Meanwhile, Starship SN8 is fully stacked at SpaceX Boca Chica facility and ready for the 15km SpaceX Starship test flight.
1:23 As for Starship SpaceX news, Starship SN8 is fully stacked at Boca Chica after the latest successful Starship raptor engine static fire test. According to Elon Musk, the first 15km Starship SpaceX test flight can take place anytime soon.
A white painted lunar Starship mockup is spotted at Boca Chica, which shows that NASA seriously considers using Starship as their Artemis moon lander for NASA's 2024 crewed moon mission. The Starship moon lander offers far greater payload capacity and interior volume than the Blue Origin led National Team moon lander and the Dynetics Alpaca moon lander.
The number of working SpaceX Starlink satellites keeps increasing with SpaceX Falcon 9 launch. As the first Starlink beta tests showed positive results, the US military is also considering using SpaceX Starlink Internet.
ULA's DELTA IV HEAVY NROL-44 mission still doesn't have a scheduled launch date.
Blue Origin is trying to convince the US Air Force to continue investing in the Blue Origin New Glenn rocket for future satellite launch missions.
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Spacecraft successfully collected a significant amount of asteroid from Bennu.
NASA collaborates with the Department of Energy to develop a space-grade radio-isotope thermo-electric generator for the NASA Artemis moon program.
https://odysee.com/@2TheFuture:1/nasa-inspects-starship-moon-lander-fully:e (https://odysee.com/@2TheFuture:1/nasa-inspects-starship-moon-lander-fully:e)
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SpaceX will livestream Starship’s harrowing launch debut, says Elon Musk
TESLARATI By Eric Ralph 11/2/2020
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-high-altitude-launch-debut-webcast/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-high-altitude-launch-debut-webcast/)
CEO Elon Musk says that SpaceX will livestream Starship’s harrowing high-altitude launch and landing debut “warts and all,†offering a rare glimpse behind the scenes of a high-risk aerospace endeavor.
As of November 1st, Starship prototype serial number 8 (SN8) has just kicked off what will likely be the rocket’s last round of ground tests. If it passes those tests, including cryogenic proofing and at least one more triple-Raptor static fire, the path will be clear for SN8’s first high-altitude launch attempt. Slightly downgraded from an apogee of 20 km to 15 km, the massive steel rocket will attempt to fly more than 30% higher than modern passenger jets before quite literally free-falling almost all the way back to earth.
The test flight will be about as bizarre – if not weirder – than it already sounds and, as Musk has lately been working overtime to convey, such uncharted terrain that almost anything could happen.
Sure, although it might be quite a short livestream! Lot can go wrong, but we’ll provide video, warts & all. You will see every frame that we do.
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New Mexico to Launch Its First Astronauts to Space This November
autoevolution by Daniel Patrascu 11/7/2020
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/new-mexico-to-launch-its-first-astronauts-to-space-this-november-151183.html (https://www.autoevolution.com/news/new-mexico-to-launch-its-first-astronauts-to-space-this-november-151183.html)
Sometime by the end of this month, New Mexico will join the very short list of American states from where people have launched into space. This is possible thanks to Virgin Galactic and its efforts of making Spaceport America one of the pillars of future space tourism.
Virgin does not say when exactly it plans to conduct the launch, but it does say it should be by the end of this month. Two astronauts, CJ Sturckow and Dave Mackay, will climb into the cabin of the VSS Unity and head out to the edge of space with the goal of both testing the spacecraft some more, and also conduct experiments on behalf of NASA.
The two will become the first people to leave for space from New Mexico soil, but the occasion is a tad more important for Sturckow, who is set to become the first human to have flown to space from three different U.S. states.
More at link.
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New Mexico to Launch Its First Astronauts to Space This November
autoevolution by Daniel Patrascu 11/7/2020
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/new-mexico-to-launch-its-first-astronauts-to-space-this-november-151183.html (https://www.autoevolution.com/news/new-mexico-to-launch-its-first-astronauts-to-space-this-november-151183.html)
I wasn't aware Richard Branson's Virgin was this far along in development of manned flight....
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SpaceX Starship saved by ‘burst disk’ after Raptor static fire ends badly
TESLArati By Eric Ralph 11/13/2020
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-saved-by-burst-disk-static-fire-gone-wrong (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-saved-by-burst-disk-static-fire-gone-wrong)
Around 7:15 pm local time, SpaceX Starship prototype SN8 fired up one or several Raptor engines for the third time ever, catching onlookers – only expected a dress rehearsal – by surprise. An hour later, CEO Elon Musk revealed that SpaceX had effectively lost control of the rocket.
Unfortunately for SpaceX, this is not the first incident in which a fire led to a loss of Starship control. Back in May 2020, Starship serial number 4 (SN4) – the first full-scale prototype to have a Raptor installed – completed its third successful static fire test. Moments later, a vent line adjacent to the engine section caught fire, burning for a minute or two. Ultimately, likely due to destroyed wiring or plumbing, SpaceX seemingly lost control of SN4 and had to wait a full two days for cryogenic propellant to boil off and evaporate before teams could approach the rocket to inspect, repair, and regain control.
Now, more likely than not, Starship SN8 has suffered a similar – but not identical – failure, cutting some level of control. Elon Musk took to Twitter about an hour after the rocket’s third Raptor static fire, revealing that SpaceX had lose control of Starship’s pneumatics, referring to hydraulic systems needed to operate most of the rocket’s valves. For SN8, that meant nothing but bad news.
We lost vehicle pneumatics. Reason unknown at present. Liquid oxygen header tank pressure is rising. Hopefully triggers burst disk to relieve pressure, otherwise it’s going to pop the cork.
Yay! Looks like a burst disk, which is better than "the front fell off" pop.
More at link.
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Starship SN8 hoping for speedy return to testing as additional vehicles line up
NASA Spaceflight by Chris Bergin November 14, 2020
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/11/sn8-speedy-return-testing-vehicles-line-up/ (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/11/sn8-speedy-return-testing-vehicles-line-up/)
Following Starship SN8’s eventful Static Fire test, it was feared the test flight would likely suffer from a lengthy delay. However, thanks in part to a burst disk that avoided a damaging “pop†scenario, SN8 may yet still fly to 50,000 feet this month, albeit with a realigned trio of Raptor engines.
While repair work on SN8 is conducted at the Launch Site, there’s been no slowdown of the incredible production cadence a short distance down Highway 4, with three Starships assembled or in a stacking processing flow. The first sections of the BN1 prototype Super Heavy are also into stacking operations in the High Bay.
Starship SN8 was in the process of following up her initial three engine Static Fire test with a new trio of ignitions over the space of around a week.
The first test involved the first-ever firing of a Raptor engine via the two Header Tanks, one of which – the LOX Header Tank – being located at the nosecone’s tip. Previous Starship prototypes (bar the pathfinder MK1) have been tested without a nosecone.
That test went to plan, despite social media speculation citing concerns with the sparks that were seen flying into the air during ignition. Those sparks were from the pad surface, not the engine letting go – as later confirmed by SpaceX pressing on to the second test promptly without removing any of the engines.
More at link.
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Starship SN8 hoping for speedy return to testing as additional vehicles line up
NASA Spaceflight by Chris Bergin November 14, 2020
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/11/sn8-speedy-return-testing-vehicles-line-up/ (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/11/sn8-speedy-return-testing-vehicles-line-up/)
I watched the last test. There was speculation that it was hydraulic fluid burning as it dripped from the engine bay. Or was it the engine melting? Know anything different @Elderberry ?
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I watched the last test. There was speculation that it was hydraulic fluid burning as it dripped from the engine bay. Or was it the engine melting? Know anything different @Elderberry ?
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/11/sn8-speedy-return-testing-vehicles-line-up/ (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/11/sn8-speedy-return-testing-vehicles-line-up/)
What wasn’t expected was a stream of molten liquid dripping from one of the engine nozzles onto the pad surface several seconds after engine shutdown. That clearly wasn’t a nominal situation.
Concerned Starship followers bombarded Elon Musk with inquiries into the problem before SpaceX CEO and Chief Designer replied, “We lost vehicle pneumatics. Reason unknown at present. Liquid oxygen header tank pressure is rising. Hopefully triggers burst disk to relieve pressure; otherwise, it’s going to pop the cork.â€
That immediately moved the focus on the top part of the vehicle, with the hope of seeing a release of pressure, as opposed to a potential “RUD – Rapid Unscheduled Disassemblyâ€.
Thankfully, the burst disk – a specially designed sheet of metal that is weakened to the point an overpressure breaks the sheet before the pressure rises to the point of an explosive event – worked as planned, mitigating the lack of primary valve control via the loss of pneumatics.
A plume of released LOX was observed emanating from the top of the nosecone, effectively saving SN8.
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SpaceX’s Elon Musk hints at “notable†Starship changes, explains static fire anomaly
TESLARATI By Eric Ralph 11/18/2020
CEO Elon Musk has offered an explanation for SpaceX’s recent Starship static fire anomaly and says that an overview of the next-generation rocket development program will be delayed to account for some “notable†design changes.
Over the last several months, Musk has promised to do one of his (thus far) usual annual Starship updates, either in the form of a presentation in South Texas, an article published on SpaceX’s website, or both. Originally expected in September or October, the CEO’s tentative schedules have come and gone several times. Simultaneously, however, SpaceX has been preparing Starship serial number 8 (SN8) for a range of crucial tests and Starship program firsts, recently culminating in a successful cryogenic proof test, multiple wet dress rehearsals (WDRs), nosecone installation, the first triple-Raptor static fire test, engine tests using smaller ‘header’ tanks, and more.
Unfortunately for SN8, the most recent Raptor engine header static fire – drawing propellant from two small internal tanks mainly used for landing burns – did not go according to plan, resulting in some kind of high-temperature fire and severing Starship’s hydraulic systems. For SpaceX test controllers, that meant a total loss of control of most vehicle valves and pressurization systems, essentially putting one of Starship SN8’s header tanks through an unplanned pressure and failsafe test. In the days since, what exactly caused that unfortunate failure has been the subject of a great deal of discussion – discussion that can finally be put to rest with new information from Musk himself.
Avionics cables moving to steel pipe shields & adding water-cooled steel pipes to test pad
In a surprise, SpaceX had apparently decided to add a failsafe to Starship SN8’s new nose section, installing what is known as a burst disk – effectively an automatic single-use valve. Once the upper (liquid oxygen) header tank reached dangerous pressures, the force of that pressure broke the seal, allowing the rocket to vent excess pressure and avoid what would have otherwise been a potentially catastrophic explosion.
The cause of that near-miss, according to Elon Musk, was as simple as debris kicked up during the Starship SN8 Raptor engine static fire directly prior. Producing up to 200 metric tons (~450,000 lbf) of thrust and an exhaust stream traveling some 3.3 kilometers per second (2 mi/s, Mach ~10), Musk says that Raptor tore apart a special ceramic coating covering the concrete directly beneath Starship SN8. Likely accelerated to extreme velocities in milliseconds, shards of that coating reportedly “severed [an] avionics cable, causing [a] bad [Raptor engine shutdown].â€
More: https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-elon-musk-explains-failed-static-fire/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-elon-musk-explains-failed-static-fire/)
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SpaceX’s Elon Musk hints at “notable†Starship changes, explains static fire anomaly
TESLARATI By Eric Ralph 11/18/2020
CEO Elon Musk has offered an explanation for SpaceX’s recent Starship static fire anomaly and says that an overview of the next-generation rocket development program will be delayed to account for some “notable†design changes.
Over the last several months, Musk has promised to do one of his (thus far) usual annual Starship updates, either in the form of a presentation in South Texas, an article published on SpaceX’s website, or both. Originally expected in September or October, the CEO’s tentative schedules have come and gone several times. Simultaneously, however, SpaceX has been preparing Starship serial number 8 (SN8) for a range of crucial tests and Starship program firsts, recently culminating in a successful cryogenic proof test, multiple wet dress rehearsals (WDRs), nosecone installation, the first triple-Raptor static fire test, engine tests using smaller ‘header’ tanks, and more.
Unfortunately for SN8, the most recent Raptor engine header static fire – drawing propellant from two small internal tanks mainly used for landing burns – did not go according to plan, resulting in some kind of high-temperature fire and severing Starship’s hydraulic systems. For SpaceX test controllers, that meant a total loss of control of most vehicle valves and pressurization systems, essentially putting one of Starship SN8’s header tanks through an unplanned pressure and failsafe test. In the days since, what exactly caused that unfortunate failure has been the subject of a great deal of discussion – discussion that can finally be put to rest with new information from Musk himself.
Avionics cables moving to steel pipe shields & adding water-cooled steel pipes to test pad
In a surprise, SpaceX had apparently decided to add a failsafe to Starship SN8’s new nose section, installing what is known as a burst disk – effectively an automatic single-use valve. Once the upper (liquid oxygen) header tank reached dangerous pressures, the force of that pressure broke the seal, allowing the rocket to vent excess pressure and avoid what would have otherwise been a potentially catastrophic explosion.
The cause of that near-miss, according to Elon Musk, was as simple as debris kicked up during the Starship SN8 Raptor engine static fire directly prior. Producing up to 200 metric tons (~450,000 lbf) of thrust and an exhaust stream traveling some 3.3 kilometers per second (2 mi/s, Mach ~10), Musk says that Raptor tore apart a special ceramic coating covering the concrete directly beneath Starship SN8. Likely accelerated to extreme velocities in milliseconds, shards of that coating reportedly “severed [an] avionics cable, causing [a] bad [Raptor engine shutdown].â€
More: https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-elon-musk-explains-failed-static-fire/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-elon-musk-explains-failed-static-fire/)
They'd better change the ceramic coating of the concrete or they'll have the same problem again. You'd think steel plates attached to the concrete would take care of it, but what do I know.
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They'd better change the ceramic coating of the concrete or they'll have the same problem again. You'd think steel plates attached to the concrete would take care of it, but what do I know.
It does make the point this is not an "accurate to real life" test. Usually, when you light the candle, it doesn't stay on the pad, but in the static fire test, the rocket stays clamped down for the entire burn. :shrug:
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John Kraus @johnkrausphotos
·
4h
WOW! Just caught this incredible, brief moment at Port Canaveral:
A double rainbow formed over Falcon 9 B1061.1!
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EnNlyPyXMAcwD9Z?format=jpg&name=large)
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SpaceX competitor Rocket Lab makes first Electron booster splashdown
CNET by Eric Mack, Jackson Ryan Nov. 19, 2020
https://www.cnet.com/news/spacex-competitor-rocket-lab-makes-first-electron-booster-splashdown/ (https://www.cnet.com/news/spacex-competitor-rocket-lab-makes-first-electron-booster-splashdown/)
The company aiming to be SpaceX for smaller satellites is working up to a historic helicopter recovery.
Rocket Lab is following in the footsteps of SpaceX by going to some pretty dramatic lengths to recycle its rockets. The startup with facilities in the US and New Zealand attempted to recover the first-stage booster from one of its Electron rockets for the first time Thursday.
The rocket blasted off from New Zealand and boosted a number of small satellites -- including one particularly special garden gnome -- toward orbit for the mission, appropriately dubbed Return to Sender. The first stage then separated to make a controlled soft water landing in the Pacific Ocean using parachutes.
The live feed of the mission was lost when the rocket descended back toward Earth at high speed, but Rocket Lab confirmed via social media that the parachutes deployed successfully and that the rocket splashed down in the Pacific.
More at link.
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SpaceX launches advanced ocean-mapping satellite for NASA and Europe, nails rocket landing
Space.com by Amy Thompson 11/21/2020
https://www.space.com/spacex-launches-sentinel-6-michael-freilich-ocean-satellite (https://www.space.com/spacex-launches-sentinel-6-michael-freilich-ocean-satellite)
The Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite will map Earth's rising sea levels.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched an advanced ocean-mapping satellite into orbit for NASA and the European Space Agency Saturday (Nov. 21) in a stunning morning launch from California.
The 229-foot-tall (70-meter) Falcon 9 leapt off the pad from Space Launch Complex 4E at California’s Vandenberg Air Force Base at 9:17 a.m. PST (12:17 p.m. EST/1717 GMT). It's payload: the oceanography satellite Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich developed by U.S. and European space and weather agencies.
The launch marked SpaceX's SpaceX 22nd Falcon 9 this year. About nine minutes after liftoff, the rocket's first stage returned to terra firma, capping off the flight with a successful landing.
More at link.
(https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UWeUqYQavd2DYWVR6AjKtF-970-80.jpg)
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Rumor has it that SN8 is supposed to launch on Nov. 30th. Also, there are road closures starting Monday for additional testing.
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SpaceX Starship Updates! SN8 15km Flight Soon, SN13 & SN15 Exist, SN9 Nose Work! TheSpaceXShow
TheSpaceXFans •Nov 22, 2020
Welcome to the latest SpaceX Starship updates video from TheSpaceXFans. Starting off today, we have the recently launched Sentinel-6 mission, as well as some other standard SpaceX news. Like always, we then have a handful of Boca Chica infrastructure updates to take a look at. After which, we have Starship with SN8 15km flight soon, plus SN9 nose work, as well as SN11 stacking. Finally we now also know that SN13 & SN15 exist. Sit back and enjoy!
All sorts of cool and up to date SpaceX info from launches to boosters and more:
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJFgKtSxeII#)
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LIVE: Starship SN8 Static Fire #4
NASASpaceflight
SpaceX is set to perform the fourth static fire with Starship SN8. This test will use Raptor engines SN30, SN36, and SN42.
Updates: https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/ind... (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?q=https%3A%2F%2Fforum.nasaspaceflight.com%2Findex.php%3Ftopic%3D51332.1520&event=video_description&v=a_-Wu_S2qTA&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbHFJNmJJZGhnaFVxcnNQQmpVdG5SRjJfMFBmQXxBQ3Jtc0tseE8zdTlsUkV6OFN2b0JJclZiN05NXzlldE5vUXY2OG42dmFZTU1zYWJBMFpNREdZNFNsSWpjWUo1Q3JDWDJVT0trVUs5eWJVMzRmMEZYaHlkMW53cWJxQ3pCUWhKcWdnaE1keUJfOVFOZWNqZHhjTQ%3D%3D)
Articles: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/tag/s... (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nasaspaceflight.com%2Ftag%2Fstarship%2F&v=a_-Wu_S2qTA&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa19YOHBYZGhJQWJqeEpXc2x3WnFkeGU5MlFNUXxBQ3Jtc0tuazFkQ0ZaYjFXeld1WHlZQ3J3UmVFUmNSSlB5c0ZkczcwWE14a2NGSkVSR2xLeFpQLW14ZTJCNm1kcktsUzJTV2ZpR2JzaGJac2FCVUtvSENqUVlqY1cxR0lDMVhUMHI3RG5OWkJZTnYtbzlXdEJRaw%3D%3D&event=video_description)
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_-Wu_S2qTA#)
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I hope they add another layer of aluminum foil this time. :crossed:
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Static Fire performed.
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SpaceX's Starship SN8 prototype fires engines ahead of major test flight
Space.com by Mike Wall 11/24/2020
https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-sn8-fourth-static-fire (https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-sn8-fourth-static-fire)
This was static fire number four for SN8. It could launch next week.
SpaceX's latest Starship prototype fired its engines for the fourth time on Tuesday evening (Nov. 24), keeping the vehicle on track for a landmark test flight next week.
The Starship SN8 prototype performed its fourth "static fire" test at 6:23 p.m. EST (2323 GMT) Tuesday at SpaceX's South Texas facility, near the seaside village of Boca Chica.
Static fires, in which engines briefly blaze up while a vehicle remains bolted to the ground, are common preflight checkouts for SpaceX rockets. And SN8 ("Serial No. 8") is indeed gearing up for a flight — a test that will take it to a target altitude of 9 miles (15 kilometers), far higher than any other Starship prototype has gone.
Tuesday's test kept SN8 on target for that milestone leap, SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk said.
"Good Starship SN8 static fire! Aiming for first 15km / ~50k ft altitude flight next week. Goals are to test 3-engine ascent, body flaps, transition from main to header tanks & landing flip," Musk tweeted Tuesday evening, about 45 minutes after the test occurred.
More at link.
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Elon Musk @elonmusk
Good Starship SN8 static fire!
Aiming for first 15km / ~50k ft altitude flight next week.
Goals are to test 3 engine ascent, body flaps, transition from main to header tanks & landing flip.
Michael Sheetz @thesheetztweetz·
Replying to @elonmusk
How are you feeling about Starship’s chances of landing in one piece?
Elon Musk@elonmusk·
Lot of things need to go right, so maybe 1/3 chance
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Elon Musk @elonmusk
Good Starship SN8 static fire!
Aiming for first 15km / ~50k ft altitude flight next week.
Goals are to test 3 engine ascent, body flaps, transition from main to header tanks & landing flip.
Michael Sheetz @thesheetztweetz·
Replying to @elonmusk
How are you feeling about Starship’s chances of landing in one piece?
Elon Musk@elonmusk·
Lot of things need to go right, so maybe 1/3 chance
After watching them land the first stage of a Falcon rocket over and over on the drone ship, I'd give them about a 75% chance of landing the thing. The first time I saw the Falcon stage land and I think both stages landed at once, I just couldn't take my eyes off of it and replayed it over and over. The technology to do that is just astounding.
The static fire the other day looked wonderful, not much debris flying up. If the hop is a failure, I just pray it lands in the gulf and not on the tank farm. They likely need a new reef out there anyways...lol.
Happy Thanksgiving to you @Elderberry .
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@mrpotatohead
And Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
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SpaceX planned 9 mile launch, 'self-destruct' zone over Gulf
KRGV5 by Christian Von Preysing 11/25/2020
https://www.krgv.com/news/spacex-planned-9-mile-launch-self-destruct-zone-over-gulf (https://www.krgv.com/news/spacex-planned-9-mile-launch-self-destruct-zone-over-gulf)
SpaceX came close to hitting the launch button on an early November flight up to 50,000 feet (9.4 miles) at its Boca Chica launch site, according to federal and state emails.
The company planned to launch its SN8 Starship prototype November 3, according to emails obtained from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and later between November 9 and 11, according to an email from a U.S. Coast Guard official.
Both of those launch dates did not happen. SpaceX neither announced those plans nor any cancellations. Meanwhile, the company followed through with a series of static fire tests and road closures at its Boca Chica launch site. SpaceX now plans the 50 thousand foot launch (15km) for next week.
The most striking detail among plans shared between emergency personnel, was the emergency scenario, which called for a "self-destruct" area, up to 9.9 nautical miles offshore of the Brazos Santiago southern jetty tip, according to an email written by Jason Cross, with the U.S. Coast Guard's Corpus Christi Sector.
"There is a good chance of failure on this test vehicle with debris falling into the ocean," wrote Cross, to emergency response personnel in the area. "We will need everyone to stay out of the self-destruct zone in case there is an incident."
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StarShip Flight dates posted!
SN8 will fly up to 15Km(9.4 Miles/~50kft) and attempt to land.
MON, Nov 30 (7am-6pm CST/ 1pm-12am UTC)
Closures: SN8 15km FLIGHT 🚀
Boca Chica, TX (*Primary date)
.
TUES-WED, Dec 1-2 (8am-5pm CST/ 2pm-11pm UTC)
Closures: SN8 15km FLIGHT🚀
Boca Chica, TX (*Backup dates)
.
Official link: https://www.cameroncounty.us/spacex/ (https://www.cameroncounty.us/spacex/)
(https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-0/s600x600/126872801_471964827113669_1223951365831782122_o.jpg?_nc_cat=109&ccb=2&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=O2Y-EdjWK8oAX_MvSmH&_nc_ht=scontent-ort2-1.xx&tp=7&oh=63243e4994e842c9eb3feb2cdc06ee43&oe=5FE694F5)
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If you want to see the 15km launch of the Starship here is one of the links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hb59U01YybA
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SpaceX's Starship SN8 flight attempt to 50,000 feet "no earlier than Wednesday"
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1333123173815087111
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SpaceX's Starship SN8 flight attempt to 50,000 feet "no earlier than Wednesday"
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1333123173815087111
Yeah, I saw the scrub notice about Monday. Tuesday too, eh? I guess it's a wind issue.
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Yeah, I saw the scrub notice about Monday. Tuesday too, eh? I guess it's a wind issue.
I think that is the case..
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SpaceX sets dates for Starship static fire, high-altitude launch debut
TESLARATI by Eric Ralph 11/30/2020
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-sn8-static-fire-launch-debut-dates/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-sn8-static-fire-launch-debut-dates/)
CEO Elon Musk says that SpaceX is set to attempt one final Raptor engine static fire test before putting Starship through its high-altitude launch debut later this week.
Liable to begin as soon as November 30th per public road closure notices, Musk says that Starship serial number 8’s (SN8) launch debut – both Starship’s first fully-assembled flight test and first high-altitude launch attempt – is now scheduled no earlier than (NET) 8 am to 5 pm CST (UTC-6) on Wednesday, December 2nd.
November 30th will instead host what is believed to be a unique kind of static fire test for Starship SN8, hopefully proving that the rocket has a decent shot at surviving its risky launch debut.
As previously discussed on Teslarati, SpaceX’s Starship development strategy means that SN8’s survival is far less important than it may seem.
“On November 25th, Starship SN9 (featuring “small improvementsâ€) was stacked to its full 50-meter (~165 ft) height. If SN8 is destroyed during testing, SN9 will likely be ready to roll to the launch site almost as soon as the dust settles.
Meanwhile, Starship SN10 is likely just 7-10 days away from a similar nosecone stacking milestone, and Starship SN11’s tank section is just one stack away from completion, likely putting it less than two weeks behind SN10. In other words, insofar as speed is a priority and each prototype is anywhere close to as cheap as Starship’s majority-steel bill of materials might suggest, SpaceX is building Starships so quickly that it almost doesn’t make sense to spend more than a few weeks working through bugs on any single suborbital ship.â€
In fact, delaying SN8’s launch to try to refine the rocket in situ and better ensure success could actually be to the detriment of successive prototypes and the Starship program in general. If, for example, a fundamental design flaw is revealed in Starship SN8 only after the prototype’s first test flight, SpaceX could be forced to scrap a huge amount of work done on as many as six, seven, eight, or even more subsequent prototypes. In that since, while it may seem like caution maximizes the value any single Starship prototype can provide SpaceX, that’s only true as long as the Starship design is mature enough that new fundamental flaws are unlikely to arise.
Given how young SpaceX’s agile Starship development program is, it would make very little sense to hinge months of work and more than half a dozen rocket prototypes on the quality and success of a less mature prototype unless all the vehicles in question are more or less identical final products. SN8 through SN15+ are certainly not final products in the sense that Starship is meant to be the largest reusable orbital spacecraft ever built.
More at link.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XYWJ86bCRE&feature=emb_logo#)
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Hoping that Starship SN8 launches and lands successfully today.
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SpaceX Starship 15-Kilometer Flight LIVE Stream with the WAI Family!!!
What about it!?
121K subscribers
•Scheduled for Dec 3, 2020
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hb59U01YybA#)
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To view the launch:
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ky5l9ZxsG9M#)
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SpaceX Boca Chica Links:
Live Needle Cam(1) Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ky5l9ZxsG9M (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ky5l9ZxsG9M)
Live Lab Cam(2) Link: https://youtu.be/G_u7HPZX_8A (https://youtu.be/G_u7HPZX_8A)
Live Sapphire Cam(3) Link: https://youtu.be/qNyEwBW0ZJA (https://youtu.be/qNyEwBW0ZJA)
Live Predator Cam(4) Link: https://youtu.be/Ss_XUaLEp1Y (https://youtu.be/Ss_XUaLEp1Y)
Live Sentinel cam(5) Link: https://youtu.be/n5ozYnVQahE (https://youtu.be/n5ozYnVQahE)
Live SPI Pearl Beach Cam(7) Link https://youtu.be/agmFDeP5u_w (https://youtu.be/agmFDeP5u_w)
Onsite Weather - http://weather.labpadre.com (http://weather.labpadre.com)
Boca Chica Operations - http://www.cameroncounty.us/space-x/ (http://www.cameroncounty.us/space-x/)
FAA Notices To Airmen - https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr2/list.html (https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr2/list.html)
GIS Map link: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?even... (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?even...)
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Thank you @Elderberry and @kevindavis
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SpaceX Boca Chica Links:
Live Needle Cam(1) Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ky5l9ZxsG9M (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ky5l9ZxsG9M)
Live Lab Cam(2) Link: https://youtu.be/G_u7HPZX_8A (https://youtu.be/G_u7HPZX_8A)
Live Sapphire Cam(3) Link: https://youtu.be/qNyEwBW0ZJA (https://youtu.be/qNyEwBW0ZJA)
Live Predator Cam(4) Link: https://youtu.be/Ss_XUaLEp1Y (https://youtu.be/Ss_XUaLEp1Y)
Live Sentinel cam(5) Link: https://youtu.be/n5ozYnVQahE (https://youtu.be/n5ozYnVQahE)
Live SPI Pearl Beach Cam(7) Link https://youtu.be/agmFDeP5u_w (https://youtu.be/agmFDeP5u_w)
Onsite Weather - http://weather.labpadre.com (http://weather.labpadre.com)
Boca Chica Operations - http://www.cameroncounty.us/space-x/ (http://www.cameroncounty.us/space-x/)
FAA Notices To Airmen - https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr2/list.html (https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr2/list.html)
GIS Map link: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?even... (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?even...)
Kevin....don't view these links for your life will be ever changed. At work you'll leave a screen on the live stream and never get any work done. You'll end up being a paid subscriber and get involved with the ongoing conversation. Your life will be consumed!
Don't do it! Just saying.... LOLOLOLOLOL
Kidding of course as it's watching history in the making.
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Kevin....don't view these links for your life will be ever changed. At work you'll leave a screen on the live stream and never get any work done. You'll end up being a paid subscriber and get involved with the ongoing conversation. Your life will be consumed!
Don't do it! Just saying.... LOLOLOLOLOL
Kidding of course as it's watching history in the making.
@mrpotatohead
LOL!! No worries!! It is indeed history in the making.
I can imagine the spinoff technology from the Starship program (along with the New Glenn rocket and the SLS rocket) is going to be yuge. Also, I would have never have thought we could see a rocket more powerful than the Saturn 5.
Also, the fun is just begining as well.
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@mrpotatohead
LOL!! No worries!! It is indeed history in the making.
I can imagine the spinoff technology from the Starship program (along with the New Glenn rocket and the SLS rocket) is going to be yuge. Also, I would have never have thought we could see a rocket more powerful than the Saturn 5.
Also, the fun is just begining as well.
Speaking of spinoffs, I find the concept of in-orbit refueling intriguing. So much fuel is consumed on getting into LEO that it leaves little to move on from there. To be able to refill the tanks in orbit is a real game-changer, as great as when we started aerial refueling of bombers.
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Possible Static Fire Today.
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Speaking of spinoffs, I find the concept of in-orbit refueling intriguing. So much fuel is consumed on getting into LEO that it leaves little to move on from there. To be able to refill the tanks in orbit is a real game-changer, as great as when we started aerial refueling of bombers.
@Cyber Liberty
I know you what mean. To refuel in space, is going to be huge.
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Confirmed Friday is the earliest day they are going to do the hop.
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SpaceX Starship SN8 Flight Imminent, But Spaceflight Opponents Are Rising Too
2 THE FUTURE with Jixuan & Sebastian •Oct 26, 2020
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5J5257AO2k#)
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Starship SN8 is tri-venting and header tank venting - and getting frosty.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CRDNHqx98M
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TESLARATI by Eric Ralph 12/3/2020
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-high-altitude-launch-debut-faa-approval/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-high-altitude-launch-debut-faa-approval/)
SpaceX’s high-altitude Starship launch debut receives FAA approval
SpaceX has received FAA approval to attempt Starship’s high-altitude launch debut as early as Friday according to a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) filed on December 2nd.
SpaceX’s first high-altitude Starship TFR revealed that the crucial flight test is now scheduled sometime between 8 am and 5 pm CST (14:00-23:00 UTC) on Friday, December 4th, with identical backup windows available (and cleared with the FAA) on Saturday and Sunday. Originally scheduled as early as November 30th, the delays are less than surprising given the complexity and unprecedented nature of the flight test facing SpaceX.
Starship serial/ship number 8 (SN8) – the first functional full-height prototype – is tasked with launching from Boca Chica, Texas to an apogee of 15 kilometers (~9.5 miles) and dropping back to Earth to test an unproven approach to rocket recovery.
More at link.
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Starship SN8-The Latest Adventures of Elon Musk | Science and Technology
Eminetra by Preeti Singh 12/3/2020
https://eminetra.com/starship-sn8-the-latest-adventures-of-elon-musk-science-and-technology/226113/ (https://eminetra.com/starship-sn8-the-latest-adventures-of-elon-musk-science-and-technology/226113/)
(https://i1.wp.com/www.economist.com/img/b/1280/720/90/sites/default/files/20201205_STP504.jpg)
IF ALL GOES Now, Elon Musk’s plan to conquer space will soon take another step in the Starship flight. SN8, a rocket made by his company, SpaceX. SN8 is expected to rise from the launch pad in Bocachica, Texas, between December 4th and 6th. (SpaceX has not confirmed this, but during that period local flight restrictions are imposed on the area.) The idea is to fly to an altitude of 15 km, disconnect the engine, and be parallel to the surface of the Earth. Slowly tilt forward until. , And let gravity take that course. Then, just before landing on the ground, re-launch the thruster and readjust it vertically, slowly resting on a landing pad hundreds of meters away from where it took off.
SN8 is, as the name implies, the 8th of SpaceX’s current series of prototypes of Starship (SN Abbreviation for “serial numberâ€). However, this is the first to have a nose cone and therefore will take on a unique atmospheric infiltration shape, usually sported by space rockets. It’s also more lively than its predecessor.Previous SNUses only one of SpaceX’s Raptor engines and, when launched (some used for ground testing), reached a height of less than 150 meters. SN8 contains 3 Raptors. This is half the number expected for a finished design.
Strictly speaking SN8 is the only second-stage prototype of Starship that SpaceX is proposing to build in the end. The successor is intended to sit on an unconstructed “super heavy†rocket that provides most of the firepower. This first stage vehicle will accommodate up to 37 Raptors. These double the thrust developed by the first stage of Saturn V, the rocket that the United States used for its crew’s lunar missions. And while the moon is certainly its intended destination, Kraft takes most of its bread and butter ferry goods and people into orbit near Earth. This is a task with a capacity of 100 tons.
More at link.
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FAA approves SpaceX’s Starship launch to 50,000 feet (15km). They have approval from Friday - Sunday to launch. So the launch will happen between those days.
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-high-altitude-launch-debut-faa-approval/
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SN8 flight delayed until Monday.
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https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-high-altitude-launch-debut-faa-approval/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-high-altitude-launch-debut-faa-approval/)
Update: SpaceX’s high-altitude Starship launch debut appears to have slipped to no earlier than (NET) Monday morning, December 7th.
FAA-approved flight restrictions filed on December 2nd were retracted on December 3rd for unknown reasons, ultimately giving SpaceX several more days to prepare Starship SN8 for an ambitious 15-kilometer (~9.5 mi) launch, freefall, and landing attempt.
Some sort of testing remains possible on Friday. The road closure remains live. Unclear exactly what (perhaps a static fire), but certainly no flight without the TFR.
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I looked at it some more.. From what I saw it was due to the upper winds not good for rocket launches.
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South Padre Island expected to be crowded for SpaceX Starship SN8 test launch
Click 2 Houston by Rose-Ann Aragon 12/3/2020
https://www.click2houston.com/news/texas/2020/12/04/south-padre-island-expected-to-be-crowded-for-spacex-starship-sn8-test-launch/ (https://www.click2houston.com/news/texas/2020/12/04/south-padre-island-expected-to-be-crowded-for-spacex-starship-sn8-test-launch/)
SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas – The shores at Isla Blanca Park are expected to be the place where hundreds of space enthusiasts and islanders go to watch a test launch across the water at SpaceX’s Starship facility in Boca Chica, Texas.
With the Starship SN8 launch teasingly imminent, South Padre Island has found a lot more tourists walking the streets. The view of the SpaceX launch facility just a few miles across the water.
“Everybody wants to see it happening,†said James Baxter, a Houston native and South Padre Island transplant.
Tourists like Eric and Tammy Patton traveled from Maryland and have stayed for days in hopes to catch the SN8 prototype fly.
“When we heard about SpaceX and that awesome dude, Elon Musk, we absolutely loved it! He’s like, ‘I’m getting a rocket off in three years’ It took 1 year!†Eric Patton said.
“We were in California when [SpaceX] did the last one,†Tammy Patton said. “We were watching, and I was crying. I was so excited!â€
They don’t think they will leave South Padre Island.
More at link.
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SN8 update:
Tomorrow: Possible static fire but NO 12.5km flight.
NET Monday: 12.5km flight!
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Pennsylvania family travels more than 1,000 miles in hopes of watching SN8 launch
Valley Central by: Gabriela Moreno 12/3/2020
https://www.valleycentral.com/news/local-news/pennsylvania-family-travels-more-than-1000-miles-in-hopes-of-watching-sn8-launch/ (https://www.valleycentral.com/news/local-news/pennsylvania-family-travels-more-than-1000-miles-in-hopes-of-watching-sn8-launch/)
For those living in the city of Brownsville, a trip see to the SpaceX Boca Chica facility down Highway 4 would not take more than a half hour. For one Pennsylvanian family, however, the trip took 28 hours.
The development of the Boca Chica SpaceX site has captivated the interests of technology and space-travel enthusiasts from all over the United States and world, some even willing to travel long distances to see the site in person.
Abide Mararaure and his wife Khanyisa drove to the Rio Grande Valley with their year and a half old daughter from Pottstown, Pennsylvania to see the SpaceX launch. He says the 1,912-mile-long trip took 28 hours travel, and the family stopped in Tennessee and Louisiana to rest.
He says they are fascinated with the advancement in technology being put forth by SpaceX.
“I come from the African continent. We are way too far from Africa but seeing this now gives me hope that I’ll be able to tell my relatives that I’ll be there in 30 minutes,†said Masaraure. “It’s just captivating to know that there is some individuals out there who are creative and are going to do something which is going to benefit the world.â€
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EoePrugUwAA47Ti?format=jpg&name=large)
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SpaceX Starship launch slips to Tuesday as Elon Musk arrives in Texas
TESLARATI By Eric Ralph 12/7/2020
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-sn8-launch-debut-slips-tuesday/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-sn8-launch-debut-slips-tuesday/)
SpaceX’s much-anticipated Starship launch debut has slipped from Sunday to Tuesday around the same time as CEO Elon Musk was seen arriving in South Texas.
Heralding something, the executive’s private jet landed in Brownsville, Texas on December 5th, around half a day prior to Starship SN8’s Monday, December 6th launch target. Most recently scheduled (however tenuously) as early as November 30th, there were strong signs – at one point – that SN8’s launch debut could come as soon as October or early November.
November 30th soon came and went, as did backup attempts in the days following. Most recently, plans for SN8 to launch on December 6th or 7th were canceled in favor of the 8th (8 am to 5:30 pm CST/UTC-6) with backups on December 9th and 10th (8 am to 5 pm). Local road closures were quickly followed by Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) published by the FAA, confirmation that they were the new targets for Starship SN8’s 12.5-kilometer (~7.8 mi) launch debut.
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SpaceX Starship launch slips to Tuesday as Elon Musk arrives in Texas
TESLARATI By Eric Ralph 12/7/2020
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-sn8-launch-debut-slips-tuesday/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-sn8-launch-debut-slips-tuesday/)
Ugh.........
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXE8LdXzeHM
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Here is the webcast:
http://youtu.be/nf83yzzme2I
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Best of luck to SpaceX!!!!!
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Nerdle Cam 4K- Starship SN8 Live At SpaceX Boca Chica Launch Facility
SUNDAY 12/6/2020 || Onsite Weather provided by INITWEATHER.COM || BOCA CHICA NEWS: NO hop today! || SN9 now fully stacked in Highbay. SN11 stack moved into Midbay. SH or BN1 started stacking. Now under construction are SN9 to SN16 and SH1. || ROAD CLOSURES: For 12.5km hop: Primary Dec. 7th, 8a-5:30p CST, and secondary Dec. 8th/9th, 8a-5:00p CST (1400-2300 UTC). Active TFRS posted for Monday-Tuesday (7th-8th). || LAUNCHES. SpaceX F9 CRS-21 launch/landing successful. SpaceX Falcon 9 SXM 7 Dec. 10th, launch window 11:19 a.m.-1:19 p.m. EST (1619-1819 UTC).
Thank you for watching LabPadre's live stream from Boca Chica and South Padre Island in Texas. Subscribe for more SpaceX live coverage.
Live Lab Cam(2) Link: https://youtu.be/am2kw1TCNAk (https://youtu.be/am2kw1TCNAk)
Live Sapphire Cam(3) Link: https://youtu.be/qNyEwBW0ZJA (https://youtu.be/qNyEwBW0ZJA)
Live Predator Cam(4) Link: https://youtu.be/myae7p1Yntg (https://youtu.be/myae7p1Yntg)
Live Sentinel cam(5) Link: https://youtu.be/n5ozYnVQahE (https://youtu.be/n5ozYnVQahE)
Live SPI Pearl Beach Cam(7) Link https://youtu.be/agmFDeP5u_w (https://youtu.be/agmFDeP5u_w)
Onsite Weather - http://weather.labpadre.com (http://weather.labpadre.com)
Boca Chica Operations - http://www.cameroncounty.us/space-x/ (http://www.cameroncounty.us/space-x/)
FAA Notices To Airmen - https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr2/list.html (https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr2/list.html)
This 24/7 stream is powered by LabPadre, in cooperation with Sapphire Condominiums and Isla Grand Beach Resort.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ky5l9ZxsG9M#)
I see venting now from one of the ground tanks @ 7:37CDT
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Starship | SN8 | High-Altitude Flight Test
•Scheduled for Dec 8, 2020
As early as Tuesday, December 8, the SpaceX team will make the first attempt of a high-altitude suborbital flight test of Starship serial number 8 (SN8) from our site in Cameron County, Texas. The schedule is dynamic and likely to change, as is the case with all development testing.
This suborbital flight is designed to test a number of objectives, from how the vehicle’s three Raptor engines perform, and the overall aerodynamic entry capabilities of the vehicle, including its body flaps, to how the vehicle manages propellant transition. SN8 will also attempt to perform a landing flip maneuver, which would be a first for a vehicle of this size.
With a test such as this, success is not measured by completion of specific objectives but rather how much we can learn as a whole, which will inform and improve the probability of success in the future as SpaceX rapidly advances development of Starship.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nf83yzzme2I#)
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SN8 is now venting.
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SN8 is now venting.
It's pizzed off?
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Delayed due to hydraulic issues. Hopefully not too long.
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Supposedly the flaps are still tied down.
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Workers are now on Man-lifts removing the straps.
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Workers are now on Man-lifts removing the straps.
Sounds like it is a go...
Let's Light This Candle!
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A little Birdie told me it should launch within the hour.
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Fueling
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T- 2 minutes
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Raptor Abort!
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???
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Standing Down for Today.
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At least the saftey systems work.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EozCV-dXIAEiuXa?format=jpg&name=large)
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No Road Closures. No Activity. Maybe later Today????
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What I decided to do is create a thread dedicated to anything SpaceX and Blue Origin.
This is where all of the news regarding these two companies will go.
Good or idea or bad. If bad, this will go away.
@kevindavis
I think there are enough people interested in this that it is a good idea.
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@kevindavis
I think there are enough people interested in this that it is a good idea.
Ahhh come on Pete. We know you are just here for the Orion Slave Girls.....
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/ea6a36bdea6fec77284ef80743c513e5/tumblr_mjcndn0pWg1rpd22bo1_500.gif)
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Attempt 2 of Starship SN8's 12.5km test flight from only 5 miles [8km] away!!!
Everyday Astronaut
[Time of stream subject to change. We'll go live once it's looking like they're going for an attempt!]
SpaceX will attempt a 12.5-kilometer hop with their Starship SN8 prototype vehicle. SN8 will lift off under the power of its three Raptor engines and fly to an altitude of approximately 12.5 km (~41,000 ft). At that altitude, using its body flaps, SN8 will flip to a horizontal position and descend belly-first.
Just prior to landing, using a combination of its engines and body flaps, SN8 will flip around again to attempt a soft propulsive landing.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBELXjq_X-M#)
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Ahhh come on Pete. We know you are just here for the Orion Slave Girls.....
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/ea6a36bdea6fec77284ef80743c513e5/tumblr_mjcndn0pWg1rpd22bo1_500.gif)
@catfish1957
Well,I DO like them and I cannot lie.
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Ahhh come on Pete. We know you are just here for the Orion Slave Girls.....
(https://66.media.tumblr.com/ea6a36bdea6fec77284ef80743c513e5/tumblr_mjcndn0pWg1rpd22bo1_500.gif)
I gotta go with Yvonne Craig playing Marta on the original Star Trek, was a great Batgirl too.
(https://i.imgur.com/BUOZZJ1.gif)
Ok back to the rockets.
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Personnel clear of the pad.
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Tank Farm Activity
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Propellant loading.
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It's getting close!
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Est. 45 min to Launch
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5 - 10 minutes away.
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Another Feed:
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8bZkTjEnXw#)
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Waiting for a new T-0
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Not Confirmed -Aircraft caused a Range Violation.
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SpaceX Video https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/starship/index.html (https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/starship/index.html)
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Tentative T-0 4:40 CST
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Tentative T-0 4:40 CST
Oh well, too late for me. CU...
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Inside T-5 minutes
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Hard, hard, hard, hard landing
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Hard, hard, hard, hard landing
yeah...go boom
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And I missed the whole thing.
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Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvJT0yG7oPU#)
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Hard, hard, hard, hard landing
I don't think it'll buff out.
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SN9 is supposed to be ready to fly before the end of the year.
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SpaceX Starship nearly sticks the landing after high-altitude launch debut
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-nearly-sticks-landing-high-altitude-debut/
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I see this way, we are closer going to Mars then say two years ago..
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SN8 accomplished 99% of it's goals. Yup the landing was a bit hard...lol....but dang it nailed the pad. The technology to pull this off is simply amazing. I was just happy to see it leave the launch pad, since it's been sitting there for a while.
Simply amazing flight!
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Virgin Galactic unexpectedly aborts test flight of space plane
By Jackie Wattles, CNN Business
https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/12/tech/virgin-galactic-test-flight-scn/index.html (https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/12/tech/virgin-galactic-test-flight-scn/index.html)
Virgin Galactic's supersonic rocket plane was scheduled to fire into the upper atmosphere Saturday, but after climbing more than 40,000 feet over New Mexico attached to its mothership, the space plane made an unexpected turn toward home rather than shooting skyward.
The company confirmed that the space plane, which was carrying test pilots CJ Sturckow and Dave Mackay, safely landed.
"The ignition sequence for the rocket motor did not complete," the company said via Twitter. "Vehicle and crew are in great shape. We have several motors ready at Spaceport America. We will check the vehicle and be back to flight soon."
The root cause of the issue was not immediately clear.
This mission was meant to be the third test flight of VSS Unity to exceed the 50-mile mark, which the US government considers to be the beginning outer space. This was also supposed to be the first rocket-powered test flight Virgin Galactic carried out in New Mexico, where a glitzy spaceport paid for by more than $200 million in mostly taxpayer money, has been waiting for nearly a decade for Virgin Galactic to move in and open for business.
More at link.
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The spacex SN9 had it's temporary support collapse and it now is leaning against high bay. Tankzilla is trying to latch onto SN9 and save it and the high bay. Bet the engineer that designed this support is on the way out.
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The spacex SN9 had it's temporary support collapse and it now is leaning against high bay. Tankzilla is trying to latch onto SN9 and save it and the high bay. Bet the engineer that designed this support is on the way out.
Or the fabricator, inspector or all three.
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SpaceX Boca Chica - Starship SN9 stabilized, amid SN8 clean up, future nosecone preps
NASASpaceflight 12/13/2020
Starship SN9 is now mostly level and secure in the High Bay, as work continues to clean up the remains of the successful SN8 vehicle. New nosecones (one likely for SN10) are also being prepped.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOa814vAi58#)
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Or the fabricator, inspector or all three.
Being a geologist I tend to blame it on the engineer....lol.
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IT'S HERE!!! The first of many #SN8 videos today! Here's a realtime re-cut featuring INCREDIBLE clean audio. Honestly the best audio I've ever heard of a rocket launch since SN8 flies so slowly & close.
Starship SN8 Test Flight [Incredible Clean Audio & 4k Video]
This was shot from nearby South Padre Island along with Cosmic Perspective (Ryan Chylinski and Maryliz Bender), Spadre (Gene and Rachel Gore).
00:00 - T minus 10 seconds
00:10 - Ignition & Liftoff!
01:50 - Engine Shutdown 1
03:20 - Engine Shutdown 2
04:48 - MECO - Bellyflop
06:40 - Engine Relight & Flip Maneuver
06:50 - BIG OLE' BOOM
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIyKS_9tP08&feature=emb_logo#)
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I liked the audio a lot better than those guys constantly giggling when it was live.
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SpaceX Boca Chica - Starship SN9 leaves High Bay before being secured on new mount
NASA Spaceflight 12/15/2020
Starship SN9 was lifted out of the High Bay on Monday, prior to returning and being remounted/secured for repair work. A new - potential replacement - flap was spotted nearby. Work is also continuing on removing the remains of SN8 at the landing pad.
0:00 Starship SN8 Cleanup Continues
0:40 SN8’s CH4 Header Tank
1:08 The New Crane is Being Assembled
1:42 SN8’s Nosecone & Forward Flaps
2:33 Starship Pad A
3:20 Starship Pad B
4:09 Crews Fence in the Launch Site
4:38 Starship SN9 Rescue Mission Continues
5:37 Super Heavy Booster Sections
6:27 Teams Clear the Area for SN9’s Lift
7:03 A New Flap is Ready
8:38 Back at the Launch Site, the New Crane is Assembled
10:00 Starship SN9’s Lift Begins
10:34 Workers Stabilizing SN9
11:38 SN9 is Out of the High Bay
13:37 SN9’s Crunched Flap
13:50 SN9 Returns to the High Bay
15:16 Timelapse of the Entire Starship SN9 Move
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDlWRkwmT4g#)
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SpaceX’s Next Starship Prototype Could be Headed to Launch Pad on Thursday
Futurism by Victor Tangermann 12/15/2020
https://futurism.com/the-byte/spacexs-next-starship-prototype-launch-pad-thursday (https://futurism.com/the-byte/spacexs-next-starship-prototype-launch-pad-thursday)
Making Moves
SpaceX may be getting ready to push its next Starship prototype onto the launch pad.
According to the latest highway closures in Cameron County, Texas, where SpaceX’s test facility is located, the company’s SN9 prototype could be headed to the pad as early as Thursday, as spotted by Ars Technica senior space editor Eric Berger.
Next Fireball
The new road closures are set for December 17 and 18 from 8 am to 5 pm Texas time. “Starship SN9 and the large crane could head to the launch site during these windows,†suggested NASASpaceFlight reporter Michael Baylor in a tweet.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EpSVLVbUwAM0CBk?format=jpg&name=small)
“You maniacs! You blew it up!â€
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EpSVLVbUwAM0CBk?format=jpg&name=small)
“You maniacs! You blew it up!â€
He...he...he..... that's quite good!
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SpaceX’s Next Starship Prototype Could be Headed to Launch Pad on Thursday
Futurism by Victor Tangermann 12/15/2020
https://futurism.com/the-byte/spacexs-next-starship-prototype-launch-pad-thursday (https://futurism.com/the-byte/spacexs-next-starship-prototype-launch-pad-thursday)
Making Moves
SpaceX may be getting ready to push its next Starship prototype onto the launch pad.
According to the latest highway closures in Cameron County, Texas, where SpaceX’s test facility is located, the company’s SN9 prototype could be headed to the pad as early as Thursday, as spotted by Ars Technica senior space editor Eric Berger.
Next Fireball
The new road closures are set for December 17 and 18 from 8 am to 5 pm Texas time. “Starship SN9 and the large crane could head to the launch site during these windows,†suggested NASASpaceFlight reporter Michael Baylor in a tweet.
The wind is waaaay too high to move anything today. Hopefully it will drop off a bit tomorrow, so they can move it. I'd guess they'll replace the upper nosecone fling prior to moving. It seems to take them soooooo long to accomplish anything up so high, once it's on the pad.
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The wind is waaaay too high to move anything today. Hopefully it will drop off a bit tomorrow, so they can move it. I'd guess they'll replace the upper nosecone fling prior to moving. It seems to take them soooooo long to accomplish anything up so high, once it's on the pad.
Haste makes waste.... Espcially if you are building rockets.
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Haste makes waste.... Espcially if you are building rockets.
It's going to be interesting to watch them move a fully constructed Starship. That's quite a load going down the road, that has to be kept perfectly level.
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It's going to be interesting to watch them move a fully constructed Starship. That's quite a load going down the road, that has to be kept perfectly level.
level or plumb?
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Mary
@BocaChicaGal
Road closures scheduled for Dec. 17 and 18 at Boca Chica have been cancelled. Next road closures scheduled for Dec 28 and 29.
@NASASpaceflight
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level or plumb?
Both....lol
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SpaceX Boca Chica - Starship SN9 Gets a New Forward Flap - Tankzilla Prepared for move
NASASpaceflight
Starship SN9 got a shiny new forward flap to replace its damaged one, Super Heavy BN1's common dome section was still outside, Tankzilla, the LR1600/2 crane was disconnected from SN9 and prepared for a move to the Launch Site and we get a classic driving tour of the entire facility thanks to Mary.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wozJsZR6kZE#)
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SpaceX Boca Chica - Huge Crane Rolled to Launch Site as a prelude to Starship SN9's arrival
NASASpaceflight
The massive LR1600/2 crane rolled to the Launch Site on Monday, ready to receive Starship SN9 in the coming days. SN9 - as the first integrated Starship stack - will be lifted on to the launch mount by "Tankzilla".
Next up will be SN9's rollout - which will be the first time an integrated Starship will roll to the launch site (with nosecone and engines already installed).
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTTDHCJLyRE#)
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STARSHIP SN9 ROLLOUT + TIMELAPSE | Something about SpaceX
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9X2n-VOah4#)
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SpaceX's Starship SN9 Rolling Out to Launch Site
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vi3syLlP__g#)
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SpaceX Boca Chica - Starship SN9 receives Raptor SN49
NASA Spaceflight Dec 23, 2020
With Starship SN9 now on the launch mount, the third Raptor (SN49) was received ahead of testing. Starship SN10 is now into High Bay processing, ahead of nosecone installation.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VnBb4D4Qlk#)
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SpaceX Boca Chica - Starship SN9 receives Raptor SN49
NASA Spaceflight Dec 23, 2020
With Starship SN9 now on the launch mount, the third Raptor (SN49) was received ahead of testing. Starship SN10 is now into High Bay processing, ahead of nosecone installation.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VnBb4D4Qlk#)
They installed the Raptor after rolling SN9 out to the pad?
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They installed the Raptor after rolling SN9 out to the pad?
I guess it wasn't ready before the rollout. SN8 had all its 3 Raptors installed at the launch pad.
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I guess it wasn't ready before the rollout. SN8 had all its 3 Raptors installed at the launch pad.
And (at least) one of the Raptors appeared to fail in flight...I hope they fixed the problem for SN9.
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SpaceX Starship Super Heavy rocket testing could initiate in 'A few months,' says Elon Musk
TESMANIAN by Evelyn Arevalo December 24, 2020
https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/superheavy (https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/superheavy)
SpaceX was founded by Elon Musk to enable life on Mars. “The future of humanity is going to bifurcate in two directions: Either it’s going to become multi-planetary, or it’s going to remain confined to one planet and eventually there’s going to be an extinction event,†he says. Colonizing Mars will completely change the course of humanity’s future. To make this ambitious mission a reality, SpaceX is working to develop of a spacecraft-rocket duo called Starship. It will be capable of transporting 100 passengers and tons of cargo through deep space. The Starship spacecraft will require a massive rocket booster called Super Heavy. The 240-feet-tall rocket will propel the spacecraft to orbit powered by 28 Raptor engines. The Raptor is a full-flow staged combustion engine designed by SpaceX, fueled by sub-cooled liquid methane (CH4) and liquid oxygen (LOX) propellants. Starship will feature 6 Raptors, 3 optimized for the vacuum of space and 3 sea-level Raptors for propulsion inside a planet.
The first prototypes of Starship and Super Heavy are under development at the SpaceX South Texas Launch Facility where the company has already launched three Starship prototypes this year. During the latest test flight in South Texas, engineers launched the Starship SN8 prototype approximately 12-kilometers powered by a trio of Raptor engines. Starship SN8 performed the “first-of-its-kind controlled aerodynamic descent and landing flip maneuver. Together these will enable landing where no runways exist, including the Moon, Mars, and beyond,†the company states (video below).
SpaceX aims to send the first launch Starship spacecraft to orbit next year. The flight test will require the use of Super Heavy. Super Heavy rocket testing will initiate in the new year. Musk said the first tests of the gigantic Super Heavy booster will take place in “A few months,†he wrote via Twitter on December 24. Teams already started to manufacture the first Super Heavy booster prototype.
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Christmas morning sunrise with Starship SN9.
(https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/133011927_10159173950791802_4321817411471337329_o.jpg?_nc_cat=105&ccb=2&_nc_sid=b9115d&_nc_ohc=sXBxX03gza4AX9-ET9O&_nc_ht=scontent-ort2-1.xx&oh=6ac010ad29b9cd6102c87ca88730551a&oe=600D7AB9)
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Nice pic. I just have to hop around my facebook wall in order to view it.
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Nice pic. I just have to hop around my facebook wall in order to view it.
I didn't smallify it enough?
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I didn't smallify it enough?
Size wasn't the issue. Source location was apparently as my facebook filter flagged it.
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SpaceX Starship Updates! SN9 Testing Preparation! TheSpaceXShow
TheSpaceXFans 12/27/2020
Welcome to the latest SpaceX Starship updates video from TheSpaceXFans. Today’s video and all going forward will very likely be shorter than usual with less updates. However, starting off today we have a bunch of standard SpaceX news mostly in relation to Falcon 9. Then, we have some Boca Chica information as well as Starship stuff with SN9 testing preparation and SN10 coming together, with possible stacking soon. Sit back and enjoy!
All sorts of cool and up to date SpaceX info from launches to boosters and more: https://thespacex.fans/ (https://thespacex.fans/)
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5945xoAPUw#)
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The only good thing about 2020:
http://youtu.be/fqxO-SJMdlw
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Today's SN9 activity was an ambient pressure test.
Next?
Cryo test
Static Fire
Launch
Closures on 29th-30th
4th-6th
all 8AM - 5PM CST
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SN9 Cryo Test in progress.
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Elon Musk says SpaceX will attempt to recover Super Heavy rocket by catching it with launch tower
Techcrunch by Darrell Etherington 12/30/2020
https://techcrunch.com/2020/12/30/elon-musk-says-spacex-will-attempt-to-recover-super-heavy-rocket-by-catching-it-with-launch-tower/ (https://techcrunch.com/2020/12/30/elon-musk-says-spacex-will-attempt-to-recover-super-heavy-rocket-by-catching-it-with-launch-tower/)
SpaceX will try a significantly different approach to landing its future reusable rocket boosters, according to CEO and founder Elon Musk. It will attempt to ‘catch’ the heavy booster, which is currently in development, using the launch tower arm used to stabilize the vehicle during its pre-takeoff preparations. Current Falcon 9 boosters return to Earth and land propulsively on their own built-in legs – but the goal with Super Heavy is for the larger rocket not to have legs at all, says Musk.
The Super Heavy launch process will still involve use of its engines to control the velocity of its descent, but it will involve using the grid fins that are included on its main body to help control its orientation during flight to ‘catch’ the booster – essentially hooking it using the launch tower arm before it touches the ground at all. The main benefits of this method, which will obviously involve a lot of precision maneuvering, is that it means SpaceX can save both cost and weight by omitting landing legs from the Super Heavy design altogether.
Another potential benefit raised by Musk is that it could allow SpaceX to essentially recycle the Super Heavy booster immediately back on the launch mount it returns to – possibly enabling it to be ready to fly again with a new payload and upper stage (consisting of Starship, the other spacecraft SpaceX is currently developing and testing) in “under an hour.â€
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2021 could be a huge year for space. Here’s what’s to come from NASA, Elon Musk, Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos.
The Washington Post By Christian Davenport 12/30/2020
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/12/30/2021-space-events-plan/ (https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/12/30/2021-space-events-plan/)
We all know that 2020 was a no-good, horrible, fearful, tumultuous year that will be remembered for the coronavirus pandemic and the polarizing election. But for space enthusiasts, it was actually quite a good year, providing bits of promising news amid the bleak headlines of disease, economic hardship and protests.
SpaceX launched astronauts to the International Space Station twice. NASA launched a rover to Mars and snagged a sample from an asteroid 200 million miles away.
2021 has potential for even more good news. Here’s just some of what could happen in the new year.
SPACEX
After two successful flights carrying astronauts to the International Space Station, SpaceX is set to do it again this year. Crew-2, its second fully operational mission, is scheduled to launch a quartet of astronauts from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida in the spring. Then, in the fall, the company is set to launch Crew-3.
BOEING
Boeing spent much of 2020 working to fix the software on its Starliner spacecraft, which ran into trouble as soon as it reached space during an uncrewed test flight at the end of 2019.
It’s now working to redo the test mission — no astronauts on board — at the end of March.
ARTEMIS
The hallmark of the Trump administration’s space policy has been a return to the moon for the first time since the astronauts of Apollo 17 landed there in 1972. The White House directed NASA to speed up the timeline for a lunar landing to 2024, from 2028, and NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, a former member of Congress, lobbied his former colleagues hard for funding for the program, which has been dubbed Artemis.
RICHARD BRANSON
He’s crossed the Atlantic and the Pacific in hot-air balloons, once almost dying off the coast of Ireland, another time crashing in the Canadian Arctic instead of Southern California, the intended destination. He broke the record for the fastest time crossing the Atlantic in a boat and once got stranded in Algeria during an attempt to circle the globe in a balloon.
JEFF BEZOS
Bezos was 5 years old when he watched Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walk on the moon in what he has said was a “seminal moment†for him, touching off a lifelong passion for space. He has said Blue Origin, his space company, is “the most important work I’m doing.†2021 could be a breakout year for the company, which was founded 20 years ago.
MARS AND BEYOND
On Feb. 18, NASA once again will try to pull off the daring feat of landing a spacecraft on Mars, when the Perseverance rover is set to touch down.
The rover would explore the Jezero crater near the Mars equator where a lake once existed. That is the ideal place to search for signs of ancient microbial life, scientists say. The rover will collect rocks and soil samples that would one day be returned to Earth.
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Starship SN9 | 12.5-kilometer flight
Everyday Astronaut 1/2/2021
Launch Window/Lift Off Time NET January 6, 2021 (Subject to change)
What does all this mean?
SpaceX will be conducting a 12.5 km test flight of their SN9 prototype vehicle. This flight will be a repeat of the largely successful SN8 test flight, with some possible minor flight profile changes.
SN9 will lift off from Boca Chica, Texas under the power of its three Raptor engines. The Raptor engines will shut off one by one during ascent to decrease loads and acceleration on the vehicle. At apogee, the single Raptor engine still burning will initiate the vertical-to-horizontal flip before shutting off. SN9 will make use if its body flaps to keep it stable during descent. Prior to landing, SN9 will ignite two of its Raptor engines to reorientate itself back into a vertical position and perform a propulsive landing.
What is Starship?
Starship/Super Heavy is SpaceX’s next-generation super heavy-lift reusable launch vehicle. The first stage, known as Super Heavy, will produce 71.2 MN of thrust, compared to the Saturn V’s 34 MN of thrust. This will make it the most powerful rocket ever made. When it’s operational, Starship will liftoff from either Boca Chica, Texas; Cape Canaveral, Florida; or an offshore launch platform.
Starship variants
There will be several Starship variants including a cargo variant with a clam shell-like opening to deploy satellites, a crewed variant with life support systems and crew habitation areas in place of a cargo bay, and a lunar variant without flaps and with additional thrusters.
Since Starship is the second stage of the rocket and not just a spaceship, it will have to use most of its fuel to insert itself into orbit. To enable Starship to carry out deep-space missions with 100-tonne payloads, SpaceX will also have a tanker Starship variant. This variant will be similar in appearance to the cargo version, but will have additional fuel tanks instead of a payload bay. This Starship will dock by the engine bay with another Starship carrying either crew or cargo in low Earth orbit (LEO) and refuel it. It may take several rendezvous and refuellings in LEO before a Starship has enough fuel to continue its journey deeper into space.
(https://i1.wp.com/everydayastronaut.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Starship-Variants-1.png?resize=1024%2C576&ssl=1)
More: https://everydayastronaut.com/starship-sn9-12-5-kilometer-flight/ (https://everydayastronaut.com/starship-sn9-12-5-kilometer-flight/)
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Starship SN9 | 12.5-kilometer flight
Everyday Astronaut 1/2/2021
Launch Window/Lift Off Time NET January 6, 2021 (Subject to change)
What does all this mean?
SpaceX will be conducting a 12.5 km test flight of their SN9 prototype vehicle. This flight will be a repeat of the largely successful SN8 test flight, with some possible minor flight profile changes.
SN9 will lift off from Boca Chica, Texas under the power of its three Raptor engines. The Raptor engines will shut off one by one during ascent to decrease loads and acceleration on the vehicle. At apogee, the single Raptor engine still burning will initiate the vertical-to-horizontal flip before shutting off. SN9 will make use if its body flaps to keep it stable during descent. Prior to landing, SN9 will ignite two of its Raptor engines to reorientate itself back into a vertical position and perform a propulsive landing.
What is Starship?
Starship/Super Heavy is SpaceX’s next-generation super heavy-lift reusable launch vehicle. The first stage, known as Super Heavy, will produce 71.2 MN of thrust, compared to the Saturn V’s 34 MN of thrust. This will make it the most powerful rocket ever made. When it’s operational, Starship will liftoff from either Boca Chica, Texas; Cape Canaveral, Florida; or an offshore launch platform.
Starship variants
There will be several Starship variants including a cargo variant with a clam shell-like opening to deploy satellites, a crewed variant with life support systems and crew habitation areas in place of a cargo bay, and a lunar variant without flaps and with additional thrusters.
Since Starship is the second stage of the rocket and not just a spaceship, it will have to use most of its fuel to insert itself into orbit. To enable Starship to carry out deep-space missions with 100-tonne payloads, SpaceX will also have a tanker Starship variant. This variant will be similar in appearance to the cargo version, but will have additional fuel tanks instead of a payload bay. This Starship will dock by the engine bay with another Starship carrying either crew or cargo in low Earth orbit (LEO) and refuel it. It may take several rendezvous and refuellings in LEO before a Starship has enough fuel to continue its journey deeper into space.
(https://i1.wp.com/everydayastronaut.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Starship-Variants-1.png?resize=1024%2C576&ssl=1)
More: https://everydayastronaut.com/starship-sn9-12-5-kilometer-flight/ (https://everydayastronaut.com/starship-sn9-12-5-kilometer-flight/)
Gotta love SN9..otherwise known as Eileen (since it leaned against the high bay).
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SpaceX's Starship SN9 prototype fires its engines for the 1st time
Space.com By Mike Wall 1/6/2020
https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-sn9-first-static-fire (https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-sn9-first-static-fire)
SN9 has roared to life. A test launch could follow soon.
SpaceX has fired up its newest Starship prototype for the first time.
The SN9 vehicle's three engines lit up for about one second today (Jan. 6) at 5:07 p.m. EST (2200 GMT) during a static-fire test at SpaceX's South Texas facilities, near the Gulf Coast village of Boca Chica.
Static fires, in which rocket engines blaze while a vehicle remains anchored to the ground, are a routine preflight checkout. And SN9 ("Serial No. 9") will indeed get off the ground soon, if all goes according to plan: SpaceX is prepping the vehicle for a test flight that's expected to be similar to the epic one made last month by its predecessor.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGqPB5S5-Qw#)
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Space Launch Schedule
https://www.spacelaunchschedule.com/launch/starship-sn9-12-5-km-flight/ (https://www.spacelaunchschedule.com/launch/starship-sn9-12-5-km-flight/)
12.5 km Flight Starship SN9
Fri · Jan 8th, 2021
8:00 AM - 5:59 PM CST
Mission
12.5 km Flight
Type: Test Flight
The SN9 Starship prototype will attempt a first flight similar to the one performed by SN8. It consists of a powered ascent to an altitude of 12.5 km or 41,000 ft, followed by a belly flop maneuver, controlled descent, landing flip maneuver and landing.
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Space Launch Schedule
https://www.spacelaunchschedule.com/launch/starship-sn9-12-5-km-flight/ (https://www.spacelaunchschedule.com/launch/starship-sn9-12-5-km-flight/)
12.5 km Flight Starship SN9
Fri · Jan 8th, 2021
8:00 AM - 5:59 PM CST
Mission
12.5 km Flight
Type: Test Flight
The SN9 Starship prototype will attempt a first flight similar to the one performed by SN8. It consists of a powered ascent to an altitude of 12.5 km or 41,000 ft, followed by a belly flop maneuver, controlled descent, landing flip maneuver and landing.
They can't very well fly if they don't get the large blue crane off the site. Here's hoping it goes off tomorrow...looking forward to it.
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Nerdle Cam 4K- Starship SN9 Live At SpaceX Boca Chica Launch Facility
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ky5l9ZxsG9M#)
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No Launch today.
Overpressure notice for 8th 8a-5p CST.
TFR's for SN9 flight on 10th-12th.
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SpaceX Single Launch Space Station unofficial concept
SpaceXvision
The SLSS (Single Launch Space Station) is an unofficial concept created by us. It is meant to be launched on SpaceX superheavy booster and a Starship derived second stage.
More SpaceX space station designs are in the works.
If you see ways to improve the design, mention them in the comments.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iwQERHgqco#)
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Why SpaceX Wants To Make Landing Super Heavy MORE Difficult.
Scott Manley
There's been a lot of discussion about SuperHeavy - the booster used by Starship - after some tweets by Elon Musk confirming that the ultimate plan is to save time and mass by landing the booster on a capture system able to support the vehicle by its grid fins.
The upsides are great, but it'll require new levels of precision in the landing system and, will increase the consequences of failure. So, it's a fascinating and I'm not 100% convinced they'll get it to work right away, but I'm always happy to watch anyone pushing the limits of rocket science.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEAyjtIIccY#)
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Tankzilla has been moved from the launch site to the lot next to the crane shed at SpaceX Boca Chica.
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Tankzilla has been moved from the launch site to the lot next to the crane shed at SpaceX Boca Chica.
I'm partial to Bluto...lol.
Looks like a failed static fire today. This will set the launch back a few days...at least.
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They've done one static fire already. They are planning to launch this Sunday, with backup days Mon and Tues.
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Watch SpaceX Static Fire Starship SN9 THREE Times!!!
Everyday Astronaut
1st Static Fire: 1:12:40
2nd Static Fire 3:06:50
3rd Static Fire: 4:20:57
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tB9ZJfNZSys#)
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Watch SpaceX Static Fire Starship SN9 THREE Times!!!
Everyday Astronaut
1st Static Fire: 1:12:40
2nd Static Fire 3:06:50
3rd Static Fire: 4:20:57
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tB9ZJfNZSys#)
They were spectacular!!!
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SpaceX Starship SN9 Triple Static Fire!!! [Slow Mo 4K]
Everyday Astronaut 1/13/2021
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swL4xrmmLCk&feature=youtu.be#)
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SpaceX returns to Starship program roots with new ‘test tank’ prototype
TESLARATI by Eric Ralph 1/15/2021
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-program-new-test-tank-assembly (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-program-new-test-tank-assembly)
It’s now clear that SpaceX is preparing to return to the roots of its Starship program with the latest in a series of one-off ‘test tanks’ meant to qualify upgrades to the rocket’s design and production.
Likely known as Starship SN7.2, the hardware will be the first standalone tank built and tested by SpaceX since SN7.1 was successfully pressurized to failure in a process known as burst testing in September 2020. Following in the footsteps of SN7.1, a simple test tank fully focused on qualifying a change in the steel alloy used to build Starships, SN7.2 was somewhat more complex, swapping one of two smooth forward domes with a thrust dome and adding a ‘skirt’ section.
Built out of the same steel alloy as SN7.1, SN7.2 went through similar testing but included the use of a hydraulic ram designed to simulate the thrust of one, two, or three Raptors on the ‘thrust puck’ those engines would otherwise attach to. Starship test tank SN7.2 appears to be quite similar to SN7.1 – but with one or two crucial differences.
SN7.2's forward dome has been mated with its aft dome. This is the first tank to be built using 3mm stainless steel instead of the current 4mm. @elonmusk what bar are you expecting SN7.2 to reach and when will it be tested?
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SpaceX swapping out two engines on Starship SN9 prototype ahead of test flight
https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-sn9-engine-swap (https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-sn9-engine-swap)
Space.com by By Mike Wall 1/15/2021
It's unclear when SN9 will make its big hop.
SpaceX's latest Starship prototype needs some maintenance work before it can take to the skies.
On Wednesday (Jan. 13), the Starship SN9 prototype performed three "static fire" tests in rapid succession at SpaceX's South Texas site, firing up its three Raptor engines while the vehicle remained anchored to the ground.
These brief burns were part of the preflight routine for SN9, which is being groomed for a high-altitude test. That big hop could have happened as soon as this weekend, had Wednesday's static fires gone perfectly smoothly. But there were apparently a few hiccups.
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SpaceX swapping out two engines on Starship SN9 prototype ahead of test flight
https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-sn9-engine-swap (https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-sn9-engine-swap)
Space.com by By Mike Wall 1/15/2021
It's unclear when SN9 will make its big hop.
SpaceX's latest Starship prototype needs some maintenance work before it can take to the skies.
On Wednesday (Jan. 13), the Starship SN9 prototype performed three "static fire" tests in rapid succession at SpaceX's South Texas site, firing up its three Raptor engines while the vehicle remained anchored to the ground.
These brief burns were part of the preflight routine for SN9, which is being groomed for a high-altitude test. That big hop could have happened as soon as this weekend, had Wednesday's static fires gone perfectly smoothly. But there were apparently a few hiccups.
Means more static fires before the hop. Swapping out 2/3's of your engines is a MAJOR problem.
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Means more static fires before the hop. Swapping out 2/3's of your engines is a MAJOR problem.
Of course there will be more static fires before the flight. I believe the "MAJOR problem" is FOD damage from the static fires.
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Blue Origin flies new space capsule, posts video of new Alabama rocket engine plant
American Military News by Lee Roop - Alabama Media Group January 17, 2021
https://americanmilitarynews.com/2021/01/blue-origin-flies-new-space-capsule-posts-video-of-new-alabama-rocket-engine-plant/ (https://americanmilitarynews.com/2021/01/blue-origin-flies-new-space-capsule-posts-video-of-new-alabama-rocket-engine-plant/)
Blue Origin flew its New Shepard rocket with a new capsule on top successfully to space and back to a safe ground landing Thursday, moving the company closer to commercial launches for the public, and it released a video with a rare look at its new Huntsville engine plant.
The six-seat capsule carried only Mannequin Skywalker to carry data, but it will carry space tourists later on suborbital flights the company expects to raise revenue and spread excitement about space. The capsule that launched today featured upgrades to its acoustics, temperature regulation, crew display panels and push-to-talk communications at each of its passenger seats.
Seeing the inside of Blue’s Huntsville engine plant is rare in part because of federal law bans photography of technology that might be copied by foreign competitors. Guide Jacki Cortese toured the huge plant where Blue Origin is developing and building its BE4 engine and showed some of the techniques used in modern rocket production.
More at link.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9oTZu2HP8U&feature=emb_logo#)
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The 2 Raptors have been replaced on SN9.
Boca Chica Testing Schedule
Based on Cameron County, Texas – Road Closures
1/18/21 – 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
1/19/21 – 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
1/20/21 – 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
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SpaceX Falcon 9 booster set to beat rocket turnaround record by a huge margin
TESLARATI by Eric Ralph 1/17/2021
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-falcon-9-booster-record-rocket-turnaround-2021/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-falcon-9-booster-record-rocket-turnaround-2021/)
The Falcon 9 booster assigned to SpaceX’s first Starlink launch of the new year is on track to become the world’s most rapidly reusable rocket as early as Monday, January 18th.
Targeting Monday, January 18 at 8:45 a.m. EST for Falcon 9 launch of 60 Starlink satellites from LC-39A; Falcon 9’s first stage previously supported seven missions. Team is keeping an eye on launch and recovery weather → https://t.co/bJFjLCzWdK (https://t.co/bJFjLCzWdK)
Prior to 2020, SpaceX’s Block 5 booster turnaround record – referring to the time between two launches of the same rocket – happened to be set by two Falcon Heavy side boosters after they supported two of the rocket’s three total launches in just 74 days. In mid-2018, a pre-Block 5 Falcon 9 booster technically made it slightly further, flying twice in 71 days. While impressive, the speed of SpaceX’s Falcon Block 5 booster reuse remained firmly behind NASA’s Space Shuttle, the only operational orbital-class reusable rocket prior to Falcon.
While already dramatically more cost-effective and labor-efficient than the Space Shuttle’s extraordinarily involved refurbishment process, SpaceX’s established turnaround time capabilities would begin to take huge steps forward in 2020. In July, the inevitable finally happened when a Falcon 9 booster launched for the second time in just 51 days, beating NASA’s longstanding Space Shuttle turnaround record of 54 days.
Last flown for the seventh time on December 13th, Falcon 9 B1051 is now scheduled to attempt its eighth orbital-class launch and landing just 36 days later, beating the 51-day world record by almost a third (~30%) and simultaneously becoming the first Falcon booster to launch eight times. If successful, SpaceX’s Falcon rockets will be mere days away from demonstrating monthly reusability.
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SpaceX acquires former oil rigs to serve as floating Starship spaceports
NASA Spaceflight by Thomas Burghardt January 19, 2021
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/01/spacex-rigs-starship-spaceports (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/01/spacex-rigs-starship-spaceports)
SpaceX has acquired two former oil drilling rigs to serve as these floating spaceports. Named Phobos and Deimos, after the two moons of Mars, they are currently undergoing modifications to support Starship launch operations.
SpaceX has long been hinting at future floating launch and landing sites for their Starship launch system. The super heavy lift launch vehicle will have a large blast danger area and pose noise concerns if launched frequently near populated areas. Therefore, sea launch platforms will play a key role in the launch cadence SpaceX plans to reach with Starship, including on-orbit refueling flights for deep space missions and transportation from one place to another on Earth.
Job postings by SpaceX have indicated that work on offshore launch platforms has begun in Brownsville, Texas, near their Starship manufacturing and launch facilities in Boca Chica.
Positions included crane operators, electricians, and offshore operations engineers, and several of the job listings specified that the position was part of the company’s Starship program. Job descriptions for these positions included responsibilities like “designing and building an operational offshore rocket launch facility†and required the “ability to work on an offshore platform in Brownsville, Texas.â€
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Test vessel 7.2 (Poppy) arrives at the launch facility to be tested to rupture. It is using 3 mm stainless steel.
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http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,387074.msg2363504.html#msg2363504 (http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,387074.msg2363504.html#msg2363504)
SpaceX returns to Starship program roots with new ‘test tank’ prototype
TESLARATI by Eric Ralph 1/15/2021
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-program-new-test-tank-assembly (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-program-new-test-tank-assembly)
It’s now clear that SpaceX is preparing to return to the roots of its Starship program with the latest in a series of one-off ‘test tanks’ meant to qualify upgrades to the rocket’s design and production.
Likely known as Starship SN7.2, the hardware will be the first standalone tank built and tested by SpaceX since SN7.1 was successfully pressurized to failure in a process known as burst testing in September 2020. Following in the footsteps of SN7.1, a simple test tank fully focused on qualifying a change in the steel alloy used to build Starships, SN7.2 was somewhat more complex, swapping one of two smooth forward domes with a thrust dome and adding a ‘skirt’ section.
Built out of the same steel alloy as SN7.1, SN7.2 went through similar testing but included the use of a hydraulic ram designed to simulate the thrust of one, two, or three Raptors on the ‘thrust puck’ those engines would otherwise attach to. Starship test tank SN7.2 appears to be quite similar to SN7.1 – but with one or two crucial differences.
SN7.2's forward dome has been mated with its aft dome. This is the first tank to be built using 3mm stainless steel instead of the current 4mm. @elonmusk what bar are you expecting SN7.2 to reach and when will it be tested?
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LIVE: Starship SN9 Static Fire Attempt
NASASpaceflight
SpaceX is conducting a static fire test with Starship SN9 in Boca Chica, Texas. If all goes well, a successful test will clear the way for a test flight in the coming days.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHIcC4TI8A8#)
Propellant is loading @ 5:28PM CST
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LIVE: Starship SN9 Static Fire Attempt
NASASpaceflight
SpaceX is conducting a static fire test with Starship SN9 in Boca Chica, Texas. If all goes well, a successful test will clear the way for a test flight in the coming days.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHIcC4TI8A8#)
Propellant is loading @ 5:28PM CST
Several aborted static fire attempts today. I wonder what the issue was? Hopefully they'll get this ironed out.
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SpaceX rocket launches on record 8th flight carrying 60 Starlink satellites, nails landing
Space.com By Amy Thompson 1/20/2021
It's the most-flown Falcon 9 ever.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched on a record 8th flight to send a new fleet of the company's Starlink internet satellites into orbit on Wednesday (Jan.20) and then nailed a landing at sea.
The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from the historic Pad 39A here at NASA's Kennedy Space Center at 8:02 a.m. EDT (1202 GMT) carrying 60 new Starlink satellites for SpaceX's growing constellation in orbit. The launch came after two days of delay due to poor weather in the recovery zone and the need for extra pre-flight checks.
Approximately 9 minutes after liftoff, the Falcon 9's first stage returned to Earth, landing on one of SpaceX's drone ships in the Atlantic Ocean in a smooth touchdown. The massive ship, "Just Read the Instructions," is one of two in the company’s fleet of recovery vessels that catch falling boosters and return them to port.
More: https://www.space.com/spacex-starlink-17-record-rocket-launch-landing-success (https://www.space.com/spacex-starlink-17-record-rocket-launch-landing-success)
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SpaceX aborts several of Starship’s static fire attempts and rolls the test tank onto the pad
Newsbeezer 1/21/2021
Note: {Crash means "Abort")
SpaceX held the Starship SN9 for about an hour after the third crash, but eventually began the final deflation and depressurization around 6:50 p.m., marking the end of the day’s trials.
It is impossible to say what caused the consecutive crashes on Wednesday or whether the three instances were linked. While it may be frustrating to watch from the sidelines, it’s important to remember that the public is getting a truly unprecedented continuous view of the process of developing and refining a world-class SpaceX launcher. Additionally, any demolition that Starship suffers should theoretically produce a lot of valuable data that will help both Starship and Raptor teams better understand how the cutting-edge vehicle and its engines are designed, built, tested and operated.
Most likely, SpaceX is tending to be cautious (and thus cautious hardware and software limits) as it tries to prep the Starship SN9 for its real purpose of data acquisition – an SN8-style take-off and landing attempt at high altitude.
More: https://newsbeezer.com/uk/spacex-aborts-several-of-starships-static-fire-attempts-and-rolls-the-test-tank-onto-the-pad/ (https://newsbeezer.com/uk/spacex-aborts-several-of-starships-static-fire-attempts-and-rolls-the-test-tank-onto-the-pad/)
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When Will SN9 Launch? | Live Updates
https://everydayastronaut.com/sn9-10-km-flight-live-updates/ (https://everydayastronaut.com/sn9-10-km-flight-live-updates/)
Keeping track of when a Starship Prototype is going to launch is hard. Here, we’ll keep you up to date on the latest launch date and what’s happening with SN9.
Official NET date: January 25, 2021
Tim’s take: Waiting for another static fire?
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The static fire today was VERY short and didn't sound right at all. I think they have issues. Poor Eileen has had a hard life...lol.
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The static fire today was VERY short and didn't sound right at all. I think they have issues. Poor Eileen has had a hard life...lol.
Eileen is undergoing a static fire currently. I just got my morning cup of coffee....barely made it.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z72Au8Px7mM&t=0s#)
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ky5l9ZxsG9M#)
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Static Fire @ 8:59:40 CST
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Boca Chica currently 28 mph wind gusts. Wind expected to drop this afternoon.
Possible launch or Static fire,
waiting for residents to evacuate.
Road closure 12-6p CST (1800-0000 UTC).
Flight TFRs Jan 25-27 8a-6p (1400-2359 UTC)
3pm Launch tentatively.
No Launch Today. Too windy.
Tues. 1/26/2021 08:43CST 0 wind. Thick fog. Should be a good day for a flight!
No Launch Today.
7.2 Testing in progress
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SpaceX’s most important Super Heavy booster part makes first appearance
TESLARATI by Eric Ralph 1/25/2021
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-super-heavy-booster-most-important-part (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-super-heavy-booster-most-important-part)
(https://www.teslarati.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Starship-Boca-Chica-012521-NASASpaceflight-bocachicagal-BN1-thrust-dome-2-crop-c-2048x1052.jpg)
What is arguably the most complex and important part of SpaceX’s Super Heavy booster prototype has made its first appearance at the company’s South Texas Starship factory.
Following in the footsteps of Starship development, Super Heavy has been able to extensively borrow from the many lessons learned over the course of building, testing, flying, and building more Starship prototypes. SpaceX is able to use virtually identical materials, equipment, and techniques to build and assemble both Starship and Super Heavy propellant tank barrels and domes, while both stages will also share an extensive foundation of avionics, plumbing, propulsion, and ground systems, among other things.
In fact, lacking a conical nose, secondary (‘header’) propellant tanks, flaps, a reusable orbital-class heatshield, and vacuum-optimized Raptor engines, Super Heavy is actually substantially simpler than the Starships it will one day launch towards orbit. However, not everything is simpler. Super Heavy will ultimately be the largest and most powerful liquid-fueled rocket stage ever built or tested – power that demands as many as 28 Raptor engines and a thrust structure capable of feeding and withstanding them.
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SN7.2 Pressure Test was Successful.
Too windy again. No Flight Today.
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@mrpotatohead
@Cyber Liberty
SN-9 Launch T-0 @ 11:00 (ish)
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ky5l9ZxsG9M#)
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@mrpotatohead
@Cyber Liberty
SN-9 Launch T-0 @ 11:00 (ish)
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ky5l9ZxsG9M#)
@Elderberry
THANKS! I've got it on my second monitor. I can't wait!
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The wind hasn't yet subsided.
Wind:19.7 mph NE @ 10:51
High gust 26.0 mph at 09:12 AM
Temporary Flight Restriction. No TFRs have been cancelled.
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The wind hasn't yet subsided.
Wind:19.7 mph NE @ 10:51
High gust 26.0 mph at 09:12 AM
Temporary Flight Restriction. No TFRs have been cancelled.
Outlook may be dimming for a launch today.
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Scrubbed for today....
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“FAA is basically giving SpaceX a hard time with the licensing because of the engine swap, it is technically a new vehicle. “
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Relayed from Musk:
FAA Space Division has a fundamentally broken regulatory structure.
Their rules are set up for a handful of expendable rocket launches per year from a few governmental facilities.
Under those rules humanity will never get to Mars.
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The FAA is under new management and has determined this launch could be progress for The United States and therefore must be stopped until China can surpass our technology.
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Did Musk really want to test SN9 in 20 MPH winds?
Yes, maybe Biden's FAA decided to go into full bureaucratic CYA mode, too, but I'm not sure about the true cause of today's mission scrub. :shrug:
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The wind is currently 15mph. It would surely be more calm around 3 or 4. I can't believe that wind was an issue.
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The wind is currently 15mph. It would surely be more calm around 3 or 4. I can't believe that wind was an issue.
From what I saw at the video, it was the FAA's call, and I thought it was because of the wind... :shrug:
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No comment about why the FAA shut down the test.
Elon Musk
@elonmusk
·
1h
Unlike its aircraft division, which is fine, the FAA space division has a fundamentally broken regulatory structure.
Their rules are meant for a handful of expendable launches per year from a few government facilities. Under those rules, humanity will never get to Mars.
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SN9 is Venting.
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T-0 is now roughly estimated to be in 30 to 45 minutes. No official SpaceX link.
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Engine Chill.
Launch can be any moment.
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Statement from FAA just now.
re the SpaceX SN9 flight
"We will continue working with SpaceX to resolve outstanding Safety Issues before we approve next test flight."
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Another plane approaching the launch site. Make that multiple planes.
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Engine Chill.
Launch can be any moment.
What?
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If it gets launched, will we be treated to these announcers giggling like little kids this time? Sounds like the same guys.
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Currently aircraft in area hold.
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FAA is now saying SpaceX's license indicates IF there was an an anomaly either on the SN8 flight or the SN9 tip over it must be disclosed otherwise no Flying.
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FAA is now saying SpaceX's license indicates IF there was an an anomaly either on the SN8 flight or the SN9 tip over it must be disclosed otherwise no Flying.
Meanwhile, it appears the FAA pulled the NOTAM...otherwise there would be no encroaching flights.
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Detanking.
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Detanking.
Ughhhh!!! I watched all day. Dang bureaucrats!
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SpaceX, Elon Musk clash with the FAA over Starship launch license delays
TESLARATI by Eric Ralph 1/28/2021
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-faa-clash-starship-launch-license-delays/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-faa-clash-starship-launch-license-delays/)
In a bizarre series of events, SpaceX and CEO Elon Musk spent the day visibly clashing with the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) over Starship launch licensing delays.
Just six weeks ago, Starship serial number 8 (SN8) nearly aced the SpaceX’s first FAA-approved high-altitude launch debut out of South Texas, demonstrating the rocket’s ability to safely launch to high altitudes and return back to earth. Though a pressurization issue ultimately caused SN8 to lose thrust and impact the ground before it could gently touch down, the Starship made it a full six and a half minutes into a roughly seven-minute test flight before anything went wrong – a degree of success far greater than almost anyone at SpaceX confidently expected.
In the leadup to a bizarre last-minute abort of what may or may not have been Starship SN9’s first real launch attempt, Musk had some strong words for the FAA’s space division, deeming its regulatory structure “fundamentally broken†and a regime under which “humanity will never get to Mars.†Not long after that and in the midst of a great deal of uncertainty and mixed messages about the status of the rocket’s FAA launch license, SpaceX appeared to begin loading Starship SN9 with liquid oxygen and methane propellant.
Because a launch flow is virtually indistinguishable – aside from paperwork – from the process of preparing a Starship for a wet dress rehearsal (WDR) or Raptor engine static fire, it’s impossible to know if SpaceX was attempting to hedge its bets or simply taking advantage of established readiness to perform additional ground tests.
incredibly weird given that SN9 is a virtually identical copy of Starship SN8, which the FAA approved to fly an identical trajectory like six weeks ago. https://t.co/DQCxYdA5rV (https://t.co/DQCxYdA5rV)
— Eric Ralph (@13ericralph31) January 28, 2021
It was pretty clear they didn't have FAA authorization. My assumption is that SpaceX expected to obtain it at some point today.
— Eric Berger (@SciGuySpace) January 28, 2021
According to vague but official comments from the FAA provided to Washington Post reporter Christian Davenport, the licensing issue “is related to SN9,†which could imply a vehicle hardware or software issue but could just as easily be true for almost anything even tangentially related to the launch (range, ground systems, politics, semi-arbitrary risk analysis, etc).
Ultimately, perhaps just a minute or less away from a possible static fire or launch, SpaceX aborted Starship SN9’s mysterious January 28th test and gradually detanked the rocket over the next few hours.
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I think the FAA was trying to make some last minute hay over the "Ilene" incident....
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I think the FAA was trying to make some last minute hay over the "Ilene" incident....
I think it's because Musk criticized the tech stock darlings and this was payback.
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No FAA approval yet. Launch window Today closes at 2PM.
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I think it's because Musk criticized the tech stock darlings and this was payback.
My thoughts too. Strange all the sudden, FAA wants to get involved.
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NOTAM : 1/8562
FDC 1/8562 ZHU TX..AIRSPACE BROWNSVILLE, TX..TEMPORARY FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS WI AN AREA BOUNDED BY 260124N/0970742W TO 255818N/0970742W TO 255818N/0971108W TO 260124N/0971108W TO POINT OF ORIGIN SFC-7200FT TO PROVIDE A SAFE ENVIROMENT FOR SPACE OPS PURSUANT TO 14 CFR SECTION 91.143. SPACEX ARE AUTH IN THE AIRSPACE. SPACEX TEL 310-363-5421 IS IN CHARGE OF THE OPS. HOUSTON /ZHU/ ARTCC TEL 281-230-5560 IS THE FAA CDN FACILITY. 2101291200-2101300600
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Mary
@BocaChicaGal
I have been informed that I may return home to Boca Chica Village. No Starship SN9 flight attempt today. #WenHop continues.
Fire
Rocket
Fire
@NASASpaceflight
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Mary
@BocaChicaGal
I have been informed that I may return home to Boca Chica Village. No Starship SN9 flight attempt today. #WenHop continues.
Fire
Rocket
Fire
@NASASpaceflight
Can't believe they won't let them fly. There's something really bad going on behind the scenes.
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NOTAM : 1/8562
FDC 1/8562 ZHU TX..AIRSPACE BROWNSVILLE, TX..TEMPORARY FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS WI AN AREA BOUNDED BY 260124N/0970742W TO 255818N/0970742W TO 255818N/0971108W TO 260124N/0971108W TO POINT OF ORIGIN SFC-7200FT TO PROVIDE A SAFE ENVIROMENT FOR SPACE OPS PURSUANT TO 14 CFR SECTION 91.143. SPACEX ARE AUTH IN THE AIRSPACE. SPACEX TEL 310-363-5421 IS IN CHARGE OF THE OPS. HOUSTON /ZHU/ ARTCC TEL 281-230-5560 IS THE FAA CDN FACILITY. 2101291200-2101300600
"SPACEX ARE AUTH IN THE AIRSPACE."
So are they authorized by the FAA, or not?
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"SPACEX ARE AUTH IN THE AIRSPACE."
So are they authorized by the FAA, or not?
No. Still awaiting final FAA go-ahead.
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No. Still awaiting final FAA go-ahead.
No point in watching Nerdle then. Won't be today, not tomorrow and probably not 2/1 either. Musk got on Biteme's shitlist over the Gamestop fiasco.
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No point in watching Nerdle then. Won't be today, not tomorrow and probably not 2/1 either. Musk got on Biteme's shitlist over the Gamestop fiasco.
:yowsa:
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FAA reviews delay SpaceX Starship test
Space News by Jeff Foust — January 29, 2021
https://spacenews.com/faa-reviews-delay-spacex-starship-test/ (https://spacenews.com/faa-reviews-delay-spacex-starship-test/)
A test flight of SpaceX’s Starship launch vehicle is on hold as the company awaits approval from the Federal Aviation Administration, a delay that has publicly aggravated the company’s chief executive.
SpaceX had planned to perform a suborbital flight of its Starship SN9 vehicle at its Boca Chica, Texas, test site Jan. 28. The vehicle would have made a flight similar to that by the SN8 vehicle Dec. 9, this time going to an altitude of 10 kilometers before landing back at Boca Chica.
However, temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) closing airspace around the test site were unexpectedly lifted around the middle of the day, even as SpaceX was preparing the vehicle for the flight. A source familiar with the discussions between the FAA and SpaceX said that the agency requested additional information about the vehicle and flight plan before giving final approval.
SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk berated the FAA for the delay. “Unlike its aircraft division, which is fine, the FAA space division has a fundamentally broken regulatory structure,†he tweeted. “Their rules are meant for a handful of expendable launches per year from a few government facilities. Under those rules, humanity will never get to Mars.â€
The company proceeded with launch preparations Jan. 28, leaving some to wonder if the company might perform a launch without a TFR in place or other FAA approvals. That turned out to be a wet dress rehearsal, with the vehicle fueled but the countdown halted before engine ignition.
A second launch attempt Jan. 29 did not get nearly as far. An FAA air traffic advisory early in the day stated that the launch had been canceled, although the TFR remained in place. By midmorning, though, SpaceX said it was now targeting no earlier than Feb. 1 for the SN9 launch.
Neither SpaceX nor FAA have disclosed additional details about the issue preventing FAA approval for the launch. “We will continue working with SpaceX to resolve outstanding safety issues before we approve the next test flight,†FAA spokesperson Steven Kuhn told SpaceNews Jan. 29.
“The FAA will continue to work with SpaceX to evaluate additional information provided by the company as part of its application to modify its launch license,†the FAA said in a statemente late Jan.
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What a beautiful sight seeing SN9 (Eileen) and SN10 (Bo (Derek)) on the launch pads.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Es8D_6lXEAE6dPt?format=jpg)
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What a beautiful sight seeing SN9 (Eileen) and SN10 (Bo (Derek)) on the launch pads.
Well there is no arguing, that's a nice pair!
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Elon Musk blasted the FAA for canceling a Starship test flight as the agency reportedly probes launch license violation
Business Insider by Morgan McFall-Johnsen Jan 30, 2021
https://www.businessinsider.in/science/news/elon-musk-blasted-the-faa-for-canceling-a-starship-test-launch-but-the-agency-said-outstanding-safety-issues-were-at-play/articleshow/80541998.cms (https://www.businessinsider.in/science/news/elon-musk-blasted-the-faa-for-canceling-a-starship-test-launch-but-the-agency-said-outstanding-safety-issues-were-at-play/articleshow/80541998.cms)
• SpaceX was ready to attempt a Starship rocket test flight on Thursday, but it couldn't get clearance from the FAA.
• Elon Musk criticized the agency on Twitter, saying that with its rules "humanity will never get to Mars," but the FAA told Insider it was working with SpaceX to "resolve outstanding safety issues."
• On Friday, The Verge reported the hold-up may be related to the first high-altitude Starship flight, which ended in an explosion and may have violated SpaceX's launch license.
SpaceX was ready to launch its latest prototype of its Starship rocket about six miles into the air on Thursday.
That is, until the Federal Aviation Administration stepped in.
The rocket sat on the launchpad at the company's facilities in Boca Chica, Texas, ready for workers to remotely load propellant into its fuel tanks. Local roads were also closed to make way for any explosions, and the company even posted an announcement about the flight on its website. All that SpaceX needed was approval from the FAA.
But the FAA pulled its airspace closure - a requirement for launch - triggering a public complaint by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk against the regulatory agency.
The holdup may be related to the SN8 explosion and a license violation
In a new FAA statement emailed to Insider on Friday, the agency disclosed that it is still evaluating modifications to SpaceX's launch license. That seems to be why it wasn't ready to approve the SN9 flight this week. "The FAA will continue to work with SpaceX to evaluate additional information provided by the company as part of its application to modify its launch license," an FAA spokesperson said in the statement. "While we recognize the importance of moving quickly to foster growth and innovation in commercial space, the FAA will not compromise its responsibility to protect public safety. We will approve the modification only after we are satisfied that SpaceX has taken the necessary steps to comply with regulatory requirements."
It's unclear what those modifications are, but based on the new statement, Nield suspects the holdup has something to do with anomalies (like an explosive landing) during the launch of the previous prototype, SN8. SpaceX may not have provided the FAA with a satisfactory report on the incident. It could also be an amendment to the quantity of propellant or the thrust of the engines, he said.
-
LabPadre
@LabPadre
Someone has skills. In front of the @PearlSouthPadre
. #SpaceX #BocaChica #Texas #Starship
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Es8FEoSXYAUkKIh?format=jpg&name=large)
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Es_AWBqXYAEBoCC?format=jpg&name=large)
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LabPadre
@LabPadre
Someone has skills. In front of the @PearlSouthPadre
. #SpaceX #BocaChica #Texas #Starship
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Es8FEoSXYAUkKIh?format=jpg&name=large)
FAA agents are on their way to investigate. :silly:
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Sea Launch Zenit 3SL Failure - NSS-8 - Multi-view Footage (Previously unseen)
NASA Spaceflight
Now that Sea Launch - albeit under Russian control - is expected to see the Oddessy Launch Platform make a come back with the Soyuz 7, we've dug up these clips from the depth of NSF L2 and edited together a video. The only videos on youtube show the first 10 seconds and Sea Launch's live webcast at the time cutting to its logo seconds after the failure. Our video shows the uncut version and some clips from the cameras both on Oddessy and Sea Commander, provided exclusively to NSF.
The event: On 30 January 2007, a Zenit-3SL lost thrust almost immediately after liftoff - caused by debris in the turbopump. The payload was NSS-8 communications satellite for SES New Skies.
Sea Launch recovered and launched again, but later went out of business. After being mothballed in Long Beach, the platform will be used by the Russian Soyuz 7 rocket.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTdJOP3fFeA#)
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Watch live today: bluShift Aerospace to launch 1st biofuel rocket from Maine
Space.com
https://www.space.com/17933-nasa-television-webcasts-live-space-tv.html (https://www.space.com/17933-nasa-television-webcasts-live-space-tv.html)
Update for 1 p.m. EST: bluShift Aerospace's is now targeting a launch of Stardust 1.0 between 2:30-3:00 p.m. EST (1930-2000 GMT).
The small-satellite launch startup bluShift Aerospace will attempt its first Stardust suborbital rocket launch from Maine Sunday (Jan. 31) and you can watch it live here. Liftoff is currently targeted for 10:45 a.m. EDT (1545 GMT).
The Brunswick, Maine-based bluShift will attempt to launch its Stardust 1.0 suborbital rocket up to a 1 mile high from a runway on the decommissioned Loring Air Force Base (now the Loring Commerce Centre) in Limestone, Maine. The rocket can carry about 17 lbs. (8 kilograms) on this launch, and is carrying three primary payloads on this flight.
Liftoff is scheduled during a one-hour window that opens at 10 a.m. EDT (1500 GMT). This is the second attempt by bluShift to launch the Stardust 1.0. An earlier attempt on Jan. 15 was thwarted by bad weather.
More at link.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYR7lQyCVI0&feature=emb_logo#)
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SpaceX Starship SN9 10-Kilometer Flight Live Stream - Take 4 - FAA approval: Check
What about it!?
SpaceX is trying it again. This time with Starship SN9 and this time with a new header tank pressurization system and the goal of sticking the landing!
FAA seems to have given the OK! Fingers crossed!
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LUEQmsnVac#)
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FAA seems to have given the OK! Fingers crossed!
Now if OSHA, EPA, or DOT shows up.........
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Now if OSHA, EPA, or DOT shows up.........
I heard the Food Inspectors are sniffing around...
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SN9 Launch Time "EST" 25 Minutes per LabPadre
Launch Time pushed out. now 40 Minutes???????
Changed Again. Now Launch ETA 2PM CST
-
Estimated Launch Time: T-16 minutes for Launch around 2:24CST
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Space Force officially ends launch partnerships with Blue Origin and Northrop Grumman
Space News by Sandra Erwin — January 26, 2021
https://spacenews.com/space-force-officially-ends-launch-partnerships-with-blue-origin-and-northrop-grumman/ (https://spacenews.com/space-force-officially-ends-launch-partnerships-with-blue-origin-and-northrop-grumman/)
From October 2018 through December 2020, Blue Origin was paid $255.5 million and Northrop Grumman got $531.7 million.
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Space Force on Dec. 31 officially terminated launch technology partnerships signed in October 2018 with Blue Origin and Northrop Grumman.
The Air Force awarded Launch Service Agreements to Blue Origin, Northrop Grumman and United Launch Alliance. These were six-year public-private partnerships where both the government and the contractors agreed to invest in rocket development and infrastructure required to compete in the National Security Space Launch program.
The plan from day one was to discontinue the LSAs with companies that did not win a National Security Space Launch procurement contract. Blue Origin and Northrop Grumman lost to ULA and SpaceX, which were selected in August 2020. The Space and Missile Systems Center confirmed in a statement to SpaceNews that the LSAs with Blue Origin and Northrop Grumman ended in Dec. 31, 2020.
From October 2018 through December 2020, Blue Origin was paid $255.5 million. The original six-year agreement was worth $500 million. Northrop Grumman got $531.7 million over that same period, nearly two-thirds of the total value of the LSA which was $792 million.
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LANDING - Starship SN9 10 km High Altitude Test Flight
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWXAqmd7hTs#)
-
LANDING - Starship SN9 10 km High Altitude Test Flight
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWXAqmd7hTs#)
Beautiful flight...too bad the second raptor engine didn't relight apparently.
-
It appears two of the three Raptors failed, just as with SN8. I think it will be awhile before SN10 gets launched. If SN8 was considered a "success," this test will have to go down as a "failure." :shrug:
The FAA will keep this one locked down for a long time.
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Elon Musk Vents Frustration Following Rocket Test Failure In Texas
Wccftech By Ramish Zafar 2/4/2021
https://wccftech.com/elon-musk-vents-frustration-following-rocket-test-failure-in-texas/ (https://wccftech.com/elon-musk-vents-frustration-following-rocket-test-failure-in-texas/)
Space Exploration Technology Corp.'s (SpaceX) chief executive and engineer Mr. Elon Musk took to Twitter to vent out his frustration after his company failed to successfully land a prototype of its next-generation Starship crew and cargo launch vehicle platform on Tuesday. The failure resulted as one of the Starship prototype's Raptor full-flow staged-combustion methane-fuelled rocket engine failed to reignite as it attempted to land. As a result, the vehicle had insufficient thrust to counter the force of gravity, and as opposed to an earlier test, crashed in a tilted position.
Musk States SpaceX Engineers ''Too Dumb'' To Implement Solution For Preventing Starship SN9 From Crashing
The executive's comments came as a surprise as a handful of days back he had stated that he would be leaving Twitter for a while. This announcement came after Mr. Musk joined the conversation surrounding the meteoric rise of GameStop Corp.'s shares after a Reddit forum went against venture capitalists betting against the stock through short selling. He then went on to join popular trading application RobinHood's chief Vlad Tenev in a discussion around the entire affair on the audio-chat social networking application Clubhouse, where he questioned Mr. Tenev about why the latter's application had stopped trading for the stock as things heated up between the Redditors and the short-sellers.
Strangely, the host of Tweets that followed his announcement to leave were made from a Twitter web application. Musk generally posts through the platform's iPhone application and this discrepancy has caused some to question whether the messages are authentic, or if the executive's account has been compromised. Until now, even though he made other tweets that seemingly pushed cryptocurrency Dogecoin's price to new highs, the tweets are yet to be deleted; suggesting that it was indeed Musk who posted them.
MadOverlord
@MadOverlord
·
Feb 4, 2021
Replying to @elonmusk
Question: Why only light 2 engines for landing? Any engine failure means loss of vehicle, so you have two single points of failure. Why not light all 3, do the flip, then pick the best two and turn off the other?
Elon Musk
@elonmusk
We were too dumb
3:15 AM · Feb 4, 2021
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SpaceX wants to launch its next Starship ASAP
TESLARATI by Eric Ralph 2/8/2021
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-sn10-launch-plans-asap/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-sn10-launch-plans-asap/)
Contrary to recent comments from CEO Elon Musk, SpaceX appears to be forging ahead at full speed in a bid to launch its next Starship ASAP.
Known as Starship serial number 10 (SN10), the prototype is the latest in a series of four ships SpaceX has ultimately set aside from low(er)-altitude development testing. Starship SN8 – the first functional prototype to reach its full height – debuted on December 8th, 2020, blowing expectations out of the water with a failure mere seconds before the end of a more than six-minute flight test. According to Musk, had a fuel tank remained properly pressurized from start to finish, SN8 could have very well stuck the landing on the first try.
Chris B - NSF
@NASASpaceflight
They aren't hanging around with SN10. Potential Static Fire tomorrow, and that would mean a launch is possible in the coming day.
Here we go again with #wenhop
Mary
@BocaChicaGal
I have received an ‘Alert’ notice and there is a planned road closure between the hours of 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. tomorrow February 8, 2021. Starship SN10 testing campaign is starting.
Two months later, after the better part of two weeks of licensing and static fire test delays, Starship SN9 attempted to carry the torch forward but suffered an unrelated failure slightly earlier than SN8’s. One of two Raptor engines failed to ignite for a high-risk flip and landing burn, causing the Starship to impact the ground even more violently than its predecessor. It’s unclear why the ill-fated Raptor failed to ignite or why the engine that did ignite appeared to experience a major failure shortly thereafter but rocket propulsion is extraordinarily difficult – and Raptor is near – or at – the end of that scale.
While SpaceX obviously hasn’t spun around and fixed a complex Starship propulsion issue in a matter of days, Musk eventually revealed his opinion that he, his engineers, or some combination of both “were too dumb†to exploit one obvious way to mitigate the risk of engine failure during flip and landing. That ‘obvious’ tweak: reignite all three of Starship’s available landing engines, not just two.
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SpaceX wants to launch its next Starship ASAP
TESLARATI by Eric Ralph 2/8/2021
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-sn10-launch-plans-asap/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-sn10-launch-plans-asap/)
Yeah there was speculation that lighting all 3 engines then cutting off one would tend to be a better idea. Also, there was speculation that they'd flip to vertical a little higher to give them a bit more time.
They'll get it right here pretty quick...
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LIVE: Starship SN10 Cryogenic Proof Test
NASASpaceflight
SpaceX is set to test the Starship SN10 prototype on Monday at the Boca Chica launch facility. The exact details for the round of testing have not been confirmed, but it will likely be a cryogenic proof test.
Error 404 (Not Found)!!1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01j90yvN_tA#)
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SpaceX Starship prototype gets frosty for a launch attempt as early as this week
TESLARATI by Eric Ralph 2/8/2021
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-sn10-next-launch-flight-plan/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-sn10-next-launch-flight-plan/)
Update: It appears that SpaceX has completed Starship SN10’s first cryogenic proof test campaign and the company lifted its road closure around 4:30 pm CST, signifying the end of Monday’s testing.
If Monday’s cryo proof was successful, SpaceX has requested possible static fire test windows on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday (Feb 10-12), though it’s possible another window could be added on Tuesday, February 9th. If Starship SN10 is able to complete a flawless wet dress rehearsal (WDR) and static fire on Tuesday or Wednesday, there is a chance – albeit small – that SpaceX can turn the rocket and pad around for a launch attempt on Friday.
Unfortunately, the FAA also deemed it necessary to reissue SpaceX’s airspace restrictions with a note that SN10’s launch is still “pending [authorization],†adding additional bureaucratic uncertainty on top of the technical hurdles the Starship still needs to navigate to be cleared for flight.
In the midst of what appears to be Starship SN10’s first cryogenic proof test, SpaceX has filed temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) with the FAA for a third Starship launch as early as this week.
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An unleashed Jeff Bezos looks to shift space venture Blue Origin into hyperdrive
NBC News 2/8/2021
https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/unleashed-jeff-bezos-looks-shift-space-venture-blue-origin-hyperdrive-rcna266 (https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/unleashed-jeff-bezos-looks-shift-space-venture-blue-origin-hyperdrive-rcna266)
Blue Origin has fallen far behind SpaceX on orbital transportation, and lost out on billions of dollars’ worth of U.S. national security launch contracts.
Freed from his daily obligations at Amazon, Jeff Bezos is expected to turn up the heat on his space venture, Blue Origin, as it faces a pivotal year and fierce competition from Elon Musk’s SpaceX, industry sources said.
The 57-year-old Bezos, a lifelong space enthusiast and the world’s second-richest person behind Musk, said last week he is stepping down as chief executive of the e-commerce company as he looks to focus on personal projects.
Blue Origin has fallen far behind SpaceX on orbital transportation, and lost out to SpaceX and United Launch Alliance (ULA) on billions of dollars’ worth of U.S. national security launch contracts which begin in 2022. ULA is a joint venture of Boeing Co and Lockheed Martin Corp.
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Elon Musk
@elonmusk
Who let the Doge out
4:25 PM · Feb 7, 2021·Twitter for iPhone
Chris B - NSF
@NASASpaceflight
·
Feb 7
Replying to
@elonmusk
Perhaps you could spearhead a petition for this plane's inclusion at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum?
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EtqDglEXEAMCCK7?format=jpg&name=small)
Pete
@Space_Pete
·
Feb 7
Nearly 100% return now, thanks Mr Musk! Pictured below: Doge-1 mission on its way to the Moon!
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EtqT8Y3XEAgOxsr?format=jpg&name=small)
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SpaceX’s Starship SN10 Is Officially Ready to Fly, But the FAA Might Slow It Down
Observer By Sissi Cao • 02/09/21
https://observer.com/2021/02/spacex-sn10-starship-launch-this-week-pending-faa/ (https://observer.com/2021/02/spacex-sn10-starship-launch-this-week-pending-faa/)
It’s been less than a week since SpaceX’s SN9 Starship prototype took to the sky but crashed in the last second of its landing during a high-altitude test. Its successor, SN10, is already being prepared for another flight as soon as this week.
On Monday afternoon, SpaceX completed SN10’s first cryogenic-proof test with liquid nitrogen (to make sure the rocket can endure the temperature and pressure when filled with extreme cold propellants.) The next step will be one or multiple static fire test, which includes a “wet dress rehearsal†(filling the rocket with actual propellants) and firing the three Raptor engines at full thrust.
SpaceX has requested a static fire testing window on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. There is also a test window on Tuesday. If SN10 passes static fire tests on Wednesday or Thursday and obtains the Federal Aviation Administration’s approval to fly, the rocket could lift off before the end of the week.
(https://observer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/02/EtoGL_iWQAkSWFG.jpeg?resize=768,576)
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SpaceX reschedules Starship static fire amid deadly Texas cold snap, power grid failure
TESLARATI by Eric Ralph 2/19/2021
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-static-fire-reschedule-cold-snap/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-static-fire-reschedule-cold-snap/)
After extreme weather and a once-in-a-decade cold snap ground SpaceX’s Starship launch preparations to a halt, the company’s next critical preflight test is back on the calendar.
SpaceX received permission to close Boca Chica Boulevard from 9 am to 6 pm CST (UTC-6) on Monday, February 22nd, with identical backup windows available on Tuesday and Wednesday. An agreement with Cameron County currently requires SpaceX to avoid road closures (and thus testing) on weekends – a compromise to preserve some level of access to Boca Chica’s public beaches for local residents.
Mary
@BocaChicaGal
·
17h
Starship SN10 testing has been scheduled for next week. Hopefully, Monday will be static fire attempt of the three Raptor engines on SN10.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Euij18DXEAAXzKt?format=jpg&name=small)
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Elon Musk
@elonmusk
Replying to
@MarcusHouseGame
Success on landing probability is ~60% this time
8:16 PM · Feb 13, 2021·Twitter for iPhone
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Federal Aviation Administration Completes SpaceX Starship Investigation Clearing Path for Next Flight Test
TESMANIAN by Evelyn Arevalo February 20, 2021
SpaceX is working towards developing a Starship launch vehicle to enable humanity to colonize Mars. The aerospace company is testing prototypes of the spacecraft in a small beach village located in the southernmost tip of Texas along the border with Mexico. Multiple gigantic stainless steel Starship vehicles have performed flight tests above Boca Chica Beach. The most recent test was a high-altitude flight performed by a prototype called Starship SN9 (Serial Number 9). The vehicle lifted off approximately 10-kilometers-high above the sandy beach on February 2nd. Starship SN9 propelled with a trio of methane-fueled Raptor engines. SN9 took a similar flight path as its predecessor, the vehicle conducted an aerodynamic flight and landing flip maneuver. The flight lasted around six minutes as spectators along South Padre Island coast watched in awe. Starship SN9's flight was going well up to when the vehicle attempted a propulsive landing but one of its engines failed to relight upon descent causing SN9 to land at high speed, ending the test flight with a gigantic explosion.
It is not the first time SpaceX blows up a prototype, SN8 had the same fate. However, it is important to note the spacecraft is in its initial phase of development and explosions are expected. Each test offers engineers valuable data towards improving the launch vehicle. The explosion prompted Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to investigate. Besides coordinating air traffic, the administration also conducts environmental and safety reviews to ensure safe spaceflight operations. “The FAA closed the investigation of the February 2 SpaceX Starship SN9 prototype mishap today, clearing the way for the SN10 test flight pending FAA approval of license updates,†the Administration said, according to journalist Jackie Wattles who shared via Twitter. “The FAA provided oversight of the SN9 mishap investigation conducted by SpaceX. The SN9 vehicle failed within the bounds of the FAA safety analysis. Its unsuccessful landing and explosion did not endanger the public or property,†they wrote.
The investigation completion clears path for SpaceX to launch the next Starship prototype – SN10 – at Boca Chica Beach (pictured above). Starship SN10 is expected to replicate SN8 and SN9’s flight path. The weather conditions in South Texas improved after the Arctic blast that caused freezing conditions in the area. Now, SpaceX will conduct a static-fire test of SN10’s Raptor engines sometime next week. According to Cameron County Boca Chica Beach road closure announcements, SpaceX could perform this crucial engine test as soon as Monday, February 22, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Central Time. Back-up test opportunities are also scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday at the same time. You can watch SpaceX operations Live in the video below, courtesy of LabPadre via YouTube.
More: https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/faa-starship (https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/faa-starship)
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Federal Aviation Administration Completes SpaceX Starship Investigation Clearing Path for Next Flight Test
TESMANIAN by Evelyn Arevalo February 20, 2021
SpaceX is working towards developing a Starship launch vehicle to enable humanity to colonize Mars. The aerospace company is testing prototypes of the spacecraft in a small beach village located in the southernmost tip of Texas along the border with Mexico. Multiple gigantic stainless steel Starship vehicles have performed flight tests above Boca Chica Beach. The most recent test was a high-altitude flight performed by a prototype called Starship SN9 (Serial Number 9). The vehicle lifted off approximately 10-kilometers-high above the sandy beach on February 2nd. Starship SN9 propelled with a trio of methane-fueled Raptor engines. SN9 took a similar flight path as its predecessor, the vehicle conducted an aerodynamic flight and landing flip maneuver. The flight lasted around six minutes as spectators along South Padre Island coast watched in awe. Starship SN9's flight was going well up to when the vehicle attempted a propulsive landing but one of its engines failed to relight upon descent causing SN9 to land at high speed, ending the test flight with a gigantic explosion.
It is not the first time SpaceX blows up a prototype, SN8 had the same fate. However, it is important to note the spacecraft is in its initial phase of development and explosions are expected. Each test offers engineers valuable data towards improving the launch vehicle. The explosion prompted Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to investigate. Besides coordinating air traffic, the administration also conducts environmental and safety reviews to ensure safe spaceflight operations. “The FAA closed the investigation of the February 2 SpaceX Starship SN9 prototype mishap today, clearing the way for the SN10 test flight pending FAA approval of license updates,†the Administration said, according to journalist Jackie Wattles who shared via Twitter. “The FAA provided oversight of the SN9 mishap investigation conducted by SpaceX. The SN9 vehicle failed within the bounds of the FAA safety analysis. Its unsuccessful landing and explosion did not endanger the public or property,†they wrote.
The investigation completion clears path for SpaceX to launch the next Starship prototype – SN10 – at Boca Chica Beach (pictured above). Starship SN10 is expected to replicate SN8 and SN9’s flight path. The weather conditions in South Texas improved after the Arctic blast that caused freezing conditions in the area. Now, SpaceX will conduct a static-fire test of SN10’s Raptor engines sometime next week. According to Cameron County Boca Chica Beach road closure announcements, SpaceX could perform this crucial engine test as soon as Monday, February 22, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Central Time. Back-up test opportunities are also scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday at the same time. You can watch SpaceX operations Live in the video below, courtesy of LabPadre via YouTube.
More: https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/faa-starship (https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/faa-starship)
I believe they still have more concrete to pour on the landing pad before SN10 (Bo) can be launched. Then it will take time for the concrete to cure. Two weeks maybe???
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SpaceX Starship ready to find out if third time’s the charm later this week
TESLARATI by Eric Ralph 2/21/2021
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-sn10-third-times-the-charm/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-sn10-third-times-the-charm/)
After a miserable week of extreme cold, power grid failures, high winds, and general chaos, conditions are improving, the sun is shining, and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk believes there’s a “good chance†that Starship serial number 10 (SN10) could launch “this week!â€
The third full-scale, full-height Starship completed by SpaceX since Starship SN8 rolled from factory to launch pad in October 2020, Starship SN10 is the second to last in a series of four similar prototypes built for the sole purpose of proving out an unprecedented method of landing rockets. On its December 8th debut, Starship SN8 – the first prototype to launch with a nose, flaps, three Raptor engines, and a high-altitude apogee target – made it far closer to total success than almost anyone expected.
Already installed on a second launch mount when Starship SN9 lifted off, SN10 is thus tasked with avoiding the ‘header tank’ pressurization issue that doomed SN8 and the Raptor reignition failure that doomed SN9. If SpaceX has rectified those two or three critical issues in the weeks since, SN10 arguably has the best chance yet of successfully touching down in one piece.
If SN10 fails to stick the landing, SpaceX has yet another Starship – SN11 – more or less complete and ready to roll to the launch pad to pick up wherever its predecessor leaves off. Due to the wholly unexpected degree to which Starship SN8 beat expectations, SpaceX appeared to scrap plans to build Starships SN12, 13, and 14 – quite literally in the case of SN12.
Prior to launch, Starship SN10 still needs to complete a healthy three-engine static fire test that was delayed from last week to no earlier than Monday, February 22nd. Backup windows are available on Tuesday and Wednesday. If Starship SN10 can fire up its Raptor engines without issue at some point in that three-day period, odds are good that SpaceX will be able to squeeze in at least one or two launch attempts before the weekend.
-
SpaceX SN10 Static Fire
Nerdle Cam 4K- SpaceX SN10 At Boca Chica Starship Launch Facility
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTA0GTgFn5E (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTA0GTgFn5E)
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SpaceX Starship launch: SN10 could launch as early as Thursday after critical engine swap
Express By Sebastian Kettley 2/24/2021
https://www.express.co.uk/news/science/1401853/spacex-starship-launch-sn10-launch-tomorrow-static-engine-swap-evg (https://www.express.co.uk/news/science/1401853/spacex-starship-launch-sn10-launch-tomorrow-static-engine-swap-evg)
SPACEX could launch the Starship SN10 as early as Thursday, February 25, pending a critical engine replacement and second static fire test.
SpaceX's Starship prototype came to life yesterday, gushing out flames and smoke at the Boca Chica launchpad in South Texas. Static fire tests are the last hurdle - bar approval from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) - SpaceX has to clear before Serial Number 10 (SN10) can launch on the company's third high-altitude test flight. And after two spectacular crashes so far, many fans are banking on the SN10 to ace its launch and landing attempt.
However, not all appears to have gone according to plan because Boca Chica's residents have been informed of more "space flight activities" today (February 24), suggesting another static fire test is on the table.
Mary tweeted: "I have received another 'Alert' notice for tomorrow and a road closure has been scheduled. Possible static fire test tomorrow?"
SpaceX chief Elon Musk then took to Twitter to confirm one of the rocket's engines needs to be replaced.
He tweeted: "One of the engines is suspect, so we're swapping it out."
The same issue haunted the Starship SN9 earlier in January.
Once the engine is replaced, SpaceX will need to conduct a second static fire test.
But once this test is out of the way, road closures around Boca Chica suggest Thursday is the earliest SN10 could launch.
Road closures have been scheduled around Boca Chica between 3pm and midnight GMT (9am and 6pm local time).
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SpaceX rapidly builds, tests Starship Moon elevator for NASA
TESLARATI by Eric Ralph 2/24/2021
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-moon-elevator-nasa-prototype/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-moon-elevator-nasa-prototype/)
As part of a NASA program that will select one or two commercial crewed Moon landers, SpaceX is busy testing Starship and prototyping hardware and most recently built and demonstrated an elevator “in a very short period of time.â€
Known as the Human Landing System (HLS) program, NASA selected three providers – a Blue Origin-led consortium, Dynetics, and SpaceX – to build prototypes and compete for one or two follow-on contracts back in April 2020. SpaceX’s Starship offering was deemed the riskiest solution and the company received a middling $135 million to Dynetics’ ~$250 million and the “National Team’s†~$570 million.
For their ~$820 million investment, it’s unclear what exactly NASA has gotten from its two best-funded teams aside from paperwork, a few completed design reviews, and two low-fidelity mockups mostly made out of cardboard, foam, and wood. Meanwhile, in the ten months since SpaceX received its $135 million, the company has built no less than eight full-scale Starship prototypes, performed a dozen or more wet dress rehearsals and static fires with said prototypes, and performed two powered hops and two high-altitude test flights. Now, to add to that list of low-cost achievements, SpaceX has also built and tested a functioning prototype of the elevator Starship would use to lift and lower astronauts to and from the lunar surface.
SpaceX’s proposal is certainly a unique one, with Starship being no less than several times taller and heavier than both its prospective competitors. However, Blue Origin’s extraordinarily complex three-stage, four-component lander – requiring a separate transfer stage, descent stage, ascent stage, and crew cabin – makes even Starship seem somewhat reasonable.
Notably, that massive 8-10m (25-32 ft) stack of separate spacecraft – crew cabin at the peak – would force NASA astronauts to transit a several-story ladder to and from the lunar surface. Far taller than the Apollo Program’s lander ladder, which NASA was already somewhat tepid on at the time, navigating a tall ladder in a clumsy, imprecise lunar EVA spacesuit would be extremely challenging and relatively risky. Dynetics is by far the least concerning solution in that regard, requiring what amounts to a footstool relative to SpaceX and Blue Origin.
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Here’s hoping the just completed static fire went well.
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Blue Origin says maiden flight of its New Glenn rocket for U.S. Air Force delayed to late 2022
American Military News by Caroline Glenn - Orlando Sentinel March 01, 2021
https://americanmilitarynews.com/2021/03/blue-origin-says-maiden-flight-of-its-new-glenn-rocket-for-u-s-air-force-delayed-to-late-2022/ (https://americanmilitarynews.com/2021/03/blue-origin-says-maiden-flight-of-its-new-glenn-rocket-for-u-s-air-force-delayed-to-late-2022/)
Blue Origin has postponed the maiden flight of its massive New Glenn rocket to the last quarter of 2022, after the company was snubbed for a lucrative contract with the Pentagon that went to rivals SpaceX and United Launch Alliance.
The rocket was set to make its debut later this year.
Blue Origin, the private rocket company owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has so far spent $2.5 billion on developing New Glenn, including building a factory on Cape Canaveral and refurbishing the launch pad where New Glenn will one day lift off from.
Bezos has said he sells about $1 billion in Amazon shares each year to fund Blue Origin.
Losing out on the contract reportedly cost Blue Origin $3 billion in revenue, Jarrett Jones, the company’s senior vice president for New Glenn, told SpaceNews. “That was a big hit for us,†Jones said.
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SpaceX Starship SN10 high-altitude test flight slips to March 3
Spaceflight Insider by Nicholas D'Alessandro 2/1/2021
https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/organizations/space-exploration-technologies/spacex-starship-sn10-high-altitude-test-flight-slips-to-march-3/ (https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/organizations/space-exploration-technologies/spacex-starship-sn10-high-altitude-test-flight-slips-to-march-3/)
The high-altitude test flight of Starship SN10 has slipped again, as is common with SpaceX’s highly-experimental test program.
The flight was expected to take place March 1, 2021, with Boca Chica Village residents getting the standard evacuation notice the previous night. However, within three hours of that notice the villagers had reported the evacuation was now canceled and the flight was expected to take place no earlier than Wednesday, March 3.
Associated temporary flight restrictions, known as TFRs, and road closures for the flight attempts on Monday and Tuesday were also canceled shortly thereafter, with new backup TFR windows being issued for March 4-6.
Monday’s weather is forecast to be inclement with an approaching cold front causing low visibility foggy conditions with a high chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon, a likely reason for the push to the right. With all previous pre-flight tests for Starship SN10 completed over the course of last week, including a 48-hour turnaround for a Raptor engine swap between static fires, all eyes will now remain on the weather as the major factor for when a launch will take place.
More at link.
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SpaceX gears up for Starship’s first triple-engine landing attempt
TESLARATI by Eric Ralph 3/2/2021
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-next-starship-launch-triple-engine-landing (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-next-starship-launch-triple-engine-landing)
With FAA approval in hand, weather rapidly improving, and the latest rocket prototype seemingly rearing to go, the stars are aligning for SpaceX’s third high-altitude Starship launch and first triple-engine landing attempt.
As of March 1st, publicly-available FAA “temporary flight restrictions†(TFRs) and weather forecasts both agree that SpaceX is currently preparing to launch Starship serial number 10 (SN10) as early as Wednesday afternoon CST (UTC-6), March 3rd. Barring surprises, that gives SpaceX a healthy three-day period to account for any potential technical or weather-related delays.
Unlike its predecessors, SN10 will also debut a new triple-engine approach to landing, aiming to increase redundancy and boost the odds of a successful touchdown even if one of the Starship’s three Raptors fail during a last-second flip maneuver. Building on the failures of SN8 and SN9, it’s safe to say that SN10 has the best shot yet at sticking the landing.
More at link.
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SpaceX Starship SN10 High Altitude Test Flight Live Stream - Third Time's The Charm!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xR1wv0iUKSU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xR1wv0iUKSU)
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Launch ETA 22 Minutes
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T- 3:35
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Launch Abort right after ignition
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Try again. T-01:57:00
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Estimated Launch at 5:15 PM
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In flight
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Touchdown! Intact!!
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It landed hard and later exploded.
SN11 will not be far behind.
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SpaceX StarshipSN10 perfect landing then the explosion(Not shown)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMxb4EXV5hM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMxb4EXV5hM)
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Boom! SpaceX Starship SN10 explodes shortly after landing
SpaceX Starship SN10 prototype launched to an altitude of 6.2 miles (10 kilometers) and landed 6 minutes and 20 seconds after liftoff. Several minutes later the rocket exploded.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzhP3Q5fku8 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzhP3Q5fku8)
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Why was the SpaceX Starship SN10 slanted when it landed?
Space Stack Exchange 3/6/2021
https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/50580/why-was-the-spacex-starship-sn10-slanted-when-it-landed (https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/50580/why-was-the-spacex-starship-sn10-slanted-when-it-landed)
Why was the SpaceX Starship SN10 slanted when it landed?
(https://i.stack.imgur.com/iNpUM.png)
• Was the landing pad uneven?
• Or did the Starship land a little way away from it?
• Or was this caused due to hull damage?
2 Answers
It is probably due to a combination of factors. But the landing pad wasn't uneven and Starship didn't land away from it.
There were two main factors which contributed to the hard landing. Firstly the landing legs did not appear to deploy properly. Looking at close up images of the landing it is possible to see some of them swinging and not locking into position. So the ship landed unevenly to begin with.
But Elon Musk later confirmed via a tweet that there was an engine control problem of some sort: "Thrust was low despite being commanded high for reasons unknown at present, hence hard touchdown. We’ve never seen this before. Next time, min two engines all the way to the ground & restart engine 3 if engine 1 or 2 have issues."
More at link.
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Starship SN11 prepares for rollout as SpaceX plans for the future
NASA Spaceflight by Chris Bergin March 7, 2021
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/03/starship-sn11-rollout-spacex-plans-future/ (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/03/starship-sn11-rollout-spacex-plans-future/)
Just days after SN10 completed the first – albeit hard – Starship prototype landing, SN11 is set to rollout to the launch site for its own attempt. Incremental progress is being made with the test flights, with another tweak to the landing sequence set to be implemented, based on data gained from SN10. Meanwhile, the first Super Heavy prototype continues stacking operations while parts for up to Starship SN20 are being staged at the Production Site.
These future vehicles are set to take up residence at a launch site SpaceX plans to expand, per updated documentation.
Starship SN10:
The clean-up of SN10 remains is continuing following what was a successful test flight.
Despite the Rapid Unplanned Disassembly (RUD) that occurred minutes after landing, SN10 achieved more milestones than her SN8 and SN9 sisters – both of which crashed into the pad and exploded.
SN10 mirrored the key objectives successfully undertaken by SN8 and SN9, including ascent profile, Raptor performance, and a stable return utilizing the aero surfaces. However, SN10 went a stage further, actually touching down on the landing pad in one piece.
This was, in part, thanks to the refined relight process for the Raptors, with three engines igniting ahead of the flip maneuver. This was a refinement to mitigate the issue suffered by SN9, which called for two Raptors to relight, only for one engine to fail, resulting in the vehicle being unable to complete the flip to vertical.
With all three Raptors lighting during SN10’s flip, the maneuver was completed. However, what was assumed to be immediate deselection of the one Raptor “with the least lever arm†wasn’t realized. All three Raptors remained on during the entire flip before two Raptors shut down quickly as SN10 came in for the vertical touchdown on a single engine.
SN10 appeared to be heading for a smooth landing. However, some of her landing legs did not lock into place during their deployment – which was assumed to be why the vehicle eventually exploded by coming down hard on her aft skirt resulting in tilt on the pad.
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SpaceX Transports Starship SN11 To The Boca Chica Beach Launch Pad
TESMANIAN by Evelyn Arevalo March 08, 2021
https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/sn11 (https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/sn11)
SpaceX is rapidly developing the Starship launch vehicle at Boca Chica Beach in South Texas, which SpaceX founder Elon Musk calls ‘Starbase, TX.’ He envisions a fleet of at least one hundred shiny Starships embarking on voyages to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Less than a week ago, on March 3, SpaceX launched the Starship SN10 prototype on a 10-kilometer flight test above the sandy beach. The stainless-steel vehicle propelled into the sky with a Raptor engine trio, performed an amazing aerodynamic flight and belly-flop maneuver upon landing. SN10 became the first full-scale Starship prototype to ace a propulsive landing. Even though the vehicle exploded around eight minutes after landing, it was a successful test that enables the company to move forward towards making launching Starship prototypes routine in South Texas.
This morning, SpaceX transported the next prototype that will perform a flight test to the Boca Chica Beach launch pad. Starship SN11 was rolled out of the high-bay at the assembly facility and transported to the nearby launch pad less than five miles down the road. Boca Chica residents captured video of the gigantic vehicle’s transportation operation, shown below. Starship is 150-feet-tall, equivalent to a 15-story-high building. The vehicle will one day be capable of transporting 100 passengers to space destinations.
To make a spacefaring future a reality, SpaceX runs around-the-clock operations to develop the spacecraft. Musk previously said the company could test at least twenty Starship prototypes before launching one to orbit. Starship SN11 is expected to undergo preflight testing at the launch pad in the days ahead. The first test will be a series of proof tests to assess if the vehicle can withstand the stresses it would experience in-flight. After it passes the proof tests, then SN11’s three Raptor engines will undergo preflight testing, including Wet Dress Rehearsals (WDR) and brief static-fire test(s) to assess the vehicle’s and engines’ performance. If that goes well, we could see another Starship take flight this month! You can watch SpaceX South Texas Launch Site operations Live 24/7 in the video below, courtesy of LabPadre via YouTube.
Austin Barnard
@austinbarnard45
Just another day in Texas
12:14 PM · Mar 8, 2021 from SpaceX South Texas Launch Site
https://twitter.com/austinbarnard45/status/1368988552520994818 (https://twitter.com/austinbarnard45/status/1368988552520994818)
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Why was the SpaceX Starship SN10 slanted when it landed?
Space Stack Exchange 3/6/2021
https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/50580/why-was-the-spacex-starship-sn10-slanted-when-it-landed (https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/50580/why-was-the-spacex-starship-sn10-slanted-when-it-landed)
That was so disheartening seeing it RUD after landing. I could just envision flying for a month to Mars and making a perfect landing. You are getting ready to disembark and BOOM. Ughhhhh....
Hopefully they create some better landing legs. It did appear that when they shut down the 2 engines to land that there was still some type of flame coming from the skirt area. Maybe methane burning off?
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Elon Musk Admits Mistake; SN11 Starship to Avoid Explosion Like SN10
Tech Times By Isaiah Alonzo 9 March 2021
https://www.techtimes.com/articles/257853/20210309/elon-musk-admits-mistake-sn11-starship-avoid-explosion-sn10.htm (https://www.techtimes.com/articles/257853/20210309/elon-musk-admits-mistake-sn11-starship-avoid-explosion-sn10.htm)
Elon Musk just announced that the SN11 Starship is in the works and would make up for SN10's mistakes and explosion that recently occurred in the test flight of the Stainless Steel spacecraft in Boca Chica. Twitter fans have spotted that the SN11's landing parts were being installed, and here, Musk admitted his fault on the failed SN10 test.
It takes a lot for a regular person to admit his mistakes, and it takes more for a CEO of multiple companies to do this, with Elon Musk publicly sharing how his decisions may have led to the explosion of the SN10. Moreover, all that is lost and the company did not dwell much on its demise, focusing its sights on crafting the next Starship, the SN11.
Here, Elon Musk (@elonmusk) said that the SN10 explosion was because of a low-thrust on its engine for taking in too much Helium which mixed with the fuel tank of the SN10, thus resulting in its demise. Musk said that the company is working on "multiple fixes" to improve the next Starship, getting it ready in time for its flight test.
SpaceX SN11 Test Flight: Not Making the Same Mistakes as SN10
Elon Musk said in another tweet that it was his fault as to why the SN10 had Helium on its fuel tank which mixed with CH4 or Methane, causing a reaction that turned the chemicals back to liquid. Musk said that it was intended to add the methane, as it is a safety precaution to avoid what happened to the SN8's initial explosion.
Chris B - NSF
@NASASpaceflight
·
Mar 9, 2021
This is a tricky one given that I believe said helium pressurization was added to the CH4 header tank to mitigate what happened with SN8.
That's why it's a test program, of course.
Elon Musk
@elonmusk
Replying to @austinbarnard45
SN10 engine was low on thrust due (probably) to partial helium ingestion from fuel header tank. Impact of 10m/s crushed legs & part of skirt. Multiple fixes in work for SN11.
Elon Musk
@elonmusk
Fair point. If autogenous pressurization had been used, CH4 bubbles would most likely have reverted to liquid.
Helium in header was used to prevent ullage collapse from slosh, which happened in prior flight. My fault for approving. Sounded good at the time.
2:18 PM · Mar 9, 2021
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SN11 Test Cancelled for Today.
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SpaceX Starship holds up under pressure, lines up Raptor engine test fire
TESLARATI By Eric Ralph 3/12/2021
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-sn11-pressure-tests-static-fire/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-sn11-pressure-tests-static-fire/)
After a few false starts and some minor delays, SpaceX’s 11th Starship prototype (SN11) has made it through two of the three major tests standing between it and liftoff.
SpaceX rolled Starship SN11 from the factory to the launch pad on March 8th, just five days after Starship SN10 briefly became the first prototype of its kind to land in one piece. One or two issues with Raptor’s final landing burn caused SN10 to touch down faster than expected and eventually led to the rocket’s explosive demise around 15 minutes later. Still, the test flight was an almost unequivocal success and seemingly left SpaceX with more than enough confidence to speed through preparations for the next flight test.
Heading into the next day, SpaceX had hoped to kick off cryogenic proof testing but Starship SN11 required a bit more attention than expected and unknown bugs ultimately meant that only an ambient-temperature pressure test could be completed by the end of the test window. Those issues appeared to persist through the end of March 10th, preventing any kind of proof test attempt.
Starship SN11 is undeniably on a faster track than any of its three-engine predecessors and a clean static fire on Friday or Monday would leave a launch next week – SpaceX’s current target (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-sn11-static-fire-launch-plans/)– well within reach.
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Elon Musk reveals an early sign that SpaceX Starship SN10 was going to explode
CNET by Eric Mack 3/12/2021
https://www.cnet.com/news/elon-musk-reveals-why-spacex-starship-sn10-exploded-after-landing/ (https://www.cnet.com/news/elon-musk-reveals-why-spacex-starship-sn10-exploded-after-landing/)
The prototype did more than just break a leg during its debut performance. There were other warning signs of a big finish.
A green flash as engines ignited for landing. A little too much speed. These were the early signs that SpaceX's SN10 rocket would join its predecessors in a rapid unscheduled disassembly, or RUD, as Elon Musk likes to call it.
On March 3, SpaceX finally appeared to make a soft landing of the latest prototype for its next-generation Starship rocket. But several minutes later, SN10, as the third prototype to make a high-altitude test flight was known, made an unplanned second flight after it exploded on the landing pad.
Elon Musk explained on Tuesday that the landing was actually a bit more crunchy than soft.
"Impact of 10 m/s (22 miles per hour) crushed legs & part of skirt," the SpaceX founder tweeted.
A close look at the landing of SN10 reveals it came in a little hot and fast. It even appeared to bounce slightly upon touching down.
More at link.
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Michael Baylor
@nextspaceflight
Starship SN11's test flight is NET (no earlier than) Tuesday, per the latest Temporary Flight Restrictions.
This requires a fast turnaround time after a good static fire test on Monday. Probably unlikely to happen, but it's a NET.
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SPadre
@SpacePadreIsle·
Mar 13
Tuesday TFR
Static fire on call for Monday.
Pretty breezy southerly surface winds Tuesday then shifting NE Wednesday bringing much clearer air for viewing. Nice weather for the remainder of the week so good chance Starship SN11 will fly!
https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_1_4748.html (https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_1_4748.html)
(https://tfr.faa.gov/save_maps/small_1_4748.gif)
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Failed Static Fire Today?
Teuchter in Space!
​Engineers up the skirts tonight, remove one raptor tomorrow, replace it Wednesday, SF Friday, TFRs for Monday, Tuesday Wednesday next week. Big crow pie Thursday.
Elon Musk
@elonmusk
I’m selling this song about NFTs as an NFT
https://twitter.com/i/status/1371549960030842893 (https://twitter.com/i/status/1371549960030842893)
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Failed Static Fire Today?
Teuchter in Space!
​Engineers up the skirts tonight, remove one raptor tomorrow, replace it Wednesday, SF Friday, TFRs for Monday, Tuesday Wednesday next week. Big crow pie Thursday.
Elon Musk
@elonmusk
I’m selling this song about NFTs as an NFT
https://twitter.com/i/status/1371549960030842893 (https://twitter.com/i/status/1371549960030842893)
They are sure having a lot of raptor issues. Seems like they change out at least one (33%) on every vehicle. Just think if they had 28 of them in there and having to change out 9....UGHHHHH.
Watching the static fire today it looked like just one engine lit and it was shut down in a matter of seconds.
I hope they can get these issues worked out.
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Currently the Raptors are made in Hawthorne, sent to McGregor for testing and then sent to Boca Chica for installation.
Soon all of that will be performed in Boca Chica.
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When will SpaceX’s Starship SN11 fly & what will the orbital launch mount look like?
Mar 16, 2021 What about it!?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEw7lToRCoY&t=117s (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEw7lToRCoY&t=117s)
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SpaceX Aims To Perform First Orbital Flight Test With Starship & Super Heavy Rocket This Summer
TESMANIAN by Evelyn Arevalo March 16, 2021
https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/super-heavy-booster-1 (https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/super-heavy-booster-1)
SpaceX is rapidly developing the Starship launch vehicle at Boca Chica Beach in South Texas. The company has an ambitious timeline to accomplish, they target to have a space-ready Starship by 2023. According to NASASpaceflight reporters, SpaceX aims to perform the first orbital flight test with the Starship Super Heavy duo this summer, they currently target July 1st. To conduct an orbital flight SpaceX will require a Super Heavy rocket booster, which the company has not tested yet.
The Super Heavy rocket booster will propel the Starship spacecraft to space and return to be reused. It will be fully reusable, capable of performing multiple flights per day. The company says Super Heavy will be the most powerful rocket ever developed, generating over 16 million pounds of thrust with 28 Raptor engines, more than twice the power of NASA's Saturn V rocket that launched the Apollo missions to the Moon. The Raptor is a full-flow staged combustion engine fueled by sub-cooled liquid methane (CH4) and liquid oxygen (LOX) propellants. To date, the aerospace company has test launched six Starship spacecraft prototypes, some have flown with three Raptors. SpaceX is working on the assembly of the first Super Heavy rocket booster prototype. Engineers started to manufacture a booster referred to as, booster number one, ‘BN1’, inside a giant high-bay at Boca Chica, pictured below. The vehicle will undergo a series of tests before SpaceX decides to launch a Super Heavy to space.
Right now, SpaceX is preparing Starship SN11 [serial number 11] to conduct a high-altitude flight test this month. NASASpaceflight says it obtained exclusive information that suggests SpaceX will skip testing/production of the next prototypes in the series ‘SN12, SN13, SN14’ and move on to advanced stages in Starship’s development. –“Following SN11’s flight, SpaceX will move on to SN15, 16, and 17, alongside testing with Super Heavy prototypes BN1 and BN2, before shooting for an orbital launch with SN20 and BN3,†NASASpaceflight reports. With less than three months until Summer, SpaceX is expected to increase its testing and iteration rate at Boca Chica, their goal is to perform the first test launch to space with Starship SN20 and Super Heavy BN3 by July. The first orbital launch mount is under construction already, pictured below. SpaceX founder Elon Musk said that Super Heavy will not land on the ground, the 230-feet-tall rocket will be ‘catched’ by a launch tower. “We’re going to try to catch the Super Heavy Booster with the launch tower arm, using the grid fins to take the load,†Musk said. We can expect to see the launch tower taking shape at Boca Chica in the months ahead. SpaceX envisions transforming the area into a '21st Century Spaceport' from where a Starship fleet will liftoff to the Moon and Mars one day.
More at link.
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SpaceX Aims To Perform First Orbital Flight Test With Starship & Super Heavy Rocket This Summer
TESMANIAN by Evelyn Arevalo March 16, 2021
https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/super-heavy-booster-1 (https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/super-heavy-booster-1)
Using the grid fins to catch the booster.... WOW! Can't wait to see that.
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SN11 Update, A starship prototype costs around $ 216 million, where does Spacex get the money.
SPACEX FANS 3/18/2021
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7Z8wa7LYB4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7Z8wa7LYB4)
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Trevor Mahlmann
@TrevorMahlmann
sn11 did a spring equinox dance today
https://twitter.com/i/status/1373520044404129792 (https://twitter.com/i/status/1373520044404129792)
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SN11 No Launch Today.
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SpaceX Starship Super Heavy BN1 Stacked! - Orbital Launches By July 1st?
What about it!?
#SpaceX​ #Starship​ #WAI​ #Rockets​ #Elon​ Musk
SpaceX wants to launch Starships into orbit on July 1st! But how are they going to make this ambitious timeline happen? What’s still missing and what’s the progress on the Super Heavy booster and the Sea Launch Platform? Let’s find out!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_l4C0vo1UKU&t=2s (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_l4C0vo1UKU&t=2s)
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SpaceX Starship SN11 flight Date – Super Heavy Design Update!
What about it!?
#SpaceX​ #Starship​ #WAI​ #Rockets​ #Elon​ Musk
How close is SpaceX to the Starship SN11 flight and how’s the progress with the orbital launch facility? Are we on track for the first Super Heavy launch and what will the design look like in the end? Let’s find out
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7rO_pzmcgA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7rO_pzmcgA)
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Lab Cam - Starship SN11Launch Live At SpaceX Boca Chica Launch Facility
Road Closure Today for Static Fire and 10km Flight 26th 7AM-7:30PM CDT. Flight TFRs for 26th-28th 7AM-8PM CDT.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCbgoqMcirI&t=0s (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCbgoqMcirI&t=0s)
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Static Fire @ 08:09. Not detanking yet.
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Static Fire @ 08:09. Not detanking yet.
Doubtful they'd launch the same day as a static fire. Here's hoping though.
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Evacuation Notice going out.
Go for Launch this afternoon.
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Launch ETA 2hrs:29min:30sec
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Launch Scrubbed.
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Launch Scrubbed.
LOL...naturally....
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SpaceX delays Starship test flight
Spaceflight Now by Stephen Clark March 26, 2021
https://spaceflightnow.com/2021/03/26/starship-sn11-test-flight/ (https://spaceflightnow.com/2021/03/26/starship-sn11-test-flight/)
SpaceX scrubbed the launch of its next Starship test rocket Friday afternoon, with the next opportunity for the atmospheric test flight expected Monday. SpaceX plans to launch and land the rocket at company’s South Texas development complex after losing three previous prototypes in explosions.
The privately-developed Starship test vehicle — designated SN11 — will be the fourth full-size Starship vehicle to take off from SpaceX’s test site in Cameron County, Texas. Like three previous Starship test flights in December, February, and earlier this month, the prototype will attempt to fly to an altitude of about 33,000 feet, or 10,000 meters, before returning to the ground for rocket-assisted vertical landing.
SN11 is the latest in a series of prototypes for SpaceX’s next-generation launch vehicle that will eventually stand nearly 400 feet, or about 120 meters, tall and carry more 220,000 pounds, or 100 metric tons, of cargo to low Earth orbit. That’s more lift capacity than than any rocket in the world.
With life support systems and in-space refueling, the Starship could carry heavy cargo and people beyond Earth orbit. SpaceX is of of three industrial teams with a NASA contract to design and refine concepts for a human-rated lunar lander for the space agency’s Artemis moon program.
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SpaceX Starship SN11 High Altitude Test Flight Live Stream - Take 2
What about it!?
SpaceX launches Starship SN11 out of Boca Chica Texas for the next high altitude flight test. This is Starship #4 to try and stick the landing at the south Texas launch site without an RUD in preparation for a Mars colony. SpaceX and Elon Musk are testing out new ways to make the Starship landing more predictable!
SN11 has already had a possible launch date on Friday, March 26th, but the launch was scrubbed.
Will it survive in one piece? Let's find out!
#Geronimo
Flight TFRs Monday through Wednesday
Road Closure Monday from 12p-5p CDT
Elon Tweets "Hopeful for Monday"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBde7FWWGLw (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBde7FWWGLw)
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FAA inspector unable to reach Starbase in time for launch today. Postponed to no earlier than tomorrow.
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FAA inspector unable to reach Starbase in time for launch today. Postponed to no earlier than tomorrow.
LOL. So the FAA is still trying to sabotage Elon Musk.
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LOL. So the FAA is still trying to sabotage Elon Musk.
@Cyber Liberty
Of course. The government HATES competition,and they are terrified that he is showing them to be the slugs they really are.
Although they are "retired in place goobermint slugs",they DO understand the truism that "time is money",and that Musk is a businessman.
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@Cyber Liberty
Of course. The government HATES competition,and they are terrified that he is showing them to be the slugs they really are.
Although they are "retired in place goobermint slugs",they DO understand the truism that "time is money",and that Musk is a businessman.
If they keep this shit up, Musk is going to close Boca Chica, fire the American workers and move the Spaceport to the Yucatan. Next door to his future Tesla plant.
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I woulda thought Brazil
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If they keep this shit up, Musk is going to close Boca Chica, fire the American workers and move the Spaceport to the Yucatan. Next door to his future Tesla plant.
@Cyber Liberty
That would work fine for the left,many of whom are goobermint employees because it would give them one more excuse to whine about "the evils of capitalism,putting good 'murikan union workers outta work,n hiring poor Mexican peons to work for peon wages!"
Don't bother to try to explain the concept of "actions have consequences" to these slugs. Their whole lives are dedicated to ignoring reality. It it wasn't,they wouldn't be socialists/communists to start with.
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I woulda thought Brazil
@Elderberry
No manufacturer will be foolish enough to move a manufacturing plant to Brazil for a decade or more. Too risky.
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The FAA
@FAANews
·
5h
“If you want to make a change in the world, you cannot sit in the backseat. You have to grab the steering wheel. You have to drive the change.†Steer your future in the path of aviation, and apply for our MSI internship before April 2. Learn more at http://faa.gov/go/interns.
https://mobile.twitter.com/FAANews/status/1376534833158098949 (https://mobile.twitter.com/FAANews/status/1376534833158098949)
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The FAA
@FAANews
·
5h
“If you want to make a change in the world, you cannot sit in the backseat. You have to grab the steering wheel. You have to drive the change.†Steer your future in the path of aviation, and apply for our MSI internship before April 2. Learn more at http://faa.gov/go/interns.
https://mobile.twitter.com/FAANews/status/1376534833158098949 (https://mobile.twitter.com/FAANews/status/1376534833158098949)
"You too can become a cog in the bureaucracy to crush American private space exploration!"
-
It says it all right here: "Steer your future in the path of aviation". In other words: "Get the Hell in the Way of Progress!"
-
Elon has tweeted that the launch is potentially tracked towards 8AM CDT
Pad Cleared
Road Closed
TFR Activated
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T- 00:15:00
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SpaceX: https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/starship/index.html (https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/starship/index.html)
Live from the Launch Site! SpaceX Starship SN11 High Altitude Test Flight - Take 2
What about it!?
SpaceX launches Starship SN11 out of Boca Chica Texas for the next high altitude flight test. This is Starship #4 to try and stick the landing at the south Texas launch site without an RUD in preparation for a Mars colony. SpaceX and Elon Musk are testing out new ways to make the Starship landing more predictable!
SN11 has already had a possible launch date on Friday, March 26th, but the launch was scrubbed.
Will it survive in one piece? Let's find out!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBde7FWWGLw (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBde7FWWGLw)
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SN11 Launched!
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Lost camera view.
Too Foggy to see what happened.
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SN11 exploded, debris falling from the sky!
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It may have been off target and the Flight Termination System Kicked In?
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It may have been off target and the Flight Termination System Kicked In?
She go BOOM! They need to rethink the raptor engines, they seem to be the issue. Also, who launches a prototype in the fog where you can't see ANYTHING. Heads should roll over this decision.
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Four Tries, Four Failures, But SpaceX Undeterred on Starship Tests
Space Policy Online by Marcia Smith March 30, 2021
SpaceX suffered its fourth Starship test failure in a row today, but company founder and chief engineer Elon Musk remains undeterred, tweeting plans for the next test. He is expanding operations at his Starbase test facility in Boca Chica, TX and encouraging people to move there to work for SpaceX.
Over the course of the past four months, tests of Starship prototypes Serial Number 8 (SN8), SN9, SN10, and now SN11 have ended in what are whimsically called Rapid Unscheduled Disassemblies (RUDs) — explosions.
Today’s test of SN11 lifted off at 8:00 am Central Time (9:00 am Eastern) in heavy fog at Boca Chica. Typically these tests are later in the day, but this one was postponed from yesterday because an FAA inspector could not reach Boca Chica in time. According to a statement from the FAA, it is requiring the on-site presence of an inspector because SpaceX violated its launch license for SN8.
On March 12, the FAA revised the SpaceX Starship license to require an FAA safety inspector to be present at the Boca Chica site for every flight. This is the result of FAA’s continuing oversight of SpaceX to ensure compliance with federal regulations to protect public safety, including issues arising from the SN8 launch in December 2020. SpaceX must provide adequate notice of its launch schedule to allow for a FAA safety inspector to travel to Boca Chica. — FAA Statement, March 29, 2021
Under the 1984 Commercial Space Launch Act and its amendments, the Department of Transportation, of which FAA is part, facilitates, promotes and regulates the commercial space launch and reentry business. Its regulatory authority is intended primarily to protect the public from harm in the event of a launch or reentry accident.
SpaceX churns out these prototypes at a regular pace and views failures as learning experiences. Musk went right on to tweet about the next test, which will be SN15, a new version incorporating a number of improvements.
More: https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/four-tries-four-failures-but-spacex-undeterred-on-starship-tests/ (https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/four-tries-four-failures-but-spacex-undeterred-on-starship-tests/)
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SPadre
@SpacePadreIsle
·
13h
Wow
it was completely surrounded by debris, untouched!! Can’t wait to see all the footage
Quote Tweet
Everyday Astronaut
@Erdayastronaut
· 14h
I can’t believe it... we recovered EVERYTHING! No damage to ANY of our gear by inches, just dirty! The only thing that went wrong was our dish guide wire got hit and it moved our remote connection so we lost footage. Going through the footage now with @considercosmos and wow
RGVAerialPhotography
@RGVaerialphotos
·
Mar 30
That was close
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ExxNp0PWQAMU0fE?format=jpg&name=4096x4096)
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Mary
@BocaChicaGal
This morning Starship SN15’s nosecone is heading into the high bay. It appears that SpaceX is not wasting any time in preparing SN15 to roll to the launch site ASAP.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ex-HNuIXEAA_oSr?format=jpg&name=large)
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Mary
@BocaChicaGal
This morning Starship SN15’s nosecone is heading into the high bay. It appears that SpaceX is not wasting any time in preparing SN15 to roll to the launch site ASAP.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ex-HNuIXEAA_oSr?format=jpg&name=large)
Who welded the nosecone on, the local jr. high welding class?
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Who welded the nosecone on, the local jr. high welding class?
Do you need to do your best work if it's just going to go (https://i.imgur.com/gJ85AvE.jpg?1)
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SpaceX Plans To Fast-forward Starship’s Development, SN15 Will Rollout To The Launch Pad Soon
TESMANIAN by Evelyn Arevalo April 04, 2021
https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/starship-sn15 (https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/starship-sn15)
Each flight test provided the company with enough data that Musk plans to fast-forward Starship’s development. He shared the company will rollout Starship SN15 to the Starbase launch pad soon, skipping Starship SN12 through SN14. “SN15 rolls to launch pad in a few days. It has hundreds of design improvements across structures, avionics/software & engine,†he said on March 30. “Hopefully, one of those improvements covers this problem. If not, then retrofit will add a few more days.â€
The company’s decision to skip ahead to Starship SN15 suggests they are confident to iterate the design rapidly. SN15 finished assembly this week (pictured above) and could be rolled out of the rocket factory to the launch pad as soon as Monday, April 5, according to a Cameron County Boca Chica beach road closure announcement. It states the road could be blocked anytime from 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Central Time - “Hwy 4 traffic, near Boca Chica Beach, may be intermittently delayed,†a county representative wrote (date is subject to change). Once at the launch pad, SN15 will undergo a series of tests before taking flight. Musk has said on several occasions that rapid innovation is needed to make life multiplanetary within our lifespan. SpaceX targets to land the first uncrewed Starship with cargo on the Martian surface by 2024. The first crewed voyage aboard Starship will be around the Moon is ambitiously scheduled for 2023. You can watch SpaceX Starship Launch Site operations Live 24/7 in the video below, courtesy of LabPadre via YouTube.
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Spacex Launch: Starship SN15 test dates set as debris hotline launched
Independent by Anthony Cuthbertson 4/7/2021
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/spacex-launch-starship-sn15-b1827806.html (https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/spacex-launch-starship-sn15-b1827806.html)
Elon Musk says Mars-bound craft is ‘getting fixed six ways to Sunday’
SpaceX has set the date for the next major flight test of its Starship rocket, which it hopes will eventually take people to Mars.
Starship SN15 is expected to roll out to the launch site at SpaceX’s Boca Chica facility in Texas on Friday 9 April, before testing begins on Monday 12 April.
Public notices issued by Cameron County show that local road closures are already in place for both dates, as well as a back-up launch attempt scheduled for Tuesday 13 April.
It will be the fifth high-altitude test of a Starship craft, with all previous attempts ending in a fiery explosion.
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SPadre
@SpacePadreIsle
Starship SN15 lifting onto the pad this afternoon.
Chris B - NSF
@NASASpaceflight
Boom lifts have raised crews to attach the crane to Starship SN15 for the lift onto the launch mount.
LIVE: Starship SN15 Rollout
SpaceX is rolling out the Starship SN15 vehicle to the Boca Chica launch site ahead of a test flight later this month. Like the previous Starship prototypes, SN15 is expected to fly to approximately 10 kilometers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0tpApLtukc (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0tpApLtukc)
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SpaceX Building Giant Tower To ‘Catch’ 230 Feet Tall Rocket During Landing
WCCFtech By Ramish Zafar 4/9/2021
https://wccftech.com/spacex-building-giant-tower-to-catch-230-feet-tall-rocket-during-landing/ (https://wccftech.com/spacex-building-giant-tower-to-catch-230-feet-tall-rocket-during-landing/)
New details for Space Exploration Technologies Corp.'s (SpaceX) plans for the first-stage rocket booster of its Starship interplanetary launch vehicle system have come to light. SpaceX is currently testing the second stage of its net-generation rocket system in Boca Chica, Texas, as it builds the Starship first stage, which will be responsible for propelling payloads beyond Earth's atmosphere.
SpaceX Will Build 469 Feet Tall Launch and Arrest Tower For Catching Starship Boosters
The details of the launch tower come courtesy of a filing with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), responsible for overseeing SpaceX's ongoing test activities in Boca Chica. SpaceX filed for the launch tower in March, and the FAA has granted it the authority to build the 469 feet tall structure, which will be responsible for launching the fully stacked Starship and catching the first stage booster on its return.
On top of the tower, a 10 feet lightning rod will ensure that the vehicles on the ground are protected from any lightning strikes. This will ensure that vehicles on the launch pad remain safe in case of lightning strikes, as in May last year, with the Starship SN4 prototype sitting right beside the location a bolt hit the ground.
SpaceX's first stage booster itself will be 230 feet tall, accounting for more than half of the fully stacked launch vehicle platform's height. The final variant of the booster will be powered by 28 Raptor engines, but the initial test variants will use fewer engines. According to details shared by SpaceX chief Mr. Elon Musk in October last year, the first boosters which SpaceX will test will feature in between two to four engines. SpaceX plans to shift this booster to the launch pad in Boca Chica as soon as by the end of this month according to the executive, with his company also aiming to reach orbit with the platform this year.
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Starship SN15 Rolled Out, Cryo Test Imminent! SpaceX Starship Updates! TheSpaceXShow
TheSpaceXFans
Welcome to the latest SpaceX Starship updates video from TheSpaceXFans. We have a variety of standard SpaceX updates to kick off this video with many Tweets from Elon Musk. Over in Boca Chica, work continues at the orbital launch site area and also with future Starships and Super Heavy boosters. The big news however, is that there’s now Starship SN15 rolled out, so we can now expect there to be the SN15 cryo test imminent! Sit back and enjoy!
All sorts of cool and up to date SpaceX info from launches to boosters and more:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uek2MlOC3jA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uek2MlOC3jA)
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SpaceX denies claim that Starlink and OneWeb satellites almost collided
arsTechnica by Jon Brodkin - 4/21/2021
https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2021/04/spacex-says-oneweb-spread-false-story-of-near-miss-satellite-collision/ (https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2021/04/spacex-says-oneweb-spread-false-story-of-near-miss-satellite-collision/)
SpaceX says collision-avoidance system works fine despite OneWeb's false claim.
SpaceX has accused satellite-broadband rival OneWeb of spreading a false story claiming that the companies' satellites nearly crashed into each other.
In reality, "[t]he probability of collision never exceeded the threshold for a [collision-avoidance] maneuver, and the satellites would not have collided even if no maneuver had been conducted," SpaceX told the Federal Communications Commission in an ex parte filing. The filing describes a meeting that SpaceX and OneWeb representatives had with FCC staff yesterday in which SpaceX said it "corrected the record regarding recent press reports regarding physical coordination between SpaceX and OneWeb."
In yesterday's filing to the FCC, SpaceX said that "OneWeb's head lobbyist recently made demonstrably inaccurate statements to the media about recent coordinations of physical operations. Specifically, Mr. McLaughlin of OneWeb told the Wall Street Journal that SpaceX switched off its AI-powered, autonomous collision avoidance system and 'they couldn't do anything to avoid a collision.' Rather, SpaceX and OneWeb were working together in good faith at the technical level. As part of these discussions, OneWeb itself requested that SpaceX turn off the system temporarily to allow their maneuver, as agreed by the parties."
SpaceX's "autonomous collision avoidance system was and remains fully functional at all times," SpaceX also wrote.
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Starship SN15 conducts a Static Fire test – McGregor readies increased Raptor testing capacity
NASA Spaceflight.com by Chris Bergin April 26, 2021
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/04/starship-sn15-tests-mcgregor-raptor-testing/ (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/04/starship-sn15-tests-mcgregor-raptor-testing/)
Starship SN15 conducted a pre-launch Static Fire test Monday, tasked with setting the scene this week for a flight that could pave the way toward an orbital flight in the coming months. The groundwork for the push to orbit is taking place both at the Orbital Launch Site and elsewhere in Texas as a new dual-bay Raptor test stand nears completion.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1386801847504154624 (https://twitter.com/i/status/1386801847504154624)
Since arriving at the Suborbital Launch Site, SN15 has undergone several “risk reduction” tests ahead of firing up her trio of Raptors.
That included the usual routine of proof testing the vehicle, filling and pressurizing the tanks with ambient, gaseous nitrogen before proceeding with cryogenic testing with liquid nitrogen.
The roads were closed for additional testing late last week, although not for a Static Fire test. This time, the vehicle was loaded with Liquid Oxygen before a LOX Dump test, aimed at improvements relating to safing the vehicle ahead of and after flight, was completed.
With limited opportunities to conduct weekend testing, that requires Highway 4 to be closed to the public, SpaceX opted to move the Static Fire attempt to Monday. A three engine test did occur just prior to 5pm local time.
An eight-hour window was available for the opportunity to fire up the SN54, SN61, and SN66 Raptors, which will be followed by a quick look data review. Occasionally, such reviews have found issues with one of the engines, requiring a swap out and repeat of the test in the following days.
Should the review go to plan for this test, the potential of a recycle later in the day remains on the cards, given SpaceX likes to test the engines use of propellant from the Header Tanks.
These small tanks are located at the top of the nosecone (LOX) and the middle of the vehicle (CH4 – Liquid Methane) and supply the engines for the flip and landing burn.
All eyes will be on that key phase of the flight, with Starship having already proven and repeated numerous major milestones while only landing in one piece during the SN10 test. However, that was a hard landing, resulting in the vehicle exploding minutes later.
Moving on from those initial series of test with SN8 through SN11, SN15 is the first vehicle to sport improvements ranging from the Thrust Puck to her avionics, and, importantly, the Raptor engines. Other improvements have not been revealed, although may include the Header Tank system, which, in total, would form a mitigation path to the issues suffered by previous Starship prototypes.
Regardless, should SN15 suffer issues, SN16 is already being stacked in the Mid Bay. However, if SN15 nails the landing, the path forward becomes less clear, albeit even more exciting.
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SN15 Flight Tomorrow After Static Fire #1 & #2 Complete! SpaceX Starship Updates! TheSpaceXShow
TheSpaceXFans
Welcome to the latest SpaceX Starship updates video from TheSpaceXFans. Starting off today’s video, we have standard SpaceX news with Crew mission information and some Starlink stuff too. Of course, over in Boca Chica things are progressing around the facility, with lots of work at the orbital launch site. Then, we have Starship pieces to check out, as well as the big news with the Starship SN15 flight tomorrow after static fire #1 & #2 complete! Sit back and enjoy!
All sorts of cool and up to date SpaceX info from launches to boosters and more: https://thespacex.fans/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qi8vatbcAsI (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qi8vatbcAsI)
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That thing looks like 50's SciFy...
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Please ping the thread in the morning!!
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SN15 Flight Tomorrow After Static Fire #1 & #2 Complete! SpaceX Starship Updates! TheSpaceXShow
TheSpaceXFans
Welcome to the latest SpaceX Starship updates video from TheSpaceXFans. Starting off today’s video, we have standard SpaceX news with Crew mission information and some Starlink stuff too. Of course, over in Boca Chica things are progressing around the facility, with lots of work at the orbital launch site. Then, we have Starship pieces to check out, as well as the big news with the Starship SN15 flight tomorrow after static fire #1 & #2 complete! Sit back and enjoy!
All sorts of cool and up to date SpaceX info from launches to boosters and more: https://thespacex.fans/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qi8vatbcAsI (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qi8vatbcAsI)
How can they launch tomorrow when Bluto is still there and they haven't installed the FTS devices?
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How can they launch tomorrow when Bluto is still there and they haven't installed the FTS devices?
Possible launch after 10 am today. Seems to be dependent on the weather.
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Did it launch already? the linked YouTube is just a taped vid, but the "Live Pad" camera shows an empty launch pad.
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Did it launch already? the linked YouTube is just a taped vid, but the "Live Pad" camera shows an empty launch pad.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCbgoqMcirI (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCbgoqMcirI)
Still on the pad.
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FAA Authorized next 3 SpaceX Launches 15-17.
Crew-1 Undock 4:55 CDT Today with splashdown Tomorrow 10:36 CDT.
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Weather looks crappy.....
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Weather looks crappy.....
They launched in the fog last time...this is nothing...LOLOLOLOL.
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They launched in the fog last time...this is nothing...LOLOLOLOL.
I thought that was stupid at the time. :shrug:
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I thought that was stupid at the time. :shrug:
Appears they've scrubbed for the day. Try again next week.
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LIVE: Starship SN15 Flight Test
What about it!?
SpaceX launches Starship SN15 out of Boca Chica Texas for the next high altitude flight test. This is Starship #5 to try and stick the landing at the south Texas launch site without an RUD in preparation for a Mars colony.
SpaceX and Elon Musk are testing out new ways to make the Starship landing more predictable! Starship #15 does things different though! With hundreds of upgrades to hard & software including brand new Raptor engines, it is the most advanced and promising candidate yet!
Will it finally survive the landing? Let's find out!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqxufHawMdk (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqxufHawMdk)
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The sky looks overcast, again.
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Fueling has started.
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Nailed the Landing!!!!!!
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SpaceX Starship SN15 soars through clouds, nails landing!
VideoFromSpace
SpaceX's Starship SN15 prototype flew to an altitude of 6.2 miles (10 kilometers) and landed about 6 minutes after liftoff on May 5, 2021. It launched from SpaceX's Boca Chica, Texas facility.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unKvMC3Y1kI (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unKvMC3Y1kI)
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SpaceX Starship SN15 soars through clouds, nails landing!
VideoFromSpace
SpaceX's Starship SN15 prototype flew to an altitude of 6.2 miles (10 kilometers) and landed about 6 minutes after liftoff on May 5, 2021. It launched from SpaceX's Boca Chica, Texas facility.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unKvMC3Y1kI (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unKvMC3Y1kI)
:beer: :beer: :beer:
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Nailed the Landing!!!!!!
Awsome, Bezos and the others must be pissed! :silly:
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Awesome
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Starship SN15 | Medium Altitude Test Flight
Everyday Astronaut 5/6/2021
Lift Off Time May 05, 2021 – 22:24:10 UTC | 17:24:10 CDT
Mission Name Medium Altitude Test Flight
Launch Provider
(What rocket company launched it?) SpaceX
Customer
(Who paid for this?) SpaceX
Rocket Starship SN15
Launch Location Sub-orbital Test Stand A, Starbase, Texas, United States
Payload mass There was no payload on this test flight
Where did the satellites go? There was no payload on this test flight
Did they attempt to recover the first stage? Yes. However, in the Super Heavy/Starship stack this will be the second stage and will also be recovered.
Where did the first stage land? On the edge of the landing pad about 360 meters (~1,000 feet) from Test Stand A, Starbase, Texas, United States
Did they attempt to recover the fairings? There are no fairings on Starship
Were these fairings new? There are no fairings on Starship
How was the weather? Low cloud layer provided minimal visibility.
This was the: – 1st successful landing of a Starship prototype
– 1st flight of SN15
– 4th flight of a Starship prototype to 10 km
– 7th flight of a Starship prototype (excluding three Starhopper hops)
– 5th flight of Starship with a nosecone and aerodynamic control surfaces
Where to watch Official replay
Everyday Astronaut replay
Live updates on the exact events leading up to and during launch on launch day
How did it go?
For the first time ever, SpaceX has successfully landed a Starship prototype on the landing pad approximately 360 meters (~1,000 feet) from the launch mount. SN15 traveled up to an altitude of about 10 km, shutting down each Raptor one by one on ascent. The vehicle then performed the belly flop maneuver as it fell back down towards Earth’s surface. Just above the landing pad, Starship flipped from horizontal to vertical igniting two engines. During it’s landing burn, the vehicle scrubbed off its remaining vertical velocity and performed a soft touchdown on the pad.
Shortly after landing, there was a small fire coming out from underneath the skirt. The water hoses located at the edges of the landing pad then turned on and extinguished the fire. Shortly after the fire was put out, Starship was safed. This concludes a nominal flight and landing of a Starship prototype for SpaceX.
Starship SN15 Flight Profile
Similarly to the previous prototypes, SN15 flew up to an altitude of around 10 kilometers (~6.2 miles) before performing its belly flop maneuver and falling back down towards the landing pad. Starship intentionally shut down its three Raptor engines during ascent and later reignite them during the flip maneuver. Under the power of its Raptor engines, it flipped from horizontal to vertical on two engines and landed on the landing pad. Below is a table of each event from SN15’s flight.
More: https://everydayastronaut.com/starship-sn15-medium-altitude-test-flight/ (https://everydayastronaut.com/starship-sn15-medium-altitude-test-flight/)
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Starship SN15. All legs are damaged and SpaceX needs upgrading immediately. Before the second launch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXNH-hOSuXc
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Starship SN15. All legs are damaged and SpaceX needs upgrading immediately. Before the second launch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXNH-hOSuXc
The legs are designed to absorb the energy and crush....Just put on some new legs...no problem.
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The legs are designed to absorb the energy and crush....Just put on some new legs...no problem.
I believe Elon Musk had previously said the design of theses will change. The video shows some nice views of the legs; that is the reason I shared it.
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Elon Musk says SpaceX might refly Starship after historic landing
Teslarati By Eric Ralph 5/7/2021
https://www.teslarati.com/elon-musk-spacex-to-refly-starship-sn15 (https://www.teslarati.com/elon-musk-spacex-to-refly-starship-sn15)
Update: CEO Elon Musk says that SpaceX “might try to refly SN15 soon” after it became the first Starship to ace a high-altitude launch and survive the landing. In other words, SpaceX might be about to kick off what’s bound to be a long and fruitful future of Starship reusability.
Might try to refly SN15 soon
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 7, 2021
Less than six months after high-altitude flight testing began, SpaceX has successfully landed a full-size Starship prototype in one piece, giving the company its first real opportunity to inspect a flown vehicle with flaps, a nose, and three Raptor engines.
That spectacular success will simultaneously give SpaceX a wealth of data from any onboard cameras and data recorders, as well as the physical condition of Starship itself – including three Raptor engines with several minutes of flight time. While SpaceX likely already managed to determine a great deal from over-the-air telemetry and wreckage taken from Starships SN8 through SN11, it now has a virtually unharmed, full-scale, full-fidelity prototype to truly compare and contrast with more theoretical engineering and flight performance models.
Perhaps most importantly, though, SN15’s success also raises the question: what’s next for SpaceX and its Starship program?
The reality is that things could go any number of directions depending on Starship SN15’s condition and just how successful SpaceX determines the flight really was. If Starship SN15 and its tanks, flaps, and Raptors are all in impeccable condition, it’s not impossible to imagine that SpaceX could do what it did after Starship SN8’s near-total success and scrap Starship prototypes SN17, SN18, and SN19 before work really begins. While unlikely, SN15 could even fly a second time in that scenario.
Starship SN16 is already more or less complete could easily be ready to roll to the launch pad within the next week. Odds are good that SpaceX will use SN16 to (hopefully) replicate Starship SN15’s spectacular success and prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the vehicle’s current design has fixed the issues that doomed SN8 through SN11. With SpaceX’s Starship program, though, just about anything is possible – especially at a point that CEO Elon Musk appears to be seriously considering a giant tower with arms as a replacement for landing legs.
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SpaceX Starship SN15 has Landed! - Launch and Landing in 4K Slowmo
Cosmic Perspective
SpaceX Starship has landed! Re-live SN15's historic flight and first landing on Cinco de Mayo from Starbase South Texas. Witness slow-motion footage of launch and landing from our cameras up-close to the launchpad. Subscribe for the upcoming SN15 mini-documentary release, in production now.
Huge thanks to team @Everyday Astronaut and Gene and Rachael of @SPadre for making all this possible. Special thanks to Cooper Hime at Aperture Cinematics for some amazing behind the scenes captured during remote video camera setup (https://twitter.com/Cooper_Hime). Gene helped capture the excitement from the public beach at Isla Blanca and Micah crushed the remote robot cam control into the clouds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_9FZDnCaoU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_9FZDnCaoU)
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Virgin Galactic VSS Unity Test Flight LIVE Watch Party - SPCE Week in Review
SPCE Week in Review
Join r/VirginGalactic and The Spaceport Discord Server as we monitor progress of Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity's Rocket Powered Test Flight from Spaceport America on Saturday, May 22nd 2021.
We'll follow along with Virgin Galactic's test flight update tweets, and provide any available video sources as they come up!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_mfhX7kb14 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_mfhX7kb14)
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SpaceX has the world's lowest launch cost at $2300, and they lead the world for material launched to orbit.
SpaceX pioneered the methane engine, which has a higher exhaust speed (3.7 km/s) than traditional
kerosene engines (3.1 km/s). The SpaceX methane engine also has a mighty thrust/weight of 200, the highest
of any rocket. This means fewer engines are needed, saving on cost.
SpaceX pioneered recycling the engines in the first rocket. The engines are 35%
of the rocket cost and hence worth saving.
SpaceX once teamed up with Stratolaunch to do air launch, but then SpaceX backed out. Stratolaunch has yet to
produce a working launch platform.
Payload launched in 2020, in tons.
America SpaceX 286
China CNSA 242
America NASA 103
Russia Roscosmos 80
Europe ESA 27
Japan JAXA 8
America Orbital 7
India ISRO 2
Canada CSA 1
America Rocket Lab .7
America Blue Origin 0
America Stratolaunch 0
SpaceX pioneered the methane engine, which has a higher exhaust speed than
traditional kerosene engines. SpaceX methane engines also have a mighty
power/mass ratio than kerosene engines, and they're cheaper than the
competition's engines.
The fuel with the highest exhaust speed is hyrogen, but you can't use it for the first stage because hydrogen's
density is too low. Also, hydrogen is a challenge because it has to be cooled to 20 Kelvin to liquefy. The
exhaust speed for various fuels is, in km/s:
Hydrogen + Oxygen 4.4
Methane + Oxygen 3.7
Kerosene + Oxygen 3.1
Solid fuel 2.7
For the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, the engines are 35% of the cost and are hence worth saving.
SpaceX pioneered recycling the first rocket stage. For a Falcon 9 rocket,
Payload to LEO = 22800 kg
Launch cost = 52 Million $
Launch cost/kg = 2280 $/kg
Number of engines = 9
Cost per engine = .2 Million $
Total engine cost = 18 Million $
Engine cost fraction= .35
Historically, transport is a big deal. Railroads opened up the American frontier and there was a race to
build rail lines. The future will see a race to launch material to orbit. The timeline of transport is:
1499 Sea route connecting Europe to India discovered, by going around Africa (Vasco da Gama)
1838 Steam-powered ships
1869 Transcontinental railroad
1887 Gasoline cars are first commercialized (Karl Benz)
1903 First aircraft built by the Wright Brothers
1955 Fission thermal rocket developed
1962 First communications satellite
1969 Man on the moon
Article on astronautics: https://www.jaymaron.com/astronautics.html
SpaceX: https://www.jaymaron.com/astronautics.html#spacex
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Welcome Aboard @jaymaron !!!
Some very interesting information. I took a quick look at your links. I'll definitely go back and spend more time there.
I am a true fan of SpaceX. When I worked at JSC several of my co-workers worked with SpaceX. Me, not so much. My oldest son though works for SpaceX at Boca Chica on building ground equipment. I definitely plan to go over to Boca Chica to watch a launch. It would be a blast to watch the upcoming Orbital Launch.
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Welcome to TBR @jaymaron
Great first post!
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Nice info @jaymaron.
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SpaceX’s first flight-proven Starship rolled back to factory for likely retirement
TESLARATI By Eric Ralph 5/27/2021
While SpaceX has spent the better part of three weeks inspecting the first flight-proven Starship to survive a high-altitude launch and landing, the company appears to have decided to retire the rocket instead of flying it again.
On May 25th, four days after Starship serial number 15 (SN15) was reinstalled on one of SpaceX’s two suborbital launch mounts, a crane was attached to its nose and a transporter staged beside it. One day later, the historic Starship prototype was lifted off of Mount B, installed on that transporter, and rolled away from the launch pad and back towards SpaceX’s Boca Chica, Texas Starship factory.
The day after Starship SN15 was reinstalled on a launch mount, giving SpaceX unrestricted access to its aft, all three of the rocket’s flight-proven Raptor engines – the first of their kind to survive the flight profile intact – were removed. Given the significant value of tearing down and inspecting the first flight-proven high-altitude Raptors, that removal was likely guaranteed regardless of the future of SN15, though it certainly left the Starship at a crossroads
— Mary (@BocaChicaGal) May 21, 2021
I wish I may, I wish I might,
See SN15 return to flight.
But regardless of her raptors’ fate,
She’ll always be the first flopper that landed… and that’s just darn great.
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GAME OVER! Blue Origin Is A Complete Failure?!
Tech Space
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnKrh1xeLyQ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnKrh1xeLyQ)
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SpaceX Kicks Off Starship Super Heavy Booster Test Campaign With A Tank Proof Test
TESMANIAN by Evelyn Arevalo June 09, 2021
https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/bn-star (https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/bn-star)
On Tuesday afternoon, SpaceX kicked off the Starship Super Heavy booster’s test campaign with a proof test of a tank referred to as ‘BN2.1’. During the cryogenic proof test, the stainless-steel tank was subjected to extremely low temperatures as it was filled with liquid nitrogen. This test is conducted causes the tank to experience high-pressure to simulate the stress it would experience during a flight to space. The test helps engineers assess the tank’s structural strength and provides them with insight to know whether the tank’s construction technique and design needs improvement. Testing a smaller tank is better than risking an entire booster if they come across an issue. After finishing all tests with BN2.1, engineers can implement what they learned to prepare the Super Heavy Booster 2 prototype for testing.
Meanwhile, the Starbase facility continues to expand and the company is moving quickly to assemble the launch tower that will support the booster. Super Heavy must be capable of being rapidly reusable, for that purpose SpaceX will design a launch tower that could quickly ‘catch’ the booster as it returns from orbit with a propulsive descent. The final version of Super Heavy will be the most powerful rocket in the world, with over 30 methane-fueled Raptor engines it will generate over 16 million pounds of thrust – which is over twice the thrust of the Saturn V rocket that launched the Apollo missions to the lunar surface. Musk shared they plan to test “29 Raptors on [the] booster initially, rising to 32 later this year, along with thrust increase per engine [...]," he said. SpaceX aims to perform the first orbital flight test with the Starship Super Heavy duo this summer, no earlier than July 1st. If the company obtains regulatory approval, they could attempt to launch the vehicle from Starbase in Texas to orbit, then land it off the coast of Hawaii. You can watch SpaceX Starship development progress Live in the video below, courtesy of LabPadre via YouTube.
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SpaceX Starship Phase 3 begins! First test candidate at Launch Site!
What about it!? 6/8/2021
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hL1aqlXJJSs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hL1aqlXJJSs)
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Splashy plans: SpaceX foresees water launches/landings
My RGV By Steve Clark - The Brownsville Herald - June 9, 2021
https://myrgv.com/local-news/2021/06/09/making-a-splash-spacex-plans-for-water-launches-landings/ (https://myrgv.com/local-news/2021/06/09/making-a-splash-spacex-plans-for-water-launches-landings/)
SpaceX’s first orbital flight of a Starship prototype will launch from the company’s production/test site at Boca Chica and wind up in the water — on purpose.
According to a document SpaceX filed with the Federal Communications Commission last month, the massive Super Heavy booster stage used to push the Starship spacecraft into orbit will separate approximately two minutes and 10 seconds into the flight and land in the Gulf of Mexico about 20 miles offshore from Boca Chica.
The orbital Starship will continue flying between the Florida straits and, once in orbit, will execute a powered, targeted, soft ocean landing roughly 62 miles off the northwest coast of Kauai, Hawaii, according to the FCC filing. From launch to splashdown off the Hawaiian coast will take about 90 minutes, said SpaceX, which provided no launch date.
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Meanwhile, the company is preparing for offshore launches and landings using converted offshore oil-drilling platforms. SpaceX well over a year ago began advertising for offshore operations engineers to “work as part of a team of engineers and technicians to design and build an operational offshore rocket launch facility.”
SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk tweeted last July that “SpaceX is building floating, superheavy-class spaceports for Mars, moon & hypersonic travel around Earth.” He also commented that the launch and landing of Starship/Super Heavy (collectively “Starship”) “are not subtle” and that to protect heavily populated areas from extreme noise levels the offshore launches would have to take place many miles from the coast.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E2hxT_gXwAELbLP?format=jpg&name=large)
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...soft ocean landing roughly 62 miles off the northwest coast of Kauai, Hawaii,...
@Elderberry
Do you know the reasoning for not landing in the Gulf and save transport costs?
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@Elderberry
Do you know the reasoning for not landing in the Gulf and save transport costs?
There are No transport costs. It will be a simulated "soft landing" into the ocean.
I have not seen the orbital trajectory of the flight. It would probably take several orbits to be able to land back at Boca Chica.
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There are No transport costs. It will be a simulated "soft landing" into the ocean.
I have not seen the orbital trajectory of the flight. It would probably take several orbits to be able to land back at Boca Chica.
Thank you
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Splashy plans: SpaceX foresees water launches/landings
My RGV By Steve Clark - The Brownsville Herald - June 9, 2021
https://myrgv.com/local-news/2021/06/09/making-a-splash-spacex-plans-for-water-launches-landings/ (https://myrgv.com/local-news/2021/06/09/making-a-splash-spacex-plans-for-water-launches-landings/)
SpaceX’s first orbital flight of a Starship prototype will launch from the company’s production/test site at Boca Chica and wind up in the water — on purpose.
According to a document SpaceX filed with the Federal Communications Commission last month, the massive Super Heavy booster stage used to push the Starship spacecraft into orbit will separate approximately two minutes and 10 seconds into the flight and land in the Gulf of Mexico about 20 miles offshore from Boca Chica.
The orbital Starship will continue flying between the Florida straits and, once in orbit, will execute a powered, targeted, soft ocean landing roughly 62 miles off the northwest coast of Kauai, Hawaii, according to the FCC filing. From launch to splashdown off the Hawaiian coast will take about 90 minutes, said SpaceX, which provided no launch date.
---
Meanwhile, the company is preparing for offshore launches and landings using converted offshore oil-drilling platforms. SpaceX well over a year ago began advertising for offshore operations engineers to “work as part of a team of engineers and technicians to design and build an operational offshore rocket launch facility.”
SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk tweeted last July that “SpaceX is building floating, superheavy-class spaceports for Mars, moon & hypersonic travel around Earth.” He also commented that the launch and landing of Starship/Super Heavy (collectively “Starship”) “are not subtle” and that to protect heavily populated areas from extreme noise levels the offshore launches would have to take place many miles from the coast.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E2hxT_gXwAELbLP?format=jpg&name=large)
Wow they really like the mock up sketches to look cyberpunk huh?
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SpaceX Starship Orbital Test likely to miss July! Why? | FAA defends SpaceX in front of Congress
ENGINEERING TODAY 6/21/2021
SpaceX Starship Orbital Test likely to miss July! Why FAA defends SpaceX in front of Congress
Hello Friends, Welcome back to another episode by Engineering Today and hope you are doing well. Today we have four updates to share. Our first update is based on the probable delay in orbital launch progress. Secondly we will talk about FAA defending SpaceX in front of Congress. Our next update is about Launcher’s new satellite platform. Lastly we will talk about the launch of Yaogan-30 satellites and Tianqi-14.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFShub4t5nI (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFShub4t5nI)
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Elon Musk says SpaceX’s second Starship booster prototype is almost finished
TESLARATI By Eric Ralph 6/25/2021
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk says that the second Starship booster prototype is “almost done” and has revealed that work on the first flightworthy booster has yet to begin.
For unknown reasons, SpaceX has recently changed the naming scheme for Starship and Super Heavy boosters. The booster SpaceX is currently assembling in Boca Chica has been referred to as “Booster 2” by Musk himself but, according to NASASpaceflight, is internally known as Booster 3 or B3, replacing its former Booster Number 3 (BN3) designation.
Regardless, SpaceX began stacking the Super Heavy booster prototype now known as B3 in mid-May. Around six weeks later, 23 or 24 rings have been stacked to create a partially finished prototype 9m (~30 ft) wide and approximately 42m (~140 ft) tall.
We’re almost done with first prototype booster. This will go to test stand A. Next one will fly to orbit. Team has been crushing it many days & nights in a row!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 25, 2021
Super Heavy Booster forward dome with some interesting new modifications. Booster 2 lifted in High Bay for stacking on aft section. Also, what looks like a starship forward dome was sleeved with the unknown section from yesterday. Maybe some kind of test tank? @NASASpaceflight pic.twitter.com/n8Attvv7X7
— Jack Beyer (@thejackbeyer) June 15, 2021
Just like Super Heavy ‘pathfinder’ BN1, which was scrapped almost the instant it reached its full height last March, Booster 3 appears to destined to stand 36 rings – 65m (~215 ft) – tall once complete. While drastically oversimplifying the process of vertically assembling the largest rocket booster ever built, that means that Super Heavy B3 is just shy of two-thirds (~65%) complete.
More: https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-booster-prototype-progress-elon-musk/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-booster-prototype-progress-elon-musk/)
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SpaceX's Mechazilla Rises, Starliner Prepares, Nauka Launch, Wally Funk's flight to Space
Marcus House Jul 24, 2021
Not only did we see Raptor action this week with SpaceX’s record-sized rocket booster, but we witnessed the launch of Russia’s Nauka Laboratory for the International Space Station. Better late than never. We have updates on Hubble's Trouble and Rocket Lab’s anomaly review. The Dragon has been tamed yet again, and of course, we had the first crewed flight of New Shepard with Wally Funk’s long-awaited ride to space. Quite the action-packed week right there!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZv6JYdZEeA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZv6JYdZEeA)
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SpaceX CEO Elon Musk reveals Starship factory upgrade plans
TESLARATI By Eric Ralph 7/26/2021
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-elon-musk-starship-factory-new-high-bay/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-elon-musk-starship-factory-new-high-bay/)
CEO Elon Musk says that SpaceX is about to begin the construction of “a much larger high bay” adjacent to the existing structure, an 82m (~270 ft) tall building used to complete assembly of Starship and Super Heavy boosters.
Construction starts soon on a much larger high bay just north of current high bay
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 25, 2021
Only a little taller, but much bigger base & two gantry cranes that run full span
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 26, 2021
According to Musk, the newest addition to SpaceX’s arsenal of Starship production facilities will be located “just north” of an existing high bay, which measures approximately 30m by 25m (100′ x 80′). Most importantly, Boca Chica’s high bay is tall enough for SpaceX to use a bridge crane to stack 50m (165′) Starships and ~70m (~230′) Super Heavy boosters – far more efficient and protected than using wheeled or tracked cranes to assemble rockets out in the open.
Construction of the existing high bay began in May 2020 and was more or less complete by the start of 2021. The structure was truly finished in April 2021 with the installation of a heavy-duty bridge crane, though work continues to this day on what CEO Elon Musk has described as a bar and viewing area to be located at the top of the bay.
Musk’s assertion that the new facility will be “much larger” can be interpreted a number of ways. There’s a distant possibility that SpaceX will build a true NASA-style Vehicle Assembly Building like the colossal VAB used to fully assembled Saturn V and the Space Shuttle at Kennedy Space Center. For Starship, that would require a structure at least ~130m (~430 ft) tall – more than 50% taller than the current ‘high bay’.
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Jeff Bezos is offering to cover billions in costs if NASA remedies its 'mistake' and gives Blue Origin the chance to compete with SpaceX again for a moon-lander contract
Yahoo News by Grace Kay 7/26/2021
https://www.yahoo.com/news/jeff-bezos-offering-cover-billions-153139228.html (https://www.yahoo.com/news/jeff-bezos-offering-cover-billions-153139228.html)
• Bezos sent an open letter to NASA offering to cover $2 billion for the Human Landing System program.
• Blue Origin's offer would help it compete with SpaceX for a $2.9 billion NASA contract.
• In the letter, Bezos criticizes NASA's original decision to select SpaceX as the sole winner.
Jeff Bezos' space company is offering to cover billions of dollars in costs for a contract with NASA to take astronauts to the moon.
Blue Origin said it would cover up to $2 billion for the first two years of production of a moon lander, waiving payments for the first two years if NASA awards the company the project.
The company is also offering to develop and launch a pathfinder mission at its own expense, as well as work with NASA on a fixed-price contract, which would free the space agency from any cost overages.
The offer could make a contract with Blue Origin a cheaper option than one with Elon Musk's company. SpaceX was originally handed the NASA contract for the Human Landing System program in April. NASA was forced to suspend the contract in May after Bezos' company filed a protest against the $2.9 billion contract, calling it "unfair." The contract will remain suspended until rulings have been made on the protests.
In an open letter to NASA Administrator Bill Nelson on Monday, Bezos highlighted his commitment to keeping the Human Landing System program competitive by having NASA select two companies to build machinery to take astronauts to the moon instead of just one. Before selecting a single winner of the contest, NASA had given 10-month contracts to SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Dynetics to begin work on lunar landers so the agency could pick from a variety of options.
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Jeff Bezos is offering to cover billions in costs if NASA remedies its 'mistake' and gives Blue Origin the chance to compete with SpaceX again for a moon-lander contract
Yahoo News by Grace Kay 7/26/2021
https://www.yahoo.com/news/jeff-bezos-offering-cover-billions-153139228.html (https://www.yahoo.com/news/jeff-bezos-offering-cover-billions-153139228.html)
:pondering: Do you go with the cheaper less successful company that has taken longer to reach milestones that have been met and surpassed by a competitor who started later or do you stick with the proven innovator setting new standards in spaceflight? Save money or proven innovator? Someone who outperforms the schedule or someone who fails to meet schedules? How much is an astronauts life worth?
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Hotels near capacity as several hundred SpaceX employees arrive in Brownsville in preparation for orbital launch
Valley Central by Gaby Moreno 7/29/2021
https://www.valleycentral.com/news/local-news/hotels-near-capacity-as-several-hundred-spacex-employees-arrive-in-brownsville-in-preparation-for-orbital-launch/ (https://www.valleycentral.com/news/local-news/hotels-near-capacity-as-several-hundred-spacex-employees-arrive-in-brownsville-in-preparation-for-orbital-launch/)
Development at the SpaceX Boca Chica launch site is ramping up under orders from company CEO Elon Musk, in an effort to finish the orbital launch tower and stack the starship and booster prototypes before launching into orbit. Musk has called on several hundred employees from other SpaceX sites to temporarily relocate to the area until the project is finished.
In the effort to launch the fully stacked Starship SN20 and Super Heavy B4 prototypes into orbit, Musk has called on 500 employees from SpaceX sites in Hawthorn, California, Cape Canaveral, Florida, and McGregor, Texas, to relocate to the Brownsville/Boca Chica area temporarily.
Musk’s ambitious goals to reach orbit by July have been delayed, but supplemental employees have been arriving in Brownsville to help finish constructing the orbital launch tower that will support the starship and booster, as well as the vehicle itself.
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Space start-up Varda, founded by SpaceX and Founders Fund veterans, aims to build factories in orbit
CNBC by Michael Sheetz 7/29/2021
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/29/varda-space-raises-over-50-million-to-build-space-factories.html (https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/29/varda-space-raises-over-50-million-to-build-space-factories.html)
Varda Space Industries, a start-up founded less than a year ago by a pair with experience at Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund, has now raised more than $50 million as it works toward its first mission in the first quarter of 2023.
“The Varda mission is to build the first space factory – essentially the first industrial park on orbit,” CEO Will Bruey, who spent much of the past decade working on SpaceX’s Cargo Dragon spacecraft, told CNBC.
Varda raised $42 million in a round led by Khosla Ventures and Caffeinated Capital, and joined by investors including Lux Capital, General Catalyst, and Founders Fund. With $11 million raised in a prior seed round, the company has brought in $53 million since its founding eight months ago.
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SpaceX is building Starship’s first orbital-class booster at a breakneck pace
TESLARATI By Eric Ralph 7/30/2021
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-booster-production-breakneck-pace/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-booster-production-breakneck-pace/)
Within the last week, SpaceX’s South Texas Starship factory appears to have kicked things into high gear and are now assembling the first orbital-class Super Heavy booster prototype at a breakneck pace.
While the assembly of the Super Heavy known as Booster 4 (B4) wasn’t too dissimilar to what CEO Elon Musk described as a “very hard” build of Booster 3 up to last week, work on the rocket has visibly accelerated. Since January 2020, the process of building Starships and Super Heavy boosters has been fairly simple. Both onsite and offsite, raw materials (mostly sheet steel) are cut, bent, and welded into relatively small parts that then make their way to (or around) Boca Chica by truck, forklift, or crane.
With the help of jigs and good amount of automation, the resulting hardware is then welded together to form domes, header tanks, transfer tubes, tank barrels, flaps, and more. Once subassembly is complete, those integrated rocket sections are reinforced with stringers, ribs, and baffles and outfitted with mechanisms, hardpoints, brackets, plumbing, and more. Finally, final assembly – better known as stacking and by far the most visible step – can begin and technicians stack each of those premade segments on top of each other to form a complete Starship or Super Heavy.
While part fabrication and subassembly integration takes weeks or months on its own, those earlier steps can be done more or less simultaneously, meaning that SpaceX can prepare sections for several different ships and boosters at the same time. For the last six or so months,at any given moment, SpaceX has had 40-60+ rings in work as part of 15-20+ different ring ‘sections’ visible all across Starbase.
Respectively, each Starship and Super Heavy booster require 20 and 36 rings apiece, while each of the propellant storage tanks SpaceX is building itself for the rocket’s first orbital launch pad require 12-15. All told, SpaceX usually has a combination of around 3-5 ships, boosters, and GSE tanks in some stage of assembly. Unsurprisingly, some assembly is harder than others and building the first in a series of prototypes has almost invariably taken far longer than the later average that develops.
Booster 3 Booster 4
LOx tank start May 20th July 16th
LOx tank finish June 18th July 31st?
CH4 tank start June 24th July 28th
CH4 tank finish June 27th July 29th
Final stack June 29th Aug 1st?
In that sense, it’s not a huge surprise that SpaceX’s Booster 4 assembly has quickly surpassed the pace set with Booster 3 less than a month earlier. SpaceX began stacking Super Heavy B3 around May 20th, starting with the rocket’s aft liquid oxygen (LOx) tank. Five separate stacks are required to turn the LOx tank’s 23 steel rings into a single structure – a process that took SpaceX about a month with Booster 3.
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Thank you @Elderberry for keeping us informed.
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SpaceX is building Starship’s first orbital-class booster at a breakneck pace
TESLARATI By Eric Ralph 7/30/2021
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-booster-production-breakneck-pace/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-booster-production-breakneck-pace/)
SpaceX stacked the launch table on it's legs today. Pretty amazing watching those HUGE cranes work together to lift that incredibly heavy table.
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SpaceX installs 29 engines on giant Super Heavy Mars rocket (photos)
Space.com by By Mike Wall 8/2/2021
https://www.space.com/spacex-super-heavy-engines-installed-photos (https://www.space.com/spacex-super-heavy-engines-installed-photos)
The company is gearing up for the first orbital test flight of its Starship system.
Starship is powering up.
SpaceX plans to launch the first orbital test flight of Starship, its reusable deep-space transportation system, in the next few months from the company's South Texas site, near the Gulf Coast village of Boca Chica.
The company has made significant strides toward that milestone in the past few days, getting Starship's giant first-stage booster, known as Super Heavy, ready to fly.
"Installing Starship booster engines for first orbital flight," SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk said via Twitter yesterday (Aug. 1) in a post that included a photo of the rocket, with himself holding his young son nearby. And today (Aug. 2), Musk tweeted a close-up photo of Super Heavy's base, which is now bristling with Raptor engines.
Super Heavy will initially sport 29 Raptors, and future versions will have 32 of the engines, Musk has said. Starship's upper stage, a 165-foot-tall (50 meters) spacecraft called Starship, will be powered by six additional Raptors.
(https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/hjRiDWhhuCarJo5Jxynzqj-970-80.jpg.webp)
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Good Lord! That beast is huge. 29 Raptors? :thud:
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TESLARATI
@Teslarati
SpaceX's first flightworthy Starship booster has been fitted with 29 Raptor engines and could roll to the launch pad tomorrow
In a virtually unprecedented feat of engineering and rocketry, SpaceX appears to have installed a full 29 Raptor engines on Starship’s first flightworthy Super Heavy booster in a single evening.
After accepting delivery of five new Raptor engines earlier the same day, Super Heavy Booster 4’s (B4) first Raptor rolled out of one of SpaceX’s Starship factory tents around 6pm CDT to form what would become a line of engines awaiting installation. One by one, Raptors were rolled out of that tent and by 5am CDT, an incredible 25 engines had been spotted and installed on Super Heavy. Come shift handoff around 6am, 27 Raptors had reportedly been installed in 12 hours. The two remaining engines likely joined them an hour or two later, marking 29 high-performance rocket engines installed in just 12-14 hours.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1422296029916024834/Q6SkeA_8?format=jpg&name=small)
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I reiterate: Good Lord!
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SpaceX Full-Stack is Cancelled Due to High Winds, But Musk Says 'Mechazilla' Is the Answer
Tech Times by Isaiah Richard 8/5/2021
SpaceX has attempted to do a full-stack earlier today, but was greeted with high winds and eventually got canceled on its trial. This led the public and its fans to fear the future of the full-stack flights with the actual spacecraft, one that would tower in Boca Chica. However, Elon Musk said that there should not be any panic as they have "Mechazilla."
Sadly, the Starship and the Super Heavy Booster rocket get to see another day without getting on top of each other-to serve its purpose of soon going to Mars.
Yes, you heard that right; SpaceX's first attempt to stack its Mars spacecraft atop each other gets canceled, and the Full-Stack further its wait for people to see the enormous combination.
Yes, you heard that right; SpaceX's first attempt to stack its Mars spacecraft atop each other gets canceled, and the Full-Stack further its wait for people to see the enormous combination.
The public was promised the full-stack in July, but that did not happen, as preparations made by SpaceX only started last month, as seen on Musk's tweets.
More: https://www.techtimes.com/articles/263817/20210805/spacex-full-stack-cancelled-due-high-winds-musk-mechazilla-answer.htm (https://www.techtimes.com/articles/263817/20210805/spacex-full-stack-cancelled-due-high-winds-musk-mechazilla-answer.htm)
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https://www.space.com/spacex-super-heavy-lifted-launch-stand-photos (https://www.space.com/spacex-super-heavy-lifted-launch-stand-photos)
(https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EfZX3TzACHKvGbBv28jbUB-970-80.jpg.webp)(https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9nBBjyWnfXJZQA8PbiMwGQ-970-80.jpg.webp)
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LIVE: Starship Prototype Ship 20 Stacked on Super Heavy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4B2_dfvRZ4M (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4B2_dfvRZ4M)
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A pic my son texted me:
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A pic my son texted me:
Sure didn’t stay up there long.
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Elon Musk's SpaceX Assembled the Full Starship Launch System for the First Time
INTERESTING ENGINEERING by Brad Bergan 8/6/2021
https://interestingengineering.com/elon-musks-spacex-full-starship-launch-system (https://interestingengineering.com/elon-musks-spacex-full-starship-launch-system)
SpaceX just took another big step toward completing its wholly reusable launch system, stacking the Starship spacecraft atop a prototype of the Super Heavy Booster, according to a tweet from tech billionaire and CEO of the company, Elon Musk.
And at roughly 400 ft (122 m), it's really big.
SpaceX's full Starship stack is the tallest rocket ever assembled
The gigantic stacking procedure went down at SpaceX's South-Texas development site, and marks the first time both elements of the massive Starship launch system were conjoined into one colossal rocket. The Super Heavy booster is equipped with the full roster of 29 Raptor rocket engines, adding serious thrust to the Starship's already-impressive six engines.
Crucially, this is the tallest assembled rocket ever developed in the history of space flight. The combined Starship launch system reaches nearly 400 ft tall (rounding up from 390 ft), and paired with the orbital launch stand that props the system up, the entire spectacle is roughly 475 ft (145 m) tall. That's higher than the Great Pyramid of Giza. But the stack won't last long. Next on the SpaceX itinerary is to separate the two halves of the launch system, for more work, analysis, and testing before reassembly and the final preparation for the big event: a real-world orbital launch test.
The orbital launch, however, has yet to receive a precise date. This makes sense, because the disassembly of the big Starship stack, in addition to more testing and a big reassembly process, won't happen overnight. That said, it's not unrealistic that SpaceX could make the orbital launch attempt before the year is out. Think of the big picture here: Just months ago (in May), SpaceX completed its first successful launch and landing of a Starship (the SN15) rocket, after several earlier attempts ending with ground-shaking explosions. The one before that actually made a landing in March, but then exploded minutes after, due to a fire caused by the final, landing-stage rocket firing.
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SpaceX takes simplicity to new extremes with two new Starship mechanisms
TESLARATI by By Eric Ralph 8/10/2021
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-new-simplicity-extremes/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-new-simplicity-extremes/)
In the first two parts of a three-part interview with YouTube creator Tim Dodd, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has delved into two new Starship and Super Heavy mechanisms that take his pursuit of simplicity to new extremes.
Around the turn of the month, Starship’s first flightworthy Super Heavy booster was outfitted with a niche form of aerodynamic control surfaces known as grid fins. Those multi-ton car-sized fins have been expected ever since the original form of Starship was first revealed in 2016. What was unexpected, however, was the fact that Booster 4’s grid fins quite clearly had no retraction or deployment mechanism and were instead fixed in a deployed position after installation.
Meanwhile, just a month after SpaceX performed a partial test of the mechanisms meant to latch Starship and Super Heavy together and deploy the ship in flight, Musk says that SpaceX has also decided to almost entirely remove any recognizable separation mechanism.
In rocketry, there are generally two distinct types of launch vehicle separation strategies. All require some kind of actuating latch or frangible bolts to attach and detach stages. The differences arise during stage separation. Some rockets (particularly Russian vehicles) rely on hot staging, in which a separating stage will ignite its engine(s) slightly before or at the same time as its released, blasting the stage below it. More commonly, rocket upper stages are jettisoned a significant difference from lower stages before igniting and heading towards orbit with either small solid rocket motors, small vernier thrusters, or – in SpaceX’s case – spring-like mechanisms that can be tested on the ground and reused.
Sidestepping decades of precedent, Musk says that Starship will have no separation mechanism at all. Instead, at some point during the design or testing process, Musk decided that a separation mechanism was entirely superfluous and that the same effect could be more or less replicated by using existing systems on Super Heavy. By using the booster’s gimballing Raptor engines to impart a small but significant rotation on the rocket moments before separation, Super Heavy could effectively flick Starship away from it – a bit like how SpaceX currently deploys Starlink satellites from Falcon by spinning the upper stage end over end and letting the spacecraft just float away thanks to centripetal forces.
Because Starship is something like five times heavier than Super Heavy at stage separation, the ship would effectively float away from the booster in a straight and stable line, use cold gas thrusters to settle its propellant, and ignite its six Raptor engines to head to orbit. In return for the slightly unorthodox deployment profile, if this new approach works, SpaceX can entirely preclude the development of a pusher/spring system capable of pushing a ~1300 ton Starship away from Super Heavy. That approach is possible on Starship in large part because the ship’s six Raptor engines are completely tucked away inside a skirt, meaning that there is zero chance of nozzles being damaged by impacting the booster interstage.
The situation with Super Heavy’s grid fins is not dissimilar. By keeping the fins deployed at all times, SpaceX doesn’t need to develop a complex retraction mechanism that maintains a mechanical linkage while still providing enough strength to push and drag a several-hundred-ton rocket around at hypersonic speeds.
Five step process to project success, from Elon Musk:
1. Make requirements less dumb and attach these to a person, not a department
2. Delete a part or process
3. Simplify or optimize, only after completing the above
4. Accelerate cycle time
5. Automatehttps://t.co/JONgo2OBUs (https://t.co/JONgo2OBUs)
— Giorgos Bogosian (@philoTechnica) August 9, 2021
Notably, during Tim Dodd’s tour and interview, Musk revealed that another SpaceX employee – not him – was responsible for that design change, throwing up a bit of a foil to the common notion that Musk is very authoritarian and inflexible as chief engineer. Combined with a surprisingly elegant and responsive five-step approach to engineering, it’s clearer than ever that there is a great deal of well-considered method behind the surface-level madness of some of Musk and SpaceX’s less intuitive decisions.
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SpaceX takes simplicity to new extremes with two new Starship mechanisms
TESLARATI by By Eric Ralph 8/10/2021
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-new-simplicity-extremes/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-new-simplicity-extremes/)
After watching several videos about Musk, he's a very "unique" individual. As hard as he works and as much as he demands from his employees, I can't imagine working for him. I read that he walked in one time and fired his entire engineering team. Not to mention him cursing and screaming at his employees. No doubt the guy is brilliant though.
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Super Heavy Booster 4 Removed from the Launch Mount | SpaceX Boca Chica
NASA Spaceflight 8/10/2021
SpaceX removes Booster 4 from the Orbital Launch Mount as they prepare to proof test it. Booster 4 may roll back to the Production Site prior to testing. Meanwhile, sections are spotted for Booster 5 and work on Ship 20's tiles continues.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woaLnJvgxGs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woaLnJvgxGs)
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The names SpaceX uses for the components of the completed rocket are confusing. I hope they start numbering the stages like NASA used to.
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SpaceX Always Operates With Extreme Urgency
NextBigFuture by Brian Wang August 11, 2021
https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2021/08/spacex-always-operates-with-extreme-urgency.html (https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2021/08/spacex-always-operates-with-extreme-urgency.html)
Tim Dodd, the Everyday Astronaut, had the third part of his interview with Elon Musk.
What comes through is the intense focus Elon Musk and his teams have.
They are focused and operating with extreme urgency to make humanity a multi-planetary species.
Elon needs to get to Mars, colonize Mars and then make Mars self-sustaining.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Zlnbs-NBUI&t=262s (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Zlnbs-NBUI&t=262s)
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SpaceX’s first orbital-class Starship and Super Heavy to return to launch pad next week
TESLARATI by Eric Ralph 8/12/2021
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-orbital-starship-super-heavy-pad-return/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-orbital-starship-super-heavy-pad-return/)
CEO Elon Musk says that SpaceX could return the first orbital-class Starship prototype and its Super Heavy booster to the launch site after rolling the rockets back to the factory for finishing steps.
In response to a video of Super Heavy Booster 4 (B4) returning to the build site, Musk rather specifically stated that both Booster for and Starship 20 (S20) will return to the orbital launch pad on Monday, August 16th. SpaceX returned Ship 20 to its ‘high bay’ vertical integration facility mere hours after the Starship was stacked atop a Super Heavy booster (B4) for the first time ever on August 6th. For unknown reasons, perhaps due to high winds, Booster 4 spent another five days at the pad before SpaceX finally lifted it off the orbital launch mount and rolled it back to the high bay, where it took Ship 20’s place on August 11th.
Almost immediately after S20’s August 6th return, its six Raptor engines were removed to make way for an engine-less proof test campaign that Musk has now implied could start as early as next Monday. Mirroring S20, SpaceX also begin uninstalling Super Heavy Booster 4’s 29 Raptor engines the same day it returned to the high bay.
Booster & Ship will return to orbital launch pad on Monday (winds allowing). Just finishing off some small plumbing & wiring, which is easier in high bay.
CEO Elon Musk says that SpaceX could return the first orbital-class Starship prototype and its Super Heavy booster to the launch site after rolling the rockets back to the factory for finishing steps.
In response to a video of Super Heavy Booster 4 (B4) returning to the build site, Musk rather specifically stated that both Booster for and Starship 20 (S20) will return to the orbital launch pad on Monday, August 16th. SpaceX returned Ship 20 to its ‘high bay’ vertical integration facility mere hours after the Starship was stacked atop a Super Heavy booster (B4) for the first time ever on August 6th. For unknown reasons, perhaps due to high winds, Booster 4 spent another five days at the pad before SpaceX finally lifted it off the orbital launch mount and rolled it back to the high bay, where it took Ship 20’s place on August 11th.
Almost immediately after S20’s August 6th return, its six Raptor engines were removed to make way for an engine-less proof test campaign that Musk has now implied could start as early as next Monday. Mirroring S20, SpaceX also begin uninstalling Super Heavy Booster 4’s 29 Raptor engines the same day it returned to the high bay.
Booster & Ship will return to orbital launch pad on Monday (winds allowing). Just finishing off some small plumbing & wiring, which is easier in high bay.
Around 12 hours after the process began, SpaceX appeared to have removed 14 (just shy of half) of Super Heavy B4’s Raptor engines – a pace almost as spectacular as their 12-18 hour installation a bit less than two weeks prior. Aside from making engine removal dramatically easier, Musk says that SpaceX moved Ship 20 and Booster 4 back to the build site to expedite some minor final integration work – namely “small plumbing and wiring.”
However, aside from Raptor removal, the most obvious and significant work ongoing since the pair’s return to the high bay is the process of inspecting Starship S20’s heat shield and repairing or replacing broken, chipped, and loose tiles. Not long after Ship 20 arrived back at the build site, workers in boom lifts began a seemingly arduous process of inspecting the Starship’s nose heat shield and marking – with colored tape – hundreds of tiles with cracks, chips, or other less visible issues.
After several days of inspections and hundreds of tiles marked, SpaceX finally began the process of removing off-nominal tiles early on August 12th. According to NASASpaceflight.com, that removal process is not particularly easy and can require the use of power tools to effectively cut tiles off their embedded mounting frames. Given the amount of force required, some level of care is also almost certainly needed to avoid damaging any adjacent tiles, which could quickly cause a minor misstep to exponentially spread. Nevertheless, a small team of SpaceX technicians seemingly managed to remove no less than several dozen (and maybe 100+) broken tiles in a few hours.
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SpaceX Starship Refilling Plan Change? Catching Arms Coming Soon, Cygnus NG-16 Mission
Marcus House 8/14/2021
After the previous few breakneck weeks in Boca Chica, things seem to be just a little calmer this week and we get to finally dive a little deeper into everything going on at Starbase. Do we have a SpaceX Starship Refilling Plan Change? We believe so! Catching Arms coming soon as well. A great deal of important work has been going on and several things have to happen before SpaceX can start the fiery testing campaign of Booster 4 and Ship 20. We will discuss orbital propellant transfer and the most recent numbers regarding the Raptor design. Then of course we had the successful launch of Cygnus-16 carrying supplies for the International Space Station!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtGiMWWqvwM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtGiMWWqvwM)
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Musk says Starship orbital stack to be ready for flight in few weeks
Reuters by Jahnavi Nidumolu and Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru 8/15/2021
https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/musk-says-starship-orbital-stack-be-ready-flight-few-weeks-2021-08-15/ (https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/musk-says-starship-orbital-stack-be-ready-flight-few-weeks-2021-08-15/)
Aug 14 (Reuters) - SpaceX founder Elon Musk said on Saturday the first orbital stack of the Starship rocket should be ready for flight in the coming weeks, taking the unorthodox billionaire a step closer to his dream of orbital and then interplanetary travel.
"First orbital stack of Starship should be ready for flight in a few weeks, pending only regulatory approval," Musk tweeted.
An orbital Starship flight is planned for year's end, and Musk has said he intends to fly Japanese billionaire entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa around the moon in the Starship in 2023.
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Ship 20 Lifted Onto Pad B for Proof Testing | SpaceX Boca Chica
Aug 18, 2021 NASA Spaceflight
SpaceX moved Ship 20 to Suborbital Pad B as they prepare to pressure test its tanks. Parts for Booster 5 were spotted, work on the catch arms and Quick Disconnect arm continued. Meanwhile, construction on new hardware to test Booster 4 continued.
Video and Pictures from Mary (@BocaChicaGal and) and the NSF robots. Edited by Nate Shields.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIVvL0lXspA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIVvL0lXspA)
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SpaceX Starship & Super Heavy Orbital Timeline Update!
What about it!? Aug 17, 2021
Today we’ll talk Starship and Super Heavy timeline! How long until SpaceX lights the candle again? Heatshield, tank farm, prototype testing. What’s left to do, and can we make an educated guess as to how many more weeks? Yes, we can! Let’s find out!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBmbkK043nw (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBmbkK043nw)
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SpaceX Starship Explosive Potential, and Big Bang Theory
Marcus House 8/24/2021
Today, we are talking about SpaceX Starship Explosive Potential and general Big Bang Theory of rockets! Typically I don’t like to stress anyone out with such questions and I’m sure SpaceX is doing everything they possibly can to minimize any such issue from occurring in the first place. Thanks to SpaceX's iterative design the chance of a catastrophic explosion is very low, all the static fires and flight tests leave us feeling confident in the starship's first orbital flight test at least clearing the tower. However, in an unlikely event of a Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly on the pad, we were thinking about what the damage potential could be and it isn’t as easy to predict as you may think.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJUegAJTtO4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJUegAJTtO4)
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SpaceX Starship's Stage Zero Progress, CRS-23, Firefly Alpha, Astra Sideways Launch, RFA Test
Marcus House 9/4/2021
Wow do we have a lot to share today! SpaceX Starship's Stage Zero Progress continues, CRS-23 took flight, Firefly Alpha exploded, Astra Sideways launch makes headlines, and an RFA Test (plus more). Loads of updates at Boca Chica, especially with the ground support equipment systems. Other exciting events outside Starbase as well with SpaceX’s CRS 23 mission sending cargo to the international space station yet again, but this time we have the very first use of the new droneship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas'. An eventful first launch for Firefly Alpha. We also had Astra's sideways launch creating a bit of a buzz, and some other interesting updates you may have missed as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iu1vfEo-l0w (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iu1vfEo-l0w)
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SpaceX Starship's Stage Zero Progress, CRS-23, Firefly Alpha, Astra Sideways Launch, RFA Test
Marcus House 9/4/2021
Wow do we have a lot to share today! SpaceX Starship's Stage Zero Progress continues, CRS-23 took flight, Firefly Alpha exploded, Astra Sideways launch makes headlines, and an RFA Test (plus more). Loads of updates at Boca Chica, especially with the ground support equipment systems. Other exciting events outside Starbase as well with SpaceX’s CRS 23 mission sending cargo to the international space station yet again, but this time we have the very first use of the new droneship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas'. An eventful first launch for Firefly Alpha. We also had Astra's sideways launch creating a bit of a buzz, and some other interesting updates you may have missed as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iu1vfEo-l0w (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iu1vfEo-l0w)
They moved the booster back to the launch pad area today. Maybe another test fit?
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SpaceX Could Ignite Super Heavy Booster Raptor Engines For The First Time Next Week
TESMANIAN by Evelyn Arevalo September 11, 2021
https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/booster4-1 (https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/booster4-1)
(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0173/8204/7844/articles/20210911_164206_1024x1024.jpg?v=1631400004)
The world’s most powerful rocket will soon roar to life at SpaceX’s Starbase launch site in Texas. The monstrous Super Heavy Booster 4 will be the first rocket prototype to propel Starship (SN20) to orbit during the debut orbital flight test. It is equipped with 29 methane-fueled Raptor engines that can generate over 16 million pounds of thrust at full throttle. Engineers plan to launch the stainless-steel spacecraft to orbit from Boca Chica Beach, Texas, and conduct a soft-touchdown in the ocean near a military base off the northwest coast of Kauai, Hawaii. To prepare for this ambitious space flight they will conduct a series of ground tests. Starship SN20 and Super Heavy Booster 4 will undergo individual testing before being stacked again. “Booster static fire on orbital launch mount hopefully next week,” SpaceX founder Elon Musk shared on September 10.
The 230-foot-tall Super Heavy rocket was transported to the launch pad early September and was placed on the orbital launch tower mount to initiate its pre-flight test campaign. The first test is expected to be a cryogenic proof test during which the vehicle will be subjected to very cold temperatures and pressure with liquid nitrogen. This test is designed to assess the vehicle’s strength. If the vehicle endures this test, SpaceX will ignite Booster 4’s Raptor engines during a static-fire test, the engines will be ignited for a few seconds while the vehicle remains grounded to the mount with hold-on clamps. It is still unknown how many engines will be ignited simultaneously during the ignition test(s) [pending information]. The max number of engines that engineers have tested at once with previous Starship prototypes is three; Igniting 29 Raptors at once is an extremely powerful force to attempt to hold-down at the launch mount without causing damage to the launch pad zone. Maybe SpaceX will risk it and ignite all engines during the first test, Or maybe they plan to conduct multiple static-fire tests with a dozen engines or so. We could know this information as soon as next week!
During an interview with YouTuber Everyday Astronaut, Musk said that he hopes the launch pad area that includes all ground support equipment and ‘Stage Zero’ does not get damaged. “[…] For the first orbital launch our goal is to make it to orbit without blowing up,” Musk said in August, “And frankly, […] if the booster does its job and something goes wrong with the ship, I will still count that as great progress. “To be totally frank, if it takes off without blowing off the stand, Stage Zero, which is much harder to replace than the booster – that will be a victory. So, ‘please do not blow up on the stand,’” he said. ‘Stage Zero’ is the launch pad support structures, which include the launch tower, mount, propellant tanks, flame diverter system, among many other things surrounding the launch pad.
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Blue Origin just got HUMILIATED by a new company after SpaceX. Is Any Chance for Blue Origin?
Tech Fans 9/13/2021
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWfnI5XOzJc (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWfnI5XOzJc)
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Blue Origin & Jeff Bezos is totally getting Crushed by SpaceX & Elon Musk.
Tech Fans 9/15/2021
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO_1O_2HBls (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO_1O_2HBls)
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Jeff Bezos Grits Teeth to Congratulate Elon Musk, Who Makes Fun of Him Constantly
But there's some speculation that he might have copied the tweet from Branson.
The_Byte by Tony Tran 9/16/2021
https://futurism.com/the-byte/bezos-congrats-musk-inspiration4 (https://futurism.com/the-byte/bezos-congrats-musk-inspiration4)
Gritted Teeth
Blue Origin CEO Jeff Bezos congratulated his rival and occasional cyberbully Elon Musk for the successful launch of Inspiration4 on Thursday — which may have been difficult for the billionaire to do, considering reports of his personal jealousy toward Musk.
“Congratulations to @ElonMusk and the @SpaceX team on their successful Inspiration4 launch last night,” Bezos tweeted. “Another step towards a future where space is accessible to all of us.”
Bad Blood
It was a surprisingly respectful move considering that there’s no shortage of bad blood between the competing billionaires — especially when you consider all of the times Musk has taken to Twitter to lob digital mud at the Amazon founder, along with Bezos’ attempts to block SpaceX from lucrative NASA contracts.
Now, with the Inspiration4 launch, SpaceX has a considerable edge on its competitors in the space tourism industry. Not only has it sent actual tourists into space, it’s sent them further and longer than Bezos’ own recent foray into space (or at least the upper atmosphere).
Copycat Congrats
There is some speculation, to be fair, that the Blue Origin chief’s tweet wasn’t entirely sincere.
For one, it came hours after fellow billionaire and space traveler Richard Branson’s tweet of congrats to Musk and his company. Bezos’ message is also suspiciously similar to Branson’s in a way that makes it seem as though he — or maybe some unidentified social media manager — simply reworded the tweet to make it sound somewhat original.
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SpaceX Chief Engineer Shares Starship SN20 Passed Proof Test
TESMANIAN by Evelyn Arevalo September 30, 2021
https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/sn20-cryo (https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/sn20-cryo)
South Texas will become the ‘Gateway To Mars’, SpaceX is building a 21st Century Spaceport at Boca Chica Beach from where a fleet of Starships will liftoff on voyages to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. The aerospace company is in the initial phase of developing the two-stage launch vehicle. It is currently preparing to conduct the first orbital flight test during which a Super Heavy rocket booster will propel the Starship spacecraft for the first time to orbit. Engineers are working on two prototypes, Booster 4 and Starship SN20. This past week they started SN20's test campaign.
On September 27, SpaceX first tested Starship SN20’s Reaction Control System (RCS) which is a set of thrusters designed to control the vehicle in space. By Monday night, SpaceX engineers proceeded to conduct a cryogenic proof test of the Starship SN20 prototype. During the test, engineers assess the stainless-steel spacecraft’s structural integrity by filling it up with cryogenic liquid nitrogen to pressurize SN20’s tanks, they also simulate the forces of the Raptor engines. Starship will be equipped with six Raptors during the upcoming orbital flight.
Pre-flight testing is important to ensure the stainless-steel vehicle is structurally sound before it takes flight. SpaceX performed a second cryogenic proof test on Wednesday night. Soon after the test was completed, SpaceX founder Chief Engineer Elon Musk shared – “Proof was good!”
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FAgd0JyXIAA0dgC?format=jpg&name=large)
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SpaceX’s first orbital Starship launch slips to March 2022 in NASA document
TESLARATI By Eric Ralph 10/18/2021
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-first-orbital-launch-date-nasa-update/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-first-orbital-launch-date-nasa-update/)
A NASA document discussing a group’s plans to document SpaceX’s first orbital-velocity Starship reentry appears to suggest that the next-generation rocket’s orbital launch debut has slipped several months into 2022.
In March 2021, CEO Elon Musk confirmed a report that SpaceX was working towards a target of July 2021 for Starship’s first orbital launch attempt. At the time, it seemed undeniably ambitious but far from impossible. Less than half a year prior, SpaceX had kicked off a series of suborbital Starship test flights to altitudes of 10-12.5 km (6.2-8 mi). Beginning in December 2020, SN8 – effectively the first structurally complete Starship prototype – nearly stuck a landing on its first try, only narrowly falling short due to an engine and pressurization issue.
Less than two months later, SpaceX completed and launched Starship SN9 – again with a nearly flawless six-minute flight capped off with an unsuccessful landing attempt. Starship SN10 followed less than a month later and became the first prototype to land in one piece – albeit only for a few minutes. It was two weeks after that near-success – SpaceX’s third launch in as many months – that Musk revealed a goal of July 2021 for Starship’s first orbital launch. At that point in time, it appeared all but inevitable that SpaceX would be technically ready for an orbital launch before the end of the year.
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How did the SpaceX Starship 20 static fire go? New Starbase Mechazilla details!
What about it!? 10/19/2021
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Cbjk8aloEM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Cbjk8aloEM)
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UPDATE on Lunar Starship and Blue Origin - Congress ORDERS NASA to build second HLS with NO MONEY?!
The Angry Astronaut 10/20/2021
One of the most absurd decisions to come out of the Senate yet, and what it could mean for Artemis.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcjcL06C8IQ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcjcL06C8IQ)
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Musk says Starship may be ready for orbital launch next month, but FAA review continues
Spaceflight Now October 22, 2021 Stephen Clark
https://spaceflightnow.com/2021/10/22/musk-says-starship-may-be-ready-for-orbital-launch-next-month-but-faa-review-continues/ (https://spaceflightnow.com/2021/10/22/musk-says-starship-may-be-ready-for-orbital-launch-next-month-but-faa-review-continues/)
Elon Musk, the billionaire founder of SpaceX, said Friday the company’s huge new Starship rocket could be ready for its first orbital test launch from South Texas as soon as November, but the schedule comes with two big uncertainties that may push the launch to next year.
“If all goes well, Starship will be ready for its first orbital launch attempt next month, pending regulatory approval,” Musk tweeted.
The new schedule update from Musk came the day after SpaceX test-fired the newest Starship vehicle, known as Ship 20 or SN20, at the company’s development facility near Boca Chica Beach east of Brownsville, Texas. A vacuum-rated Raptor engine, similar to the engines Starship will use in space, ignited for several seconds on a launching stand at SpaceX’s Starbase complex Thursday night.
SpaceX briefly fired the privately-developed rocket again later the same night.
It was the first test-firing of a Raptor vacuum engine mounted to a Starship rocket. The vacuum variant of the methane-fueled Raptor engine has a larger nozzle to improved performance in the airless environment of space.
Three vacuum-rated Raptor engines will fly on orbital-class Starship missions. Three sea level Raptor variants, with smaller nozzles, will be used for vertical Starship landings after returning from space.
Unlike the Starship prototypes flown on the recent atmospheric hops, Ship 20 is covered in thousands of heat-resistant tiles to protect the craft’s stainless steel structure from the scorching heat it will encounter during re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere.
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Another schedule hurdle might be the Federal Aviation Administration, which is reviewing the environmental impacts of SpaceX’s operations in South Texas. The FAA issued a draft environmental report last month after consultation with several federal and state agencies.
The draft report marks a re-evaluation of the FAA’s original environmental impact statement before SpaceX started construction of the Boca Chica site in 2014. At that time, SpaceX planned to launch Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets from South Texas, but the scope of the project has since changed to focus on development of Starship and Super Heavy.
The FAA held public hearings Monday and Wednesday, and some 120 people voiced their opinions on the project’s environmental impacts. The public comments were more than two-to-one in favor of the FAA finalizing the draft programmatic environment assessment, and issuing SpaceX a launch license for the Starship orbital test flight.
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S20 SF Seismic Activity
Seismic data for the first two static fires of S20.
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Starship Prototype Ship 20 Conducts First Ever Six Engine Static Fire
NASASpaceflight 11/12/2021
Starship prototype Ship 20 is conducting engine testing of its Raptor engines. Exact test details are unconfirmed, but it will potentially include preburner and/or static fire testing. All six engines are currently installed on the vehicle, so there is the possibility of the first static fire test with all six Raptors.
Pre-burner test @ 1:44:45, Static Fire @ 2:37:28
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8ja43uGrdQ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8ja43uGrdQ)
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SpaceX orbital launch on hold; Starship waits for FAA decision
My RGV By Steve Clark - The Brownsville Herald -November 12, 2021
https://myrgv.com/local-news/2021/11/12/spacex-orbital-launch-on-hold-starship-waits-for-faa-decision/ (https://myrgv.com/local-news/2021/11/12/spacex-orbital-launch-on-hold-starship-waits-for-faa-decision/)
SpaceX founder and CEO tweeted last month that the company’s Starship-Super Heavy combination could be ready for its first orbital launch attempt from Boca Chica “if all goes well” and “pending regulatory approval.”
With 29 Raptor engines installed in the 230-foot-tall Super Heavy SN4 booster, successful static-fire engine tests conducted on the Starship SN20 prototype and substantial progress made on construction of SpaceX’s new orbital launch pad and launch tower at Boca Chica/Starbase, the rocket might be ready, though there’s no guarantee the Federal Aviation Administration is, plus it’s nearly mid-November.
The FAA hasn’t decided yet whether it will grant permission for an experimental orbital launch. In September the agency released the Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment of the company’s proposed activities at Boca Chica. The FAA solicited public comments on the Draft PEA via two public hearings last month and comments submitted via mail and email. The comment period, which came to a close Nov. 1, generated significant feedback for and against the company’s plans.
The first orbital launch calls for the Super Heavy booster to separate from Starship a little over two minutes after launching from Boca Chica and splash down in the Gulf of Mexico some 20 miles offshore. Starship, powered by six Raptor engines and standing 165 feet tall , would make a “soft” powered landing in the Pacific Ocean about 60 miles north of Kauai, Hawaii, sinking inside the Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facility, according to the FAA.
More at link.
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Starship S20 Seismic Data
Seismic data for six raptor static fire.
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Watch live as SpaceX launches a Falcon 9 rocket and 53 Starlink satellites
Spaceflight Now
Watch live as Falcon 9 rocket carrying 53 satellites for SpaceX's Starlink broadband internet service counts down to launch. The mission, which was delayed from Friday due to weather, is set for launch at 7:19 a.m. EST (1219 GMT), and will be the first flight for SpaceX’s Starlink network to launch from Florida in nearly six months. It will be the ninth flight for the rocket's first stage booster.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTpVhGkxYtE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTpVhGkxYtE)
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Are the towers around the launch pad for lightning protection?
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The video cut away from the booster landing, and it appears the telemetry stopped just before that. Did it crash?
ETA: Watch at 1:08:15.
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The video cut away from the booster landing, and it appears the telemetry stopped just before that. Did it crash?
ETA: Watch at 1:08:15.
I've noticed that the video cuts out, right at touchdown, quite often, on the video taken from the landing vessel. It was stated in the audio stream that the booster landing was successful.
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Are the towers around the launch pad for lightning protection?
Yep.
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SpaceX launch starts deployment of new Starlink orbital shell
Spaceflight Now by Stephen Clark November 13, 2021
https://spaceflightnow.com/2021/11/13/spacex-launch-starts-deployment-of-new-starlink-orbital-shell/ (https://spaceflightnow.com/2021/11/13/spacex-launch-starts-deployment-of-new-starlink-orbital-shell/)
SpaceX shot 53 Starlink internet satellites into orbit on top of a Falcon 9 rocket Saturday from foggy Cape Canaveral, commencing a new phase of deploying the global broadband network with the first launch into a new “shell” some 335 miles above Earth.
The mission was the 31st Falcon 9 launch in two-and-a-half years dedicated to carrying satellites for the Starlink internet network, bringing the total number of Starlink spacecraft launched to 1,844.
The launch Saturday was the first to target a new orbital “shell” in SpaceX’s Starlink network at an inclination angle of 53.2 degrees to the equator.
Most of the Starlink satellites launched so far have deployed into a 341-mile-high (550-kilometer), 53-degree inclination orbit, the first of five orbital shells SpaceX plans to complete full deployment of the Starlink network. SpaceX finished launching satellites in that shell with a series of Starlink flights from Cape Canaveral from May 2019 through May of this year.
Since May, SpaceX has rushed to complete development of new inter-satellite laser terminals to put on all future Starlink satellites. The laser crosslinks, which have been tested on a handful of Starlink satellites on prior launches, will reduce the reliance of SpaceX’s internet network on ground stations.
“Inter-satellite laser communications means Starlink can carry data at speed of light in vacuum all around Earth before touching ground,” tweeted Elon Musk, SpaceX’s founder and CEO. “Over time, some amount of communication can simply be from one user terminal to another without touching the internet.”
More at link.
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SpaceX orbital Starship launch debut officially slips to 2022 – but it’s not all bad news
TeslaRati By Eric Ralph 11/15/2021
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-orbital-launch-debut-early-2022/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-orbital-launch-debut-early-2022/)
US government documentation suggests that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aims to complete an environmental review of SpaceX’s orbital Starship launch site no earlier than December 31st, 2021, precluding an orbital launch attempt this year.
In light of the FAA taking until September 2021 to publish the draft of that environmental assessment (EA), a major delay has been the expected outcome for months. The latest development finally makes that delay official, confirming that even in the new best-case scenario, SpaceX will be unable to conduct Starship’s first orbital launch before January 1st, 2022. But while that unfortunate confirmation comes as little surprise, it’s not all bad news.
The hard work by FAA, US Fish & Wildlife and Texas Parks & Wildlife is much appreciated, as well as the strong local support from Cameron County and Brownsville / South Padre!
t’s unclear how accurate the Federal Infrastructure Projects’ “Permitting Dashboard” actually is but the information displayed on the website is specific and detailed enough for it to be deemed trustworthy. If correct, it states that the FAA aims to complete SpaceX’s orbital Starship EA by December 31st. To an extent, that internal estimate relies on the optimistic assumption that the FAA will rule in SpaceX’s favor on the matter and issue either a finding of no significant impact (FONSI).
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Considering how much more work needs to be done on the ship and launch facility, early January would be perfect. I can't wait to see her fly.
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Rocket builder Astra reaches orbit for the first time
CNBC by Michael Sheetz 11/20/2021
Key Points
• Astra Space reached orbit for the first time with rocket LV0007 on Saturday.
• “This is an incredibly hard thing to do,” Astra CEO Chris Kemp said on the company’s webcast.
• Astra joins SpaceX, Rocket Lab and Virgin Orbit in the group of U.S. companies that have reached orbit with a privately-funded rocket.
Astra Space reached orbit for the first time on Saturday with its rocket LV0007, joining a small group of privately-funded companies that have achieved the feat.
The company launched the rocket, which carried a test payload for the U.S. Space Force, from the Pacific Spaceport Complex in Kodiak, Alaska. After getting off the ground cleanly, the rocket passed through each stage of the launch before reaching its target orbit about nine minutes later at an altitude of about 500 kilometers.
“This is an incredibly hard thing to do,” Astra CEO Chris Kemp said on the company’s webcast.
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/20/rocket-builder-astra-reaches-orbit-for-the-first-time.html (https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/20/rocket-builder-astra-reaches-orbit-for-the-first-time.html)
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SpaceX Hits Hurdle in Bid for Texas Launch as FAA Delays Review
Bloomberg By Dana Hull 12/28/2021
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-28/faa-delays-environmental-review-for-spacex-s-starship-project (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-28/faa-delays-environmental-review-for-spacex-s-starship-project)
• U.S. regulator sets Feb. 28 target for Boca Chica decision
• SpaceX wants to launch Starship rocket project from Texas site
Elon Musk’s Space Exploration Technologies Corp. suffered a blow to its goal of launching its massive Starship rocket from Boca Chica, Texas, early next year when U.S. regulators delayed a planned environmental review by two months, to Feb. 28.
The Federal Aviation Administration intended to release a final Programmatic Environmental Assessment by Dec. 31. But SpaceX, under the supervision of the FAA, is currently responding to more than 18,000 public comments, and the FAA is continuing consultation and coordination with other agencies.
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SpaceX Hits Hurdle in Bid for Texas Launch as FAA Delays Review
Bloomberg By Dana Hull 12/28/2021
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-28/faa-delays-environmental-review-for-spacex-s-starship-project (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-28/faa-delays-environmental-review-for-spacex-s-starship-project)
Geez....this pushes them at least into March. Gotta love this administration.....
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SpaceX Project’s FAA Review Delayed After Receiving 18,000 Comments
https://www.wsj.com/articles/spacex-projects-faa-review-delayed-after-receiving-18-000-comments-11640811325 (https://www.wsj.com/articles/spacex-projects-faa-review-delayed-after-receiving-18-000-comments-11640811325)
Federal regulators have delayed the release of an environmental review of SpaceX’s plan to launch a new rocket from Texas by two months. One of the reasons? Too many comments from the public.
The Federal Aviation Administration said it received more than 18,000 public messages on the project, causing it to push back the release of its environmental review from Dec. 31 to Feb. 28. The agency said SpaceX is working on responses to the comments.
In addition, the FAA said it is continuing its consultation and coordination with other agencies at the local, state and federal level.
How many of the comments came from Bezos?
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NSF Live: When will Starship and SLS launch? Recapping 2021 and looking ahead to 2022
NASASpaceflight
NSF Live is NASASpaceflight.com's weekly show covering the latest in spaceflight. It is broadcast live on Sundays at 3 pm Eastern. On each show, we rotate through various hosts and special guests.
Today's episode is hosted by Stephen Marr (Host and Photographer for NASASpaceflight.com), Ian Atkinson (Writer for NASASpaceflight.com), and Chris Gebhardt (Assistant Managing Editor at NASASpaceflight.com).
Additional coverage: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/ (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AsCjER7dck (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AsCjER7dck)
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Mechazilla's Chopsticks Moved and Tested At Last | SpaceX Boca Chica
NASASpaceflight 1/5/2022
Work on the Orbital Launch Mount continued, movement of Mechazilla's Chopstick arms was finally tested, and crews worked on Booster 4.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4MsI56HBRk (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4MsI56HBRk)
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Ring Shaped UFO Spotted During SpaceX Launch. January 6, 2022
The Hidden Underbelly 2.0 1/6/2022
This ring shaped UFO showed up during the Falcon 9 launch at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. While the rocket was over our Earth this object appeared and then they change cameras.
Source: SpaceX
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXOBG23JLs0 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXOBG23JLs0)
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Ring Shaped UFO Spotted During SpaceX Launch. January 6, 2022
The Hidden Underbelly 2.0 1/6/2022
This ring shaped UFO showed up during the Falcon 9 launch at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. While the rocket was over our Earth this object appeared and then they change cameras.
Source: SpaceX
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXOBG23JLs0 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXOBG23JLs0)
All I see is some sort of an odd cloud formation forming. But I guess it's just me.
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"SpaceX ... is currently drafting responses for the over 18,000 public comments."
arsTechnica by Eric Berger - 1/7/2022
https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/01/rocket-report-faa-delays-texas-spaceport-review-sls-slips-to-late-spring/ (https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/01/rocket-report-faa-delays-texas-spaceport-review-sls-slips-to-late-spring/)
FAA delays Texas spaceport decision for two months. Days before the end of 2021, the Federal Aviation Administration said it would require a 60-day extension to release a "Final Programmatic Environmental Assessment" for SpaceX's plan to launch Starships from near Boca Chica in South Texas. The FAA now plans to release the Final PEA on February 28, 2022, the agency says.
Scads and scads of comments ... "SpaceX, under the supervision of the FAA, is currently drafting responses for the over 18,000 public comments received on the Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment. SpaceX is also preparing the Final PEA for the FAA's review and acceptance," the agency said. The delay was needed to respond to the high volume of comments. (Submitted by Tfargo04)
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SpaceX Finally Tested UPGRADED Raptor Engine 2.0!
LIFT-OFF 1/14/2022
SpaceX Finally Tested UPGRADED Raptor Engine 2.0!
While it is not quite as successful as the first static fire campaign of a full-scale Raptor 1 engine, which survived several tests. The first Raptor 2 prototype’s early demise is still a routine part of engine development and is the start of a process that should ultimately produce a Super Heavy booster with 50% more thrust than the next most powerful rocket ever flown.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SXbM1oe6JE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SXbM1oe6JE)
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Ep202 [Ad-Free] SpaceX Starship Super Heavy Booster 4 ready for final testing!
What about it!?
SpaceX Starship 20 and Super Heavy Booster 4 are supposed to go to orbit, but will they? Ship 22 and booster 7 are nearing completion and Mechazilla has… balls. Let’s do this!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEP9aJ3Mcuc&t=23s (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEP9aJ3Mcuc&t=23s)
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GSE-4 Pressured To Failure Rover2.0 Bathed In Liquid Nitrogen
LabPadre
01/18/2022 SpaceX at Starbase, Texas pressurizes GSE-4 to failure causing a massive liquid nitrogen spill that engulfed the launch facility and bathed Rover2.0 in a frozen cloud. It appears that the aft portion of the test article ruptured but can not tell if it ripped at the welds. You never know what's gonna happen at Starbase. Stay tuned for more of the unexpected!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1Z21JnKHwY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1Z21JnKHwY)
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SpaceX reveals plans for a second Starbase! What's needed to build 1000 Starships?
What about it!?
Today, I'm going to tackle a beast of a question! Let’s talk about the future of Starbase! What’s needed to build a rocket bigger than the Saturn V Moon rocket… 1000 times? Let’s do this!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5ZWyjQPp4M (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5ZWyjQPp4M)
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SpaceX Raptor Engine COMPLETELY Humiliation Blue Origin BE4 Engine.
Science Of Space 1/29/2022
A few months ago spacex completed its 100th raptor engine, this extraordinary milestone was achieved in just 29 months, a little over two years blue origin's rocket engine's development started, work on the be 4 engine since 2011.
Importantly, they said the be4 would be ready for flight by 2017, but at this very moment blue origin's powerful be4 engine is more than four years late.
The first flight test of the new engine is now expected no earlier than 2022, on the vulcan rocket, this is a big problem and we need to talk about it. So how did blue origin's be4 turn into a joke, whereas spacex's raptor is the leading example of the industry.
More: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4jnnabHonY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4jnnabHonY)
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SpaceX tests fully stacked Starship rocket for the first time
TeslaRati by Eric Ralph 3/17/2022
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-first-full-stack-cryoproof/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-first-full-stack-cryoproof/)
After rapidly stacking Ship 20 and Booster 4 the evening prior, SpaceX appears to have begun testing a fully stacked Starship rocket for the first time ever.
Though the test SpaceX subjected Starship to was by no means ambitious and in spite of the fact that it no longer appears that Ship 20 and Booster 4 will ever fly, the first test of the first fully integrated prototype of a new rocket is still an immensely significant achievement – particularly so for the largest rocket ever built.
Standing around 119 meters (~390 ft) tall, Starship is unequivocally the largest and most voluminous rocket ever built. With its 29 Raptor V1 engines, the fully assembled Ship 20 and Booster 4 (B4) stack would have likely weighed around 4000-5000 tons (9-11M lb) and been able to produce around 5400 tons (11.9M lbf) of thrust at liftoff – substantially heavier and more powerful than Saturn V or N1, the largest rockets ever successfully and unsuccessfully launched.
For its first fully-integrated test, though, SpaceX appears to have put Starship through a fairly limited cryogenic proof – a test where flammable propellant is replaced with a similarly cold (cryogenic) fluid that’s similar enough to subject a rocket to similar thermal and mechanical stresses. For Ship 20 and Booster 4’s combined debut, Super Heavy was filled maybe 10-20% and Starship around 25-50% of the way with either liquid nitrogen (LN2) or a combination of LN2 and liquid oxygen (LOx). It’s difficult to tell but it’s unlikely any methane (LCH4) fuel was involved.
More at link.
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How SpaceX is Rapidly Iterating Starship
NASASpaceflight
A slew of design changes to both Ship and Booster have happened and more are coming. Super Heavy is getting chines and Starship is finally getting a payload bay. This is a breakdown of those changes.
0:00 - Intro
1:34 - Naming Conventions
2:23 - Starship Changes
7:04 - Surfshark VPN
8:05 - Booster Changes
13:08 - Outro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4ebfRG16nM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4ebfRG16nM)
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SpaceX Second Starbase - Will SpaceX Fly Out Of Kennedy Space Center Soon?
What about it!? 4/8/2022
SpaceX doing the first-ever full cryo test of a Super Heavy Starship booster! Starship components possibly heading to Kennedy Space Center! Starbase 2 at Roberts Road expanding rapidly and more! Let’s find out why!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JahF4nQhIEA&t=1s (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JahF4nQhIEA&t=1s)
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SpaceX Starbase Extension Denied, Starship Updates, Crew Dragon Axiom-1, Amazon Project Kuiper
Marcus House 4/9/2022
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aiz2UppbX1c (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aiz2UppbX1c)
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SpaceX rapidly constructing Starship’s first Florida launch pad and tower
TeslaRati by Eric Ralph 4/13/2022
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-florida-launch-pad-tower-progress/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-florida-launch-pad-tower-progress/)
After restarting work on the project a few months ago, SpaceX appears to have gotten back up to speed and begun to make rapid progress on the construction of Starship’s first Florida launch pad and tower.
Located at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex 39A facilities, SpaceX has intended to construct a Starship launch site there for several years. A serious attempt was made in late 2019 but SpaceX soon abandoned the effort and redirected its energy towards Starship prototyping and a much different launch pad design. Two years later, SpaceX’s second attempt shares only a little in common with the first. Both are to be located within the eastern half of Pad 39A’s shield-like footprint, although the specific location of the tower and launch mount has been modified. If this attempt comes to fruition, Starship’s first East Coast launch facilities will still sit just a few hundred feet away from the only SpaceX pad capable of launching Crew Dragon, Cargo Dragon, or Falcon Heavy.
Beyond those two characteristics, SpaceX’s second attempt is almost entirely different.
Instead of continuing with an older launch pad design, Starship’s 39A facilities will likely be close to a direct copy of Starbase’s first orbital launch site (OLS), which SpaceX began constructing in earnest in late 2020. It’s safe to assume that some lessons have been learned from Starbase OLS construction and that some modifications will be made to the Florida pad’s design, but no obvious changes are thus far visible.
Most of the visible work SpaceX has done this year centers around the company’s KSC-based Roberts Road facilities, where it has built a major Falcon processing facility and a staging yard for Starship pad construction and broken ground on a massive East Coast Starship factory. At that staging yard, SpaceX began assembling prefabricated sections of Starship’s Pad 39A ‘launch tower’ around March 10th after tower parts began arriving at KSC sometime in February. Within two weeks, SpaceX had completed the basic structure of two tower sections. Another two more weeks after that, around April 11th, a third section had reached a similar level of completion and SpaceX had begun assembling a fourth.
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Elon Musk just SMASHED Tory Bruno & BE-4 engines on social media...
SPACEX FANS
Elon Musk just SMASHED Tory Bruno & BE-4 engines on social media...#STARSHIPFANS
Elon Musk has just officially destroyed Tory Bruno with only a picture of his powerful Raptor 2 engines.
How exactly does this happen?
Everything will be exposed in today's episode.
Ok! Let's get started...
"Where are my engines, Jeff?"
After a long time of delay, ULA finally had this question here.
On Apr 26, the CEO of United Launch Alliance, Tory Bruno shared this picture of the BE-4s engines.
He said" Engines!! Vulcan Flight BE-4s heading to the build stand".
This means Blue Origin now nears the critical point of delivering flight-ready BE-4 rocket engines to United Launch Alliance.
But this is only the combustion chamber and the nozzle, and the pumps are in assembly elsewhere in the factory.
"We all know they still don’t work", a Twitter named Scotty B questioned.
Bruno seems to be annoyed and replied immediately: "No. Thousands of seconds of run time. Full throttle range. dozens of starts. Performing better than my expectations"
But when being asked:" Are these flight ready?"
He only can answer: "Not yet. Still being assembled."
In fact, except for having a real photo of BE-4 engines, Tory Bruno has repeatedly asserted his confidence with Vulcan and BE-4.
During a panel at the Satellite 2022 conference last month, Tory Bruno announced that he expected the first launch of the Vulcan “later this year".
That schedule is driven by the completion of testing of the BE-4 engine that powers the first stage of Vulcan and the delivery of the first flight units from Blue Origin. “The engine is in great shape,” Bruno said. “It is performing better than I anticipated.”
Bruno said he expected to receive the first two flight models of the BE-4 in the middle of the year, “which supports me flying before the end of the year.” He added that testing of the engine is also going well, including the firing of the engine three times a week “on a sustained basis” at a Blue Origin test site.
“We’re very pleased with where the BE-4 is and we expect to fly this year as a result,” he said.
While Vulcan remains publicly on schedule for the first launch in 2022, Jones ruled out any chance that New Glenn will launch before the end of the year, a schedule that the company had previously cast doubt on. “The runway is closing on 2022”
Blue Origin has to balance New Glenn development with the completion of the BE-4, which will be used by both New Glenn and Vulcan.
“It’s fair to say you’re focusing on your most important customer, delivering BE-4s so I can fly this year,” quipped Bruno.
Anyway, this seems really good news for ULA.
Elon Musk just SMASHED Tory Bruno & BE-4 engines on social media...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fI-focDR7kk (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fI-focDR7kk)
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Musk just seems to be going from strength to strength.
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SpaceX Planning To Land In Middle of Bahamas - Deep Space Updates - May 10th
Scott Manley
Update on the Road!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Glpz90RhegM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Glpz90RhegM)
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New SpaceX Booster, Starship and FAA Approval Tracking to Possible July Orbital Launch
Next Big Future by Brian Wang May 11, 2022
https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2022/05/175857.html (https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2022/05/175857.html)
SpaceX COO and President Gwynne Shotwell says the orbital launch of Super Heavy Starship should be June or July from Boca Chica, Texas, pending FAA approvals. Shotwell said SpaceX views human #Mars exploration and nuclear propulsion systems as “inevitable”.
The FAA has revealed that SpaceX has completed four out of five processes for the Environmental Assessment. However, even with all Environmental Assessments complete this will not guarantee that the FAA will issue a launch license. SpaceX’s application must also meet FAA safety, risk, and financial responsibility requirements.
Once Section 4(f) is behind them, the FAA and SpaceX and the Final PEA completion needs the approval of all relevant paperwork. The FAA’s targeted completion date, currently May 31st, 2022, may be achievable.
More at link.
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SpaceX continues Super Heavy Booster 7 testing at Boca Chica Village
Tesmanian by Evelyn Janeidy Arevalo May 11, 2022
https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/cryo-booster-7 (https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/cryo-booster-7)
SpaceX is rapidly developing its next-generation launch system designed to revolutionize space travel. SpaceX founder Elon Musk aims to design a fully-reusable Starship, capable of transporting tons of cargo to and from Mars. This ambitious endeavor has never been achieved in the aerospace industry. Building a fully-reusable launch system is the "holy grail" of rocket technology, says Musk. Reusability is crucial to decrease the cost of spaceflight enough to actually be able to send thousands of humans to the Red Planet, as well as megatons of cargo for survival on the rough Martian environment.
SpaceX feels ready to launch the first Starship to orbit at the sandy beach at Boca Chica Village located at the southernmost tip of Texas, along the border with Mexico. This week, SpaceX is putting its gigantic Super Heavy Booster 7 rocket prototype to the test at the Starbase launch site. Booster 7 is the first that will be used to propel a Starship prototype to orbit. The 230-foot-tall Booster 7 was transported to the launch pad on May 6 after engineers repaired an internal propellant tank structure that got damaged during the first test campaign last month.
This week, engineers resumed the booster’s test campaign and completed a pair of cryogenic proof tests on May 10 and May 11. The tests gather data about the stainless-steel rocket's structural integrity by filling it up with liquid nitrogen to simulate the pressure of propellant. The pressure test(s) allows engineers to assess if the stainless-steel vehicle is strong enough to withstand the stress of spaceflight; It also serves to check if there are any leaks in the propellant tanks and overall structure. Local space enthusiasts, Spadre and NASAspaceflight, shared photographs and short videos of the cryogenic proof tests, shown below. Testing is expected to continue throughout the month.
More at link.
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I'd like to see a launch of that huge one that's taller than the Saturn V.
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Everyday Astronaut
@Erdayastronaut
Join @elonmusk
and I as we walk through Starbase and talk about some updates to @SpaceX’s #Starship! We talk about chines, grid fins, cold gas thrusters, see the High Bay and Pez dispenser… and this is just part 1 of 4, so you’re in for a treat!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ux6B3bvO0w&feature=youtu.be (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ux6B3bvO0w&feature=youtu.be)
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Everyday Astronaut
@Erdayastronaut
Join @elonmusk
and I as we walk through Starbase and talk about some updates to @SpaceX’s #Starship! We talk about chines, grid fins, cold gas thrusters, see the High Bay and Pez dispenser… and this is just part 1 of 4, so you’re in for a treat!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ux6B3bvO0w&feature=youtu.be (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ux6B3bvO0w&feature=youtu.be)
I saw that last night. Worth the watch.
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"One Of The Biggest Improvements": Elon Musk Fixes Starship Rocket After YouTuber's Query
NDTV by Bhavya Sukheja May 17, 2022
https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/one-of-the-biggest-improvements-elon-musk-fixes-starship-rocket-after-youtubers-query-2982535 (https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/one-of-the-biggest-improvements-elon-musk-fixes-starship-rocket-after-youtubers-query-2982535)
Improvement to the new ship is to use excess gas from the Starship's main engines for manoeuvring thrusters instead of separate cold gas thrusters.
A YouTuber's intelligent question helped Elon Musk to make a vital change to a new SpaceX rocket.
Everyday Astronaut, a YouTuber with around 1.25 million subscribers, was first invited to SpaceX's Starbase facility at the end of last year. However, after being invited back earlier this month, Elon Musk revealed that a question the YouTuber had asked actually led to changes being made on one of the newest rockets.
One of the improvements to the new ship is to use excess gas from the Starship's main engines for manoeuvring thrusters instead of separate cold gas thrusters. This correction was made after Everyday Astronaut's query asked of Musk.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ux6B3bvO0w (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ux6B3bvO0w)
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Watch a spectacular dawn launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with 53 Starlink satellites
SpaceflightNow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z592O3lS0Kc (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z592O3lS0Kc)
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SpaceX Starship SN24 passes cryogenic proof test –Full-stack is 'only a few weeks away,' says Elon Musk
Tesmanian by Evelyn Janeidy Arevalo June 02, 2022
https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/sn24-testing (https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/sn24-testing)
SpaceX aims to accomplish launching the first Starship to orbit this year. An orbital flight test will provide engineers with vital insight to advance Starship's development. The two-stage launch vehicle which consists of the spacecraft and the enormous Super Heavy rocket that is destined to become the world’s most powerful operational launch vehicle, right next to NASA's retired Saturn V rocket that launched Apollo astronauts to the Moon over half a century ago. NASA has awarded a contract to SpaceX to develop a lunar-optimized Starship Human Landing System (HLS) to return astronauts to the lunar surface by 2025.
Starship is actively under development since 2019, SpaceX has launched and landed the spacecraft multiple times but has never launched a Starship to orbit. The company planned to conduct the debut orbital flight attempt in 2020, however, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) delayed SpaceX’s plans due to the ongoing environmental assessment at the Starbase launch site in Boca Chica Beach, Texas. The assessment is expected to be completed by June 13th, after roughly 11 months. If the FAA approves, SpaceX will be able to apply for a spaceflight license to launch the first full-stack Starship/Super Heavy to orbit this year.
SpaceX plans to use the Super Heavy Booster 7 prototype to propel the Starship SN24 prototype to orbit. Engineers have been manufacturing and ground testing the vehicles to prepare for the orbital flight. The rocket will be equipped with 33 methane-fueled Raptor V2 engines capable of generating over 16 million pounds of thrust. On Tuesday, May 31st, SpaceX founder Elon Musk shared that engineers would fully-stack SN24 and Booster 7 soon. He said a full-stack is “only a few weeks away” and “all Raptor 2 engines needed for first orbital flight are complete & being installed,” he wrote via Twitter on May 31. Local Boca Chica residents have captured photos of the Raptor V2 engines arriving at the rocket factory for installation.
More at link.
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Jeff Bezos finally realizes why SpaceX's Raptor is BETTER than his best engine
SPACEX FANS 6/11/2022
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inZLV_YKohg (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inZLV_YKohg)
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Elon Musk reveals 33 Raptor 2 engines on Super Heavy rocket that will power Starship
https://www.aroged.com/2022/06/13/elon-musk-reveals-33-raptor-2-engines-on-super-heavy-rocket-that-will-power-starship/ (https://www.aroged.com/2022/06/13/elon-musk-reveals-33-raptor-2-engines-on-super-heavy-rocket-that-will-power-starship/)
(https://3dnews.ru/assets/external/illustrations/2022/06/13/1067914/sm.785.750.jpg)
Aerospace company SpaceX is gradually approaching the first orbital test launch of the Starship, which will be conducted from a site in Boca Chica, Texas. This will happen after the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) completes an environmental review. In anticipation of this event, the head of SpaceX Elon Musk published An image showing 33 Raptor 2 engines mounted on the Super Heavy launch vehicle of the Starship system.
The message accompanying the picture says that each of the 33 Raptor 2 engines develops 230 metric tons of thrust. Previously, Musk also reported that the Raptor 2 developed a record pressure of 300 bar in the working chamber. Since SpaceX installed all 33 engines on the launch vehicle, this means that they have all been tested and the company’s engineers have not identified any problems.
The installation of the engines was the next step on the way to a full-fledged test of the rocket, during which the fuel and propulsion systems will be tested. Unlike other rockets that use 2-4 engines, Starship’s super-heavy system is significantly more complex. However, SpaceX has considerable experience in this, since it was Elon Musk’s company that was the first to create a reusable system, the first stage of which is equipped with 9 engines and is successfully used in multiple launches.
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Elon Musk reveals 33 Raptor 2 engines on Super Heavy rocket that will power Starship
https://www.aroged.com/2022/06/13/elon-musk-reveals-33-raptor-2-engines-on-super-heavy-rocket-that-will-power-starship/ (https://www.aroged.com/2022/06/13/elon-musk-reveals-33-raptor-2-engines-on-super-heavy-rocket-that-will-power-starship/)
(https://3dnews.ru/assets/external/illustrations/2022/06/13/1067914/sm.785.750.jpg)
Aerospace company SpaceX is gradually approaching the first orbital test launch of the Starship, which will be conducted from a site in Boca Chica, Texas. This will happen after the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) completes an environmental review. In anticipation of this event, the head of SpaceX Elon Musk published An image showing 33 Raptor 2 engines mounted on the Super Heavy launch vehicle of the Starship system.
The message accompanying the picture says that each of the 33 Raptor 2 engines develops 230 metric tons of thrust. Previously, Musk also reported that the Raptor 2 developed a record pressure of 300 bar in the working chamber. Since SpaceX installed all 33 engines on the launch vehicle, this means that they have all been tested and the company’s engineers have not identified any problems.
The installation of the engines was the next step on the way to a full-fledged test of the rocket, during which the fuel and propulsion systems will be tested. Unlike other rockets that use 2-4 engines, Starship’s super-heavy system is significantly more complex. However, SpaceX has considerable experience in this, since it was Elon Musk’s company that was the first to create a reusable system, the first stage of which is equipped with 9 engines and is successfully used in multiple launches.
Cool!
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Ep225 SpaceX Starbase IGNITING Starship Booster Engines!
What about it!? 6/25/2022
SpaceX getting ready for Raptor ignition on Booster 7. Mechazilla 2 at the Cape is close to stacking. NASA SLS gets green light for Moon shot! Let’s dive right in!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcjqSFMOV3U&t=1s (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcjqSFMOV3U&t=1s)
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https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/jul/06/elon-musk-twins-children-shivon-zilis
Elon Musk fathered two children last year with Shivon Zilis, a top executive at his artificial intelligence company Neuralink, new court documents show.
The world’s wealthiest man now has nine known children, including five children with his first wife, Justine Musk, and two with the singer Claire Boucher, known professionally as Grimes.
Court documents obtained by Insider and published on Wednesday showed that Elon Musk and Zilis filed a petition to change their twin babies’ names to “have their father’s last name and contain their mother’s last name as part of their middle name”.
The petition was filed in Austin, Texas, where the babies were born, and was approved by the judge. Zilis reportedly gave birth in November, weeks before Musk and Boucher had their second child via a surrogate.
That's one way to populate Mars I suppose....ughhhhh.
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No big deal. It ain't like he can't afford to provide for them.
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No big deal. It ain't like he can't afford to provide for them.
Have to be some messed up kids, since he's never home. Look at the first set of twins, one of them decided he was a she.
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Elon Musk Explains SpaceX's Raptor Engine!
Everyday Astronaut 7/9/2022
Today we’re getting up close and personal with SpaceX’s Raptor 2 engine with Elon Musk. We get into all sorts of details on this engine including how exactly it’s been upgraded and simplified compared to Raptor 1.
This video has a ton of fun details on some fairly technical stuff, so be sure and watch my "Why don’t rocket engines melt" video - https://youtu.be/he_BL6Q5u1Y - so you know what we’re talking about with some of the cooling techniques as well as my video on engine cycles - https://youtu.be/Owji-ukVt9M - so you understand how the Raptor’s full flow staged combustion cycle works and why it’s advantageous!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7MQb9Y4FAE&t=30s (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7MQb9Y4FAE&t=30s)
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SpaceX Booster 7 Experiences Explosion
NASASpaceflight 7/11/2022
Multiple angles of Booster 7 experiencing an unexpected ignition during Raptor engine testing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05Yiw7_JTXY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05Yiw7_JTXY)
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SpaceX fires up engines on huge Starship booster ahead of orbital test flight
https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-super-heavy-booster-7-engine-fire (https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-super-heavy-booster-7-engine-fire)
Booster 7 has roared to life.
SpaceX just lit a very big candle.
The company fired up the engines today (July 11) on Super Heavy, the giant first-stage booster for its next-gen Starship deep-space transportation system.
The firing, which occurred at 5:20 p.m. EDT (2120 GMT; 4:20 local Texas time) at Starbase, SpaceX's South Texas facility, was unannounced and initially had people speculating on Twitter that it was an accident of some sort. But SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk quickly put that rumor to bed.
"Yes. Booster engine testing," Musk said via Twitter (opens in new tab) this evening, responding to a follower who had asked if the firing was intentional.
The Super Heavy in question is Booster 7, which SpaceX is prepping for the first-ever Starship orbital test flight. That landmark mission could lift off in the next few months, if all goes according to plan.
The Starship system consists of Super Heavy and a 165-foot-tall (50 meters) upper-stage spacecraft called Starship. Both of these elements will be fully and rapidly reusable, potentially making Mars colonization and other ambitious exploration feats economically feasible, Musk has said.
Starship is powered by SpaceX's brawny new Raptor engine — 33 for the booster and six for the upper-stage spacecraft. Booster 7 sports a full complement of Raptors; it's unclear from footage of today's test firing, which NASASpaceflight streamed live (opens in new tab), how many of the engines lit up.
More at link.
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SpaceX fires up engines on huge Starship booster ahead of orbital test flight
https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-super-heavy-booster-7-engine-fire (https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-super-heavy-booster-7-engine-fire)
Booster 7 has roared to life.
SpaceX just lit a very big candle.
The company fired up the engines today (July 11) on Super Heavy, the giant first-stage booster for its next-gen Starship deep-space transportation system.
The firing, which occurred at 5:20 p.m. EDT (2120 GMT; 4:20 local Texas time) at Starbase, SpaceX's South Texas facility, was unannounced and initially had people speculating on Twitter that it was an accident of some sort. But SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk quickly put that rumor to bed.
"Yes. Booster engine testing," Musk said via Twitter (opens in new tab) this evening, responding to a follower who had asked if the firing was intentional.
The Super Heavy in question is Booster 7, which SpaceX is prepping for the first-ever Starship orbital test flight. That landmark mission could lift off in the next few months, if all goes according to plan.
The Starship system consists of Super Heavy and a 165-foot-tall (50 meters) upper-stage spacecraft called Starship. Both of these elements will be fully and rapidly reusable, potentially making Mars colonization and other ambitious exploration feats economically feasible, Musk has said.
Starship is powered by SpaceX's brawny new Raptor engine — 33 for the booster and six for the upper-stage spacecraft. Booster 7 sports a full complement of Raptors; it's unclear from footage of today's test firing, which NASASpaceflight streamed live (opens in new tab), how many of the engines lit up.
More at link.
I wonder how many days/weeks/months this will set them back?
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Elon Musk’s SpaceX: here’s what caused the Starship booster explosion
The National News by Sarwat Nasir 7/12/2022
Mr Musk said the issue was caused by a spin start test on all 33 of the rocket's powerful Raptor engines at once.
“Cryogenic fuel is an added challenge, as it evaporates to create fuel-air explosion risk in a partially oxygen atmosphere like Earth,” Mr Musk tweeted.
“That said, we have a lot of sensors to detect this.
“This particular issue, however, was specific to the engine spin start test (Raptor has a complex start sequence). Going forward, we won’t do a spin start test with all 33 engines at once.”
More: https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/us-news/2022/07/12/elon-musks-spacex-heres-what-caused-the-starship-booster-explosion/ (https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/us-news/2022/07/12/elon-musks-spacex-heres-what-caused-the-starship-booster-explosion/)
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SpaceX Starship explosion: Elon Musk outlines next step before orbital flight
Interesting Engineering by Chris Young 7/13/2022
SpaceX still 'need to inspect all' 33 Raptor 2 engines.
It's been largely overshadowed by NASA's James Webb images reveal, but SpaceX's Starship prototype suffered an explosive setback earlier this week during testing on the launchpad.
The private space firm has put its engine tests on hold after an unexpected explosion at SpaceX's Boca Chica facility in Texas, on July 11. The incident may delay SpaceX's orbital launch of Starship, which CEO Elon Musk recently predicted to take place this month.
Now, Musk has provided an update, and it looks like good news — though more time is needed to investigate the extent of the damage.
"Damage appears to be minor, but we need to inspect all the engines," Musk wrote on Twitter. "Best to do this in the high bay," he added.
The latest update from Musk gives a positive outlook, though as he points out, more inspection will be needed at the High Bay. The High Bay at SpaceX's Boca Chica facility is where most of the Starship prototype stacking and assembly, including for the Super Heavy Booster 7 that exploded, takes place. We will be sure to know more in the coming days.
More: https://interestingengineering.com/space-starship-explosion-next-step (https://interestingengineering.com/space-starship-explosion-next-step)
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Elon Musk just revealed the cause of Booster 7's explosion!
ALPHA TECH
Elon Musk just revealed the cause of Booster 7's explosion!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-fDPvtCQaI (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-fDPvtCQaI)
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SpaceX ties annual launch record with latest Starlink mission
https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/missions/starlink/spacex-ties-annual-launch-record-with-latest-starlink-mission/ (https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/missions/starlink/spacex-ties-annual-launch-record-with-latest-starlink-mission/)
SpaceX launched its 31st Falcon 9 rocket of 2022, tying its annual flight record set just last year — and it’s only July.
The first stage of the rocket, core B1051, made its 13th flight to space, joining two other boosters that also reached that milestone for the company.
This was the Falcon 9’s 31st flight of 2022, which is the same number of SpaceX missions as all of 2021. The company is averaging a launch every 6.38 days.
More at link.
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SpaceX ties annual launch record with latest Starlink mission
https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/missions/starlink/spacex-ties-annual-launch-record-with-latest-starlink-mission/ (https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/missions/starlink/spacex-ties-annual-launch-record-with-latest-starlink-mission/)
SpaceX launched its 31st Falcon 9 rocket of 2022, tying its annual flight record set just last year — and it’s only July.
The first stage of the rocket, core B1051, made its 13th flight to space, joining two other boosters that also reached that milestone for the company.
This was the Falcon 9’s 31st flight of 2022, which is the same number of SpaceX missions as all of 2021. The company is averaging a launch every 6.38 days.
More at link.
How many satellites do they have in orbit and what is their target amount? Also, what is their life span?
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How many satellites do they have in orbit and what is their target amount? Also, what is their life span?
Currently, they have 2,500 satellites in orbit. They're currently approved for 12,000, and are angling to get approval for another 30,000. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starlink
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Currently, they have 2,500 satellites in orbit. They're currently approved for 12,000, and are angling to get approval for another 30,000. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starlink
Wow!!! I had no clue that there'd be so many. Thanks!
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WHY Jeff Bezos & Blue Origin is so SCARED of what SpaceX just did in Florida?
ALPHA TECH
Jeff Bezos is best known as Amazon’s founder. But he believes his most valuable company is Blue Origin.
His space project is only six years behind the online giant. However, it is not on the same level.
Blue Origin sees itself as the tortoise in the race against the hare.
The hare is so confident about winning it takes a nap. The tortoise is slow and steady and ends up victorious.
But if SpaceX is the hare in this story, there’s a twist. Because this hare definitely doesn't take a nap!
Thus, despite being 2 years later, Elon Musk's firm still beats Jeff's in every way!
From NASA’s $2.9 billion lunar lander contract to rockets, engines, and now, what SpaceX just did in Florida also makes Blue Origin afraid!!!
Why’s that?
All this and more in today's episode of the Alpha Tech!
Blue Origin leased Launch Complex 36 (LC-36) in Cape Canaveral, Florida in September 2015 to build a launch pad for their orbital launch vehicle New Glenn.
Ground-breaking for the facility to begin construction occurred in June 2016. By March 2018, Blue's construction at LC-36 was lagging, but the company stated they did not think it would delay achieving the anticipated 2020 initial launch of New Glenn.
However, as of 2022, Blue Origin does not expect to launch New Glenn until 2023 at the earliest.
The Blue Origin orbital launch site will be situated on a total of 306 acres of leased land assembled from former Launch Complexes 11, 36A, and 36B. The land parcel will be used to build a rocket engine test stand for the BE-4 engine, a launch mount—called the Orbital Launch Site by Blue—and a reusable booster refurbishment facility for the New Glenn launch vehicle, which is expected to land on a seaborne platform and returned to Port Canaveral for refurbishment.
Space Florida’s Dale Ketcham called it a “monster” of a launch pad.
“It is going to be a beast,” Ketcham said.
But disappointingly, after 6 years, there are still a lot of unfinished parts here from Blue Origin.
WHY Jeff Bezos & Blue Origin is so SCARED of what SpaceX just did in Florida?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5B-T1gGbpM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5B-T1gGbpM)
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This popped up on my YT feed the other night:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNU9MeYmHeM&t=924s
So if Starlink fails that means we have 30k junk satellites in orbit? :(
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So if Starlink fails that means we have 30k junk satellites in orbit? :(
No. Companies that shoot satellites into space are required to pay a bond for each bird to cover the costs of de-orbiting in advance. I learnt this when I worked for Motorola and we were launching Iridium satellites at the time.
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SpaceX: Here's Why Starlink Poses No Orbital Hazard
https://www.pcmag.com/news/spacex-heres-why-starlink-poses-no-orbital-hazard (https://www.pcmag.com/news/spacex-heres-why-starlink-poses-no-orbital-hazard)
SpaceX is pushing back on worries the company’s Starlink network will one day crowd Earth’s orbit with too many satellites.
“SpaceX is striving to be the world’s most open and transparent satellite operator,” the company added, “and we encourage other operators to join us in sharing orbital data and keeping the public and governments updated with detailed information about operations and practices.”
In response, SpaceX on Tuesday said it’s the leader in satellite safety and listed the various reasons why.
• Each Starlink satellite is built with an anti-collision avoidance system, capable of maneuvering the satellite. “If there is a greater than 1/100,000 probability of collision (10x lower than the industry standard of 1/10,000) for a conjunction, satellites will plan avoidance maneuvers," the company said.
• SpaceX satellite operators are on call 24/7 to coordinate and respond to requests from other satellite companies.
• The satellites have also been tested for high reliability, enabling SpaceX to launch over 2,000 satellites for the existing first-gen Starlink network with a failure rate at “only 1% after orbit raising.” Another 200 Starlink satellites have been safely deorbited.
• All Starlink satellites operate in a “self-cleaning” low-Earth orbit below 600 kilometers, meaning the satellites will naturally de-orbit in five to six years and burn up in the atmosphere, generating no debris at all.
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Disaster! BE-4 Failure...
ALPHA TECH 8/27/2022
The billionaire Jeff Bezos is no stranger to success. He controls Amazon, the biggest online commerce store ever known to man, which he founded. Of course, he stepped down from the role of CEO later last year but he has been doing so as the third richest man on earth. Bezos also has a media empire with his ownership of The Washington Post.
Coming down to Blue Origin, a commercial space flight company the billionaire founded in 2000, success is not completely unheard of there either. The company is on record to have successfully landed its New Shepard rocket vertically after it returned from space, that is, the rocket landed upright on its legs. The boosters were even reused.
Pretty cool achievement!
Sadly, that’s all Blue Origin can boast of, despite the backing of its billionaire founder.
The most remarkable is his rocket engine, BE-4 is a horrendous failure compared to SpaceX Raptor!
Welcome back to Alpha Tech. Don't forget to hit the like button and subscribe to our channel.
Following Aerojet’s acquisition of Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne in 2012, Blue Origin president Rob Meyerson saw an opportunity to fill a gap in the defense industrial base. Blue Origin publicly entered the liquid rocket engine business by partnering with ULA on the development of the BE-4 and working with other companies to replace Russia's RD-180.
Unfortunately, it turns out that this opportunity is not easily achieved. On the contrary, it has become the grave for Blue Origin.
The company began work on the BE-4 in 2011, although no public announcement was made until September 2014. This was their first engine to combust liquid oxygen and liquified natural gas propellants. In September 2014—in a choice labeled "a stunner" by SpaceNews—the large launch vehicle manufacturer and launch service provider United Launch Alliance selected the BE-4 as the main engine for a new primary launch vehicle. Blue Origin said the "BE-4 would be 'ready for flight' by 2017."
However, until now, you can see, Blue Origin still has not delivered the engine to ULA.
Yeah, the rocket industry is really a difficult stuff but can't be justified because of this.
Disaster! BE-4 Failure...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAkZ4IwkkbM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAkZ4IwkkbM)
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Booster 7 Seven Engine Static Fire | SpaceX Boca Chica
NASASpaceflight 9/19/2022
Booster 7 completed a successful 7 engine static fire test, the most thrust and highest number of engines in a single test yet.
Video from Starbase Live. Edited by Jack (@theJackBeyer).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNguwefrBsc (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNguwefrBsc)
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Orbital Launch Mount Water Deluge System Tested | SpaceX Boca Chica
NASASpaceflight 9/22/2022
SpaceX tested a new water deluge system on the Orbital Launch Mount that will aid with fire and sound suppression during Super Heavy Booster testing and Starship launches.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsbnYp0FYKU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsbnYp0FYKU)
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SpaceX rolls Starship Super Heavy booster off pad to prep for epic launch
https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-super-heavy-booster-7-rollback-video (https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-super-heavy-booster-7-rollback-video)
Booster 7 is getting some "robustness upgrades" ahead of its coming orbital launch try.
SpaceX's Starship Mars rocket is getting some work done to gear up for its coming orbital launch attempt.
SpaceX aims to launch that test flight — the first orbital mission for the Starship program — in late October or November. It will involve Booster 7 and Ship 24, prototype versions of Starship's Super Heavy first stage and Starship upper stage, respectively.
SpaceX has been performing "static fire" engine tests with both vehicles at its Starbase facility in South Texas over the past six weeks or so. On Monday (Sept. 19), for instance, Booster 7 ignited seven of its 33 Raptor engines, more than it had ever lit up simultaneously before.
Presumably, SpaceX will work its way up to a full 33-Raptor static fire with Booster 7 before the orbital attempt. But that ramp-up will have to wait, at least for a little while, since Booster 7 is no longer on the pad.
More at link.
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SpaceX Tests Raptor Engine Rapid Relight
NASASpaceflight 9/29/2022
A Raptor engine conducted a test firing, shutdown, and was relit and tested again after just 9 seconds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BO5Uu6xA3N8 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BO5Uu6xA3N8)
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SpaceX Starship attempts first landing catch !!
SpacePadre 11/13/2022
https://twitter.com/SpacePadreIsle/status/1591898767951032321 (https://twitter.com/SpacePadreIsle/status/1591898767951032321)
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SpaceX Starship attempts first landing catch !!
SpacePadre 11/13/2022
https://twitter.com/SpacePadreIsle/status/1591898767951032321 (https://twitter.com/SpacePadreIsle/status/1591898767951032321)
:silly: :silly: :silly: :silly:
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SpaceX Starship attempts first landing catch !!
SpacePadre 11/13/2022
https://twitter.com/SpacePadreIsle/status/1591898767951032321 (https://twitter.com/SpacePadreIsle/status/1591898767951032321)
:happyhappy:
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SpaceX Starship attempts first landing catch !!
SpacePadre 11/13/2022
https://twitter.com/SpacePadreIsle/status/1591898767951032321 (https://twitter.com/SpacePadreIsle/status/1591898767951032321)
:mauslaff:
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That sounded solid on SPI!! 🚀
Chris Bergin - NSF @NASASpaceflight 11/14/22
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STATIC FIRE! Booster 7 fires up a record amount of Raptor engines!
WOW!
Hopefully, @elonmusk will let us know how many and if it looked good!
https://twitter.com/SpacePadreIsle/status/1592229259904679938?cxt=HBwWhIDQ2e2E3pgsAAAA&cn=ZmxleGlibGVfcmVjcw%3D%3D&refsrc=email (https://twitter.com/SpacePadreIsle/status/1592229259904679938?cxt=HBwWhIDQ2e2E3pgsAAAA&cn=ZmxleGlibGVfcmVjcw%3D%3D&refsrc=email)
https://youtu.be/VjEjt1XLs8E?t=10610 (https://youtu.be/VjEjt1XLs8E?t=10610)
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That sounded solid on SPI!! 🚀
Chris Bergin - NSF @NASASpaceflight 11/14/22
·
STATIC FIRE! Booster 7 fires up a record amount of Raptor engines!
WOW!
Hopefully, @elonmusk will let us know how many and if it looked good!
https://twitter.com/SpacePadreIsle/status/1592229259904679938?cxt=HBwWhIDQ2e2E3pgsAAAA&cn=ZmxleGlibGVfcmVjcw%3D%3D&refsrc=email (https://twitter.com/SpacePadreIsle/status/1592229259904679938?cxt=HBwWhIDQ2e2E3pgsAAAA&cn=ZmxleGlibGVfcmVjcw%3D%3D&refsrc=email)
https://youtu.be/VjEjt1XLs8E?t=10610 (https://youtu.be/VjEjt1XLs8E?t=10610)
14 raptors! Come on 33!
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@Kamaji
I gotta admit,you had me going for a minute.
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Space Force opens door to Blue Origin with new cooperative agreement
Space News by Sandra Erwin — November 20, 2022
With this new CRADA, the Space Force is signaling it wants to see Blue Origin challenge ULA and SpaceX
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Space Systems Command announced Nov. 18 it signed an agreement with Blue Origin that “paves the way” for the company’s New Glenn rocket to compete for national security launch contracts once it completes the required flight certification.
The cooperative research and development (CRADA) agreement does not include any government funding and is largely symbolic, as New Glenn is still in development and Blue Origin has no target date for the first launch.
The National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program requires new entrants to perform at least two successful orbital launches to get certification.
The agreement was signed by Brig. Gen. Stephen Purdy, program executive officer for assured access to space; and Jarrett Jones, senior vice president for New Glenn at Blue Origin.
Purdy said the CRADA “marks the restart of certification activities for Blue Origin’s New Glenn that began in 2018 when Blue Origin won a Launch Service Agreement.”
More: https://spacenews.com/space-force-opens-door-to-blue-origin-with-new-cooperative-agreement/ (https://spacenews.com/space-force-opens-door-to-blue-origin-with-new-cooperative-agreement/)
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Space Force opens door to Blue Origin with new cooperative agreement
Space News by Sandra Erwin — November 20, 2022
With this new CRADA, the Space Force is signaling it wants to see Blue Origin challenge ULA and SpaceX
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Space Systems Command announced Nov. 18 it signed an agreement with Blue Origin that “paves the way” for the company’s New Glenn rocket to compete for national security launch contracts once it completes the required flight certification.
The cooperative research and development (CRADA) agreement does not include any government funding and is largely symbolic, as New Glenn is still in development and Blue Origin has no target date for the first launch.
The National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program requires new entrants to perform at least two successful orbital launches to get certification.
The agreement was signed by Brig. Gen. Stephen Purdy, program executive officer for assured access to space; and Jarrett Jones, senior vice president for New Glenn at Blue Origin.
Purdy said the CRADA “marks the restart of certification activities for Blue Origin’s New Glenn that began in 2018 when Blue Origin won a Launch Service Agreement.”
More: https://spacenews.com/space-force-opens-door-to-blue-origin-with-new-cooperative-agreement/ (https://spacenews.com/space-force-opens-door-to-blue-origin-with-new-cooperative-agreement/)
How is Bezos's Blue Origin going to challenge anyone, he can't even get his own damn satellites into orbit without paying others to do it.
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How is Bezos's Blue Origin going to challenge anyone, he can't even get his own damn satellites into orbit without paying others to do it.
:amen:
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Blue Orgin hopelessly behind! New Glenn may not be able to compete with SpaceX or ULA!
The Angry Astronaut Nov 29, 2022
Last decade, Blue Origin was confident about launching New Glenn in 2020! Obviously, that didn't happen, and we still don't even have a working pathfinder! And even when New Glenn does finally get into service, will it really be competitive? Maybe not...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCk3KTd3dGs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCk3KTd3dGs)
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NASA Chief just revealed NEW TIMELINE for SpaceX Starship & what he really think of Elon...
GREAT SPACEX 12/14/2022
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_tsiFc4MNU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_tsiFc4MNU)
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Jeff Bezos On The Run As BE 4 Explosion Bankrupts Blue Origin
Tech SpaceX 12/14/2022
Blue Origin's continuous failures will finally be exposed today. Jeff Bezos, the company's founder, had the ambition to transport humans to the moon and probably dominate it. But after the company faced severe failures that became very consistent, Jeff at some point got confused about where the company is heading.
He may have lost focus and decided to step down as CEO and hand over to Andy Jassy. The question now is that; Is Jeff Bezos giving up on landing the New Glenn rocket on the moon? Bezos has been mute on activities that are going on in Blue Origin, contrary to how Elon behaves toward SpaceX. Is Jeff Bezos escaping from all the challenges in Blue Origin?
In today's video we look at Jeff Bezos On The Run As BE 4 Explosion Bankrupts Blue Origin...Keep watching to see jeff bezos,blue origin jeff bezos,jeff bezos blue origin,blue origin,elon musk blue origin,blue origin space plans,blue origin launch,elon musk jeff bezos,starship explosion,blue origin blue moon,the state of blue origin,blue origin new shepard,explosions of spacex,blue origin space,what is blue origin,blue origin space x,story of blue origin,blue origin new glenn,blue origin progress,blue origin vs spacex,spacex vs blue origin
Subscribe for elon musk jeff bezos, starship explosion, blue origin blue moon. Inspired by ALPHA TECH , CNET Highlights, and (competitor).
Inspired by Announcer speechless for 60 seconds after another Blue Origin rocket launch fail...
Inspired by Watch Jeff Bezos and Wally Funk in zero gravity during Blue Origin spaceflight
Inspired by Somehow Jeff Bezos realizes that the BE-4 engine is better than others but NO WAY TO BEAT SpaceX
Inspired by Blue Origin's Ex-employees just humiliated Jeff Bezos - Relativity Space!
On Tech SpaceX we will go through explosions of spacex, blue origin space, what is blue origin. Stay tuned for the latest blue origin new glenn, blue origin progress, blue origin vs spacex.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vP05SrEfcOg (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vP05SrEfcOg)
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NASA Chief just revealed NEW TIMELINE for SpaceX Starship & what he really think of Elon...
GREAT SPACEX 12/14/2022
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_tsiFc4MNU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_tsiFc4MNU)
Didn't he say the first starship flight in LATE 2023???
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Biden administration drafting executive order to simplify space rules
Reuters By Joey Roulette 12/9/2022
U.S. President Joe Biden's administration is drafting an executive order intended to streamline approval for private rocket launches amid a broader effort to bring legal and regulatory clarity for American companies on everything from space travel to private space stations, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the effort.
The order would be part of a push by the White House's National Space Council to modernize U.S. space regulation, which has failed to keep up with the increasingly ambitious pace of private-sector investment and development.
The order, slated to be ready for Biden to sign by early 2023, is meant to simplify licensing procedures under existing laws for more routine space activities like launching rockets and deploying satellites, said one of the sources, who asked not to be named.
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, who chairs the National Space Council, has signaled her intention to codify new rules for private space activities, but the plan for the executive order has not been reported.
A spokeswoman for Harris did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
While past administrations have made little progress revamping U.S. space laws, the Biden administration's broader effort to spur new rules, in addition to those targeted in the executive order, comes with greater urgency because of the pace of private investment in space. NASA also is pushing to privatize much of its low-Earth orbit activities.
More: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-administration-drafting-executive-order-simplify-space-rules-sources-2022-12-09/ (https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-administration-drafting-executive-order-simplify-space-rules-sources-2022-12-09/)
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What Rocket Lab just did is totally humiliated Blue Origin after SpaceX...
ALPHA TECH 12/20/2022
What Rocket Lab just did is totally humiliated Blue Origin after SpaceX...
In the space race, no doubt SpaceX is the leader, miles ahead. However, in distant 2nd place is Rocket Lab, even beating out Bezos Blue Origin.
Blue Origin has yet to orbit. Jeff Bezos' Rocket went to space—But not to orbit. They were planning to launch New Glenn by 2020 but the current schedule is first to launch no earlier than the fourth quarter of 2023.
Meanwhile, Rocket Labs has 32 launches under its belt, 29 of which were successful. The Electron rocket can place 150-300 kilograms into orbit. The lower payload for a sun-synchronous orbit and the higher payload for a low earth orbit. Rocket Labs plans a Falcon 9 class rocket with a new Neutron rocket. Rocket Labs plans to launch the Neutron by 2024.
Well, I’m talking about getting to "space" vs. orbit. This is how Elon Musk describes it:
"One of the toughest things that are really hard to explain to people is orbit versus space. Getting to space is easy. Getting into orbit is hard. It’s 100 times harder to get to orbit than to get to what you’d call, in quotes, "space." Which is, say, the Karman line at 100 kilometers, which is an arbitrary point at which the atmosphere is fairly thin."
Neil deGrasse Tyson also said that Blue is not really going to "space" they're flying to slightly higher than where planes go. They experience some weightless less but that is all.
The difference is so obvious!
More seriously, what Rocket Lab just did is totally humiliated Blue Origin after SpaceX...
Find out everything about this in today's episode of Alpha Tech:
Like Elon Musk, Peter Beck – the founder of Rocket Lab – doesn’t have the academic pedigree one would expect. Elon only has bachelor's degrees in economics and physics, not aerospace engineering. Peter is even more unconventional, as he is a rocket scientist with no college degree whatsoever!
In 1995, he worked as a tool-and-die-maker apprentice at Fisher & Paykel. He used his employer’s workshop to tinker on the side with rockets, making everything from rocket bikes to jet packs. From there he was able to purvey his career in product design and engineering, raking up a cornucopia of knowledge on smart materials, composites, and propulsion systems.
This New Zealand native then founded Rocket Lab in 2006. He secured a crucial seed investment from the aptly named Mark Rocket, a fellow New Zealander who had made his riches online. Within just 3 years, the company successfully reached the Karman line of space with their multi-stage rocket, Ātea-1. So yeah, the next time someone tells you college is a necessity, tell them about this guy who got to space in 3 years with just a high school education.
What Rocket Lab just did is totally humiliated Blue Origin after SpaceX...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jk8tYN03HNs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jk8tYN03HNs)
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Blue Origin offers new bobbleheads of first New Shepard female fliers
http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-122022a-blue-origin-new-shepard-bobbleheads.html (http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-122022a-blue-origin-new-shepard-bobbleheads.html)
December 20, 2022
— The first three women to fly into space on Blue Origin's New Shepard spacecraft have been honored with their very own bobbleheads.
The limited edition figurines, which feature the spring-loaded nodding heads of commercial astronauts Wally Funk, Audrey Powers and Laura Shepard Churchley, are now available from Blue Origin's online shop. The bobbleheads are boxed in mission-specific packaging and retail for $34.95 each.
In addition to capturing the likeness of each woman, the Funk, Powers and Churchley bobbleheads depict their subject in the blue flight suit that they wore for their 10-minute-long suborbital spaceflights, complete with name tag and miniature mission patch. Each 7-inch (18-cm) statuette is mounted to a black base that also displays the astronaut's name.
Funk is modeled with her arms outstretched, recreating the pose she struck after her NS-16 flight. One of the so-called "Mercury 13" female pilots who privately underwent the same medical tests as NASA's "Original 7" Mercury astronauts in the 1960s, Funk finally reached space in July 2021. She flew with three others, including Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos, on the company's first crewed launch. Funk, who was 82 at the time of her flight, holds the record for the oldest woman to fly into space.
(http://www.collectspace.com/images/news-122022a.jpg)
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SpaceX outlines Starship's next series of tests prior to first orbital flight
https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/starship-test-campaign (https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/starship-test-campaign)
On January 12, SpaceX shared a collection of incredible new photos of a fully-stacked Starship at the Starbase launch site in South Texas. The company briefly outlined the next series of tests engineers will conduct before performing the long-awaited uncrewed orbital flight attempt. “Team are stepping into a series of tests prior to Starship's first flight test in the weeks ahead, including full stack wet dress rehearsals [WDR] and hold down firing of Booster 7's 33 Raptor engines,” announced SpaceX.
The majestic stainless-steel prototypes that will conduct the orbital flight are identified as Starship SN24 and Super Heavy Booster 7. The vehicles have been undergoing preflight preparations for over a year. The flight was delayed mostly due to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) conducting an extensive Environmental Assessment of the Starbase launch site, which is situated next to a U.S. National Wildlife Refuge, the public Boca Chica Beach access, and multiple historic landmarks. The FAA took a year to complete the assessment and now it must issue a spaceflight license so that SpaceX can finally launch Starship to orbit. During the orbital flight, Super Heavy Booster 7 will propel Starship SN24 to orbit, the booster is expected to land in the Gulf of Mexico ocean as SN24 continues its voyage to space. Starship SN24 will reach an altitude of around 100 kilometers above Earth before conducting a propulsive landing in the ocean off the coast of Kauai, Hawaii, near a U.S. military base. “Starship launch attempt soon,” Tweeted Musk. “We have a real shot at late February. March launch attempt appears highly likely,” he stated on January 7.
This week, Musk confirmed the timeline in response to a NASASpaceflight reporter. –“Does this sound about right, Elon? Cryo[genic proof] test today, then WDR next week. Destack for 33 engine Static Fire. Final TPS [Thermal Protection System] work on [Star]Ship 24. Re-stack. Launch License. Possible end of Feb[ruary]/Early March if all goes well (per your previous timeline)?” asked NASASpaceflight. –“That’s a good guess,” replied Musk. The 33 Raptor V2 engine test is perhaps the most risky test. The methane-fueled engines each produce over 230 tons of force, which has the potential of destroying surrounding infrastructure if something goes wrong. Musk previously said that engineers will proceed carefully. When the 33 engines are ignited for a few seconds, the vehicle will be held down by giant clamps on the launch mount as engineers collect data to assess the rocket’s performance. As of today, SpaceX has only ever test-ignited 14 Raptor V2 engines simultaneously during a long-duration static-firing which took place in November 2022. Each test brings SpaceX closer to returning NASA astronauts to the lunar surface as part of the Artemis program, and sending the first humans to Mars. The company will also send a group of dearMoon artists on a circumlunar voyage as soon as the rocketship is operational.
More at link.
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FALCON HEAVY - SpaceX Launches USSF-67
NASASpaceflight
Falcon Heavy is launching the classified USSF-67 mission to geostationary orbit for the US Space Force. Liftoff is scheduled for 5:55 PM EST (22:55 UTC) from LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The side boosters, B1064-2 and B1065-2, will attempt landings at Landing Zones 1 and 2. The center core, B1070-1, will be expended.
https://youtu.be/PCitZJD_nn4?t=5040 (https://youtu.be/PCitZJD_nn4?t=5040)
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SpaceX launches U.S. Space Force’s first mission of 2023 on Falcon Heavy
Space News by Sandra Erwin — January 15, 2023
USSF-67 was Falcon Heavy's second national security space launch
WASHINGTON — A SpaceX Falcon Heavy lifted off Jan. 15 at 5:56 p.m. Eastern from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, carrying the U.S. Space Force USSF-67 mission to geostationary Earth orbit.
USSF-67 was the Space Force’s first national security mission of 2023 and marked Falcon Heavy’s fifth flight since its 2018 debut, as well as its second national security space launch following the Nov. 1 launch of USSF-44.
The Falcon Heavy’s first stage is made up of three Falcon 9 rockets strapped together, with 27 engines powering the first stage and one engine in the second stage.
About two and a half minutes after liftoff, both side boosters separated. The second stage separated from the core stage just over four minutes after liftoff.
Both side boosters landed back at SpaceX’s Landing Zones 1 and 2 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, about eight and a half minutes after liftoff. These landings marked SpaceX’s 163rd and 164th successful booster recoveries. They will be refurbished for future national security space missions.
The expendable center core was jettisoned into the Atlantic Ocean and was not recovered as the mission’s performance requirements did not allow enough fuel to return the stage back to Earth.
More: https://spacenews.com/spacex-launches-u-s-space-forces-first-mission-of-2023-on-falcon-heavy/ (https://spacenews.com/spacex-launches-u-s-space-forces-first-mission-of-2023-on-falcon-heavy/)
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Ep248 SpaceX's secret Starship Plan & Falcon Heavy as close as you've never seen it!
What about it!?
SpaceX is working full speed towards the orbital Starship launch! We're taking a close look at some Ground Systems you have never seen like this before & we're uncovering SpaceX's secret Starship launch tower plans! Finally, we're walking outside my front door as Falcon Heavy USSF-67 ascends toward orbit!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGnGfRHOHEg (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGnGfRHOHEg)
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SpaceX performs a cryogenic proof test of a fully-stacked Starship in Texas
TESMANIAN by Evelyn Janeidy Arevalo 1/18/2023
On January 18, SpaceX performed a cryogenic proof test of a fully-stacked Starship at Starbase in South Texas. Engineers are preparing prototypes - Starship SN24 and Super Heavy Booster 7 - for the first-ever orbital flight test. During the orbital flight, Booster 7 will propel SN24 to orbit with 33 powerful Raptor V2 engines. The booster will drop off Starship SN24 into the edge of space, which begins at the Karman Line at approximately 100 kilometers (km) above Earth’s surface. Booster 7 will return with an ocean landing in the Gulf of Mexico near Boca Chica Beach. SN24 will continue its voyage half-way around Earth to make a soft ocean landing off the coast of Kauai, Hawaii, near a U.S. military base. The flight will enable engineers to practice the concept of operations and test the new spacecraft technologies. The data they gather from the flight will serve to speed up the rocket-ship’s development. SpaceX has not announced a specific date of when the orbital flight attempt will take place, just an approximate timeline. “We have a real shot at late February. March launch attempt appears highly likely,” said SpaceX founder Elon Musk on January 7.
Before Starship takes flight it must pass a series of tests to ensure it has what it takes to support the stresses of spaceflight. During the cryogenic (cryo) proof test on Wednesday, SpaceX engineers fueled the fully-stacked vehicle with subcooled liquid nitrogen to pressurize the stainless-steel tanks to test its overall structural integrity. Booster 7 must withstand Starship SN24’s mass when loaded with propellant. The test also serves to test the propellant loading infrastructure that is integrated to the orbital launch tower, referred to as ‘Quick Disconnect’ (QD) arms. According to NASASpaceflight on Twitter, this was the ‘second partial cryo test’ of the fully-stacked launch vehicle. They shared a video of the test; the stainless-steel structure has a frost layer indicating the cryogenic test operation, linked below.
More: https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/fully-stack-cryo (https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/fully-stack-cryo)
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SpaceX performs a cryogenic proof test of a fully-stacked Starship in Texas
TESMANIAN by Evelyn Janeidy Arevalo 1/18/2023
On January 18, SpaceX performed a cryogenic proof test of a fully-stacked Starship at Starbase in South Texas. Engineers are preparing prototypes - Starship SN24 and Super Heavy Booster 7 - for the first-ever orbital flight test. During the orbital flight, Booster 7 will propel SN24 to orbit with 33 powerful Raptor V2 engines. The booster will drop off Starship SN24 into the edge of space, which begins at the Karman Line at approximately 100 kilometers (km) above Earth’s surface. Booster 7 will return with an ocean landing in the Gulf of Mexico near Boca Chica Beach. SN24 will continue its voyage half-way around Earth to make a soft ocean landing off the coast of Kauai, Hawaii, near a U.S. military base. The flight will enable engineers to practice the concept of operations and test the new spacecraft technologies. The data they gather from the flight will serve to speed up the rocket-ship’s development. SpaceX has not announced a specific date of when the orbital flight attempt will take place, just an approximate timeline. “We have a real shot at late February. March launch attempt appears highly likely,” said SpaceX founder Elon Musk on January 7.
Before Starship takes flight it must pass a series of tests to ensure it has what it takes to support the stresses of spaceflight. During the cryogenic (cryo) proof test on Wednesday, SpaceX engineers fueled the fully-stacked vehicle with subcooled liquid nitrogen to pressurize the stainless-steel tanks to test its overall structural integrity. Booster 7 must withstand Starship SN24’s mass when loaded with propellant. The test also serves to test the propellant loading infrastructure that is integrated to the orbital launch tower, referred to as ‘Quick Disconnect’ (QD) arms. According to NASASpaceflight on Twitter, this was the ‘second partial cryo test’ of the fully-stacked launch vehicle. They shared a video of the test; the stainless-steel structure has a frost layer indicating the cryogenic test operation, linked below.
More: https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/fully-stack-cryo (https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/fully-stack-cryo)
Spacex Pink on youtube seems to think something went wrong today and that's why the cancelled closures. Thoughts?
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Spacex Pink on youtube seems to think something went wrong today and that's why the cancelled closures. Thoughts?
He's just guessing. After yesterday's successful test, no more road closures were needed for this week.
Please give us a link next time. https://youtu.be/3uZufbWN4wU?t=79 (https://youtu.be/3uZufbWN4wU?t=79)
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He's just guessing. After yesterday's successful test, no more road closures were needed for this week.
Please give us a link next time. https://youtu.be/3uZufbWN4wU?t=79 (https://youtu.be/3uZufbWN4wU?t=79)
You are probably right. You'd think they'd destack today if there was an issue and haul it back to the wide bay. You going down for the first flight? I'm sure thinking about it.
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You are probably right. You'd think they'd destack today if there was an issue and haul it back to the wide bay. You going down for the first flight? I'm sure thinking about it.
It'll be a madhouse for the first flight. If I go, I'll just watch it from my son's house in Brownsville. He says I'll even be able to see it from my house in South Houston.
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What about it!? just shared 74 new images: "WAI Cam Chief 2023-01-17"
Hello Everyone!
Here's gallery #2 for today! 74 images from Chief's Starbase WAI Cam.
This time for everyone and not just supporters as there are two galleries today!
Enjoy your day and thank you so much for all your support!
https://www.patreon.com/posts/wai-cam-chief-01-77465221 (https://www.patreon.com/posts/wai-cam-chief-01-77465221)
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Ep249 Is SpaceX's Starship ever going to launch? Let's find out!
What about it!? SpaceX is cryo-testing the Starship 24 and Booster 7 full stack. Meanwhile, many new improvements for Starship construction are spotted at Starbase. I explain how they work and why this is done. We got a new plan update from Elon Musk, and we look at Falcon 9 GPSIII SV06!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=II4Nm0LjM6E (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=II4Nm0LjM6E)
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SpaceX Crazy Idea To Land Super Heavy Booster Onto The Launchpad!
Science Of Space Jan 21, 2023
SpaceX Try To Landing Starship Booster Onto The Droneship.
Spacex has long term plan, to catch super heavy booster in air with the help of launch tower catching arm. But in case, spacex face problem with launch tower catching mechanism, then spacex needs to thinking about the another option to land super heavy booster successfully.
SpaceX has hinted at an unexpected desire to develop “marine recovery systems for the Starship program.” Since SpaceX first began bending metal for its steel Starship development program in late 2018.
CEO Elon Musk, executives, and the company itself have long maintained, that both Super Heavy boosters and Starship upper stages, would perform what are known as return-to-launch-site landings. Since 2016, SpaceX has been making controlled landings of its Falcon 9 boosters, to allow them to be reused for a number of years now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRBpnEqn-lg (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRBpnEqn-lg)
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1000 TESTS! No Brakes at SpaceX McGregor
NASASpaceflight
Since April 28, 2022, NASASpaceflight has been livestreaming engine tests from SpaceX's Rocket Development and Test Facility in McGregor, TX. This past week, SpaceX passed 1,000 engine tests.
A mix of Rapid Unscheduled Disassembles, Pre-Burners, and successful tests, here's the best of the past 1,000 tests.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1erTAgWreVs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1erTAgWreVs)
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Blue Origin Upgrade Update 2023 is here…!!! Any chance to beat SpaceX & Elon?
GREAT SPACEX
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHXUJlktYws (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHXUJlktYws)
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SpaceX fuels up fully stacked Starship vehicle for 1st time ever
Space.com By Mike Wall 1/23/23
The Jan. 23 "wet dress rehearsal" was a huge step toward Starship's upcoming orbital test flight.
SpaceX fueled up a fully stacked Starship for the first time ever on Monday (Jan. 23), notching a huge milestone on the path toward the vehicle's debut orbital flight.
Elon Musk's company conducted a "wet dress rehearsal" with the 395-foot-tall (120 meters) Starship Monday at its Starbase facility in South Texas, running through many of the procedures it will perform on launch day.
The to-do list included loading liquid oxygen and liquid methane propellant into the vehicle's Super Heavy first stage and Starship upper stage, which SpaceX stacked together on Starbase's orbital launch mount earlier this month. This action was captured by NASASpaceflight.com, which live-streamed the lengthy test (opens in new tab), and Rocket Ranch Boca Chica (opens in new tab), whose video is featured below (footage provided by Rocket Ranch's Anthony Gomez).
More: https://www.space.com/spacex-stacked-starship-first-fueling-test (https://www.space.com/spacex-stacked-starship-first-fueling-test)
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SpaceX fuels up fully stacked Starship vehicle for 1st time ever
Space.com By Mike Wall 1/23/23
The Jan. 23 "wet dress rehearsal" was a huge step toward Starship's upcoming orbital test flight.
SpaceX fueled up a fully stacked Starship for the first time ever on Monday (Jan. 23), notching a huge milestone on the path toward the vehicle's debut orbital flight.
Elon Musk's company conducted a "wet dress rehearsal" with the 395-foot-tall (120 meters) Starship Monday at its Starbase facility in South Texas, running through many of the procedures it will perform on launch day.
The to-do list included loading liquid oxygen and liquid methane propellant into the vehicle's Super Heavy first stage and Starship upper stage, which SpaceX stacked together on Starbase's orbital launch mount earlier this month. This action was captured by NASASpaceflight.com, which live-streamed the lengthy test (opens in new tab), and Rocket Ranch Boca Chica (opens in new tab), whose video is featured below (footage provided by Rocket Ranch's Anthony Gomez).
More: https://www.space.com/spacex-stacked-starship-first-fueling-test (https://www.space.com/spacex-stacked-starship-first-fueling-test)
That was an incredible sight seeing her loaded up with propellant and oxygen. She's getting closer to the big day.
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SpaceX preparing for Super Heavy static-fire test
Space News by Jeff Foust — January 27, 2023
SpaceX could attempt a long-awaited static-fire test of all 33 Raptor engines in its Super Heavy booster as soon as next week, one of the final technical milestones before an orbital launch attempt, a company executive said Jan. 27.
Speaking on a panel at the AIAA SciTech Forum, Bill Gerstenmaier, vice president of build and flight reliability, said the company was preparing for the test at its Starbase test site at Boca Chica, Texas.
“If things go well, maybe next week we’ll have a 33-engine static fire,” he said. “We still have a lot of work in front of us to get there and it’s not easy.”
He didn’t elaborate on the work remaining before the test and the panel, devoted to examining the relationship of science fiction with aerospace, did not return to the topic. However, the company was starting to get ready for the static fire after a Jan. 23 test called a wet dress rehearsal where both the Super Heavy booster, called Booster 7, and the Starship upper stage, named Ship 24, were loaded with propellants and taken through a practice countdown.
More: https://spacenews.com/spacex-preparing-for-super-heavy-static-fire-test/ (https://spacenews.com/spacex-preparing-for-super-heavy-static-fire-test/)
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After a failure 4 months ago, the New Shepard spacecraft remains in limbo
ars TECHNICA by Eric Berger - 1/30/2023
More than four months have passed since the launch of Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket ended in failure. No humans were onboard the vehicle because it was conducting a suborbital scientific research mission, but the failure has grounded the New Shepard fleet ever since.
The rocket's single main engine failed about one minute into the flight, at an altitude of around 9 km, as it was throttling back up after passing through the period of maximum dynamic pressure. At that point a large fire erupted in the BE-3 engine, and the New Shepard capsule's solid rocket motor-powered escape system fired as intended, pulling the capsule away from the exploding rocket. The capsule experienced high G-forces during this return but appeared to make a safe landing.
Three days after this accident with the New Shepard-23 mission, the bipartisan leadership of the House Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics sent a letter to the Federal Aviation Administration, calling for a thorough investigation. In an interview with Ars later that month, the chair of the subcommittee, US Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), urged Blue Origin to be transparent.
More: https://arstechnica.com/science/2023/01/blue-origin-may-restart-new-shepard-flights-in-april-or-may-or-not/ (https://arstechnica.com/science/2023/01/blue-origin-may-restart-new-shepard-flights-in-april-or-may-or-not/)
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SpaceX prepares for a massive test this week: Firing all 33 Starship engines at once
CNBC by Michael Sheetz 2/8/2023
Key Points
• SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell said the company plans to attempt a major Starship milestone: firing all 33 engines at once, a key test before the first orbital launch attempt.
• “Tomorrow is a big day for SpaceX,” Shotwell said in Washington, D.C.
• SpaceX had hoped to get Starship to space as early as summer 2021.
SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell said Wednesday the company plans to attempt a major Starship milestone this week.
SpaceX on Thursday will attempt a “static fire,” simultaneously testing all 33 engines that sit at the base of Starship’s rocket booster. The company conducted a test firing of 14 of those engines in November, as it pushes to make an orbital launch attempt with a Starship prototype.
“Tomorrow is a big day for SpaceX,” Shotwell said, speaking at the FAA’s annual Commercial Space Transportation conference in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday.
Starship is a nearly 400-foot-tall rocket, designed to carry cargo and people beyond Earth. It is also critical to NASA’s plan to return astronauts to the moon, with SpaceX having won a nearly $3 billion contract from the agency in 2021.
Last month the company completed a “wet dress rehearsal,” with Starship prototype 24 stacked on Super Heavy booster prototype 7, in the most recent crucial test.
More: https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/08/spacex-prepares-test-fire-all-starship-engines-at-once.html (https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/08/spacex-prepares-test-fire-all-starship-engines-at-once.html)
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SpaceX prepares for a massive test this week: Firing all 33 Starship engines at once
CNBC by Michael Sheetz 2/8/2023
Key Points
• SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell said the company plans to attempt a major Starship milestone: firing all 33 engines at once, a key test before the first orbital launch attempt.
• “Tomorrow is a big day for SpaceX,” Shotwell said in Washington, D.C.
• SpaceX had hoped to get Starship to space as early as summer 2021.
SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell said Wednesday the company plans to attempt a major Starship milestone this week.
SpaceX on Thursday will attempt a “static fire,” simultaneously testing all 33 engines that sit at the base of Starship’s rocket booster. The company conducted a test firing of 14 of those engines in November, as it pushes to make an orbital launch attempt with a Starship prototype.
“Tomorrow is a big day for SpaceX,” Shotwell said, speaking at the FAA’s annual Commercial Space Transportation conference in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday.
Starship is a nearly 400-foot-tall rocket, designed to carry cargo and people beyond Earth. It is also critical to NASA’s plan to return astronauts to the moon, with SpaceX having won a nearly $3 billion contract from the agency in 2021.
Last month the company completed a “wet dress rehearsal,” with Starship prototype 24 stacked on Super Heavy booster prototype 7, in the most recent crucial test.
More: https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/08/spacex-prepares-test-fire-all-starship-engines-at-once.html (https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/08/spacex-prepares-test-fire-all-starship-engines-at-once.html)
OH BOY!!! I'll be watching at work. Thanks for the heads up!
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SpaceX 33-Engine Static Fire of Booster 7
NASASpaceflight
STARBASE
SpaceX is attempting a 33-engine static fire of its Super Heavy Booster 7 at Starbase in Texas. A road closure is scheduled from 8am CST to 8pm CST and an overpressure notice has been delivered.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kG4AbAcia0 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kG4AbAcia0)
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Waiting for confirmation that all 33 engines ignited.
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31 engines fired overall. One engine was shut down by the team and one engine shut itself down.
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Starship 33 Engine Static Fire
https://youtu.be/6ghTUwwgZPE?t=574 (https://youtu.be/6ghTUwwgZPE?t=574)
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfIdwskWABk (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfIdwskWABk)
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Epic!!!
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NASA will launch a Mars mission on Blue Origin’s New Glenn
TechCrunch by Devin Coldewey 2/9/2023
NASA is planning a science mission to Mars that will ride up aboard a New Glenn — Blue Origin’s first big government contract for the as-yet-untested launch vehicle.
New Glenn is the much, much larger sibling of the suborbital New Shepard rocket that so many celebrities and rich folks have gone to the edge of space in. Announced in 2016, the launch vehicle would compete with SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy and other heavy-lift options. But 6 years later, we have yet to see a New Glenn in one piece, let alone ready to launch a Mars mission.
The first flight for New Glenn was scheduled for late 2021, but that date was “refined” earlier that year, purportedly because a contract with the Pentagon had fallen through. Q4 of 2022 was the next window, but obviously that’s come and gone. I’ve asked for updated timing.
The launch contract is through the Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) program at NASA, which early last year assigned a maximum of $300 million to be split among 13 companies for launch services of various kinds. Everyone who’s anyone is on the list there, essentially providing a low-cost option for noncritical missions.
More: https://techcrunch.com/2023/02/09/nasa-will-launch-a-mars-mission-on-blue-origins-new-glenn/ (https://techcrunch.com/2023/02/09/nasa-will-launch-a-mars-mission-on-blue-origins-new-glenn/)
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Shaquille O'Neal-Owned Big Chicken and Blue Origin Team Up to Inspire Future Generations for the Benefit of Earth and Chicken
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/shaquille-oneal-owned-big-chicken-and-blue-origin-team-up-to-inspire-future-generations-for-the-benefit-of-earth-and-chicken-301743042.html (https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/shaquille-oneal-owned-big-chicken-and-blue-origin-team-up-to-inspire-future-generations-for-the-benefit-of-earth-and-chicken-301743042.html)
Big Chicken to Collaborate with Blue Origin on Dream to Pursue Restaurant in Space
The countdown is on for a new era in restaurant operations. Shaquille O'Neal-Owned Big Chicken and Blue Origin are teaming up to feed the imaginations of the next generation of explorers for the benefit of Earth and space chicken.
"We've always said "Go BIG' when asked about growth plans for Big Chicken. Now, with Blue Origin, we're going as BIG as we can by advancing the dream of running restaurants in space," said Josh Halpern, CEO of Big Chicken and the architect of the company's franchise growth strategy launched a year and a half ago, which has resulted in 200-plus planned U.S. locations. "When I think about what Shaquille stands for – BIG fun and pursuing BIG dreams – this relationship aligns perfectly with Blue Origin's vision to enable millions of people to live and work in space for the benefit of Earth."
Blue Origin's nonprofit, Club for the Future, will partner with Big Chicken's leadership team and founder Shaquille O'Neal as Club Ambassadors to inspire and engage students. Club for the Future will launch new community outreach programs at Big Chicken restaurants, including inviting patrons to draw their vision of the future on Postcards to Space. Blue Origin will fly the postcards on a future New Shepard mission, stamp them "flown to space," and return them to the creators.
More at link.
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SpaceX
@SpaceX
Views from drone of Booster 7's static fire test
https://twitter.com/i/status/1623812763415093249 (https://twitter.com/i/status/1623812763415093249)
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SpaceX breaks launch pad turnaround record with midnight mission
https://spaceflightnow.com/2023/02/11/falcon-9-starlink-5-4-coverage/ (https://spaceflightnow.com/2023/02/11/falcon-9-starlink-5-4-coverage/)
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket hauled 55 more Starlink internet satellites into orbit just after midnight Sunday from Cape Canaveral, breaking a record for the shortest time between missions — five days — from the same SpaceX launch pad.
The mission was SpaceX’s 10th launch of the year, a pace of one launch every four days since Jan. 1. SpaceX is aiming to launch up to 100 Falcon rocket missions this year from launch pads in Florida and California, while teams in Texas ready for the first orbital test flight of the company’s giant new Starship launch vehicle.
SpaceX fired up the Starship rocket’s Super Heavy booster for a major ground test Thursday at the Starbase facility in South Texas. The booster ignited 31 of its 33 Raptor engines for a hold-down test-firing, as SpaceX hopes to ready the nearly 40-story-tall rocket for its inaugural launch later this spring.
For Sunday’s overnight mission from Florida, SpaceX employed its workhorse Falcon 9 rocket for another flight to deploy satellites for the Starlink internet network. With the 55 new satellites that traveled to space on Sunday’s mission, SpaceX has now launched 3,930 Starlink spacecraft since the first prototypes in 2018. That number includes test satellites no longer in service, and satellites that have already re-enter the atmosphere.
Liftoff of the 229-foot-tall (70-meter) Falcon 9 rocket from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station occurred at 12:10:10 a.m. EST (0510:10 GMT) Sunday, defying a poor weather forecast to get off the ground before rain showers and brisk winds moved through the spaceport with the passage of a frontal boundary.
The 55 Starlink internet satellites mounted on top of the Falcon 9 rocket headed into an orbital plane that is part of SpaceX’s second-generation Starlink network, called Gen2. Sunday’s mission, known as Starlink 5-4, followed the first three Starlink launches into the Gen2 network in December and January.
The launch occurred five days, three hours, and 38 minutes after SpaceX’s previous mission from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral, which carried a Spanish-owned communications satellite into orbit. That set a record for the shortest turnaround time between SpaceX launches from the same pad as the company continues to ramp up its blistering launch cadence.
SpaceX plans to eventually launch second-generation Starlink satellites on the new Starship mega-rocket. Those satellites will be larger and more capable than SpaceX’s current fleet of Starlink spacecraft, and will be capable of transmitting signals directly to cell phones. But with the Starship rocket still undergoing preparations for its first orbital test flight, SpaceX officials signaled they will start launching the Gen2 satellites on Falcon 9 rockets.
Elon Musk, SpaceX’s founder and CEO, suggested in August that the company could develop a miniature version of the Gen2 satellites to fit on the Falcon 9 rocket.
The satellites on the first three Gen2 launches appeared similar, or identical, to Starlink spacecraft SpaceX is already launching to complete its first-generation network, and not the larger Gen2 satellites destined to fly on the huge new Starship rocket, or even the mini Gen2 satellites Musk mentioned last year.
More at link.
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SpaceX Starship Launch Date Potentially Revealed In NASA Calendar
wccftech by Ramish Zafar Feb 12, 2023
SpaceX's highly anticipated Starship orbital flight test just got tentative launch data courtesy of a NASA calendar. The company has picked up the pace on conducting full scale tests this year, and January saw it fill the vehicle up with propellant as part of a wet dress rehearsal. After this, earlier this week, SpaceX finally attempted to fire up all 33 engines on the 230 feet tall Super Heavy booster. The test was almost a complete success since it met the time duration and saw 31 engines fully light up. It came a day after SpaceX president Ms. Gwynne Shotwell announced that her firm would not only conduct the hot fire test but also make an orbital flight attempt next month. SpaceX chief Mr. Elon Musk later reiterated Ms. Shotwell's timeline, and now we have a tentative date courtesy of NASA's WB-57 plane.
SpaceX's Starship Rocket Can Take To The Skies On March 11 Shows NASA Calendar
NASA's WB-57 is a vital agency asset that has made several appearances on its space live streams. The aircraft regularly tracks high-flying objects and is the first to get visuals of crewed spacecraft returning from the ISS. During atmospheric reentry, a spaceship encounters high temperatures, which leads to a communications blackout for a short duration. During the mission, this period is often one of the more stressful ones, as ground control teams cannot contact the astronauts to check up on their well-being. However, sometimes even before the communication link is established, the WB-57 provides important visual confirmation of reentry to the teams.
NASA also uses the aircraft to gain visual information about test launches, and now, the space agency has reserved a time slot for aircraft to cover the Starship orbital flight test. Its calendar marks March 11 as 'SpaceX Starship Launch (placeholder),' providing a tentative launch date for the rocket and indicating the assignment's arbitrary nature.
More: https://wccftech.com/spacex-starship-launch-date-potentially-revealed-in-nasa-calendar/ (https://wccftech.com/spacex-starship-launch-date-potentially-revealed-in-nasa-calendar/)
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SpaceX Starship Launch Date Potentially Revealed In NASA Calendar
wccftech by Ramish Zafar Feb 12, 2023
SpaceX's highly anticipated Starship orbital flight test just got tentative launch data courtesy of a NASA calendar. The company has picked up the pace on conducting full scale tests this year, and January saw it fill the vehicle up with propellant as part of a wet dress rehearsal. After this, earlier this week, SpaceX finally attempted to fire up all 33 engines on the 230 feet tall Super Heavy booster. The test was almost a complete success since it met the time duration and saw 31 engines fully light up. It came a day after SpaceX president Ms. Gwynne Shotwell announced that her firm would not only conduct the hot fire test but also make an orbital flight attempt next month. SpaceX chief Mr. Elon Musk later reiterated Ms. Shotwell's timeline, and now we have a tentative date courtesy of NASA's WB-57 plane.
SpaceX's Starship Rocket Can Take To The Skies On March 11 Shows NASA Calendar
NASA's WB-57 is a vital agency asset that has made several appearances on its space live streams. The aircraft regularly tracks high-flying objects and is the first to get visuals of crewed spacecraft returning from the ISS. During atmospheric reentry, a spaceship encounters high temperatures, which leads to a communications blackout for a short duration. During the mission, this period is often one of the more stressful ones, as ground control teams cannot contact the astronauts to check up on their well-being. However, sometimes even before the communication link is established, the WB-57 provides important visual confirmation of reentry to the teams.
NASA also uses the aircraft to gain visual information about test launches, and now, the space agency has reserved a time slot for aircraft to cover the Starship orbital flight test. Its calendar marks March 11 as 'SpaceX Starship Launch (placeholder),' providing a tentative launch date for the rocket and indicating the assignment's arbitrary nature.
More: https://wccftech.com/spacex-starship-launch-date-potentially-revealed-in-nasa-calendar/ (https://wccftech.com/spacex-starship-launch-date-potentially-revealed-in-nasa-calendar/)
I hope that occurs.
I saw on youtube spacex was adding more cladding to the OLP and it is quite massive. Not to mention adding a more robust water deluge system. These 2 items will take a while to complete. 4 weeks? Probably longer, but who knows.
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Relativity Space Looks to Take On SpaceX With 3-D Printed Rockets
Startup Relativity Space is developing the world's first 3-D printed rocket, which it says is cheaper and quicker to manufacture than conventional rockets. Ahead of the company’s first orbital launch attempt, WSJ visited its California facility to meet founder Tim Ellis.
https://finance.yahoo.com/video/relativity-space-looks-spacex-3-120000675.html (https://finance.yahoo.com/video/relativity-space-looks-spacex-3-120000675.html)
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Blue Origin Claims It Can Make Solar Cells From Lunar Dust
https://www.iflscience.com/blue-origin-claims-it-can-make-solar-cells-from-lunar-dust-67526 (https://www.iflscience.com/blue-origin-claims-it-can-make-solar-cells-from-lunar-dust-67526)
The more things we can make on the Moon the more viable an ongoing presence will be, and few things are more important than a power source.
Last week a blog post on Blue Origin’s website made a claim that, if verified, could dramatically increase the prospects for establishing ongoing bases on the Moon. However, the curious lack of promotion the company – not usually known for avoiding publicity – has so far given the announcement suggests they may still have some doubts about the technology.
The claim is that Blue Origin’s engineers have worked out how to make working solar cells and electricity cables out of the dust and rubble found on the lunar surface, known as regolith. If you want to see humanity establish a permanent presence beyond low Earth orbit, or even just put some fancy telescopes on the far side of the Moon, this falls into the “huge if true” category.
Lunar bases will need a lot of power, including for heating and cooling given the enormous range of temperatures the Moon experiences in the course of one of its month-long “days”. With no fossil fuels to mine or winds to tap, that can come from only two sources: solar or nuclear.
Although NASA’s plans currently revolve around nuclear power stations, some recent modeling suggests a series of solar farms located near the lunar poles would be cheaper. Cables could connect the farms so that at all times at least one was providing sufficient power.
More at link.
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SpaceX prioritizes Starship test flights, pauses plans for floating launch pads
TESLARATI by Eric Ralph 2/14/2023
President and COO Gwynne Shotwell says that SpaceX has temporarily abandoned plans for floating Starship launch platforms to ensure it’s fully focused on gaining flight experience with the next-generation rocket.
On February 13th, a NASASpaceflight.com forum member reported that a pair of oil rigs were scheduled to leave a Mississippi port for an unknown destination. At one point, those oil rigs – christened Deimos and Phobos after Mars’ moons – were owned by SpaceX. In mid-2020, SpaceX bought the former half-billion-dollar oil rigs for just $7 million. Around the same time, CEO Elon Musk tweeted that SpaceX was “building floating, superheavy-class spaceports for Mars, moon & hypersonic travel around Earth.”
SpaceX’s oil rig purchase was publicly uncovered in January 2021. Since then, however, the company has done very little to Phobos or Deimos. Phobos’ deck was half-cleared in fitful bursts of work, but Deimos was left almost untouched. Now, according to SpaceNews, SpaceX’s second in command says the company sold Phobos and Deimos and has paused work on offshore Starship launch platforms.
More: https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-halts-starship-offshore-launch-pad-development/ (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-halts-starship-offshore-launch-pad-development/)
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Blue Origin To Fly Two NASA Cubesats To Mars
Aviation Week by Irene Klotz February 10, 2023
A pair of 6U science satellites originally slated to piggyback a ride to Mars with NASA’s Psyche asteroid probe will instead launch aboard Blue Origin’s New Glenn, a two stage heavy-lift reusable booster still in development.
Terms of the contract, awarded on Feb. 9, were not disclosed, but U.S. government procurement data show NASA committing $20 million for launch support for the Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (Escapade) mission.
Blue Origin is among 13 companies eligible to compete to provide launch services for low-budget NASA science missions under the agency’s Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) program. NASA plans to spend up to $300 million on all its VADR contracts during a five-year ordering period.
NASA declined to say how many of the eligible VADR suppliers submitted proposals to launch Escapade under the program’s indefinite delivery indefinite quantity contract.
More: https://aviationweek.com/aerospace/commercial-space/blue-origin-fly-two-nasa-cubesats-mars (https://aviationweek.com/aerospace/commercial-space/blue-origin-fly-two-nasa-cubesats-mars)
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I like that there's competition! Without it, SpaceX will be just like NASA in 20 years.
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I like that there's competition! Without it, SpaceX will be just like NASA in 20 years.
Competition?
Possibly for CubeSat launches. Time will tell.
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SpaceX's Solution For 33 Raptor Engines Thrilled NASA Scientists!
Space Trends Feb 18, 2023
The SpaceX starship is a technological marvel, capable of reaching heights and speeds previously thought impossible. With its ability to produce nearly 16.7 million pounds of thrust at liftoff, it has easily surpassed the previous record holder, the Soviet N1 rocket, by a significant margin of nearly 60 percent. This level of power however, comes with its own set of challenges. The intense heat generated during launch, as well as the acoustic energy produced, which is nearly double that experienced during an Artemis one launch, make it imperative that the safety of the crew and equipment be a top priority. SpaceX, under the leadership of Elon Musk, has risen to this challenge by implementing a water Deluge system. This system uses a shower of water to control and absorb the energy generated during launch, providing an extra layer of protection for both the crew and the equipment. The water Deluge system is just one example of the innovative and forward-thinking approach that sets SpaceX apart from other space flight companies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB6RhtfHNGM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB6RhtfHNGM)
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SpaceX proceeding with Starship orbital launch attempt after static fire
Space News by Jeff Foust February 22, 2023
SpaceX’s static-fire test of nearly all the engines in its Starship booster earlier this month was “the last box to check” before the vehicle’s first orbital launch attempt, likely some time in March, a company official said Feb. 21.
Speaking on a panel at the Space Mobility conference here about “rocket cargo” delivery, Gary Henry, senior advisor for national security space solutions at SpaceX, said both the Super Heavy booster and its launch pad were in good shape after the Feb. 9 test, clearing the way for an orbital launch that is still pending a Federal Aviation Administration launch license.
“We had a successful hot fire, and that was really the last box to check,” he said. “The vehicle is in good shape. The pad is in good shape.”
Only 31 of the 33 Raptor engines in the Super Heavy booster fired. SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk tweeted just after the test that one engine was commanded off just before ignition and a second shut down early. He later said that the engines ran at 50% of their rated thrust.
That led to speculation that SpaceX would need to perform a second static-fire test to get all 33 engines, or to run them at higher thrust levels. Henry, though, suggested that SpaceX was not planning another such test before an orbital launch attempt.
More: https://spacenews.com/spacex-proceeding-with-starship-orbital-launch-attempt-after-static-fire/ (https://spacenews.com/spacex-proceeding-with-starship-orbital-launch-attempt-after-static-fire/)
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Starship, Henry argued later in the panel, will sharply drive down launch costs. “We are on the cusp of seeing an opportunity of mass to orbit go from $2,000 a kilogram to $200 a kilogram,” he said. In the long term, costs could further decline to the point where the propellant is the largest factor in the per-launch marginal cost.
“If Elon gets his way,” he said, “you’re at $20 per kilogram.”
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SpaceX begins launching second-generation Starlink satellites with four times the network capacity
CNBC by Michael Sheetz 2/28/2023
Key Points
• Elon Musk’s SpaceX launched the first batch of its next-generation Starlink internet satellites.
• A Falcon 9 rocket carried 21 of the satellites, known as “V2 Mini” satellites, into orbit.
• The company said the V2 Mini satellites add about four times as much network capacity per satellite compared with prior iterations.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX has launched the first batch of its next-generation Starlink internet satellites as the company upgrades and further builds out its orbiting network.
A Falcon 9 rocket carried 21 of the satellites, known as “V2 Mini” satellites, into orbit on Monday. The satellites represent the first iteration of Starlink’s “Gen2” plans, which the Federal Communications Commission authorized in December.
Musk shared a video of the V2 Mini satellites releasing from the rocket into orbit. While launches of the company’s first-generation models carried about 50 to 60 satellites at a time, the new spacecraft are larger and heavier than before, meaning each Falcon 9 launch carries fewer satellites. The company plans to eventually use its Starship rocket, which is in development, for future second-generation Starlink missions.
More: https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/28/spacex-launches-v2-mini-starlink-satellites.html (https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/28/spacex-launches-v2-mini-starlink-satellites.html)
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Blue Origin continues investigation into New Shepard anomaly
Space News by Jeff Foust February 28, 2023
Nearly six months after an in-flight anomaly on a New Shepard suborbital mission, Blue Origin says it is still investigating the mishap and has no firm schedule for resuming launches.
Speaking at the Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference here Feb. 28, Gary Lai, chief architect for New Shepard at Blue Origin, said the company was continuing to investigate the Sept. 12 uncrewed mission, designated NS-23. On that flight, the crew capsule, which had experiments but no people on board, fired its launch escape motor about a minute after liftoff from the company’s West Texas test site.
The company has provided few updates about the status of the investigation since the incident and has not estimated either when the investigation would be complete or when New Shepard flights would resume.
“We are investigating that anomaly now, the cause of it,” he said after a talk about New Shepard at the conference. “We will get to the bottom of it. I can’t talk about specific timelines or plans for when we will resolve that situation other than to say that we fully intend to be back in business as soon as we are ready.”
More: https://spacenews.com/blue-origin-continues-investigation-into-new-shepard-anomaly/ (https://spacenews.com/blue-origin-continues-investigation-into-new-shepard-anomaly/)
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What's SpaceX's final decision regarding future Starship launches?
What about it!? Mar 14, 2023 #SpaceX #starship #elonmusk
SpaceX is facing some difficult decisions regarding their newly planned Starship deluge system. Last work is being done on Super Heavy Booster 7, and Ship 24 is ready for the orbital launch. Meanwhile, Relativity is doing baby steps toward Space, figuring out how to operate a Terran 1 rocket! Let's dive right in!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrxZHpblP_s (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrxZHpblP_s)
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Virgin Orbit Pauses Operations, Seeks Funding
Hackaday by: Tom Nardi 3/17/2023
It looks as though things may have gone from bad to worse at Virgin Orbit, the satellite carrying spin-off of Richard Branson’s space tourism company Virgin Galactic. After a disappointing launch failure earlier in the year, CNBC is now reporting the company will halt operations and furlough most employees for at least a week as it seeks new funding.
It’s no secret that company has struggled to find its footing since it was formed in 2017. On paper, it was an obvious venture — Virgin Galactic already had the White Knight Two carrier aircraft and put plenty of R&D into air-launched rockets, it would simply be a matter of swapping the crewed SpaceShipTwo vehicle for the LauncherOne orbital booster. But upgrades to the rocket eventually made it too large for the existing carrier aircraft, so the company instead purchased a Boeing 747 and modified it to lift their two-stage rocket out of the thick lower atmosphere.
Despite reshuffling plans and other setbacks, Virgin Orbit managed to put four payloads into low-Earth orbit since their first successful launch in 2021. Unfortunately, they’ve been unable to achieve the sort of launch cadence necessary to remain competitive in the market. For comparison Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket, arguably LauncherOne’s closest peer in terms of price and capability, performed 16 successful launches in the same time period.
More: https://hackaday.com/2023/03/17/virgin-orbit-pauses-operations-seeks-funding/ (https://hackaday.com/2023/03/17/virgin-orbit-pauses-operations-seeks-funding/)
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Doubleheader! Watch SpaceX launch 2 rockets less than 5 hours apart today
Space.com by Mike Wall 3/17/2023
The liftoffs are scheduled for 3:26 p.m. ET and 7:38 p.m. ET.
SpaceX plans to launch two Falcon 9 rockets less than five hours apart on Friday (March 17), and you can watch the back-to-back action live.
The show is scheduled to begin at 3:26 p.m. EDT (1926 GMT), when SpaceX will launch 52 of its Starlink internet satellites to orbit from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
Then, at 7:38 p.m. EDT (2338 GMT), a Falcon 9 carrying the SES-18 and SES-19 telecommunications satellites will lift off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
You can watch both missions here at Space.com, courtesy of SpaceX, or directly via the company (https://www.spacex.com/)(opens in new tab).
More: https://www.space.com/spacex-launch-doubleheader-march-2023 (https://www.space.com/spacex-launch-doubleheader-march-2023)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HT2F37M193Y (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HT2F37M193Y)
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13 Years of SpaceX Florida Launches in Under 1 Minute
Hazegrayart
SpaceX has launched multiple Falcon 9 rockets from Florida, starting from its primary launch site at Kennedy Space Center and also from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. These launches have been used for a variety of purposes, including sending satellites into orbit, resupplying the International Space Station, and launching crewed missions to the station. The successful reuse of Falcon 9 first stages has been a major milestone for SpaceX and the commercial space industry, and has helped to reduce the cost of launches. These launches are a testament to the incredible technology and engineering that goes into each mission, and they continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in space.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-na5q69zis (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-na5q69zis)
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13 Years of SpaceX Florida Launches in Under 1 Minute
Hazegrayart
SpaceX has launched multiple Falcon 9 rockets from Florida, starting from its primary launch site at Kennedy Space Center and also from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. These launches have been used for a variety of purposes, including sending satellites into orbit, resupplying the International Space Station, and launching crewed missions to the station. The successful reuse of Falcon 9 first stages has been a major milestone for SpaceX and the commercial space industry, and has helped to reduce the cost of launches. These launches are a testament to the incredible technology and engineering that goes into each mission, and they continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in space.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-na5q69zis (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-na5q69zis)
LOLOL....that's pretty cool!
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Can you imagine what Musk's net worth would be if he ever took Space X public.
I'll throw out a WAG, and say the IPO would land somewhere in the neighbor of $10T Market Cap.
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Blue Origin’s report of NS-23 mishap
satnews 3/27/2023
The following is a summation presented by Blue Origin regarding the New Shepard (NS) Mishap Investigation:
• The direct cause of the NS-23 mishap was a thermo-structural failure of the engine nozzle. The resulting thrust misalignment properly triggered the Crew Capsule escape system, which functioned as designed throughout the flight.
• The Crew Capsule and all payloads onboard landed safely and will be flown again.
• All systems designed to protect public safety functioned as planned. There were no injuries. There was no damage to ground-based systems, and all debris was recovered in the designated hazard area.
• Blue Origin expects to return to flight soon, with a re-flight of the NS-23 payloads.
The NS-23 mishap resulted in the loss of NS Propulsion Module Tail 3. The Crew Capsule escape system worked as designed, bringing the capsule and its payloads to a safe landing at Launch Site One with no damage. As part of the response to the Crew Capsule escape, the Propulsion Module commanded shutdown of the BE-3PM engine and followed an unpowered trajectory to impact within the defined flight safety analysis prediction, resulting in no danger to human life or property. Public safety was unaffected by the mishap, and no changes to crew safety system designs were recommended as a result of the investigation.
In accordance with the New Shepard Mishap Investigation Plan, Blue Origin formed a Mishap Investigation Team (MIT), led by members of Blue Origin’s Safety & Mission Assurance organization. The investigation was conducted with FAA oversight and included representatives of the National Transportation Safety Board and NASA’s Flight Opportunities Program and Commercial Crew Office. The MIT stood up debris search and recovery efforts at Launch Site One immediately following the mishap and recovered all critical flight hardware within days.
Blue Origin also convened a Mishap Review Board (MRB), which included external non-advocate advisors. The MRB reviewed causal determinations made by the MIT and will continue to exercise oversight of the corrective action implementation.
More: https://news.satnews.com/2023/03/27/blue-origins-report-of-ns-23-mishap/ (https://news.satnews.com/2023/03/27/blue-origins-report-of-ns-23-mishap/)
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Final Lift of Booster 7? Live Orbital Launch Preps at SpaceX Starbase.
NASASpaceflight 3/29/2023
It's Happening! SpaceX is lifting Super Heavy Booster 7 onto the orbital launch mount at Starbase in Texas. A road closure is scheduled from 8am CST to 8pm CST.
This may be the final time B7 is lifted by the chopsticks before the Starship Orbital Test...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zt7pQSEfwgg (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zt7pQSEfwgg)
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Elon Musk
@elonmusk
Starship is ready for launch 🚀
Awaiting regulatory approval
1:07 AM · Apr 9, 2023
Tesla Owners Silicon Valley
@teslaownersSV
·
16h
Replying to
@austinbarnard45
and
@elonmusk
https://twitter.com/teslaownersSV/status/1644948038081994752 (https://twitter.com/teslaownersSV/status/1644948038081994752)
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Elon Musk
@elonmusk
Starship is ready for launch 🚀
Awaiting regulatory approval
1:07 AM · Apr 9, 2023
Tesla Owners Silicon Valley
@teslaownersSV
·
16h
Replying to
@austinbarnard45
and
@elonmusk
https://twitter.com/teslaownersSV/status/1644948038081994752 (https://twitter.com/teslaownersSV/status/1644948038081994752)
:beer:
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Ship 25 confirmed as push for Summer replay of Starship test flight
NSF by Chris Bergin May 29, 2023
With the maiden launch of Starship still fresh in the mind, the follow-up flight is set to be just a few months away — this time with the upgraded Booster 9, and the surprising partnership with Ship 25. While the latter doesn’t sport upgrades already employed on sister ships at the production site, the next test will be focused mostly on first stage flight with the booster.
Ship 25 is now at the launch site and awaiting a six-engine static fire test, with Elon Musk noting the pad modifications should be complete in a month, ahead of another month of testing before the next test flight.
The flight of Booster 7 and Ship 24 came after over a month of pad flow, albeit including numerous rollbacks for additional modifications. The next campaign will be completed in relatively short order — even with a few months of pad modifications required after Booster 7 dug a crater and fired up a “rock tornado” during its launch.
The reduction of the pad flow will be a theme for Starship, with the “rapidly” and fully reusable tag holding the ambition of launching on a daily basis from the same pad in future years.
In the interim, SpaceX is aiming to avoid the flying concrete of the maiden launch by installing a water-cooled steel plate and deluge system under the orbital launch mount (OLM). Preparation for its installation has been ongoing over recent weeks at the launch site, ahead of the steel plates being transported in a timeframe of around a month, per Musk.
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1662263704262680577?s=20 (https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1662263704262680577?s=20)
That timeline was provided in a Twitter update that amplified SpaceX’s highlights video of the test flight, with Musk adding that once the modifications to the pad are complete, a month of pad testing would follow.
That testing would include tests with the modifications at the pad, Booster 9‘s integration on the OLM, potentially several cryo proofing and static fire tests, and the full-stack integration of the Ship 25.
More: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2023/05/ship-25-confirmed-replay-starship-flight/ (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2023/05/ship-25-confirmed-replay-starship-flight/)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TWY0e4Rjc4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TWY0e4Rjc4)
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In the interim, SpaceX is aiming to avoid the flying concrete of the maiden launch by installing a water-cooled steel plate and deluge system under the orbital launch mount (OLM). Preparation for its installation has been ongoing over recent weeks at the launch site, ahead of the steel plates being transported in a timeframe of around a month, per Musk
I wondered how they were going by to get around the destruction of the first pad.
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I wondered how they were going by to get around the destruction of the first pad.
Instead of having flying concrete, now they'll have flying steel.
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I wondered how they were going by to get around the destruction of the first pad.
Did they ever confirm that flying debris was the cause of the previous launch?
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Did they ever confirm that flying debris was the cause of the previous launch?
I never saw anything. @Elderberry would be the best one to ask.
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A number of things caused the launch. Planning and fueling and a computer countdown to T-0 and the raptor engines were ignited and the launch took place.
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A number of things caused the launch. Planning and fueling and a computer countdown to T-0 and the raptor engines were ignited and the launch took place.
Yah, but you know what I meant. Just add failure to the end...
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I wondered how they were going by to get around the destruction of the first pad.
@bigheadfred
I'm wondering how they are going to manage delivering THAT much water in such a short time period. Those huge boosters put OUT some serious BTU's.
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@bigheadfred
I'm wondering how they are going to manage delivering THAT much water in such a short time period. Those huge boosters put OUT some serious BTU's.
One really big water balloon. :shrug:
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Yah, but you know what I meant. Just add failure to the end...
I could see that the debris caused the several raptors to fail at launch. And possibly the raptors that failed later on in the flight. I don't see how the debris caused the second stage to fail to separate from the booster and cause the range safety explosives from taking such a long time to destroy the rocket.
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Ep273 How will SpaceX fight Physics for the next Starship flight!
What about it!? Jun 8, 2023
The Starship production line is coming together FAST while SpaceX is fighting Physics on the launch pad. More intriguing-looking parts spotted at Starbase. Psyche launch is back on track!
A lot more to uncover! Stay tuned, and let’s dive right in!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JW6svmP9Kks (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JW6svmP9Kks)
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SpaceX Sends More Crafts To ISS Than NASA Space Shuttles
https://weather.com/science/space/video/spacex-sends-more-crafts-to-iss-than-nasa-space-shuttles (https://weather.com/science/space/video/spacex-sends-more-crafts-to-iss-than-nasa-space-shuttles)
The iconic space shuttle program sent 37 crafts to the International Space Station. Now, with a recent launch, SpaceX has broken that record.
List of human spaceflights to the International Space Station
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_human_spaceflights_to_the_International_Space_Station (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_human_spaceflights_to_the_International_Space_Station)
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SpaceX Sends More Crafts To ISS Than NASA Space Shuttles
https://weather.com/science/space/video/spacex-sends-more-crafts-to-iss-than-nasa-space-shuttles (https://weather.com/science/space/video/spacex-sends-more-crafts-to-iss-than-nasa-space-shuttles)
The iconic space shuttle program sent 37 crafts to the International Space Station. Now, with a recent launch, SpaceX has broken that record.
I'm confused... The link only shows 9 Space X launches to ISS from what I can tell.
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I'm confused... The link only shows 9 Space X launches to ISS from what I can tell.
The link only showed manned flights. It didn't show all the cargo flights.
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The link only showed manned flights. It didn't show all the cargo flights.
Got it.
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Musk outlines major upgrades for Starship rocket
Spaceflight Now June 25, 2023 William Harwood
SpaceX will need another six weeks or so to finish implementing hundreds of changes to its Super Heavy-Starship rocket and the gargantuan booster’s Texas launch pad before it will be ready for a second attempt to reach orbit, company founder Elon Musk said Saturday.
That’s assuming Federal Aviation Administration clearance to fly in the wake of the Super Heavy’s dramatic maiden launch April 20 in which the rocket blew itself up after multiple engine failures and the Starship upper stage’s failure to separate from the first stage booster.
In a Twitter Spaces discussion with author Ashlee Vance, Musk said SpaceX is implementing “well over a thousand” changes,” and “I think the probability of this next flight working, getting to orbit, is much higher than the last one. Maybe it’s like 60 percent. It depends on how well we do at stage separation.”
The reusable Super Heavy first stage is equipped with 33 methane-powered Raptor engines while the Starship second stage features six. The original design called for the Super Heavy’s engines to shut down after boosting the Starship out of the lower atmosphere. The Starship then would separate and ignite its own engines to continue on to orbit.
During the rocket’s maiden flight, a half-dozen engines shut down or never started and the Starship never separated from the Super Heavy first stage.
After reaching an altitude of just 24 miles or so, the entire vehicle began tumbling, falling about six miles before its self-destruct system activated, blowing the rocket apart. The self-destruct system took longer to respond than expected.
For its second flight, Musk said the stage separation system has been modified, a “late breaking change that’s really quite significant.”
The Starship’s engines will begin firing before all of the Super Heavy engines have shut down. This so-called “hot staging” technique has been used for years in Russian rockets. Musk said it would improve the performance of the Super Heavy-Starship by reducing the velocity lost between first stage engine shutdown and ignition of the upper stage engines.
More: https://spaceflightnow.com/2023/06/25/musk-outlines-major-upgrades-for-starship-rocket/ (https://spaceflightnow.com/2023/06/25/musk-outlines-major-upgrades-for-starship-rocket/)
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June 26, 2023 11:28am EDT
Virgin Galactic announces crew members for first commercial flight
Virgin Galactic flights to space for ticket holders will begin in August
By Daniella Genovese FOXBusiness
Virgin Galactic on Monday announced the names of the three crew members who will be on its first commercial spaceflight Galactic 01.
Col. Walter Villadei and Lt. Col. Angelo Landolfi, both from the Italian Air Force, and Pantaleone Carlucci, an engineer from the National Research Council of Italy, will join Virgin Galactic's astronaut Colin Bennett for the historic spaceflight.
Shares of Richard Branson's space tourism company jumped in morning trading on the news.
The crew is slated to board the VSS Unity for a 90-minute flight on June 29 in order to conduct microgravity research. As part of the mission, the crew will conduct 13 "human-tended and autonomous experiments."
https://twitter.com/richardbranson/status/1673297725138300930
more
https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/virgin-galactic-announces-crew-members-first-commercial-flight
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Blue Origin is planning to open new launch sites outside the US
engadget by Sarah Fielding July 3, 2023
The billionaire space race is continuing to expand across the globe. Jeff Bezos-owned Blue Origin has announced plans to expand its operations to "Europe and beyond," the Financial Times reports. Part of this growth hinges on finding a site for an international launch facility — the company has already put down roots in Texas, Washington, Florida and Alabama — but the new location hasn't been chosen yet. It's also actively looking for fresh acquisitions and partnerships outside of the US in areas such as manufacturing and software.
More: https://www.engadget.com/blue-origin-is-planning-to-open-new-launch-sites-outside-the-us-122518232.html?src=rss (https://www.engadget.com/blue-origin-is-planning-to-open-new-launch-sites-outside-the-us-122518232.html?src=rss)
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SpaceX focuses on launch site readiness ahead of Starship Flight 2
NSF by Chris Bergin July 6, 2023
Progress toward the second flight of the world’s most powerful launch vehicle continues to take place at Starbase. With Ship 25 passing its six-engine Static Fire test, the focus has returned to completing upgrades to the Orbital Launch Mount (OLM), with the installation of a steel plate water deluge system now taking place.
That will set the stage for Booster 9 to undergo its pre-launch testing, including Static Fire tests that will also provide validation of the new groundwork under the OLM.
Concrete and Steel
A wave of over 100 trucks of concrete late last month marked the opening salvo in SpaceX’s efforts to fill in the hole that was left after Booster 7’s launch with Ship 24 on the maiden flight of Starship.
This was followed by the rollout of the central steel plate, which was positioned close to the launch site along with a jig that rolled ahead of the plate.
A second wave of concrete trucks then arrived for the final major pour under the OLM, with around 300 trucks being utilized in total during the two waves of deliveries.
It did not take long for that massive amount of concrete to cure, as July 5 saw the jig undertaking a test roll under the OLM on top of the Self-Propelled Modular Transporter (SPMT). That confirmed the surface was ready for the steel plate, whose installation occurred just hours later.
This system – along with a faster ignition-to-launch duration for the 33 engines on the Booster – is required after lessons learned from the maiden launch (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2023/06/s25-b7-olm-prepare-for-flights/).
More: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2023/07/starship-launch-site-readiness/ (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2023/07/starship-launch-site-readiness/)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6hgxuk47-E (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6hgxuk47-E)
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SpaceX Plans Hot Staging on Next Starship Flight
Parabolic Arc By Doug Messier July 6, 2023
SpaceX’s next Starship/Super Heavy launch will feature hot staging in which the upper-stage Starship booster will fire its engines while the engines of the lower stage Super Heavy rocket continue to fire, according to CEO Elon Musk.
Hot staging will provide the launch vehicle with a roughly 10 percent improvement in payload capacity, Musk said during a Twitter Spaces session with biographer Ashlee Vance on June 24.
Most stages wait until they are separated from their lower stages before firing their engines. Hot thrusting eliminates a short coast phase during which the rocket is not thrusting upward and begins to fall back to Earth, Musk said.
Starship will remain attached to its lower stage when it begins firing the Raptor engines. Most of Super Heavy’s Raptor engines will be shut down with several continuing to fire as the hot staging takes place.
More: https://parabolicarc.com/2023/07/06/spacex-plans-hot-staging-starship-flight/ (https://parabolicarc.com/2023/07/06/spacex-plans-hot-staging-starship-flight/)
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The Truth About Blue Origin's New Glenn Rocket!
The Space Race 7/8/2023
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fr6p8eKIzd8 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fr6p8eKIzd8)
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Amazon switches from Vulcan to Atlas V for first Kuiper prototype launch
TESLARATI by Richard Angle 8/10/2023
Originally intended to launch on the inaugural Vulcan Centaur mission, Amazon has moved the two prototype Kuiper satellites off of the delayed rocket to United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V.
As we theorized last month, Amazon has secured the launch of the 2 Kuiper satellites on the Atlas V. The Atlas V will fly in the 501 configuration, which is capable of launching 8,210 kg (18,100 lbs) to low Earth orbit. The prototypes are expected to weigh at least a couple hundred kilograms, but that has not been confirmed by Amazon. It is possible they are more similar to the OneWeb satellite design than the SpaceX Starlink.
Amazon, which recently announced the construction of a Kuiper satellite processing facility at Space Florida’s Launch and Landing Facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, is likely pushing to get these two prototype satellites to orbit in order to verify designs and capabilities so they can get the main part of the constellation underway.
Amazon currently has launch contracts for their constellation, including 38 on Vulcan Centaur, 18 on Ariane 6, 12 on New Glenn, and nine on Atlas V.
More: https://www.teslarati.com/amazon-switches-from-vulcan-to-atlas-v-for-first-kuiper-prototype-launch/ (https://www.teslarati.com/amazon-switches-from-vulcan-to-atlas-v-for-first-kuiper-prototype-launch/)
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Why Amazon Is Spending $100 Million to Launch $1 Million Worth of Satellites
The Motley Fool by Rich Smith – Aug 26, 2023
Key Points
• The world has been waiting four years for Amazon to launch its Project Kuiper satellite internet service.
• • The first launch of two Kuipersats could happen next month.
• Dozens of rockets launching thousands of satellites will follow.
Amazon races SpaceX to dominate the global satellite internet business -- and the race starts in September.
Four years ago, Amazon.com (AMZN 1.08%) revealed some big news: To compete with SpaceX and its globe-spanning Starlink satellite network, Amazon would build a satellite constellation of its own, called Project Kuiper. Comprising 3,236 satellites in low Earth orbit, Kuiper was supposed to begin with the launching of two prototype satellites to test the technology in 2022.
That's where the problems began.
Switching horses midstream
Amazon, you see, made a curious choice in picking a launch provider. Instead of launching on a Blue Origin New Glenn rocket -- built by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' own Blue Origin space corporation -- Amazon would instead launch with an unproven provider, space startup ABL Space Systems, whose rocket had not yet reached orbit.
It still hasn't.
In a move to hurry its project along, Amazon announced last year that it would switch providers for its initial launch of the first two Kuipersats, choosing Boeing (BA 2.81%) and Lockheed Martin's (LMT -0.32%) United Launch Alliance for the mission. Problem was, ULA's new rocket, Vulcan Centaur, also hadn't yet reached orbit and still hasn't.
You can probably guess what happened next.
More: https://www.fool.com/investing/2023/08/26/amazon-spends-100m-to-launch-1m-worth-of-satellite/ (https://www.fool.com/investing/2023/08/26/amazon-spends-100m-to-launch-1m-worth-of-satellite/)
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1 year after launch failure, Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket remains grounded
Space.com By Mike Wall 9/12/2023
It's unclear when New Shepard will fly again.
It has now been a full year since Blue Origin's New Shepard suborbital vehicle last left the ground.
New Shepard last launched on Sept. 12, 2022, on an uncrewed research mission from Blue Origin's site in West Texas. About 65 seconds after liftoff, the vehicle's reusable first-stage booster suffered a problem and crashed hard onto the desert floor. New Shepard's capsule engaged its emergency escape system and landed safely under parachutes, its 36 research payloads intact.
In March, Blue Origin announced the results of its anomaly investigation: The nozzle on the first stage's single BE-3PM engine suffered a "thermo-structural failure," which caused a thrust misalignment and brought the mission to a premature end.
More: https://www.space.com/blue-origin-new-shepard-grounded-one-year (https://www.space.com/blue-origin-new-shepard-grounded-one-year)
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SpaceX rival achieves $5 billion valuation amid industry record milestone
The Street by Ian Krietzberg 9/26/2023
Sierra Space just set an 'industry record' with a recent funding round.
Sierra Space closed a $290 million Series B funding round Sept. 26, bringing the space company's total investment to $1.7 billion, a number Sierra said is the "largest ever capital raise by a commercial space company." After the completion of this latest funding round, the company is now valued at $5.3 billion.
The firm will use the influx of capital to expand its global partnerships and accelerate the construction of its Dream Chaser fleet and commercial space stations.
The funding round was led by several prominent Japanese companies, including the country's largest bank, MUFG.
Sierra Space, best known for its Dream Chaser spaceplane, is looking to help guide society into what it has termed the "orbital age: the next industrial revolution driven by the underlying technologies that are commercializing space. It is an era of historical transformation marked by the transition from 60 years of human space exploration to human space commercialization."
More: https://www.thestreet.com/technology/spacex-rival-achieves-5-billion-valuation-industry-record-milestone (https://www.thestreet.com/technology/spacex-rival-achieves-5-billion-valuation-industry-record-milestone)
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FAA Closes Blue Origin NS-23 Investigation, Company Says Will Fly Again “Soon”
Space Policy Online By Marcia Smith 9/27/2023
The FAA closed its investigation into Blue Origin’s New Shepard-23 launch failure today. The flight carried a variety of scientific payloads but no people when it lifted off just over a year ago. The capsule detached from the rocket as programmed after computers detected a problem and landed safely, but the rocket was destroyed. Blue Origin has not conducted any launches since then.
New Shepard is a suborbital rocket named after Alan Shepard, the first American to reach space on a suborbital Mercury-Redstone rocket on May 5, 1961.
Launched September 12, 2023, New Shepard-23 (NS-23) was the 23rd flight in the series and the first in two years to fly without human customers aboard.
The FAA has closed the Blue Origin New Shepard 23 mishap investigation. The final report cites the proximate cause of the Sept. 12, 2022, mishap as the structural failure of an engine nozzle caused by higher than expected engine operating temperatures. The FAA required Blue Origin implement 21 corrective actions to prevent mishap reoccurrence, including redesign of engine and nozzle components to improve structural performance during operation as well as organizational changes.
During the mishap the onboard launch vehicle systems detected the anomaly, triggered an abort and separation of the capsule from the propulsion module as intended and shut down the engine. The capsule landed safety and the propulsion module was destroyed upon impact with the ground. All debris landed within the designated hazard area. Public safety was maintained at all times with no injuries or public property damage.
The FAA, which is responsible for ensuring public safety during commercial spaceflights, said 21 corrective actions must be implemented before they will approve the next flight.
For its part, Blue Origin continues to say little about what happened or when flights will resume, other than a terse statement today that “We’ve received the FAA’s letter and plan to fly soon.”
More: https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/faa-closes-blue-origin-ns-23-investigation-company-says-will-fly-again-soon/ (https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/faa-closes-blue-origin-ns-23-investigation-company-says-will-fly-again-soon/)
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Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin expects split on space station partnership
The Economic Times 10/3/2023
Blue Origin, the aerospace company founded by billionaire Jeff Bezos, expects to break up a corporate partnership formed years ago to build a commercial space station, reassigning staff and changing leadership as it adapts to more urgent priorities, according to several people familiar with the changes.
Earlier this year, the company reassigned a majority of its employees working on Orbital Reef, a commercial space station it had planned to build with Sierra Space, according to three sources familiar with the moves.
The staff went to other programs such as Blue Origin's new moon lander contract with NASA and a closely held in-space mobility project, the sources said.
A Blue Origin spokesperson said Sierra will remain a partner on Orbital Reef but declined to say in what capacity.
The shakeup of the Orbital Reef team shows the rocky state of industry plans to build a private replacement to the two decade-old International Space Station (ISS), the work of multiple government space agencies that has cost more than $100 billion.
More: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/tech-bytes/jeff-bezos-blue-origin-expects-split-on-space-station-partnership/articleshow/104118883.cms (https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/tech-bytes/jeff-bezos-blue-origin-expects-split-on-space-station-partnership/articleshow/104118883.cms)
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Amazon launches first test satellites for Kuiper internet network
Devdiscourse 10/6/2023
https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/technology/2621224-amazon-launches-first-test-satellites-for-kuiper-internet-network (https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/technology/2621224-amazon-launches-first-test-satellites-for-kuiper-internet-network)
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket emblazoned with the Amazon logo lifted off from Cape Canaveral shortly after 2 p.m. Eastern time (1800 GMT), carrying the two Kuiper test satellites, a long-awaited mission Amazon initially had intended to launch using different rockets. The mission aims to test Amazon's first pieces of technology in space as the e-commerce and web services giant looks to deploy 3,236 more satellites in the next few years and offer broadband internet globally, a feat Elon Musk's SpaceX is targeting with its nearly 5,000 Starlink satellites in orbit.
Amazon's first pair of prototype satellites for its planned Kuiper internet network were launched into space on Friday from Florida, the company's first step before it deploys thousands more into orbit to beam internet service globally and compete with SpaceX's Starlink. A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket emblazoned with the Amazon logo lifted off from Cape Canaveral shortly after 2 p.m. Eastern time (1800 GMT), carrying the two Kuiper test satellites, a long-awaited mission Amazon initially had intended to launch using different rockets.
The mission aims to test Amazon's first pieces of technology in space as the e-commerce and web services giant looks to deploy 3,236 more satellites in the next few years and offer broadband internet globally, a feat Elon Musk's SpaceX is targeting with its nearly 5,000 Starlink satellites in orbit. In the days leading up to the launch, Amazon divulged few specifics about the two satellites, which were built at its satellite plant in Redmond, Washington.
More at link.
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https://manilastandard.net/news/world-news/314377711/amazon-launches-test-satellites-in-challenge-to-musks-starlink.html (https://manilastandard.net/news/world-news/314377711/amazon-launches-test-satellites-in-challenge-to-musks-starlink.html)
The test on Friday attempted to establish contact between the probes and Earth, deploy their solar panels, and confirm that all instruments are operating correctly and at the desired temperatures.
The two prototypes will then be removed from orbit and disintegrated in the Earth’s atmosphere at the end of the test mission.
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Fatally flawed! Jeff Bezos unveils the new Blue Origin lander! Here's why it will wreck Artemis!
The Angry Astronaut 10/29/2023
Jeff Bezos just unveiled the "lo def" mockup of the CARGO version of Blue Moon! The problems with this thing are almost too numerous to cover in one video! Why did NASA select it??
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyvGUyitLJU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyvGUyitLJU)
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Amazon's Project Kuiper satellites nail online orders from orbit
The Register by Richard Speed 11/17/2023
Late-stage capitalism ... in spaaace
Amazon is boasting a 100 percent success rate for its Protoflight mission, having demonstrated that a pair of prototype Project Kuiper satellites are capable of streaming video, conducting two-way video calls, and buying stuff on Amazon.
Following a recent successful test of the satellites' thrusters, Amazon confirmed that everything else works as well as or better than expected. This included the flight computers, solar arrays, and the all-important radio frequency (RF) communications payload. The demo paves the way to kick off mass production of the satellites ahead of full-scale deployment starting in the first half of 2024.
Customers should be able to start beta testing the service later in next year.
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As a demonstration that the Project Kuiper concept works, the testing has indeed been a success. The team plans to continue running experiments over the next few months to see how well the prototype satellites hold up after an extended period in orbit.
If all continues to go well, the next challenge will be to rapidly build out the constellation. Amazon has secured 77 heavy-lift vehicles over three launch providers. However, one – Blue Origin – has yet to manage more than sub-orbital lobs, while the other two – ULA and Arianespace – are facing delays with their new rockets.
More: https://www.theregister.com/2023/11/17/amazon_project_kuiper_success/ (https://www.theregister.com/2023/11/17/amazon_project_kuiper_success/)
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NASA will launch a Mars mission on Blue Origin’s first New Glenn rocket
ars Technica by Stephen Clark - 11/22/2023
This Mars mission is relatively modest in cost, so NASA thinks it's worth the risk.
The first flight of Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket seems to have a payload. Instead of launching a sports car, as SpaceX did with its first Falcon Heavy rocket, Jeff Bezos's space company will likely launch a pair of Mars probes for NASA.
NASA is aware of the risk of launching a real science mission on the first flight of a new rocket. But this mission, known by the acronym ESCAPADE, is relatively low cost. The Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers mission has a budget of approximately $79 million, significantly less than any mission NASA has sent to Mars in recent history.
This mission will use two spacecraft to measure plasma and magnetic fields around the red planet. With simultaneous observations from two locations around Mars, scientists hope to learn more about the processes that strip away atoms from the magnetosphere and upper atmosphere, which drive Martian climate change.
ESCAPADE is part of a new class of small planetary science missions in which scientists can propose concepts for modest probes to explore the solar system. The relatively low cost of these missions allows NASA to accept some additional risk. The agency wouldn't be comfortable putting a billion-dollar Mars mission on any unproven rocket.
Bradley Smith, director of launch services at NASA, said Monday that the ESCAPADE mission will "very likely be the very first launch of New Glenn." He told a NASA advisory committee that this would be an "incredible ambitious launch for New Glenn."
More: https://arstechnica.com/space/2023/11/nasa-will-launch-a-mars-mission-on-blue-origins-first-new-glenn-rocket/ (https://arstechnica.com/space/2023/11/nasa-will-launch-a-mars-mission-on-blue-origins-first-new-glenn-rocket/)
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Did Starlink Rival Amazon Project Kuiper Work?
jcristina 11/30/2023
Jeff Bezos's Amazon Project Kuiper took a small win with their two satellite internet constellation late last week. Now Jeff has 1,616 more satellites to put into LEO (Low Earth Orbit) before July 2026 and another 1,616 (3,234 total) by July 2029 to not lose his FCC license.
Can't he do it?
Will Project Kuiper be able to compete with SpaceX Starlink?
Will Jeff need to ask Elon Musk's SpaceX for help?
https://www.bitchute.com/video/Htb3bE25mgM/ (https://www.bitchute.com/video/Htb3bE25mgM/)
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Former Blue Origin rocket engine manager alleges wrongful termination for whistleblowing on safety
TechCrunch by Aria Alamalhodaei 11/30/2023
The former program manager of Blue Origin’s BE-4 rocket engines has filed a lawsuit against the company alleging whistleblower retaliation after he spoke up about safety issues.
The complaint was filed on Monday in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. It includes a detailed narrative about program manager Craig Stoker’s efforts over seven months to escalate his concerns about safety and a hostile work environment at Blue Origin.
Allegedly, Stoker told two VPs in May 2022 that then-CEO Bob Smith’s behavior caused employees “to frequently violate safety procedures and processes in order to meet unreasonable deadlines.” Smith would “explode” when issues would arise, generating a hostile work environment, the complaint says. Stoker sent a follow-up email to the two VPs — Linda Cova, VP of the engines business unit, and Mary Plunkett, senior VP of human resources — that included a formal complaint against Smith.
“Myself, my leadership team and others throughout the company should not have to constantly apologize and make excuses to ourselves and our teams for the CEO’s bad behavior,” the email states. “We spend significant time smoothing things over, building back morale, repairing damage, stopping people from overreacting. . . . The hostile work environment . . . is creating a safety and quality hazard for our people, products and customers.”
More: https://techcrunch.com/2023/11/30/former-blue-origin-rocket-engine-manager-alleges-wrongful-termination-for-whistleblowing-on-safety/ (https://techcrunch.com/2023/11/30/former-blue-origin-rocket-engine-manager-alleges-wrongful-termination-for-whistleblowing-on-safety/)
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Amazon buys SpaceX rocket launches for Kuiper satellite internet project
Key Points
• Amazon bought three rocket launches from SpaceX for its Project Kuiper internet satellites, the tech giant announced on Friday.
• The move is a surprise from Amazon, given the company’s Kuiper system aims to compete with Elon Musk’s Starlink in the satellite broadband market.
• SpaceX, the most active rocket operator in the world, has been adamant that it will launch Starlink competitors on its rockets.
Amazon bought three rocket launches from SpaceX for its Project Kuiper internet satellites, the tech giant announced on Friday.
The move is a surprise from Amazon, given the company’s Kuiper system aims to compete with Elon Musk’s Starlink in the satellite broadband market. Both Starlink and Kuiper represent multibillion-dollar efforts to create networks with thousands of satellites in orbit to serve customers ranging from consumers to governments.
Amazon previously made a blockbuster order for launches from three of SpaceX’s top rocket rivals, including Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin — a decision which came under scrutiny in a shareholder lawsuit against Amazon earlier this year that alleged Bezos’ rivalry with fellow billionaire Musk led to snubbing SpaceX.
More: https://www.cnbc.com/2023/12/01/amazon-buys-spacex-rocket-launches-for-kuiper-satellite-internet-project.html (https://www.cnbc.com/2023/12/01/amazon-buys-spacex-rocket-launches-for-kuiper-satellite-internet-project.html)
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Everyday Astronaut reposted
Michael Sheetz
@thesheetztweetz
This is not a drill: Amazon bought SpaceX launches.
Amazon's satellite internet network Project Kuiper aims to compete with Elon Musk's Starlink – and will fly on the latter's rockets to do so.
Michael Sheetz
@thesheetztweetz
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SpaceX's SVP of Commercial Business earlier this year:
Quote
Michael Sheetz
@thesheetztweetz
·
Sep 12Replying to @thesheetztweetz
SpaceX's Ochinero:
“We’ve proven that, yeah, we will” fly even competitors of Starlink.
“We’re a launch company first, we’re here to provide launches.”
Talk of Titusville 🌴🚀
@TalkOTitusville
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Shareholders filed a lawsuit against Amazon. I’m sure this is in response to that lawsuit.
Space By Storm
@SpaceByStorm
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Ummm. Like Pepsi bottling in the Coke Factory. Well ok let’s be honest. Like Bob’s Soda bottling at the Coke plant. Still. Wow! They really want those satellites up there in time. And know @blueorigin / @ulalaunch won’t get them up there soon enough.
TeslaFUDKer 🍁⚡️ 𝕏𝕏𝕏
@technoking_420
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Elon is kind enough to let them fly with SpaceX, same pricing and same support as everyone else.
troy simpson 📈
@troysimpson
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Countdown to the next step - they use Starlink instead of Kuiper
https://twitter.com/troysimpson/status/1730697144883876130 (https://twitter.com/troysimpson/status/1730697144883876130)
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Amazon buys SpaceX rocket launches for Kuiper satellite internet project
Key Points
• Amazon bought three rocket launches from SpaceX for its Project Kuiper internet satellites, the tech giant announced on Friday.
• The move is a surprise from Amazon, given the company’s Kuiper system aims to compete with Elon Musk’s Starlink in the satellite broadband market.
• SpaceX, the most active rocket operator in the world, has been adamant that it will launch Starlink competitors on its rockets.
Amazon bought three rocket launches from SpaceX for its Project Kuiper internet satellites, the tech giant announced on Friday.
The move is a surprise from Amazon, given the company’s Kuiper system aims to compete with Elon Musk’s Starlink in the satellite broadband market. Both Starlink and Kuiper represent multibillion-dollar efforts to create networks with thousands of satellites in orbit to serve customers ranging from consumers to governments.
Amazon previously made a blockbuster order for launches from three of SpaceX’s top rocket rivals, including Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin — a decision which came under scrutiny in a shareholder lawsuit against Amazon earlier this year that alleged Bezos’ rivalry with fellow billionaire Musk led to snubbing SpaceX.
More: https://www.cnbc.com/2023/12/01/amazon-buys-spacex-rocket-launches-for-kuiper-satellite-internet-project.html (https://www.cnbc.com/2023/12/01/amazon-buys-spacex-rocket-launches-for-kuiper-satellite-internet-project.html)
Seems to me I said this would happen, and that's three launches ...so far.
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Amazon adds Falcon 9 to multi-billion-dollar Project Kuiper launch campaign
Space News by Jason Rainbow December 1, 2023
TAMPA, Fla. — Amazon has signed a contract with SpaceX to launch an unspecified number of satellites for its Project Kuiper broadband constellation on three Falcon 9 rockets from mid-2025.
The deal adds extra capacity to a multi-billion-dollar launch arrangement already in place for deploying most of the constellation’s more than 3,200 satellites with United Launch Alliance (ULA), Arianespace, and Blue Origin.
It comes months after a pension fund filed a suit against Amazon’s board of directors, claiming they “acted in bad faith” in approving the bulk of Kuiper launches to unproven rockets being developed by these three companies without considering SpaceX.
Amazon has ordered eight Atlas 5 and 38 Vulcan rockets from ULA, 17 Ariane 6 launches from Arianespace, and up to 27 New Glenn missions from Blue Origin. Of these, only the Atlas 5 is currently operational.
More: https://spacenews.com/amazon-adds-falcon-9-to-multi-billion-dollar-project-kuiper-launch-campaign/ (https://spacenews.com/amazon-adds-falcon-9-to-multi-billion-dollar-project-kuiper-launch-campaign/)
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Alpha Tech
Amazon calls on SpaceX for HELP! All blame Jeff & Blue Origin...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pv4mVCtf_Lk (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pv4mVCtf_Lk)
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Hey Jeffy Poo.....
(https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/de553f86-1a8c-45de-9bc1-2a644822c094_1.26d3df10b88be1e2446bc554e72a8f75.jpeg)
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Is NASA WRONG Why NASA still need Blue Origin's Moon lander
TECH MAP Dec 6, 2023 HOA KỲ
Is NASA WRONG Why NASA still need Blue Origin's Moon lander
On November 18th, SpaceX's Starship completed its awe-inspiring test, considered a major leap forward in its attempt to reach orbit.
Following this success, the company will enter the preparation phase for Nasa's Artemis 3 mission scheduled in December 2025 including testing in-orbit refueling and operating the Starship lunar lander.
According to Nasa, SpaceX must complete at least 15 spacecraft launches. Thus, the space agency is also concerned that the amount of work needed to perfect the launch system and the high frequency of launches required for the program could delay the mission.
Perhaps, this prompted the space agency to find one more supplier, Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin, to develop a backup lunar lander.
But is Nasa's action necessary?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URrQt36vdu0 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URrQt36vdu0)
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Blue Origin to launch space flights for first time since rocket explosion
The National News by Sarwat Nasir 12/13/2023
The first flight is expected to take off on December 18
Blue Origin, the company owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos, is set to carry out its first space flight since a rocket exploded during an uncrewed mission in 2022.
A launch window is available next week, starting on December 18, the company said.
Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket will blast off from a West Texas desert, carrying research work into suborbital space.
"We’re targeting a launch window that opens on December 18 for our next New Shepard payload mission," the company posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Tuesday.
"NS-24 will carry 33 science and research payloads as well as 38,000 @clubforfuture postcards to space."
Rocket failure
The explosion of the NS-23 mission last September was blamed on an engine nozzle failure that caused the rocket to overheat.
The mission was aborted mid-flight, only one minute into launch.
But the crew capsule escape system worked as it should, bringing the payloads back to ground with a parachute-assisted landing.
More: https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/us-news/2023/12/13/blue-origin-to-launch-space-flights-for-first-time-since-rocket-explosion/ (https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/us-news/2023/12/13/blue-origin-to-launch-space-flights-for-first-time-since-rocket-explosion/)
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Encouraging Disenchantment: Why is Blue Origin so Slow?
https://www.illdefined.space/encouraging-disenchantment-why-is-blue-origin-so-slow/ (https://www.illdefined.space/encouraging-disenchantment-why-is-blue-origin-so-slow/)
Someone asked me last week why Blue Origin is moving so slowly in its development of New Glenn. My latest Astralytical article, “Blue Moon’s 2025 Moon Landing: Nope” had instigated the question. I noted in that article that a reason why Blue Origin won’t be able to land its lander on the moon in 2025 is because its motto, “Gradatim Ferociter,” or, step by step, ferociously, shapes its culture. That cultural element was part of my answer to the question.
I provided a few other reasons for Blue Origin’s plodding, such as Bob Smith, the person Jeff Bezos chose to run his company for a while, and the company’s challenges with the engine that will power New Glenn’s first stage, the BE-4. None of these are reasons to believe that the company can’t deliver on New Glenn's promise. It’s just that Blue Origin hasn’t delivered yet and probably won’t deliver as advertised.
The Hope for Something Better
It’s incredibly disappointing that Blue Origin has yet to launch New Glenn. The company has been working on the launch vehicle for about eight years, pushing its projected launch date back a few times. The most recent launch date Blue Origin has offered is sometime in 2024. Until its launch, New Glenn remains in the company of other ghost rockets, despite Blue Origin’s demonstration of its ability to roll out and prop up a painted tube (with no engines).
Still…the promotions highlighting New Glenn’s capabilities are compelling.
Blue Origin markets New Glenn as a capable rocket that can lift 45 metric tons to low Earth orbit (LEO) and 13 to geosynchronous transfer orbit. The rocket’s LEO upmass is almost double ULA’s Delta IV Heavy’s (28.4 metric tons) but less than the Falcon Heavy’s upmass of nearly 64. Still, New Glenn’s fairing can hold more unwieldy payloads than any current operational rockets. The company notes that New Glenn’s first stage will be reusable, making Blue Origin one of the few potential SpaceX competitors that will (eventually) field a reusable rocket.
This was the other exciting aspect of New Glenn–it should allow Blue Origin to compete against SpaceX and its Falcon 9. No other company–ULA, Arianespace, Samara, etc.- has been as focused on fielding a rocket that would give the Falcon 9 a run for its money. On the other hand, New Glenn might–if Blue Origin can successfully launch the thing. That brings us back to the question (and my guesses) as to why Blue Origin seems to be dithering with its New Glenn development efforts.
I mentioned culture as part of the answer previously; however, it’s not just that Blue Origin’s motto shapes its culture to be slow. It’s also an advertisement for government business.
Mistaking Slow For Meticulousness
Over four years ago, I wrote “Blue Origin: Old Space in New Space Clothing.” In it, I observed that Blue Origin’s business focus is defined by its motto:
…Blue Origin hews to a different ethos, captured in its motto “Gradatim Ferociter” (step by step ferociously). First, let’s just acknowledge that this is the type of mission statement risk-averse organizations and managers love. That motto is pure, sweet Kool-Aid designed for direct-injection into the U.S. government’s mission assurance jugular. It assures the risk-averse of something they are already used to--trading time for mission accomplishment (hoping that the time will be spent to increase the mission’s chances).
The company’s seeming deliberateness is also an advertisement that government customers, such as NASA and the Department of Defense, seek out. Most of the time, these customers aren’t looking for a fast way to launch their spacecraft, merely one that won’t blow up. They have expensive satellites that took years to build, so it’s a good look (and a posterior covering) for them to choose a company that appears to equal their pacing–even if it has never launched a rocket.
More at link.
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Amazon: First operational launch of Kuiper satellites delayed
Behind the Black by Robert Zimmerman 4/12/2024
Though Amazon’s CEO Andy Jassy, in his annual letter to shareholders yesterday, touted the Kuiper internet constellation’s profit potential, he also implied that the planned first launch of operational satellites has been delayed.
Today, Jassy put a slightly different spin on that schedule. “We’re on track to launch our first production satellites in 2024,” he wrote in his letter. “We’ve still got a long way to go, but are encouraged by our progress.”
Later in a television interview Jassy was more blunt, stating that the first operational satellites will not be ready until “the second half of ’24”, with the service becoming available “in the next year or so.”
More: https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/amazon-first-operational-launch-of-kuiper-satellites-delayed/ (https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/amazon-first-operational-launch-of-kuiper-satellites-delayed/)