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Starship Development Thread #51

SpaceX Starship page

FAQ

  1. When is the next Integrated Flight Test (IFT-2)? Booster 9 + Ship 25 launched Saturday, November 18 after slight delay.
  2. What was the result? Successful lift off with minimal pad damage. Successful booster operation with all engines to successful hot stage separation. Booster destroyed after attempted boost-back. Ship fired all engines to near orbital speed then lost. No re-entry attempt.
  3. Did IFT-2 Fail? No. As part of an iterative test programme, many milestones were achieved. Perfection is neither expected nor desired at this stage.
  4. Next launch? IFT-3 expected to be Booster 10, Ship 28 per a recent NSF Roundup. Probably no earlier than Feb 2024. Prerequisite IFT-2 mishap investigation.

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Quick Links

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

Starship Dev 50 | Starship Dev 49 | Starship Dev 48 | Starship Dev 47

Official Starship Update | r/SpaceX Update Thread

Status

Road Closures

TypeStart (CDT)End (CDT)Status
Primary Date2023-12-08 16:002023-12-08 21:00Possible Closure
Alternative Date2023-12-11 08:002023-12-11 20:00Possible Closure
Alternative Date2023-12-12 08:002023-12-12 20:00Possible Closure

Up to date as of 2023-12-08

Vehicle Status

As of 2023-12-08

Follow Ring Watchers on Twitter and Discord for more.

ShipLocationStatusComment
Pre-S24, 27Scrapped or RetiredS20 in Rocket Garden, remainder scrapped.
S24Bottom of seaDestroyedApril 20th (IFT-1): Destroyed by flight termination system after successful launch.
S25Bottom of seaDestroyedMostly successful launch and stage separation
S26Rocket GardenTestingStatic fire Oct. 20. No fins or heat shield, plus other changes. Completed 3 cryo tests, latest on Oct 10.
S28High BayPending heatshield completionCryo test on July 28. Raptor install began Aug 17. Completed 2 cryo tests.
S29High BayFully stacked, completed 3x cryo tests, awaiting engine install.
S30High BayUnder constructionFully stacked
S31Rocket GardenFully stacked, awaiting flapsStacking in progress.
S32High BayUnder constructionStacking in progress.
S33-34Build SiteBeing scrappedTo be scrapped in preparation for Starship V2

 

BoosterLocationStatusComment
Pre-B7 & B8Scrapped or RetiredB4 in Rocket Garden, remainder scrapped.
B7Bottom of seaDestroyedDestroyed by flight termination system after successful launch.
B9Bottom of seaDestroyedSuccessfully launched, destroyed during Boost back attempt.
B10Rocket gardenEngine install?Completed 4 cryo tests. Moved to Massey's on Sep 11, back to Megabay Sep 20.
B11MegabayFinalizingCompleted 2 Cryo tests.
B12MegabayFinalizingAppears complete, except for raptors, hot stage ring, and cryo testing.
B13MegabayStackingLower half mostly stacked.
B14+Build SiteAssemblyAssorted parts spotted through B15.

Resources

Link to IFT-2 Launch Party Thread

View original on sh.itjust.works
21
Comments46
threelonmusketeers
sh.itjust.works

The launch pad is good shape:

The fate of S25:

FAA/SpaceX mishap investigation has been triggered. Given that the FTS seems to have worked, and there is minimal damage to the ground infrastructure, I'm hoping that this investigation will be shorter.

Scott Manley investigation report is already completed: Starship & Superheavy Become The Biggest Rocket In Space.... Before Exploding

  • He speculates that B9 engine failure during boostback was due to either fuel slosh, fluid hammer, or a combination of both. It's unclear whether the booster FTS was triggered or whether the Booster RUD happened on its own.
  • For S25, he notes that a puff of gas just after T+7 minutes coincides with a drop in the LOx gauge. This indicates an oxygen leak of some sort, which could have any number of causes.
9
threelonmusketeersreply
sh.itjust.works

Yeah! Props to astroferg for being in the right place at the right time and managing to get that shot. Definitely a unique angle!

1
threelonmusketeers
sh.itjust.works

Starbase activities (2023-11-27):

Unsourced rumour that a large spherical tank will be moved from Florida to Starbase.

8
threelonmusketeers
sh.itjust.works

This thread maybe, next thread definitely!

Busy day at Starbase yesterday:

  • Inspections of OLM, B9, and S25 continue
  • Net was removed from beneath OLM
  • Chopsticks raised to lifting position on S25
  • "Dance floor" work platform lowered onto an SPMT and removed from under the OLM
  • SPMT moves the raptor install stand from near hopper to near sub orbital pad A
  • Welding observed on several of the OLM legs

IFT-2 slips to NET November 15th. Road closures for the 13th and 14th have been cancelled, and the Mexican NOTMAR has been updated.

Dear Moon officially slips to NET 2024 :)

7
threelonmusketeers
sh.itjust.works

Starbase activities (2023-11-22):

Elon on next-gen Raptor:

Could make them faster, but engine production is not the limiting factor.

I’m very excited about the next-gen Raptor engine that is robust enough not to require a heat shield. Will also have more thrust, higher Isp and many other improvements.

7
threelonmusketeers
sh.itjust.works

Starbase activities (2023-11-30):

  • No new cryo tank deliveries. The 26-axle SPMT is taking a break.
  • S33 aft section was scrapped a few days ago. With S32 being the last V1 Starship, it is expected that all components of S33+ will be scrapped in preparation for Starship V2.
  • "Gateway to mars" sign was completed. (timelapse video)
  • Installation of top windows for Megabay 2 has begun
  • TPS work on S28 continues
  • OLM work continues
  • Chopstick work continues

McGregor:

Bonus:

  • Tesla finally released the footage of the drone collision with an R-Vac a while back. (timestamp 1:37)
7
Ru_dubreply
sh.itjust.works

Might make sense to post space_rocket_builder's words here as well, given his past record.

5
threelonmusketeers
sh.itjust.works

Starbase activities (2023-11-24):

New CSI Starbase video: Superheavy’s Massive Fire Suppression System Dramatically Increases Performance

Ringwatchers article: What Changed on Starship 25 & Booster 9?

Elon tweets:

7
SpacePace
sh.itjust.works

B9 needing a replacement "grid fin actuator"

Seems launch delayed til Saturday, works out specifically for me!

7
Sigmaticsreply
lemmy.ca

Pretty unlikely that they could fix it in a day if it required destack

3
clothesreply
lemmy.world

I thought so too, but they just finished restacking after replacing several actuators. They're really good at this!

3
Sigmaticsreply
lemmy.ca

Yeah, I saw it. I guess my mistake was thinking they would have to transport it back somewhere to make the replacement

3
threelonmusketeers
sh.itjust.works

The past day’s Starbase activities (2023-11-14):

IFT-2 news:

  • A temporary flight restriction (TFR) was posted for November 17th, "From the surface up to Unlimited".
  • Still no launch license yet, but all signs point to November 17th as the current target date.
6
threelonmusketeers
sh.itjust.works

The past day’s Starbase activities (2023-11-11):

  • LR11000 crane raised back up.
  • S25 was destacked from B9 (again).
  • LR11000 raises lifting jig up to the top of B9 in preparation for hot stage ring removal.
  • Wind and rain continue :)
6
threelonmusketeers
sh.itjust.works

The past day’s Starbase activities (2023-11-13):

  • Poor weather continues :)

Other Starship related stuff:

  • The CEO reported that regulatory approval "should happen in time for a Friday launch". He does not specify which Friday :)
  • IFT-2 is now reflected on the FAA ATC Current Operations Plan Advisory (permalink). This is not the launch license, but it may indicate that one is on the way.
  • November 15th's road closure was revoked, but a road closure was posted for November 17th, with the 18th and 19th listed as alternate dates.
  • Ringwatchers posted an interesting analysis of SpaceX's recent IFT-2 hype video.
6
threelonmusketeers
sh.itjust.works

Starbase activities (2023-11-20):

SpaceX have posted a number of stunning photos and videos from IFT-2:

5
threelonmusketeers
sh.itjust.works

Busy couple of days at Starbase!

2023-11-16 (Incidentally, the 1 year anniversary of Artemis I):

2023-11-17:

IFT-2:

5
threelonmusketeers
sh.itjust.works

Starbase activities (2023-12-06):

Other Starship news:

IFT-3 NET 2024 as per u/space_rocket_builder (a claimed/suspected insider) in The Other Place:

Well… expect a launch sometime early 2024. Findings from the last flight have been positive so far so we are expecting a much shorter turnaround time this time but still have a lot of work to do for the next flight.

5
threelonmusketeers
sh.itjust.works

IFT-2 (launch thread):

  • Launched at 07:02 CT.
  • Hot staging worked well, but B9 FTS was triggered experienced a RUD shortly into the boostback burn.
  • S25 continued on a nominal trajectory up until a few seconds before SECO, at which point signal was lost, likely due to FTS being triggered.

Starbase activities:

  • A couple tanker trucks lined up to refuel the tank farm.
  • Workers returned to the pad by 09:00, currently inspecting the launch site and collecting debris.
  • Chopsticks lowered.

Edit: Unclear if B9 FTS was triggered or not.

4
threelonmusketeers
sh.itjust.works

The past day’s Starbase activities (2023-11-15):

IFT-2 news:

4
threelonmusketeers
sh.itjust.works

The past day's Starbase activities:

SpaceX have announced that IFT-2 is now NET November 17th. Still no FAA launch license yet.

4
Decronym
lemmy.decronym.xyz

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

Fewer LettersMore Letters
CST(Boeing) Crew Space Transportation capsules
~Central Standard Time (UTC-6)
FAAFederal Aviation Administration
FTSFlight Termination System
IspSpecific impulse (as explained by Scott Manley on YouTube)
~Internet Service Provider
N1Raketa Nositel-1, Soviet super-heavy-lift ("Russian Saturn V")
NETNo Earlier Than
NOAANational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, responsible for US generation monitoring of the climate
NSFNasaSpaceFlight forum
~National Science Foundation
OLMOrbital Launch Mount
QDQuick-Disconnect
RUDRapid Unplanned Disassembly
~Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly
~Rapid Unintended Disassembly
SECOSecond-stage Engine Cut-Off
SPMTSelf-Propelled Mobile Transporter
SSTOSingle Stage to Orbit
~Supersynchronous Transfer Orbit
TFRTemporary Flight Restriction
TPSThermal Protection System for a spacecraft (on the Falcon 9 first stage, the engine "Dance floor")
JargonDefinition
RaptorMethane-fueled rocket engine under development by SpaceX
StarlinkSpaceX's world-wide satellite broadband constellation
cryogenicVery low temperature fluid; materials that would be gaseous at room temperature/pressure
~(In re: rocket fuel) Often synonymous with hydrolox
dancefloorAttachment structure for the Falcon 9 first stage engines, below the tanks
hopperTest article for ground and low-altitude work (eg. Grasshopper)
hydroloxPortmanteau: liquid hydrogen fuel, liquid oxygen oxidizer
iron waffleCompact "waffle-iron" aerodynamic control surface, acts as a wing without needing to be as large; also, "grid fin"

[Thread #16 for this sub, first seen 12th Nov 2023, 05:55] [FAQ] [Full list] [Contact] [Source code]

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