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SpaceX Starship & Super Heavy booster [Raptor Vacuum breathes fire]

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  • #91
    1)

    Elon Musk ✔ @elonmusk
    Replying to @TJ_Cooney

    Wow, 2011 seems like eons ago! With fairing recovery, Falcon is ~80% reusable, but reflight takes several days & requires boats. Starship will be fully reusable with booster reflight possible every few hours & ship reflight every 8 hours. No boats needed.
    |
    That said, most Starship spaceports will probably need to be ~20 miles / 30km offshore for acceptable noise levels, especially for frequent daily flights, as would occur for point to point flights on Earth



    2) cargo module fin installation (time lapse)

    Dr. Mordrid
    ----------------------------
    An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

    I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

    Comment


    • #92
      I'd pay good money to see this...

      Malcolm Head @malcolmmarsman
      Starship's success revolves around the skydiver-and-flip manuver, which appears to be extremely complex. What gives you confidence that it will work?


      |
      Elon Musk @elonmusk
      No problem. We could program Starship to perform Swan Lake in the sky. Minimizing landing burn propellant mass is what's hard.


      |
      Charles A. Lurio @TheLurioReport
      Replying to @elonmusk @Malcolmmarsman and @flcnhvy
      Starship pull-up maneuver was conceived in '90s for never-built, incremental successors to DC-X. Old tech. Now, Swan Lake could probably use today's computing power.



      DC-X Flight #8: "Swan Dive" maneuver

      Dr. Mordrid
      ----------------------------
      An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

      I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

      Comment


      • #93
        Starship Mk1

        Preps underway for the start of ground support equipment (GSE), pressure and fuelling tests, and a static fire, leading up Mk1 lifting off for its 20km test of the skydiver landing - hopefully in December.

        The fun begins tomorrow, so fire up LabPadre's 24/7 live stream.

        Dr. Mordrid
        ----------------------------
        An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

        I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

        Comment


        • #94
          That thing looks like they literally rolled it to the launchpad. I assume they expect those dents to pop out when they pressurize the tanks?

          Comment


          • #95
            Some will, but Mk1 doesn't need to be a high-qual finish structure. All it needs to do is go up 20km and prove the skydiver landing.

            In skydiver Starship scrubs almost all horizontal speed during entry, then belly-flops vertically using the drag fins to maintain attitude. Then it rotates for a vertical landing.



            Mk2's ring segments are also made of ~6 mm plates, but with a better finish. It'll fly from the pad they're co-siting at KSC LC-39A. It'll go to the launch site soon.

            Mk2
            EHldLliX4AETkK6.jpg

            Mk3 (Boca Chica) and Mk4 (KSC) will use single-piece one-weld 2mm steel rings with a higher quality build. They are the next builds, followed by Super Heavy 1 and 2.

            Mk4 or Mk5 will go to orbit.

            Mk4 single-piece ring segments, some pre-stacked in pairs.
            Mk4 rings-640.jpeg
            Last edited by Dr Mordrid; 17 November 2019, 21:22.
            Dr. Mordrid
            ----------------------------
            An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

            I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

            Comment


            • #96
              Cargo Starship, new image from the NASA lunar landers announcement - cropped & zoomed

              Cargo Starship zoom 2048.jpg
              Dr. Mordrid
              ----------------------------
              An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

              I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

              Comment


              • #97
                Oopsie!!

                Mk1 popped its top during pressurization tests. Looked like a weld unzipped. Musk says they're moving on to Mk3.

                When he says "quite different" one example seen on Mk2 is the upper dome was built an entirely different way.

                Mk1 Starship Nov 20 pressure failure2.jpg

                Everyday Astronaut @Erdayastronaut
                Starship MK-1 appears to have blown its top off during a pressure test today. My guess... this will be a good time for @spacex to move onto their next, more refined and higher quality versions (MK-2/3) instead of reparing MK-1. @elonmusk, any chance you’ll just move onto MK-3?
                |
                Elon Musk ✔ @elonmusk
                Absolutely, but to move to Mk3 design. This had some value as a manufacturing pathfinder, but flight design is quite different.
                4:54 PM - Nov 20, 2019

                Last edited by Dr Mordrid; 20 November 2019, 17:58.
                Dr. Mordrid
                ----------------------------
                An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

                I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

                Comment


                • #98
                  Turns out they were moving on to the Mk3 builds for flight anyhow. Those use the single-piece ring segments and a different dome design.

                  SpaceX statement

                  The purpose of today's test was to pressurize systems to the max, so the outcome was not completely unexpected. There were no injuries, nor is this a serious setback. As Elon tweeted, Mk1 served as a valuable manufacturing pathfinder but flight design is quite different. The decision had already been made to not fly this test article and the team is focused on the Mk3 builds, which are designed for orbit.
                  Video of it letting go at the tweet

                  Last edited by Dr Mordrid; 20 November 2019, 17:58.
                  Dr. Mordrid
                  ----------------------------
                  An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

                  I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

                  Comment


                  • #99
                    Apparently Boca's Mk3 is being built using an IMCAR Spa vertical tank rolling/welding machine. They have started.

                    IMCAR videos




                    Mk3 ring
                    Mk3 ring 2b.jpg
                    Dr. Mordrid
                    ----------------------------
                    An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

                    I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

                    Comment


                    • New SpaceX Operations Area, south of the Vehicle Assembly Building at KSC. This will be the new Florida main build site, starting with Starship Mk4.

                      Starship Mk3 is already being built at Boca Chica, TX.

                      @baserunner0723
                      New permit from SpaceX showing plans to clear more land at the Roberts Road site for further development. Not too much here to go on but SpaceX has proposed buying 0.54 forested wetland credits from NeoVerde Mitigation Bank to offset direct and secondary impacts to the wetlands

                      EKfeP16WwAADxN3.jpg

                      Dr. Mordrid
                      ----------------------------
                      An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

                      I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

                      Comment


                      • Moving built parts & jigs to Texas in order to speed up Mk3 could make sense...

                        @gregscott_photo
                        SPACEX STARSHIP: 2 Starship bases & a Bulkhead that had been removed from the Cocoa site have just been loaded onto Go Discovery in the Port. My guess is that they are on their way to Boca Chica, but thats just my guess. Care to
                        enlighten us @ElonMusk? #SpaceX #Space #Science

                        IMG_20191130_184243.jpg

                        Dr. Mordrid
                        ----------------------------
                        An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

                        I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

                        Comment


                        • Confirmed: the Cocoa site build equipment is moving to the SpaceX Operations Area at KSC.

                          The KSC LC-39A Starship pad build is progressing nicely,

                          Julia @julia_bergeron
                          In all of the excitement about the goings on in port I forgot to post these from #39A this morning. Starship pad construction progresses despite the lack of launch vehicle. I bet photogs could get a sweet shot from this camera mound. #Starship

                          IMG_20191201_204446.jpg

                          IMG_20191201_204507.jpg

                          Last edited by Dr Mordrid; 1 December 2019, 19:12.
                          Dr. Mordrid
                          ----------------------------
                          An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

                          I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

                          Comment


                          • 39-A's coming along nicely,

                            Jared Frankle @realChefJared
                            A look at #starship launch pad process at 39A.#SpaceX

                            IMG_20191202_171121.jpg

                            Dr. Mordrid
                            ----------------------------
                            An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

                            I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

                            Comment


                            • The SpaceX Operations Area at KSC and LC-39A Starship mods need finishing.

                              Michael Sheetz ✔ @thesheetztweetz
                              SpaceX says it paused, but has not fully stopped, Starships development in Florida while the company focuses on building Starship Mk3 in Texas.

                              https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/...50783688761347
                              Dr. Mordrid
                              ----------------------------
                              An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

                              I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

                              Comment


                              • KSC LC-39A Starship pad: whoa...what happened to Phase 2? Straight to Phase 3??

                                The Starship/Super Heavy mount doesn't use a flame trench - it's an elevated platform, or "milk stool," with a cooled flame diverter and a huge water deluge. Somewhat like Saturn 1B used.

                                @abernnyc
                                It's absolutely incredible to see the progress @SpaceX has made on the #Starship launch mount currently being constructed at LC-39A

                                https://twitter.com/abernnyc/status/1202406654844841984
                                |
                                @13ericralph31
                                Off the top of my head, this looks at least as tall as the mount/stand shown in SpaceX's updated 2019 renders. So it's probably safe to say that 39A is going directly to a Super Heavy-capable pad, which would make a lot of sense after the pause on FL Starship production.

                                https://twitter.com/13ericralph31/st...45014808137730
                                |
                                @13ericralph31
                                Based on these renders, the mount shown is 80-100 ft (25-30 m) tall. Based on Adam's photo, assuming the dude getting off the lift is an average ~6 feet, the steel skeleton is already ~70 ft (21 m) tall and clearly has some mounting points for another big addition on top of that.

                                https://twitter.com/13ericralph31/st...49363861041152
                                |
                                @rdstrick777
                                Its at least 85 feet tall and the Starship Superheavy launchpad is around 100 feet, I think you got it.

                                https://twitter.com/rdstrick777/stat...48765405167616
                                |
                                @13ericralph31
                                Yeah, I estimated 70 feet tall not including the mounting point protuberances, which are clearly designed to support something VERY heavy above them.

                                https://twitter.com/13ericralph31/st...49780451901440

                                LC-39A Starship/Super Heavy pad construction
                                IMG_20191205_040710.jpg

                                Super Heavy pad concept
                                Starship-Super-Heavy-2019-SpaceX-launch-mount-1-crop (1).jpg
                                Dr. Mordrid
                                ----------------------------
                                An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

                                I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

                                Comment

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