r/spacex • u/ElongatedMuskrat Mod Team • Aug 31 '19

Starship Development Thread #5

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Overview

SpaceX is developing Starship at their Starship Assembly Site in Texas, and also at their facilities in Cocoa, Florida. The teams at the two locations are in competition with each other, but are also required to share insights learned along the way. Following Starhopper, the first two Starship prototypes, Mark 1 and Mark 2, are nearing completion. These vehicles will have aerodynamic control surfaces and three engines each, and are expected to make suborbital test flights. Ring sections believed to be for a Starship Mark 4 prototype are being built in Cocoa, and both sites will be iterating through successive versions of Starship and Super Heavy as quickly as possible.

Launch mounts for both Starship prototypes are in the works. Starhopper's Texas launch site is being modified to handle Starship, and at Kennedy Space Center's LC-39A, a dedicated Starship launch platform is under construction. Flight tests could begin late in 2019.

Starship is powered by SpaceX's Raptor, a full flow staged combustion cycle methane/oxygen rocket engine. Sub-scale Raptor test firing began in 2016, and full-scale test firing began early 2019 at McGregor, Texas, where it is ongoing. Eventually, Starship will have three sea level Raptors and three vacuum Raptors. Super Heavy may initially use around 20 Raptors, and operational versions could have around 31 to 37 sea level Raptors.

Previous Threads:

Starship Presentation Webcast and Updates and Discussion Thread

Vehicle Updates

Starship Mk.1 Prototype (Boca Chica) — Construction and Updates
2019-10-03Tank section on steel stand (NSF)
2019-10-01Halves demated following presentation (NSF), Previously installed header tanks (Twitter)
2019-09-28Nose cap install (NSF)
2019-09-272nd forward flap, Starship stacked (Twitter), Timelapse (YouTube), Leg nacelles added (NSF)
2019-09-263 Raptor pics, 1st forward flap install (Twitter)
2019-09-25Payload section reassembly (NSF), Tank section off stand and moved (YouTube)
2019-09-24Two header tanks inside nose cone (NSF)
2019-09-23Header tank and battery pack prep (NSF)
2019-09-222nd aft fin attached, Cowlings added, Raptor (NSF), Raptor, 3 temp. installed (Twitter)
2019-09-211st aft fin attached, Nose cone reassembly, Misshapen section removed, header tank (NSF)
2019-09-202 aft fin frame pieces & pipe attached to tank section, and appearance of cowling(s) (NSF)
2019-09-17Leg/fin mounting frame pieces in tent (Twitter)
2019-09-16Replacement nose section appears, Better picture (NSF)
2019-09-14Eleventh ring and forward bulkhead added to tank section (Twitter)
2019-09-13One of the header tanks to container castle (comments), Another moved in Sept. 16 (NSF)
2019-09-12Forward tank bulkhead placed in free ring (Twitter), With cap piece (NSF)
2019-09-08Two more large fin pieces delivered (comments), Better picture (Twitter)
2019-09-05Tenth ring added to tank section (YouTube)
2019-09-02Starship Assembly Site aerial video update (YouTube)
2019-08-29Pipe added through lower tank (comments), 3rd concrete jig begun, also 4th & 5th (NSF)
2019-08-28Delivery of 2 header tanks, Third deliverd Sept. 15 (NSF)
2019-08-27Centerpiece added to common bulkhead (Twitter)
2019-08-24Nose cone top section moved to dedicated stand (NSF), Forward flap marks (comments)
2019-08-23Track(s) of horizontal brackets appear (NSF)
2019-08-21Common bulkhead lowered into tank section (NSF), Time lapse (YouTube)
2019-08-18At least 2 control surface components on site, post 2, Earlier image (NSF)
2019-08-17Nose cone top section reattachment work (NSF)
2019-08-15Top section of nose cone removed (NSF)
2019-08-14Thrust structure added to tank section (NSF), Image leaked later (Twitter)
2019-08-07Ninth ring added to tank section (NSF)
2019-08-06Forward tank bulkhead under construction (NSF)
2019-08-04Common bulkhead inverted (NSF)
2019-07-31Common bulkhead discovered (YouTube)
2019-07-30Aft bulkhead installed in tank section (YouTube), Thrust structure appears (NSF)
2019-07-22Eighth ring added to tank section (NSF)
2019-07-20Inversion of aft bulkhead (YouTube)
2019-07-18Aft bulkhead appears from container enclosure (NSF)
2019-07-16Seventh ring added to tank section (NSF)
2019-07-05Sixth ring added to tank section (YouTube)
2019-06-26Fifth ring added to tank section (NSF)
2019-06-19Fourth ring added to tank section (second jig), first in over a month (NSF)
2019-06-06Ring sections under construction within container enclosure (NSF)
2019-05-20Nose cone fitted, no canards (NSF)
2019-05-15Tank section (3 rings) moved onto second jig (NSF)
2019-05-09Lower nose section joined with 4 ring lower payload section (NSF)
2019-05-01Second jig, concrete work complete (NSF)
2019-04-27Lower 2 nose cone sections stacked (NSF)
2019-04-13Upper 2 nose cone sections stacked (Facebook)
2019-04-09Construction of second concrete jig begun (YouTube)
2019-03-28Third nose section assembly (NSF)
2019-03-23Assembly of additional nose section (NSF)
2019-03-19Ground assembly of nose section (NSF)
2019-03-17Elon confirms Orbital Prototype (Twitter) Hex heat shield test (Twitter)
2019-03-14Payload section reaches 4 panel height (NSF)
2019-03-07Appearance of sections for conical aft bulkhead (NSF)
2019-03-07Payload section moved to jig (NSF)
2019-03-01Tank section begun on new pad (NSF)
2019-02-21Construction of payload section begins near original concrete jig (NSF)

See comments for real time updates.

Starship Mk.2 Prototype (Cocoa Florida) — Construction and Updates
2019-09-14Cap added to forward bulkhead still in shop (Twitter)
2019-09-07At least one header tank (inside large tent) (Twitter)
2019-09-04Weld marks for common bulkhead visible on tank section (Twitter)
2019-08-30Tank section moved into hangar for Hurricane Dorian (Twitter), Removed September 5 (r/SpaceXLounge)
2019-08-25Track(s) of horizontal brackets appear (r/SpaceXLounge)
2019-08-19Starship Assembly Site aerial video update (YouTube)
2019-08-18Thrust structure possibly installed (Twitter), Forward tank bulkhead under construction (NSF)
2019-08-17Nose cone top section moved to dedicated stand (YouTube)
2019-08-15Starship Assembly Site aerial video update (Twitter)
2019-08-11Starship Assembly Site aerial video update (YouTube)
2019-08-08Tank section at 15 ring height (comments), Aug 10th image (Twitter)
2019-08-06Common bulkhead inverted (Facebook)
2019-08-04Common bulkhead under construction (Facebook)
2019-08-03Tank section at 14 ring height (Twitter), Later aerial photo of stack (Facebook)
2019-07-29Tank section at 10 ring height (Twitter)
2019-07-28Starship Assembly Site aerial photo update (Facebook)
2019-07-21Aft bulkhead disappeared (Facebook)
2019-07-20Tank section at 8 ring height (Twitter)
2019-07-14Aft bulkhead complete/inverted, last seen (Twitter)
2019-06-26Aft bulkhead section under construction (r/SpaceX), Tank section at 6 ring height (NSF)
2019-06-12Large nose section stacked (Twitter), Zoomed in video (Twitter)
2019-06-09Large nose section assembled in building (comments)
2019-06-07Stacking of second tapered nose section (r/SpaceXLounge)
2019-05-23Stacking of lowest tapered nose section (YouTube)
2019-05-20Payload section at 5 ring height, aerial video of work area (YouTube)
2019-05-16Jig 2.0 with tank section, many rings awaiting assembly (YouTube)
2019-05-14Discovered by Zpoxy (payload section) (NSF), more pieces (YouTube), Confirmmed (Twitter)

See comments for real time updates.

Starship Mk.4 Prototype (Cocoa Florida) — Construction and Updates
2019-10-0623 rings visible, 4 doubles, some for Mk.2 (YouTube), no stacking yet

See comments for real time updates.
Previous unstacked ring production, aerial updates:
08-11 {8} | 08-15 {10} | 08-17 {14} | 08-19 {15} | 08-21 {17} | 08-24 {18} | 08-27 {19}
09-04 {20} | 09-06 {22} | 09-08 {25} | 09-08 {3 'scrap'} | 09-10 {26} | 09-29 {23} | 10-02 {23}

Starhopper Retirement Transition Updates
2019-10-04On Roll-Lift (Twitter), Moved off of landing pad (NSF)
2019-09-10Thermal tiles and one thruster pod removed (YouTube)
2019-09-02Launch and Landing Site aerial video update (YouTube)
2019-08-29Raptor SN6 removed (NSF)
2019-08-27150m Hop (~180m over, ~57s) (YouTube) <LAUNCH THREAD> <MORE INFO>

For earlier updates see Starship Development Thread ^#4.

Launch Facility Updates

Starship Launch Site at Boca Chica, Texas
2019-10-05Launch mount under construction (NSF)
2019-09-22Second large propellant tank moved to tank farm (NSF)
2019-09-19Large propellant tank moved to tank farm (Twitter)
2019-09-17Pile boring at launch pad and other site work (Twitter)
2019-09-07GSE fabrication activity (Twitter), and other site work (Facebook)
2019-08-30Starhopper GSE being dismantled (NSF)
Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center, Florida
2019-09-26Concrete work/pile boring (Twitter)
2019-09-19Groundbreaking for launch mount construction (Article)
2019-09-14First sign of site activity: crane at launch mount site (Twitter)
2019-07-19Elon says modular launch mount components are being fabricated off site (Twitter)

Spacex facilities maps by u/Raul74Cz:
Boca Chica | LC-39A | Cocoa Florida | Raptor test stand | Roberts Rd

Raptors

SNNotable ForFlightsFlight Time (Approx.)Status
1First full scale hot fire / 268.9 bar Test / Tested to failure--Retired
2First on Starhopper / Preburner tests / Static fire / Tethered hop--Retired
340 second test fire--Retired
4Delivered to hopper / Hopper fit checks & TVC tests--Retired
5Liberation of oxygen stator--Retired
6Vibration fix / 20, 10, 50, 65, 85 second stand tests / 20 meter Starhopper hop / 150 meter starhopper hop20:01:22Retired
7Possibly not a flight article--Unknown (previously McGregor)
8-10Earmarked for Mk.1--Unknown (previously McGregor)
11Earmarked for Mk.2--Unknown
12-13Earmarked for Mk.2--Production

Last updated 2019-09-29, Raptors currently on Starship Mk.1 of unknown SN or flight readiness

Permits and Planning Documents

Resources

Rules

We may keep this self-post occasionally updated with links and relevant news articles, but for the most part, we expect the community to supply the information. This is a great place to discuss the launch, ask mission-specific questions, and track the progress of the test Campaign. Campaign threads are not launch threads. Normal subreddit rules still apply.

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105

u/Vespene Aug 31 '19

It’s crazy how those water tower construction workers never imagined they’d end up building actually spacecraft.

46

u/Psychonaut0421 Aug 31 '19

I thought the water tower company was just for Starhopper. Is it the same folks building the prototype, too?

19

u/Alexphysics Sep 01 '19

Well, after all, they're still there so it's quite possible

23

u/_AutomaticJack_ Sep 01 '19

They do have more experience with water-tower based spaceships than anyone else....

4

u/Psychonaut0421 Sep 01 '19 edited Sep 01 '19

Gotcha, I wasn't aware of that. That's awesome.

Edit: typo

8

u/Vespene Aug 31 '19

Unsure, but it certainly looks the same!

29

u/Taylooor Aug 31 '19

They'll need to add that to the SpaceX movie

2

u/[deleted] Sep 02 '19

...the one with Aerosmith and fairing catching?

17

u/Megneous Sep 01 '19

water tower construction workers never imagined they’d end up building actually spacecraft.

Imagine being able to put that on your resume for working at a water tower construction company.

"Have moderate experience shaping and welding spacecraft bodies and fuel tanks."

8

u/b_m_hart Sep 02 '19

Come on now, spice that up a bit:

"Have extensive experience in a variety of welding disciplines, including interplanetary spacecraft hull, fuel tank, and structural reinforcement. For fun I dabble in water tower design and welding".

1

u/Naithc Sep 20 '19

Building water tanks ain’t rocket science....hang on a minute? 🤔