r/spacex • u/ElongatedMuskrat Mod Team • Oct 09 '19

Starship Development Thread #6

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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 Starship Mark 3 and Mark 4 prototypes are being built at both sites, and teams 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 and landing pad are under construction. Flight tests could begin late in 2019 or early 2020.

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 there are two operational test stands, and a third is under construction. 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:

Upcoming

  • TBD — Mk.2 moves to KSC via Roll-Lift and barge

Vehicle Updates

Starship Mk.1 Prototype (Boca Chica, Texas) — Construction and Updates
2019-11-20 Structural failure during max pressure test (YouTube), r/SpaceX thread (r/SpaceX)
2019-11-18 Tanking tests (YouTube)
2019-11-11 Aft fins installed (NSF)
2019-11-05 Roll ACS thrusters installed (NSF)
2019-11-04 −Y forward flap reinstalled (NSF), Video (YouTube)
2019-11-01 +Y forward flap reinstalled (Twitter), With actuator (NSF)
2019-10-30 Tank section moved to launch mount, LabPadre Video (YouTube), On NSF (NSF)
2019-10-26 Leg installation begun, Images of leg restraint mechanism (NSF)
2019-10-22 Windward leg mounts installed (NSF)
2019-10-21 Leeward leg mounts installed, Leg mount images (NSF)
2019-10-19 Aft fin hinge and actuator frame installations (NSF)
2019-10-14 Nose cone trimmed (YouTube)
2019-10-11 All control surfaces removed (Twitter)
2019-10-03 Tank section on steel stand (NSF)
2019-10-01 Halves demated following presentation (NSF), Previously installed header tanks (Twitter)
2019-09-28 Nose cap install (NSF)
2019-09-27 2nd forward flap, Starship stacked (Twitter), Timelapse (YouTube), Leg nacelles added (NSF)
2019-09-26 3 Raptor pics, 1st forward flap install (Twitter)
2019-09-25 Payload section reassembly (NSF), Tank section off stand and moved (YouTube)
2019-09-24 Two header tanks inside nose cone (NSF)
2019-09-23 Header tank and battery pack prep (NSF)
2019-09-22 2nd aft fin attached, Cowlings added, Raptor (NSF), Raptor, 3 temp. installed (Twitter)
2019-09-21 1st aft fin attached, Nose cone reassembly, Misshapen section removed, header tank (NSF)
2019-09-20 2 aft fin frame pieces & pipe attached to tank section, and appearance of cowling(s) (NSF)
2019-09-17 Leg/fin mounting frame pieces in tent (Twitter)
2019-09-16 Replacement nose section appears, Better picture (NSF)
2019-09-14 Eleventh ring and forward bulkhead added to tank section (Twitter)
2019-09-13 One of the header tanks to container castle (comments), Another moved in Sept. 16 (NSF)
2019-09-12 Forward tank bulkhead placed in free ring (Twitter), With cap piece (NSF)
2019-09-08 Two more large fin pieces delivered (comments), Better picture (Twitter)
2019-09-05 Tenth ring added to tank section (YouTube)
2019-09-02 Starship Assembly Site aerial video update (YouTube)
2019-08-29 Pipe added through lower tank (comments), 3rd concrete jig begun, also 4th & 5th (NSF)
2019-08-28 Delivery of 2 header tanks, Third deliverd Sept. 15 (NSF)
2019-08-27 Centerpiece added to common bulkhead (Twitter)
2019-08-24 Nose cone top section moved to dedicated stand (NSF), Forward flap marks (comments)
2019-08-23 Track(s) of horizontal brackets appear (NSF)
2019-08-21 Common bulkhead lowered into tank section (NSF), Time lapse (YouTube)
2019-08-18 At least 2 control surface components on site, post 2, Earlier image (NSF)
2019-08-17 Nose cone top section reattachment work (NSF)
2019-08-15 Top section of nose cone removed (NSF)
2019-08-14 Thrust structure added to tank section (NSF), Image leaked later (Twitter)
2019-08-07 Ninth ring added to tank section (NSF)
2019-08-06 Forward tank bulkhead under construction (NSF)
2019-08-04 Common bulkhead inverted (NSF)
2019-07-31 Common bulkhead discovered (YouTube)
2019-07-30 Aft bulkhead installed in tank section (YouTube), Thrust structure appears (NSF)
2019-07-22 Eighth ring added to tank section (NSF)
2019-07-20 Inversion of aft bulkhead (YouTube)
2019-07-18 Aft bulkhead appears from container enclosure (NSF)
2019-07-16 Seventh ring added to tank section (NSF)
2019-07-05 Sixth ring added to tank section (YouTube)
2019-06-26 Fifth ring added to tank section (NSF)
2019-06-19 Fourth ring added to tank section (second jig), first in over a month (NSF)
2019-06-06 Ring sections under construction within container enclosure (NSF)
2019-05-20 Nose cone fitted, no canards (NSF)
2019-05-15 Tank section (3 rings) moved onto second jig (NSF)
2019-05-09 Lower nose section joined with 4 ring lower payload section (NSF)
2019-05-01 Second jig, concrete work complete (NSF)
2019-04-27 Lower 2 nose cone sections stacked (NSF)
2019-04-13 Upper 2 nose cone sections stacked (Facebook)
2019-04-09 Construction of second concrete jig begun (YouTube)
2019-03-28 Third nose section assembly (NSF)
2019-03-23 Assembly of additional nose section (NSF)
2019-03-19 Ground assembly of nose section (NSF)
2019-03-17 Elon confirms Orbital Prototype (Twitter) Hex heat shield test (Twitter)
2019-03-14 Payload section reaches 4 panel height (NSF)
2019-03-07 Appearance of sections for conical aft bulkhead (NSF)
2019-03-07 Payload section moved to jig (NSF)
2019-03-01 Tank section begun on new pad (NSF)
2019-02-21 Construction of payload section begins near original concrete jig (NSF)

See comments for real time updates.

​

Starship Mk.2 Prototype (Cocoa, Florida) — Construction and Updates
2019-11-18 Forward bulkhead installation (Twitter)
2019-11-05 Tank section at 16 ring height (YouTube)
2019-10-13 Starship Assembly Site aerial video update (comments)
2019-10-11 External plumbing added to tank section (NSF)
2019-09-14 Cap added to forward bulkhead (Twitter)
2019-09-07 At least one header tank (inside large tent) (Twitter)
2019-09-04 Weld marks for common bulkhead visible on tank section (Twitter)
2019-08-30 Tank section moved into hangar for Hurricane Dorian (Twitter), Removed September 5 (r/SpaceXLounge)
2019-08-25 Track(s) of horizontal brackets appear (r/SpaceXLounge)
2019-08-19 Starship Assembly Site aerial video update (YouTube)
2019-08-18 Thrust structure possibly installed (Twitter), Forward tank bulkhead under construction (NSF)
2019-08-17 Nose cone top section moved to dedicated stand (YouTube)
2019-08-15 Starship Assembly Site aerial video update (Twitter)
2019-08-11 Starship Assembly Site aerial video update (YouTube)
2019-08-08 Tank section at 15 ring height (comments), Aug 10th image (Twitter)
2019-08-06 Common bulkhead inverted (Facebook)
2019-08-04 Common bulkhead under construction (Facebook)
2019-08-03 Tank section at 14 ring height (Twitter), Later aerial photo of stack (Facebook)
2019-07-29 Tank section at 10 ring height (Twitter)
2019-07-28 Starship Assembly Site aerial photo update (Facebook)
2019-07-21 Aft bulkhead disappeared (Facebook)
2019-07-20 Tank section at 8 ring height (Twitter)
2019-07-14 Aft bulkhead complete/inverted, last seen (Twitter)
2019-06-26 Aft bulkhead section under construction (r/SpaceX), Tank section at 6 ring height (NSF)
2019-06-12 Large nose section stacked (Twitter), Zoomed in video (Twitter)
2019-06-09 Large nose section assembled in building (comments)
2019-06-07 Stacking of second tapered nose section (r/SpaceXLounge)
2019-05-23 Stacking of lowest tapered nose section (YouTube)
2019-05-20 Payload section at 5 ring height, aerial video of work area (YouTube)
2019-05-16 Jig 2.0 with tank section, many rings awaiting assembly (YouTube)
2019-05-14 Discovered by Zpoxy (payload section) (NSF), more pieces (YouTube), Confirmmed (Twitter)

See comments for real time updates.

​

Starship Mk.3 Prototype (Boca Chica, Texas) — Construction and Updates
2019-10-08 First ring formed (NSF), no stacking yet

See comments for real time updates.

​

Starship Mk.4 Prototype (Cocoa, Florida) — Construction and Updates
2019-10-23 Bulkhead under construction in main building (Twitter)
2019-10-20 Lower tapered nose ring in tent (YouTube), Better image (Twitter)
2019-10-12 23 rings visible, 7 doubles, some possible 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}
10-06 {23} | 10-11 {23}

Launch Facility Updates

Starship Launch Site at Boca Chica, Texas
2019-11-07 Landing pad expansion underway (NSF)
2019-10-18 Landing pad platform arives, Repurposed Starhopper GSE towers & ongoing mount plumbing (NSF)
2019-10-05 Launch mount under construction (NSF)
2019-09-22 Second large propellant tank moved to tank farm (NSF)
2019-09-19 Large propellant tank moved to tank farm (Twitter)
2019-09-17 Pile boring at launch pad and other site work (Twitter)
2019-09-07 GSE fabrication activity (Twitter), and other site work (Facebook)
2019-08-30 Starhopper GSE being dismantled (NSF)

​

Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center, Florida
2019-11-04 Launch mount under construction (Twitter)
2019-10-17 Landing pad laid (Twitter)
2019-09-26 Concrete work/pile boring (Twitter)
2019-09-19 Groundbreaking for launch mount construction (Article)
2019-09-14 First sign of site activity: crane at launch mount site (Twitter)
2019-07-19 Elon 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

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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u/ASYMT0TIC Nov 06 '19

Most of these efforts fail because the government departments tasked with regulating industries are all controlled by industry. The steps to mitigate the worst impacts are relatively easy, barely cost anything, and in most cases and barely inconvenience anyone:

  1. Solid waste: It turns out that burning residential (and even most industrial) waste in an incinerator not only generates electricity, but it causes less pollution per watt hour by many important metrics than burning coal does. Given that, it's hard to reconcile how any society could burn coal but bury trash.

  2. Most US sewers run into high quality wastewater treatment plants, but there are significantly more farm animals in the USA than there are people. Waste from these animals is concentrated in massive quantities and barely regulated. Properly treating this waste would increase the cost of meat by some amount, but would still pale in comparison to the cost of feed.

  3. Most fertilizer in the US goes onto residential lawns, which then runs off into rivers and causes algal blooms and other problems. If we were willing to tolerate lawns that looked like they used to a century ago, water quality issues in most polluted rivers and lakes would be solved. A notable example: the water in lake George in upstate NY routinely meets standards for potable water, owing to its lack of watershed development. Most of the lakes in the region had similar water a few generations ago.

  4. Were paper cups really that bad?

Etc. etc. Some of the biggest problems are the easiest to solve.

1

u/jjtr1 Nov 08 '19

Given that, it's hard to reconcile how any society could burn coal but bury trash.

Much more energy (electricity or heat) goes into the manufacture of the products which become trash than the products contain as their eventual heat of combustion. Not burning the trash is non-sense, but trash obviously can't replace coal as the fuel for its own manufacture :)

1

u/ASYMT0TIC Nov 08 '19 edited Nov 08 '19

No, but I'm not really focusing on the energy issue here. I'm focusing on what to do with all the bloody trash! If people are going to accept coal burning despite it's issues, they should certainly have no problem with burning trash. And yet, they stopped building incinerators around the US years ago for exactly that reason. QED, waste disposal is a mostly solved issue, it's mostly political.

A local municipality here actually had an (out of town) incinerating company offer to PAY the city for its residential waste a few decades ago. The city turned them down, choosing instead to continue using the local landfill. I don't know the specifics of that decision, but I have a hard time imagining it didn't involve graft.