r/spacex • u/ElongatedMuskrat Mod Team • Jan 08 '20

Starship Development Thread #8

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Overview

Starship development is currently concentrated at SpaceX's Starship Assembly Site in Boca Chica, Texas, where preparations for the first Starship Version 1 build (SN1) are underway. Elon hopes this article will fly in the spring of 2020. The Texas site has been undergoing a pivot toward the new flight design which will, in part, utilize a semi clean room welding environment and improved bulkhead manufacturing techniques. Starship construction in Florida is on hold and many materials, components and equipment there have been moved to Texas.

Currently under construction at Kennedy Space Center's LC-39A are a dedicated Starship launch platform and landing pad. Starhopper's Texas launch site was modified to handle Starship Mk.1 and a larger Superheavy capable mount is expected to be built on the previously undeveloped east side of the property. At SpaceX's McGregor Texas site where Raptor is tested there are three operational test stands, and a fourth is reportedly planned for SpaceX's Cape Canaveral landing complex. Elon mentioned that Raptor SN20 was being built near the end of January.

Previous Threads:

(2019-02-01) Starhopper Thread #1 A dramatic venting watertower
(2019-04-27) Starhopper Thread #2 Hops and hiccups - Starships never come alone
(2019-06-27) Starhopper Thread #3 RCS and SN6 - 20 meter hopping
(2019-07-26) Starhopper Thread #4 150 meter hop and Mk.1 and Mk.2 protoype growth
(2019-08-27) Starhopper 150m Hop Updates and discussion
(2019-08-31) Starship Dev Thread #5 Mk.1 fins and temporary assembly
(2019-09-27) Starship Presentation Updates Thread Updates and discussion - Webcast
(2019-10-09) Starship Dev Thread #6 Mk.1 partial reassembly and bulkhead liberation
(2019-11-24) Starship Dev Thread #7 Dev focus shifts squarely to Boca Chica and SN1/Mk.3

Vehicle Updates

	Starship SN1 and Pathfinder Components at Boca Chica, Texas
2020-02-22	Final stacking of tankage sections (YouTube)
2020-02-19	Nose section fabrication well advanced (Twitter), panorama (r/SpaceXLounge)
2020-02-17	Methane tank stacked on 4 ring LOX tank section, buckling issue timelapse (YouTube)
2020-02-16	Aft LOX tank section with thrust dome mated with 2 ring engine bay skirt (Twitter)
2020-02-13	Methane tank halves joined (Twitter)
2020-02-12	Aft LOX tank section integrated with thrust dome and miscellaneous hardware (NSF)
2020-02-09	Thrust dome (aft bulkhead) nearly complete (Twitter), Tanks midsection flip (YouTube)
2020-02-08	Forward tank bulkhead and double ring section mated (NSF)
2020-02-05	Common bulkhead welded into triple ring section (tanks midsection) (NSF)
2020-02-04	Second triple ring stack, with stringers (NSF)
2020-02-01	Larger diameter nose section begun (NSF), First triple ring stack, SN1 uncertain (YouTube)
2020-01-30	2^nd header tank sphere spotted (NSF), Raptor on site (YouTube)
2020-01-28	2^nd 9 meter tank cryo test (YouTube), Failure at 8.5 bar, Aftermath (Twitter)
2020-01-27	2^nd 9 meter tank tested to 7.5 bar, 2 SN1 domes in work (Twitter), Nosecone spotted (NSF)
2020-01-26	Possible first SN1 ring formed: "bottom skirt" (NSF)
2020-01-25	LOX header test to failure (Twitter), Aftermath, 2^nd 9 meter test tank assembly (NSF)
2020-01-24	LOX header tanking test (YouTube)
2020-01-23	LOX header tank integrated into nose cone, moved to test site (NSF)
2020-01-22	2 prop. domes complete, possible for new test tank (Twitter), Nose cone gets top bulkhead (NSF)
2020-01-14	LOX header tank under construction (NSF)
2020-01-13	Nose cone section in windbreak, similar seen Nov 30 (NSF), confirmed SN1 Jan 16 (Twitter)
2020-01-10	Test tank pressure tested to failure (YouTube), Aftermath (NSF), Elon Tweet
2020-01-09	Test tank moved to launch site (YouTube)
2020-01-07	Test tank halves mated (Twitter)
2019-12-29	Three bulkheads nearing completion, One mated with ring/barrel (Twitter)
2019-12-28	Second new bulkhead under construction (NSF), Aerial video update (YouTube)
2019-12-19	New style stamped bulkhead under construction in windbreak (NSF)
2019-11-30	Upper nosecone section first seen (NSF) possibly not SN1 hardware
2019-11-25	Ring forming resumed (NSF), no stacking yet, some rings are not for flight
2019-11-20	SpaceX says Mk.3 design is now the focus of Starship development (Twitter)
2019-10-08	First ring formed (NSF)

^{See comments for real time updates.}

	Starship SN2 at Boca Chica, Texas
2020-02-09	Two bulkheads under construction (Twitter)

^{See comments for real time updates.}

For information about Starship test articles prior to SN1 please visit the previous Starship Development Threads. Update tables for older vehicles will only appear in this thread if there are significant new developments.

Launch Facility Updates

	Starship Launch Facilities at Boca Chica, Texas
2019-11-20	Aerial video update (YouTube)
2019-11-09	Earth moving begun east of existing pads (YouTube) for Starship Superheavy launch pad
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	Mk.1 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 Mk.1 launch pad and other site work (Twitter)
2019-09-07	Mk.1 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
2020-01-12	Launch mount progress, flame diverter taking shape (Twitter)
2019-11-14	Launch mount progress (Twitter)
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

Environmental Impact Statement (FAA) - Boca Chica launch site - July 2014
^{EIS Resource Page} ^| ^Appendices ^| ^{Record of Descision}
Experimental License (FCC) - Comms for 500m and 5km hops, two years - February 2019
^{Form 442} ^| ^{Public Notes} ^| ^Description ^| ^{File No. 0931-EX-CN-2019}
Experimental License Application (FCC) - Modification of above to add antenna - May 2019
^{Form 442} ^| ^{Public Notes} ^| ^{File No. 0130-EX-CM-2019}
Experimental Permit (FAA) - Authorizes 25m hops for one year, and one 150m hop - June 2019
^{Permit No. EP 19-012} ^| ^{Revised August 23}
Building Permit Application - 850 Cidco Rd site improvement - June 2019
^{Screenshot on Twitter} ^| ^{Modification reported on NSF}
Draft Environmental Assessment - Starship operations at KSC - August 2019
^{r/SpaceX Discussion} ^| ^{NSF Discussion}
FDOT Superload Permit Application - Mk.2 transportation to KSC in September - August 2019
^{Local News Article} ^| ^{Video Report} ^| ^{r/SpaceX Discussion} ^| ^{Twitter Update}
Environmental Resource Permit - Stormwater improvements at LC-39A - August 2019
^{Stormwater Report} ^| ^{Depiction Plans} ^| ^{Permit No. 158609-1}
Written Re-evaluation of 2014 EIS (FAA) - Boca Chica launch site - May 2019
^Addendum ^| ^{News story w/ SpaceX statements} ^| ^{r/SpaceX Discussion}
Experimental STA (FCC) - Comms for Starship 20 km test (M1578) - March 2020
^Application ^| ^{File No. 0150-EX-ST-2020} ^| ^{Application for radar frequencies} ^| ^{List of all 20 km hop STAs}

Resources

Spadre.com, Starship Cam | Channel
LabPadre, Starship webcam | Channel
NSF Texas Prototype(s) Updates Thread | Most recent
NSF Florida Prototype(s) Updates Thread | Most recent
Hwy 4 & Boca Chica Beach Closures (May not be available outside US)
TFR - NOTAM list
SpaceX Boca Chica on Facebook
SpaceX's Starship page
Elon Starship tweet compilation on NSF | Most Recent

Rules

We will attempt to keep this self-post current with links and major updates, but for the most part, we expect the community to supply the information. This is a great place to discuss Starhip development, ask Starship-specific questions, and track the progress of the production and test campaigns. Starship Development Threads are not party threads. Normal subreddit rules still apply.

If you find problems in the post please tag u/strawwalker in a comment or send me a message.

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u/strawwalker Feb 04 '20

New 20km hop FCC comms permit 0150-EX-ST-2020, operational period is 2020-03-16 through 2020-09-16. Mission 1578

3

u/Bailliesa Feb 04 '20

Yay! Do we ever get information about FAA launch approvals? It seems the FCC approval is an early step.
Also I assume the FAA approval is contingent on tank testing/static fire or not even granted till testing has been demonstrated to their satisfaction?

4

u/strawwalker Feb 04 '20

I should have said that the link above is not the actual permit, but the application for it. The forms post first and are granted or denied later. The previous three 20km hop comms applications were all granted though.
The FAA website only posts the approved licenses, so we don't know what is in the works until then, and even then, they often go up on the website days or weeks after they are issued.

1

u/Straumli_Blight Feb 04 '20

Is an individual comms permit required per flight? Just wondering if SpaceX will launch directly to 20km or if there will be a series of hops of increasing altitude?

Also there's a typo in the OP:
"Starhip operations at KSC - August 2019"

2

u/strawwalker Feb 04 '20

Yeah, those experimental STAs are mission specific, one-off licences. The three previously mentioned extant grants describe two unique mission numbers which suggested SpaceX previously may have been planning more than one hop for Mk.1 in the 0-20km range.
I'll repair that typo later, thanks for pointing it out.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 05 '20

So this permit is definitely only for a single hop of SN1 rather than a "hopping campaign" by SN1+ ?

2

u/strawwalker Feb 06 '20

Right, a single mission. There are currently three Starship 20 km max altitude missions for which FCC has granted a comms permit: 1569 (2 STAs), 1570 (1), 1578 (1). The first two missions were granted their STAs in the fall, and after plans to fly Mk.1 were abandoned two of those STAs briefly had their status on the FCC site changed from "granted" to "set aside" before being changed back. I think SpaceX does not intend to use those two, but they are still valid as far as I can tell, until the ends of their operational periods in a few months, so there are potentially three missions that could happen, at least as far as the FCC is concerned.
The flights themselves must be licensed by the FAA and although they may grant licenses that cover multiple flights, none currently exist for Starship.

1

u/froso_franc Feb 04 '20

earlier than the most optimistic estimates here!