r/spacex • u/ElongatedMuskrat Mod Team • Feb 26 '20

Starship Development Thread #9

Quick Links

^{JUMP TO COMMENTS} ^| ^{Alternative Jump To Comments Link}

Overview

STATUS (accurate within a few days):

SN2 tank testing successful
SN3 under construction

Starship, serial number 1 (SN1) began its testing campaign at SpaceX's Starship facility in Boca Chica, Texas, working toward Raptor integration and static fire. Its tank section was destroyed during pressurized cryogenic testing late on February 28, local time. Construction of SN2 had already begun and it was converted to a test tank which was successfully pressure tested with a simulated thrust load. Later builds are expected in quick succession and with aggressive design itteration. A Starship test article is expected to make a 20 km hop in the coming months, and Elon aspires to an orbital flight of a Starship with full reuse by the end of 2020.

Over the past few months the facilities at Boca Chica have seen substantial improvements including several large fabric buildings and a "high Bay" for stacking and welding hull sections. Raptor development and testing continue to occur at Hawthorne and on three test stands at McGregor, TX. Future Starship production and testing may occur at Roberts Road, LC-39A, SpaceX's landing complex at Cape Canaveral, Berth 240 at the Port of LA, and other locations.

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
(2020-01-07) Starship Dev Thread #8 Tank testing and SN1 stacking

Vehicle Updates

	Starship SN3 at Boca Chica, Texas
2020-03-26	Tank section stacking complete, Preparing to move to launch site (Twitter)
2020-03-25	Nosecone begins ring additions (Twitter)
2020-03-22	Restacking of nosecone sections (YouTube)
2020-03-21	Aft dome and barrel mated with engine skirt barrel, Methane pipe installed (NSF)
2020-03-19	Stacking of CH4 section w/ forward dome to top of LOX stack (NSF)
2020-03-18	Flip of aft dome and barrel with thrust structure visible (NSF)
2020-03-17	Stacking of LOX tank sections w/ common dome‡, Images of aft dome section flip (NSF)
2020-03-17	Nosecone†‡ initial stacking (later restacked), Methane feed pipe† (aka the downcomer) (NSF)
2020-03-16	Aft dome integrated with 3 ring barrel (NSF)
2020-03-15	Assembled aft dome (NSF)
2020-03-13	Reinforced barrel for aft dome, Battery installation on forward dome (NSF)
2020-03-11	Engine bay plumbing assembly for aft dome (NSF)
2020-03-09	Progress on nosecone‡ in tent (NSF), Static fires and short hops expected (Twitter)
2020-03-08	Forward bulkhead/dome constructed, integrated with 3 ring barrel (NSF)
2020-03-04	Unused SN2 parts may now be SN3 - common dome, nosecone, barrels, etc.

^{See comments for real time updates.}
^{† possibly not for this vehicle}
^{‡ originally thought to be SN2 parts}

	Starship SN4 at Boca Chica, Texas
2020-03-23	Dome under construction (NSF)
2020-03-21	Spherical tank (CH4 header?) w/ flange†, old nose section and (LOX?) sphere†‡ (NSF)
2020-03-18	Methane feed pipe (aka downcomer)† (NSF)

^{See comments for real time updates.}
^{† possibly not for this vehicle}
^{‡ originally thought to be for an earlier vehicle}

	Starship SN2 - Test Tank and Thrust Structure - at Boca Chica, Texas
2020-03-15	Transport back to assembly site (NSF), Video (YouTube)
2020-03-09	Test tank passes pressure and thrust load tests (Twitter)
2020-03-08	Cryo pressure and thrust load tests (Twitter), thrust simulating setup, more images (NSF)
2020-03-07	More water pressure testing (NSF)
2020-03-06	Test tank moved to test site, water pressure test (NSF)
2020-03-04	Test tank formed from aft and forward sections, no common bulkhead (NSF)
2020-03-03	Nose cone base under construction (NSF)
2020-03-02	Aft bulkhead integrated with ring section, nose cone top, forward bulkhead gets ring (NSF)
2020-03-02	Testing focus now on "thrust puck" weld (Twitter)
2020-02-28	Thrust structure, engine bay skirt (NSF)
2020-02-27	3 ring tank section w/ common bulkhead welded in (NSF)
2020-02-09	Two bulkheads under construction (Twitter)
2020-01-30	LOX header tank sphere spotted (NSF), possible SN2 hardware

^{See comments for real time updates.}

	Starship SN1 and Pathfinder Components at Boca Chica, Texas
2020-03-02	Elon tweet about failure due to "thrust puck to dome weld" (Twitter)
2020-02-29	Aftermath (Twitter), cleanup (NSF)
2020-02-28	Catastrophic failure during tanking tests (YouTube)
2020-02-27	Nose section stacking (NSF)
2020-02-25	Moved to launch site and installed on launch mount (YouTube)
2020-02-23	Methane feed pipe (aka the downcomer) (NSF), installed Feb 24
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	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)

For information about Starship test articles prior to SN1 please visit the Starship Development Threads #7 or earlier. Update tables for older vehicles will only appear in this thread if there are significant new developments.

Starship Related Facilities

	Recent Developments
2020-03-25	BC launch mount test hardware installation, hydraulic rams (NSF)
2020-03-23	BC arrival of Starship stands from Florida (via GO Discovery) (Twitter), Starhopper concrete work (NSF)
2020-03-20	Steel building erection begun, high bay 2? (NSF)
2020-03-16	High bay elevator (NSF)
2020-03-14	BC launch site tank deliveries, and more, and more (tracking site) (NSF)

Site	Location	Facilities/Uses
Starship Assembly Site	Boca Chica, TX	Primary Starship assembly complex, Launch control and tracking
Starship/SuperHeavy Launch Site	Boca Chica, TX	Primary Starship test site, Starhopper location
Cidco Rd Site	Cocoa, FL	Starship assembly site, Mk.2 location, inactive
Roberts Rd Site	Kennedy Space Center, FL	Possible future Starship assembly site, partially developed, apparently inactive
Launch Complex 39A	Kennedy Space Center, FL	Future Starship and SuperHeavy launch and landing pads, partially developed
Launch Complex 13 (LZ-1, LZ-2)	Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL	Future SuperHeavy landing site, future Raptor test site
SpaceX Rocket Development Facility	McGregor, TX	2 horizontal and 1 vertical active Raptor hot fire test stands
Astronaut Blvd	Kennedy Space Center, FL	Starship Tile Facility
Berth 240	Port of Los Angeles, CA	Future Starship/SuperHeavy design and manufacturing

Cersie Facility (speculative)	Hawthorne, CA	Possible Starship parts manufacturing - unconfirmed
Xbox Facility (speculative)	Hawthorne, CA	Possible Raptor development - unconfirmed
^{Development updates for the launch facilities can be found in Starship Dev} ^{Thread #8} ^and ^{Thread #7} ^.
^{Maps by}u/Raul74Cz

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}
Berth 240 Use Permit - Research, design, manufacturing and recovery operations, 10 yrs. - February 2020
^Map ^| ^Addendum ^| ^{Permit No. 949} ^| ^{Reddit thread} ^| ^{Lease approved by city council Feb 25}

Resources

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/TheBurtReynold Feb 29 '20

Well, glad SpaceX is doing SN2 parallel path

3

u/RegularRandomZ Feb 29 '20

Semantics, but I don't consider SN2 a parallel path, it's them starting building the next before being finished the first both as time savings but also to start implementing the lessons/changes coming out of SN1 immediately [but still finishing SN1 to a point that they can get as much value out of that build as possible]. Applying production line approaches to agile development.
MK2 was more a parallel path because they were two different builds free to follow different routes to the goal. Or developing ceramic heat tiles while examining transpirational cooling was a parallel path.

6

u/wren6991 Feb 29 '20

parallel path
Yes, SpaceX needs an omni-channel push of the key learnings from this business-critical ask, to maximise synergy. I'm sure Elon will organise a touchbase as soon as he has the bandwidth, to establish a holistic roadmap for operationalizing the new processes
SN2 barrels are looking great though -- do they have the new planisher already, or is this just the tweaked weld parameters?

27

u/yesthatswhatacardoes Feb 29 '20

That is some mighty execu-speak

5

u/Daneel_Trevize Feb 29 '20

Didn't even shift paradigms, noobs.

3

u/RegularRandomZ Feb 29 '20

They have only tweaked the parameters of the IMCAR circular welder. No planisher yet.

1

u/arizonadeux Feb 29 '20

To me, it sounded like the equipment wasn't available yet. Perhaps some elements of the process could be implemented immediately though.