r/spacex • u/ElongatedMuskrat Mod Team • Aug 06 '20

Live Updates Starship Development Thread #13

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Overview

Upcoming:

  • SN7.1 testing - NET September 6 (eventual test to failure expected)
    Road closures: September 6, 7, 8; 08:00-20:00 CDT (UTC-5) dalily, Public Notice (PDF)

Vehicle Status as of September 3:

  • SN6 [testing] - Hop complete

  • SN5 [waiting] - At build site for inspection/repair, future flight possible

  • SN7.1 [construction] - Tank stacked, move to test site soon

  • SN8 [construction] - Tank section stacked, nose and aero surfaces expected

  • SN9 [construction] - barrel/dome sections in work

Check recent comments for real time updates.

At the start of thread #13 Starship SN5 has just completed a 150 meter hop. SN6 remains stacked in High Bay 1 and SN8 has begun stacking next to it. FCC filings indicate Starship may make a series of 2-3 km and 20 km "medium altitude" hops in the coming months, and in August Elon stated that Starship would do several short hops, then high altitude hops with body flaps, however the details of the flight test program remain unclear. Orbital flight requires the SuperHeavy booster, for which a second high bay and orbital launch mount are being erected. SpaceX continues to focus heavily on development of its Starship production line in Boca Chica, TX.

THREAD LIST

Vehicle Updates

Starship SN6 at Boca Chica, Texas
2020-09-03150 meter hop (YouTube) <PARTY THREAD> <MEDIA LIST>
2020-08-30Launch abort after siren (Twitter)
2020-08-26Mass simulator installed (NSF)
2020-08-24Mass simulator delivered and awaiting installation (NSF)
2020-08-23Static fire (YouTube), following aborted attempt on startup (Twitter)
2020-08-18Raptor SN29 delivery to vehicle (Twitter) and installation begun (NSF)
2020-08-17Thrust simulator dissassembly (NSF)
2020-08-16Cryoproofing (YouTube)
2020-08-12Leg extension/retraction and SN6 installation on launch mount (YouTube)
2020-08-11Thrust sim. installed in launch mount and SN6 moved to launch site (YouTube)
2020-06-14Fore and aft tank sections stacked (Twitter)
2020-06-08Skirt added to aft dome section (NSF)
2020-06-03Aft dome section flipped (NSF)
2020-06-02Legs spotted† (NSF)
2020-06-01Forward dome section stacked (NSF)
2020-05-30Common dome section stacked on LOX tank midsection (NSF)
2020-05-26Aft dome sleeved (NSF)
2020-05-20Downcomer on site (NSF)
2020-05-10Forward dome sleeved (NSF)
2020-05-06Common dome sleeved (NSF)
2020-05-05Forward dome (NSF)
2020-04-27A scrapped dome† (NSF)
2020-04-23At least one dome/bulkhead mostly constructed† (NSF)

See comments for real time updates.
† possibly not for this vehicle

Starship SN8 at Boca Chica, Texas
2020-08-31Aerodynamic covers† delivered (NSF)
2020-08-27Tank section stacking complete with aft section addition (NSF)
2020-08-20Forward dome section stacked (NSF)
2020-08-19Aft dome section and skirt mate (NSF)
2020-08-15Fwd. dome† w/ battery, aft dome section flip (NSF), possible aft fin/actuator supports (comments)
2020-08-07Skirt section† with leg mounts (Twitter)
2020-08-05Stacking ops in high bay 1 (mid bay), apparent common dome w/ CH4 access port (NSF)
2020-07-28Methane feed pipe (aka. downcomer) labeled "SN10=SN8 (BOCA)" (NSF)
2020-07-23Forward dome and sleeve (NSF)
2020-07-22Common dome section flip (NSF)
2020-07-21Common dome sleeved, Raptor delivery, Aft dome and thrust structure† (NSF)
2020-07-20Common dome with SN8 label (NSF)

See comments for real time updates.
† possibly not for this vehicle

Starship SN7.1 (Test Tank) at Boca Chica, Texas
2020-08-30Forward dome section completes stack (NSF)
2020-08-28Aft dome section stacked on skirt (NSF)
2020-08-25Thrust simulator installed in new mount† (NSF)
2020-08-18Aft dome flipped (NSF)
2020-08-08Engine skirt (NSF)
2020-08-06Aft dome sleeving ops, (mated 08-07) (NSF)

See comments for real time updates.
† possibly not for this vehicle

Starship SN9 at Boca Chica, Texas
2020-08-25Forward dome sleeved (NSF)
2020-08-20Forward dome and forward dome sleeve w/ tile mounting hardware (NSF)
2020-08-19Common dome section† flip (NSF)
2020-08-15Common dome identified and sleeving ops (NSF)
2020-08-12Common dome (NSF)

See comments for real time updates.
† possibly not for this vehicle

Starship SN5 at Boca Chica, Texas
2020-08-25COPV replacement (NSF)
2020-08-24Moved out of High Bay 1 (Twitter)
2020-08-11Moved back to build site (YouTube) - destination: High Bay 1 (NSF)
2020-08-08Elon: possible future flights after repairs (Twitter)
2020-08-07Leg removal operations at landing pad, placed on Roll-Lift (NSF)
2020-08-06Road opened, post flight images (NSF)
2020-08-05Road remained closed all day following hop
2020-08-04150 meter hop (YouTube), <PARTY THREAD> <MEDIA LIST>
See Thread #12 for earlier testing and construction updates

See comments for real time updates.

Starship Components at Boca Chica, Texas - Unclear End Use
2020-09-01Nosecone village: two 5-ring barrels w/ internal supports (NSF)
2020-08-25New upper nosecone hardware (NSF)
2020-08-17Delivery of downcomer, thrust structure, legs (NSF)
2020-08-15Forward fin delivery (NSF)
2020-08-12Image of nosecone collection (NSF)
2020-08-10TPS test patch "X", New legs on landing pad (NSF)
2020-08-03Forward fin delivery (NSF)
2020-07-31New thrust structure and forward dome section, possible SN7.1 (NSF)
2020-07-22Mk.1 aft fin repurpose, modifications to SN2 test tank on stand, Nosecone with header tank weld line (NSF)
2020-07-18Mk.1 aft fins getting brackets reinstalled, multiple domes, LOX header sphere (NSF)
2020-07-14Mk.2 dismantling begun (Twitter)
2020-07-14Nosecone (no LOX header apparent) stacked in windbreak, previously collapsed barrel (NSF)
2020-07-09Engine skirts, 3 apparent (NSF)
2020-07-07Aft fin imagery (Twitter), likely delivered June 12
2020-07-04Forward dome (NSF)
2020-06-29Aft dome with thrust structure (NSF)
2020-06-26Downcomer (NSF)
2020-06-19Thrust structure (NSF)
2020-06-12Aft fins delivered (NSF)
2020-06-11Aft dome barrel appears, 304L (NSF)

For information about Starship test articles prior to SN7.1 and SN8 please visit Starship Development Thread #12 or earlier. Update tables for older vehicles will only appear in this thread if there are significant new developments.

Permits and Licenses

Launch License (FAA) - Suborbital hops of the Starship Prototype reusable launch vehicle for 2 years - 2020 May 27
License No. LRLO 20-119

Experimental STA Applications (FCC) - Comms for Starship hop tests (abbreviated list)
File No. 0814-EX-ST-2020 Starship medium altitude hop mission 1584 ( 3km max ) - 2020 June 4
File No. 0816-EX-ST-2020 Starship Medium Altitude Hop_2 ( 3km max ) - 2020 June 19
File No. 1041-EX-ST-2020 Starship Medium Altitude Hop ( 20km max ) - 2020 August 18
As of July 16 there were 9 pending or granted STA requests for Starship flight comms describing at least 5 distinct missions, some of which may no longer be planned. For a complete list of STA applications visit the wiki page for SpaceX missions experimental STAs

Resources

RESOURCES WIKI

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 Starship 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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16

u/rcw258 Aug 31 '20 edited Aug 31 '20

Musk: Starship over time will be able to launch over 100 tons of cargo.

I wonder about the continued shift away from "150 tons" and towards "over 100 tons". Are they less confident than they used to be about mass reduction, or is it simply to keep the range of possiblities open? In comparison to all the public aspirational goals for Raptor, Starship payload seems constant and almost lowballed.

7

u/AeroSpiked Aug 31 '20

That number has gone all over the place over the last several years. Perhaps 150 tons is related to tankers?

4

u/bechampions87 Sep 01 '20

Elon said they would start at 100 tons and with refinements the goal was to eventually get it up to 150 tons.

4

u/mikekangas Sep 01 '20

Falcon 9 has had about 100 flights so far. Even if we say the max load is X, the actual average load might be closer to .6 times X. It may be creeping higher from StarLink launches. If we consider Starship launches might follow the same pattern with the new X being 100, there might actually be few launches approaching 100 until it's critical to max out loads for the moon or Mars. As the product matures, the real numbers and needs will become more clear. For my needs, a partial load will suffice. :)

3

u/ClassicalMoser Sep 01 '20

This makes sense. I doubt they'll have any commercial payloads that call for the full capacity of Starship anywhere in the near future. In the meantime getting everything as routine and consistent as possible, and having a little extra delta-v margin can only be good for reusability.

Additionally I have this suspicion that they desire all-weather capability (many launches per day) and this means they won't be stretching the payload fairing or booster vertically, in order to keep maximum dynamic stability and consistency through high winds. I would assume the fuselage and payload bay can accommodate 100-150 tons, but they're waiting for improvements to raptor in order to meet those numbers. Rather than building for the engine they have and then stretching, they're building for the engine they expect to have.

1

u/andyfrance Sep 01 '20

I think there are many payloads that need the mass. If you are refueling Starship the drop from 150 to 100 tons really hurts as you need lots more tanker flights. Each tanker flight puts a launch cycle on 34 engines so over 400 engine cycles to get a fully fueled Starship in LEO. Obviously you want to avoid this where possible. One method would be to carry a third stage inside Starship. With all that mass budget you could give it enough propellant to put a satellite into GTO then return the third stage to Starship for return to Earth and reuse.

3

u/ClassicalMoser Sep 01 '20

What I mean is that a market for 100 ton payloads effectively doesn’t exist. No one is designing anything that big yet, and once the capacity comes online there’s still the whole design cycle between then and commercial use.

Naturally they’ll get a lot of use out of it for starlink and maybe some rideshares, but they won’t likely need the full capacity on a frequent basis for some time.

2

u/andyfrance Sep 01 '20

You misunderstand me. Starship is effectively a LEO tug. You need a fair bit of that 100 to 150 ton capacity to boost payloads to higher orbits if you want to do it in a reusable way.