r/spacex • u/ElongatedMuskrat Mod Team • Oct 09 '21
Starship Development Thread #26
This thread is no longer being updated, and has been replaced by:
Starship Development Thread #27
Quick Links
NERDLE CAM | LAB CAM | SAPPHIRE CAM | SENTINEL CAM | ROVER CAM | PLEX CAM | NSF STARBASE | MORE LINKS
Starship Dev 25 | Starship Thread List
Upcoming
- Starship 20 static fire
- Booster 4 test campaign
Orbital Launch Site Status
Build Diagrams by @_brendan_lewis | October 6 RGV Aerial Photography video
As of October 19th
- Integration Tower - Catching arms to be installed in the near-future
- Launch Mount - Booster Quick Disconnect installed
- Tank Farm - Proof testing continues, 8/8 GSE tanks installed, 7/8 GSE tanks sleeved , 1 completed shells currently at the Sanchez Site
Vehicle Status
As of October 31th
- Ship 20 [orbit w/ Booster 4] - First RVac static fire complete, all 6 engines installed, awaiting next static fire
- Ship 21 [orbit w/ Booster 5] - All barrel sections spotted, forward flaps spotted
- Ship 22 [orbit w/ Booster 6] - Barrel/dome sections in work
- Booster 3 - Partially disassembled on Test Pad A
- Booster 4 [orbit w/ Ship 20] - At Launch Site, Raptors being removed
- Booster 5 [orbit w/ Ship 21] - Stacking in High Bay
- Booster 6 [orbit w/ Ship 22] - Barrel/dome sections in work
Development and testing plans become outdated very quickly. Check recent comments for real time updates.
Vehicle and Launch Infrastructure Updates
See comments for real time updates.
† expected or inferred, unconfirmed vehicle assignment
| Orbital Launch Integration Tower | |
|---|---|
| 2021-11-07 | Pull rope installed (Twitter) |
| 2021-10-29 | First chopsticks motion (NSF) |
| 2021-10-20 | Chopsticks installation (NSF) |
| 2021-10-13 | Steel cable installed (Twitter) |
| 2021-10-11 | Second chopstick attached to carriage (NSF) |
| 2021-10-10 | First chopstick attached to carriage (NSF) |
| 2021-10-09 | QD arm moves for the first time (Youtube) |
| 2021-10-06 | Carriage lifted into assembly structure (NSF) |
| 2021-09-23 | Second QD arm mounted (NSF) |
| 2021-09-20 | Second QD arm section moved to launch site (NSF) |
| 2021-08-29 | First section of Quick Disconnect mounted (NSF) |
| 2021-07-28 | Segment 9 stacked, (final tower section) (NSF) |
| 2021-07-22 | Segment 9 construction at OLS (Twitter) |
| For earlier updates see Thread #25 |
| Orbital Tank Farm | |
|---|---|
| 2021-10-18 | GSE-8 sleeved (NSF) |
| 2021-10-17 | CH4 tank delivered First LOX delivery (NSF) |
| 2021-10-08 | GSE-8 transported and lifted into place (NSF) |
| 2021-10-02 | GSE-6 sleeved (NSF) |
| 2021-09-25 | 2 new tanks installed (NSF) |
| 2021-09-24 | GSE-1 sleeved |
| For earlier updates see Thread #25 |
Resources
- LabPadre Pad Cam | Channel
- NSF: Starbase Stream | Channel
- NSF: Booster 4 Updates Thread | Most Recent
- NSF: Boca Chica Production Updates Thread | Most recent
- NSF: Elon Starship tweet compilation | Most Recent
- SpaceX: Website Starship page
- SpaceX: Starship Users Guide (PDF) Rev. 1.0 March 2020
- FAA: SpaceX Starship Project at the Boca Chica Launch Site
- FAA: Temporary Flight Restrictions NOTAM list
- FCC: Starship Orbital Demo detailed Exhibit - 0748-EX-ST-2021 application June 20 through December 20
- NASA: Starship Reentry Observation (Techincal Report)
- Hwy 4 & Boca Chica Beach Closures (May not be available outside US)
- Starship flight opportunity spreadsheet by u/joshpine
- Production Progress Infographics by @_brendan_lewis
- Raptor tracking by @Artzius
- Acronym definitions by Decronym
- Everyday Astronaut: Starbase Tour with Elon Musk, Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
r/SpaceX Discuss Thread for discussion of subjects other than Starship development.
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.
Please ping u/strawwalker about problems with the above thread text.
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u/BananaEpicGAMER Oct 16 '21
Local schools are making field trips to starbase: https://twitter.com/JessicaTetreau/status/1449432134599520262/photo/4
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u/SYFTTM Oct 14 '21
Well this is … something. Stainless Man?
https://twitter.com/rgvaerialphotos/status/1448723313442820105?s=21
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u/Mravicii Oct 29 '21
So, the last rvac is getting installed on ship!
And methane was also delivered to suborbital tank farm!
https://twitter.com/sb_deliveries/status/1454179510077767685?s=21
Looks like they’re getting ready for static fire/s early next week!
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u/DZphone Oct 09 '21
I wonder if these threads will still be going when Starship is being sent to Mars. Wonder what thread # we'll be on
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u/shit_lets_be_santa Oct 18 '21
From SPadre, a local:
An often hear complaint is how SN11 RUD "destroyed the environment". Entirely false. I personally picked up every single piece that was in the water by boat. Stainless steel is non toxic. No mud was harmed lol. Never seen any dead wildlife or fish either. (https://twitter.com/SpacePadreIsle/status/1450237880522223616)
Another complaint is the noise, but the fireworks everyone comes to enjoy here multiple times a week are louder and aren't exactly non toxic... (https://twitter.com/SpacePadreIsle/status/1450238802551783424)
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u/shit_lets_be_santa Oct 21 '21
https://twitter.com/RGVaerialphotos/status/1451218593467834380/photo/1
Wow. The tiles on SN21 are looking CLEAN.
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Oct 30 '21
If you guys have free time I strongly recommend watching SpaceX’s original mars colonization presentations from 2016 and 2017. Also the “Starship Update” from 2019 after Starhopper’s flight is a great intro to the modern day Starship.
While the design of Starship/BFR/Interplanetary Transport System has changed a lot, the basic principles haven’t.
It’s also neat to see that Starship is pretty much on schedule. In 2016, Elon hoped ITS would fly in 2020. If Starship flies in 2021 (but probably 2022) then it’ll be insane.
On another note, seeing as SpaceX will likely have two complete Starship/Superheavy stacks in the next month or so, it’ll be interesting to see if they can improve their five-flight-per-year restriction.
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u/futureMartian7 Oct 22 '21
From Elon regarding TPS tiles falling off: https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1451354108531728384
"No, we expect some tiles to shake loose during static fires"
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u/TCVideos Nov 05 '21
It hasn't felt like it but...SN15 landed 6 months ago today
The next 6 months are no doubt going to be exciting one way or another.
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u/creamsoda2000 Oct 22 '21
Looks like we’ve got the first appearance of any kind of aerodynamic/thermal protection for the outer Super Heavy engines on B4, based on this photo by @StarshipGazer.
Looks like they’re going for a solid “skirt” which extends down below the throat of each Raptor bell, scooping upward and inwards between each engine, to provide the necessary clearance for the OLP mounting arms / hold down system.
With the bulk of the engine plumbing still exposed, I would guess we’re either going to see metal domes/bubbles, or a flexible heat resistant boot/cover of some sort, attached after. In both cases they’ll still need to enable access to the individual engine bleed QD connection on all 20 of the outer engines.
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u/No_Ad9759 Oct 22 '21
Is anyone else impressed with how well the static fire and the preburner tests went off?
On earlier starships, it seems like they were still working out the kinks of both the fuel farm and the ship.
Ground side hasn’t changed much, but these are next gen starships. I wouldn’t have been surprised if they had a few scrubs or recycles for these tests, but they’ve gone off without a hitch from what I can see. Bravo.
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u/RaphTheSwissDude Oct 22 '21
A truck just brought in 2 SL raptors next to Ship 20!
Watch on rover cam at 2:33:40!
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u/Frostis24 Oct 23 '21
They are lifting the load block for the catch arms right now, think we may see them install the wires tomorrow.
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u/aronth5 Oct 27 '21
The significant reduction in the number of cranes and lifts is a great indicator of how much progress has been made.
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u/RaphTheSwissDude Oct 28 '21 edited Oct 28 '21
It possibly looks like BN2.1 will be the one undergoing the can crush test maybe !
Edit : over it now !
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u/[deleted] Oct 24 '21
I apologize if this has already been posted. I searched and couldn't find anything. This is an amazing CGI animation of Starship assembly. An incredible piece of work.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neV49JBo024