SpaceX flight testing in South Texas

[ORAC]

https://x.com/tobyliiiiiiiiii/status...66039587803324

More details regarding the Starship HLS mockup revealed.

- Consisting of two floors, there are 5 space station-style crew quarters plus a storage area, with up to 20 crew quarters per Starship rings.
- Four flight seats with command screens like Crew Dragon.
- Hallway in the center with ladder, and a ~40 foot ceiling for maximum lunar gravity fun.

Lower floor consists of a functional life support system.

For the real Starship HLS, there will be at least two floors, with one being the airlock where the astronauts will ride an elevator to the lunar surface.

It’s exciting to think that we are going from a tiny lunar lander to an apartment sized spaceship landing on the Moon.

https://x.com/RGVaerialphotos/status...23196964900880

Summary of interview by Spaceflight Now: @SpaceflightNow has released an interview with the deputy manager for NASA's Human Landing System program which included some new information about Starship:

- Ship to Ship prop transfer campaign planned to start in March 2025
- Ship to Ship prop transfer test planned to be completed over the summer
- NASA is looking for a bi-weekly cadence with only the Boca pads at first and then later getting 39a online
- NASA helped SpaceX test their MMOD (Micro Meteoroids & Orbital Debris) tiles which will be used in space
- NASA helped SpaceX improve cryogenic valves and other internal cryogenic cooling components - SpaceX uses testing capabilities at Glenn and Marshall and expanded that relationship
- Design update in November, critical design review next year
- Astronauts have a meeting with SpaceX once a month to improve the HLS design
- There are HLS crew cabin, sleeping quarters, and laboratory mock ups at Boca Chica