SpaceX flight testing in South Texas

[ORAC]

https://arstechnica.com/science/2023...ust-days-away/

SpaceX moves Starship to launch site, and liftoff could be just days away

[HOVIS]

10/11th April seems a bit premature. Somewhere between 18th and 25th is my bet.

[DeltaT]

....check the notams....

[ORAC]

Looks like a full 33 engine wet test on the 10th (Easter Monday)

https://twitter.com/csi_starbase/sta...HhlFHGKbTPQr_A
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[ORAC]

Planned launch window 17th with back-up of 18-21st…

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/...HhlFHGKbTPQr_A

Elon Musk:

Starship is stacked & ready to launch next week, pending regulatory approval.

https://www.fly.faa.gov/adv/adv_spt.jsp



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[ORAC]

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/...HhlFHGKbTPQr_A

Elon Musk:

​​​​​​​Starship is ready for launch 🚀

Awaiting regulatory approval.

[ORAC]

Launch date slipping, estimate now for the 20th, middle of the back-up window.

Elon Musk: “Starship launch trending towards near the end of third week of April”.

[kit344]

FAA licence issued.

Twitter

[kit344]

FAA licence issued.

https://arstechnica.com/science/2023/04/green-light-go-spacex-receives-a-launch-license-from-the-faa-for-starship/

https://www.faa.gov/space/licenses

[IFMU]

Originally Posted by kit344

https://arstechnica.com/science/2023/04/green-light-go-spacex-receives-a-launch-license-from-the-faa-for-starship/

https://www.faa.gov/space/licenses

Beat me to it! Exciting news.

[ORAC]

https://twitter.com/spaceoffshore/st...HhlFHGKbTPQr_A

​​​​​​​No attempt to be made to recover Booster 7. SpaceX will intentionally scuttle the booster by allowing sea water to flood the tanks.

If this does not work SpaceX will try to open vents or use a vessel to roll the booster to sink. A backup plan exists to shoot the booster with a firearm, creating holes to allow seawater to ingress into the tanks.

I'm led to believe the firearm method of scuttling has been used before on Falcon 9's that could not be recovered in the past.

[HOVIS]

Starship and booster stacked. All systems go for a launch attempt Monday morning.
Popcorn at the ready. 😁

[ORAC]

Today’s Starship trajectory. Numbers next to positions are minutes after launch.

No visibility after launch (passes over land are either in daylight or earth shadow), but the reentry fireball will be visible from Hawaii.

150 minute launch window starting at 1200 UTC.

You Tube

[HOVIS]

Spacex have tweeted that launch is now scheduled for 13:20 GMT. Fuel loading has started.

[Less Hair]

T minus 22.
Livestream:

https://www.youtube.com/live/BpqULvjOMz4?feature=share

<<https://www.youtube.com/live/BpqULvjOMz4?feature=share>>

https://www.spacex.com/launches/miss...ip-flight-test

<<https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-test>>

[hobbit1983]

Fingers crossed!

But also reminding myself of SpaceX's pragmatic test philosophy: "If we do launch, I would consider anything that does not result in the destruction of the launch pad itself to be a win." - Musk.

[Less Hair]

48 hours delay.

[HOVIS]

NSF now saying next launch attempt will be on the 20th.

[cavuman1]

Launch now scheduled for 8:28AM - 9:30 AM CST tomorrow (20 April.) Heck of a way to celebrate my birthday as long as SpaceX or I don't scrub!

- Ed

[ORAC]

SpaceX has begun purging Starship and Booster tanks plus interstage and raptor engines with nitrogen prior to propellant loading.

You Tube