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We believe these new vents on the side of Booster 9 are designed to purge each of the engine compartments and prevent explosions/fires like the ones that occurred during the first IFT.
@elonmusk mentioned this was a huge problem during the post launch discussion |
Originally Posted by ORAC
(Post 11475963)
The only part that will launch from the moon or Mars is the Starship upper stage, the booster is only used to escape Earth’s gravity.
Main engines will only be used for trans lunar boost and orbit insertion. |
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Static fire!
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Great video footage…
[RAW] SpaceX Starship IFT-1 NASA WB-57 Footage from Cam 0 and Cam 4 Released to @TLPN_Official through a FOIA request. |
Starship IFT-2 will utilize a new method called "Hot Staging" to separate S25 from #B9 in flight.
This process includes igniting several engines on S25 while the 3 remaining engines on B9 are deep throttled. This allows S25 to pull away from B9 without acceleration losses. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....b1d00d7b6.jpeg |
Originally Posted by ORAC
(Post 11485031)
This process includes igniting several engines on S25 while the 3 remaining engines on B9 are deep throttled.
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Deep throttled = throttled back.
In rocket engines it refers to those designed to be able to be throttled back to 20% and even stopped and restarted multiple times. Something done routinely, of course, by Falcon and Starship engines. In this case the other 30 have been shut down and three centre throttle back to 50% to maintain fthe speed achieved until separation and will then be used (in the planned design, for the burn back and landing. |
Wow! 🤯First indications that we truly are in the endgame of preparations for the second Starship flight have just appeared! It seems that currently a very tentative target is around August 31st. 😮
We've just mapped some of the coords. White is for the launch area, green for the potential debris area. More here - https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Featured-Co...-8-Gulf-Coast/ https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....77ab1c8502.png |
Vented interstage and heat shield installed atop Booster 9. Starship and Super Heavy are being upgraded to use a separation method called hot-staging, where Starship’s second stage engines will ignite to push the ship away from the booster
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....bb80972d72.png https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....7fbb91fdf6.png |
Wow, that worker sitting on top in the second picture really helps put the size of that thing into perspective!
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Full pressure test of the deluge system overnight…
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The massively upgraded Booster 9 is making its way to the Launch Complex for the final time before IFT-2
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....7a6afb984.jpeg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....c19a97cd4.jpeg |
Wow! Just WOW!
Hoping for a successful separation and orbital insertion on the coming attempt. - Ed |
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Test at 2:22:30
Booster 9 Spin Prime test! Should that have gone well, next up will be the Static Fire test - potentially the last time the engines fire up before launch! |
STATIC FIRE! Booster 9 fires up 33 engines (pending confirmation). Potentially for the final time before launch day!
Super smooth count and that looked great! Full duration confirmed by SpaceX. 33 lit, but 2 shut down early, that's the best numbers yet. This overhead view of Booster 9’s static fire test! 🔥 |
Here is the YouTube version:
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Booster 7 vs Booster 9
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SpaceX workers moving to deploy the Ship lifting pins on Mechazilla's Chopsticks (also, human for scale)!
This is in preparation for Ship 25's arrival and full-stack operations…. |
Notice they filled in the heat tiles with some type of epoxy/clay instead of replacing these damaged tiles. Indicator Ship 25 probably isn't expected to survive reentry.
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I don't expect it to survive launch. 😁
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With dedicated marine notices published just a few hours ago for Starship Flight Test 2, I've put it all again on a google my maps. Once temporary flight restrictions are released I'll put those here as well.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....8d68fb79c8.png https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....de0c11320.jpeg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....b7ca751cf.jpeg |
Not sure why we have no like button in this sub-forum!
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I concur, IFMU! ORAC has been doing a fine job of keeping us space aficionados up-to-date.
- Ed |
🚨Ship 25 move alert🚨
Two SPMTs with counterweights and transportation couplers were moved to the Rocket Garden ahead of the last rollout of Ship 25!!! https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....fba5b1c47b.png |
Elon Musk…. NOTAM’d window is Friday 8th- Wednesday 13th Sept.
Starship is ready to launch, awaiting FAA license approval. (video of Fully stacked Starship on the launch pad at Starbase) https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....b39dff3d9.jpeg |
I was watching the NSF live feed of this last night. They seemed to think that Starship would need to be destacked to fit the FTS (detonaters) before restacking and load testing. So maybe not quite as ready to go as Musk is saying.
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Lots of people compare #Starship to the Soviet Union's N1 and wonder if @SpaceX has fallen into a similarly flawed design that plagued the N1? Why did they choose so many engines? Will it continue to suffer a similar fate over and over like the N1 or is there something inherently different?
Today we answer those questions and compare the two most powerful rockets ever made, from different sides of the world and from completely different eras to figure out how they’re similar and perhaps more importantly, how they’re different. Music by Everyday Astronaut: "Trans-lunar Coast" and "CRYO" available wherever you stream Article version with links and sources - https://everydayastronaut.com/starship-vs-n1/ https://youtu.be/AgqZMK22LEk?si=dUjstiHWSitNHCVN |
Just in from the FAA, according to @SciGuySpace.
The wording suggests that SpaceX has already received the list of corrective actions. 21 days ago, the FAA said: "When a final mishap report is approved, it will identify the corrective actions SpaceX must make," https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....64869b1cfb.png 🤔It appears the 4ft manifold connecting the 3 larger water tanks for the Booster Bidet system may have been cut away and removed. This is very odd and if true means the system is temporarily out of commission. Next flyover from @RGVaerialphotos will confirm ….. |
FAA closes Starship mishap investigation from Booster 7/Ship 24's test flight. Following was emailed out by the FAA:
"The FAA has closed the SpaceX Starship Super Heavy mishap investigation. "The final report cites multiple root causes of the April 20, 2023, mishap and 63 corrective actions SpaceX must take to prevent mishap reoccurrence. "Corrective actions include redesigns of vehicle hardware to prevent leaks and fires, redesign of the launch pad to increase its robustness, incorporation of additional reviews in the design process, additional analysis and testing of safety critical systems and components including the Autonomous Flight Safety System, and the application of additional change control practices." "The closure of the mishap investigation does not signal an immediate resumption of Starship launches at Boca Chica. SpaceX must implement all corrective actions that impact public safety and apply for and receive a license modification from the FAA that addresses all safety, environmental and other applicable regulatory requirements prior to the next Starship launch." Additional background on the release: The FAA oversaw the SpaceX-led investigation to ensure the company complied with its FAA-approved mishap plan and other regulatory requirements. The FAA was involved in every step of the mishap investigation and granted NASA and the National Transportation Safety Board official observer status. The mishap investigation report contains proprietary data and U.S Export Control information and is not available for public release. |
Elon Musk:
Congrats to SpaceX for completing & documented the 57 items required by the FAA for Flight 2 of Starship! Worth noting that 6 of the 63 items refer to later flights. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....8866112210.png https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....468875be2a.png |
Does this mean a launch is imminent?
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Strictly speaking it just means that there is nothing left as a consequence of IFT 1 which will preclude IFT 2 getting a licence.
Hiwever, with the changes involved, including in the flight plan, the FAA still require them to go through the licence approval process. Just depends how long that takes. Probably NLT the end of the month. |
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Might have to spin KSC off onto its own thread….
SpaceX is proposing a massive expansion! SpaceX’s proposed action is the expansion of its Roberts Road Operations Area, upgrade of utilities, & widening Saturn Causeway. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....ad979323f3.png https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....f947ee0d75.png |
The acting head of the Federal Aviation Administration said on Wednesday the agency could advance a launch license as early as next month for the SpaceX Starship rocket after a prior one exploded following a test launch in April.
"We're working well with them and have been in good discussions. Teams are working together and I think we're optimistic sometime next month," acting FAA Administrator Polly Trottenberg told reporters on the sidelines of a conference. SpaceX would still need a separate environmental approval from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service before a launch. Trottenberg did not say how long that might take. https://www.reuters.com/business/aer...er-2023-09-13/ |
2-3 more weeks before SpaceX will complete FAA compliance.
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Engine has been chilled to temperature expected after a long space exposure en-route to lunar orbit.
Raptor engine demonstration of a descent burn to the lunar surface. |
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