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-   -   SpaceX flight testing in South Texas (https://www.pprune.org/space-flight-operations/637604-spacex-flight-testing-south-texas.html)

kit344 21st Dec 2020 19:44

SpaceX flight testing in South Texas
 
This is intended to be a new thread about the Boca Chica testing and development site in South Texas

I have started this separate SpaceX thread because this activity is a separate program from Falcon 9, and today also marks the 5th anniversary of the first successful Falcon 9 landing.

kit344 21st Dec 2020 19:46


Starship SN9 rollout is expected in the next few days, today's rollout was the giant "Tankzilla" mobile crane.

kit344 22nd Dec 2020 19:27

SN9 rollout live.

kit344 23rd Dec 2020 11:16


SN9 rollout yesterday, Time Lapse recording.

kit344 23rd Dec 2020 11:25

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020...eavy-ramps-up/

Article about the SN9 rollout, and stacking of SN10

Bee Rexit 23rd Dec 2020 11:55

When do they expect to launch SN9?

TURIN 26th Dec 2020 18:34

Probably mid January, depends how much static testing they do. Don't forget SN9 had a mishap so until they cryo proof check it we will know nothing.

gums 26th Dec 2020 22:12

Salute!

You can see live TV of various locations at the Boca site, and there's a "discord.com" site that LabPadre will reference. The discusion forum is more like a chat than Pprune.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ky5l...ature=youtu.be

The You tube ref had good coverage of latest hop and covered movement of next Starship to the launch pad.

Not sure if the link wil get you to the LabPadre discussions but try it:

https://discord.com/channels/5779092...09263012462596

Gums sends...

kit344 4th Jan 2021 12:38

They are finally clearing the landing pad ready for SN9 flight.
Speculation in various spaceflight forums and Facebook groups that the flight could be as early as this week.

ORAC 4th Jan 2021 19:29

https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/...h-launch-tower

SpaceX Plans to ‘Catch’ Super Heavy Rockets With Launch Tower

kit344 6th Jan 2021 02:39

https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_1_1073.html

NOTAM for Friday 8th January

pasta 6th Jan 2021 09:48

Anyone know where they're planning to land their first orbital flight(s)? The re-entry path for a Texas landing would be straight across Mexico, which doesn't seem the greatest idea for the first orbital re-entry of such a large/radical vehicle.

kit344 6th Jan 2021 14:14


Originally Posted by pasta (Post 10961705)
Anyone know where they're planning to land their first orbital flight(s)? The re-entry path for a Texas landing would be straight across Mexico, which doesn't seem the greatest idea for the first orbital re-entry of such a large/radical vehicle.

Not all orbits are W-E. The path varies with the orbital inclination, and would probably be North of NW for an approach to Boca Chica TX.

Lots of discussion about things like this in the forums at nasaspaceflight.com

TURIN 6th Jan 2021 16:12

The idea is to land the booster right on the launch pad, ready for a quick (1 hr according to Musk) turnround.
Similarly, the Starship itself needs to land close to the booster to allow a similar refuel and RTS. .

pasta 6th Jan 2021 16:25


Originally Posted by TURIN (Post 10961920)
The idea is to land the booster right on the launch pad, ready for a quick (1 hr according to Musk) turnround.
Similarly, the Starship itself needs to land close to the booster to allow a similar refuel and RTS. .

That all makes sense (and, if the booster's launching over water its return path will be over water).

What I'm getting at is that there appears to be no orbit for which both launch and re-entry trajectories are over water. Launching over water from Texas and then returning from orbit to the same location seems to commit you to a re-entry path over land; that might not be an issue for a proven vehicle, but seems a bit of a risk for the first few orbital flights of a vehicle very different to any that's flown before. Look at what happened to Columbia; that didn't hurt anyone in the ground, but it could have done.

TURIN 7th Jan 2021 21:39

Some of the musings ive read seem to indicate that the Starship re-entry profile will be substantially different to 'normal' parabolic reentry. I'm not an astrophysist or rocket scientist so ive no idea what that means. Stop dead and drop straight down perhaps? :uhoh:

Anyway, a successful static fire of SN9 took place today and SN10 has received its nose cone. All moving along swiftly. Another launch Saturday maybe?


kit344 8th Jan 2021 04:33

NOTAMs updated.
 

Originally Posted by kit344 (Post 10961486)

NOTAMs updated.
https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr2/list.jsp

Possible dates now not earlier than Sunday 10th, with Monday and Tuesday as alternates.
https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_1_1077.html

kit344 8th Jan 2021 04:47

It looks like the Static Firing on Wednesday 6th was not "Norminal" :)
It was a very short event, and it looked to me as if only 2 out of 3 Raptors actually ignited.

kit344 10th Jan 2021 06:55

There will be another Static Firing, no earlier than, NET, Monday 11th
Earliest possible flight date is now 12th January, with backups on 13th and 14th.
There were a couple of road closures for Static Firing in the last couple of days, but no engines were lit.
NOTAMs are here https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr2/list.jsp with an option to filter Texas or Space Operations, but I couldn't see any way to use multiple filters.

kit344 12th Jan 2021 22:05

Static fire is still possible up to 0200 UTC on 13th, 20:00 CST 12th.
No firing was done yesterday, due to either SAR helicopter operations, power outage, or very strong winds.
TFRs have been added for one additional day.
Air Force One was also in South Texas earlier, so NOTAMs for that as well.

kit344 13th Jan 2021 18:29

There was a short Static fire today@ 12:28:55 UTC, Still live on multiple YouTube streams, with likelihood of another SF tonight before midnight UTC

There is also a Cargo Dragon splashdown tonight after midnight UTC

kit344 13th Jan 2021 18:30

There was a short Static fire today@ 12:28:55 UTC, Still live on multiple YouTube streams, with likelihood of another SF tonight before midnight UTC

There is also a Cargo Dragon splashdown tonight after midnight UTC

kit344 13th Jan 2021 20:29

Looking like a 3rd SF today, in a few minutes.

ORAC 13th Jan 2021 20:39

Well that didn’t last very long....

kit344 15th Jan 2021 01:40


Originally Posted by ORAC (Post 10967308)
Well that didn’t last very long....

The 3 Static Firings on the 13th were reported to be successful according to Elon Musk on Twitter
At least one of them looked like a single engine only, they may be deliberately firing individual engines in order to reduce the risk of pad damage or FOD.
https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_1_3012.html is still in force for 15th, with backups on Saturday and Sunday

skydiver69 15th Jan 2021 17:46

Blue Origin also had a successful test flight on 14/01/21.


ORAC 22nd Jan 2021 07:38

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021...ip-spaceports/

SpaceX, Phobos and Deimos

kit344 25th Jan 2021 01:19

High probability of a Flight in the next 48 hours.
TFRs, Marine Safety notices, Road Closures, Residents evacuation all in place.
Flight Termination System has been fitted.
Met conditions are improving on Monday afternoon CST, UTC-6. Currently the site has 26 mph, 18 knot, gusts, but the fog from last few days has cleared.
Closest met information, from BRO, or South Padre Island, or Kopernik Shores on Google.
Live streams on LabPadre on YouTube, NasaSpaceFlight, Everyday Astronaut, and many others.
New short URL for the latest information at https://wenhop.com

kit344 25th Jan 2021 17:55

They are still trending towards a launch today.
There is a 3 hour window from 3pm - 6pm local CST, 2100 until midnight UTC.
Potential weather hazards are poor visibility, and wind gusts.
Multiple YouTube streams are now live.
NASASpaceFlight.com probably has the best commentary in my opinion, but several others are available.
​​​​​​https://youtu.be/lPRfJxz-ECE

skydiver69 25th Jan 2021 17:55

There are several live feeds of the anticipated flight including this one from Marcus House.


kit344 25th Jan 2021 19:06

No flight today

Just announced on NASASpaceFlight YouTube

NSF has 2 members living in Boca Chica village, they get official updates first.

kit344 28th Jan 2021 02:41

Confirmation on https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/starship/ official website that a launch is planned for 28th January

kit344 28th Jan 2021 12:20

Live now on

The commentary is live, flight Not earlier than 1500 UTC

TURIN 28th Jan 2021 17:00

Scrubbed for today due to high winds.
Try again tomorrow.
Nice to see the Elonerons moving though.

Nige321 28th Jan 2021 22:33


Originally Posted by TURIN (Post 10978232)
Scrubbed for today due to high winds.
Try again tomorrow.
Nice to see the Elonerons moving though.

It was back on later, then off again due to some FAA paperwork issue.
Elon was apprently venting as much as SN9 at one point...

kit344 29th Jan 2021 01:17

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/01/28/elon-musk-spacex-starship-faa/

WashingtonPost, subscription site, but it is possible to view a few articles without payment.

Nige321 29th Jan 2021 16:22

And scrubbed again while Elon argues with the FAA...

TURIN 30th Jan 2021 00:51

Two Starships now on the pad SN10 has joined SN9.

wiggy 30th Jan 2021 07:05


Originally Posted by Nige321 (Post 10978394)
It was back on later, then off again due to some FAA paperwork issue.

If some are to be believed it's somewhat important paperwork and the pace of the investigation into the previous "mishap"....I'd have thought "Range Safety"/safety of those on the ground was paramount, regardless of whether you are launching from a government facility in Florida or a back yard in Texas so it would be interesting to hear what has really gone on.

Elon Musk may well have a valid point but I hope this isn't a case of "we're private sector, I'm an entrepreneur, we don't need no pesky licence"?



Musk, frustrated with the process, took to Twitter.
“UNDER THOSE RULES, HUMANITY WILL NEVER GET TO MARS.”“Unlike its aircraft division, which is fine, the FAA space division has a fundamentally broken regulatory structure,” he tweeted on Thursday. “Their rules are meant for a handful of expendable launches per year from a few government facilities. Under those rules, humanity will never get to Mars.”

https://arstechnica.com/science/2021...-and-starship/


https://www.theverge.com/2021/1/29/2...tion-elon-musk

goofer3 30th Jan 2021 07:48

Technology News
January 30, 20214:13 AMUpdated an hour ago

Musk's SpaceX violated its launch license in explosive Starship test: the Verge

By Reuters Staff

(Reuters) - SpaceX’s first high-altitude test flight of its Starship rocket, which exploded last month while attempting to land after an otherwise successful test launch, violated the terms of its Federal Aviation Administration test license, the Verge reported on Friday, citing sources.

An investigation was opened that week focusing on the explosive landing and on SpaceX’s refusal to stick to the terms of what the FAA authorized, the Verge said.SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment.The Starship rocket destroyed in the accident was a 16-storey-tall prototype for the heavy-lift launch vehicle being developed by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk’s private space company to carry humans and 100 tons of cargo on future missions to the moon and Mars.The self-guided rocket blew up as it touched down on a landing pad following a controlled descent. The test flight had been intended to reach an altitude of 41,000 feet, propelled by three of SpaceX’s newly developed Raptor engines for the first time.But the company left unclear whether the rocket had flown that high.The FAA said it would evaluate additional information provided by SpaceX as part of its application to modify its launch license.
“We will approve the modification only after we are satisfied that SpaceX has taken the necessary steps to comply with regulatory requirements,” it said in a statement.


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