SpaceX just completed partial propellant loading of the stack, some engine chill activity, and detanking. It looks like they wanted to work out all the new plumbing prior to trying for a wet dress rehearsal.
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From a new NSF video:
Quite a few missing tiles at the base of S27. I don’t think these can be reached when the the ship is stacked, so assume it will be de-stacked before IFT-4.
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Good sign.
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Yeah, they need to destack for FTS install anyway.From a new NSF video:
Quite a few missing tiles at the base of S27. I don’t think these can be reached when the the ship is stacked, so assume it will be de-stacked before IFT-4.
View attachment 1048582
Good sign.
View attachment 1048583
Have they ever installed tiles at the launch site? I assume the vehicles will go back to the build site. They've got at least a couple weeks before launch. I think this stacking was focused on ground support equipment testing more than anything else.Yeah, they need to destack for FTS install anyway.
From a new NSF video:
Quite a few missing tiles at the base of S27. I don’t think these can be reached when the the ship is stacked, so assume it will be de-stacked before IFT-4.
View attachment 1048582
Each one is the word "OK", which is penciled by the technician after inspection.What are the white dots that coincide with the tiles?
Hmm my recollection of Kathy Lueders is, she is a senior NASA official. When did she join SpaceX ?Kathy, Lueders, the Starbase general manager, said that they hope to get a launch license in the last week of May or the first week of June. I assume that SpaceX would then hustle to get IFT-4 off the ground.
About a year ago (IIRC, after the NASA re-org)Hmm my recollection of Kathy Lueders is, she is a senior NASA official. When did she join SpaceX ?
Kathy Lueders joins SpaceX to help develop Starship
Yep, it’s happening now.NASASpaceFlight expects a wet dress rehearsal on Monday.
Also, I hope there's no correlation between the uniform shape to the tile gaps and the arrival of explosives. We may have spotted a new FTS installation technique; explosive tiles.