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SpaceX Starship - IFT-4 - Starbase TX - Pre-Launch Preparations Thread
- Thread starter JB47394
- Start date
This Scientia Plus video suggests that the B11/S29 WDR may occur on May 16 based on this document. It is speculation, not fact.
It's a good match for the information. A 12 hour window is standard when they fire up the tank farm for any testing, and booster 11 has its hot staging ring.
The road and beach closure schedule is a bit off, though. They list the primary closure date as the 14th, with the 15th and 16th as backups. Perhaps SpaceX has decided on the 16th after all, and just haven't updated the closure information.
There are also a road delay notices for every day until the 17th.
I'll offer a reminder that IFT-3 did not complete its wet dress rehearsal until the third attempt.
B11 is on the move to the launch site, presumably for a static fire test.
Buckminster
Well-Known Member
Something that hasn't been mentioned is that Ship 29 was moved away from the launch tower after Ship 31 had its electrical problem. There was some work done at the bottom of the ship - it was either very bright work lights and/or welding - and then it was moved back to the launch site. As I write this, it's sitting between the chopsticks, waiting to be stacked on the booster.
You can post a link to a tweet in the forums. That little icon in the bottom right of a tweet will give you a link. Sometimes it takes a little bit before the forums will show the entire tweet as you see it on X.
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.
So I guess the purpose of a mishap investigation is two-fold
- Determine if there are any public safety issues, and come up with corrective actions
- Determine what was off-nominal to the planned flight, and come up with corrective actions
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.
Good sign.
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.
Good sign.
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.
Besides, it doesn't have its ship numeric label. I wish they'd go really big with those, and put them on earlier. It would make it easier to keep track of which is which. For example, this is Ship 29.
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.
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