Wiki Super Heavy/Starship - General Development Discussion

[mongo]

Next stop: SPACE!

https://twitter.com/x/status/1628091943241515012

 

[ecarfan]

So maybe there will not be another B7 static fire before the orbital launch attempt. And it appears that the FAA has approved the launch license based on recent reports.

Time to light that candle!

 

[mongo]

So maybe there will not be another B7 static fire before the orbital launch attempt. And it appears that the FAA has approved the launch license based on recent reports.

Time to light that candle!

No launch license yet, but expected soon.

 

[Electroman]

This will launch in April. We all know that. Musk has been informed

Charity bet #3: first Starship in orbit (redux)

I am slightly modifying this bet rerun. The upcoming expected SpaceX test where Starship reaches orbit velocity and then does a 3/4 orbit around the earth and splash down will count IF Starship actually survives intact enough to do a landing burn. ie. this bet is for a successful orbit velocity...

teslamotorsclub.com

 

[ecarfan]

This will launch in April. We all know that. Musk has been informed

I do not understand your post. How do we know an April launch is certain?

 

[ecarfan]

Lots of activity at the OLM, adding new shielding along the catwalk, raising dance floor to add back engine shielding, and more.

 

[ecarfan]

This is interesting. My guess is these buoys will be used to mark and monitor the ocean area in the Gulf where the booster will land after the orbital launch attempt.

 

[Grendal]

I do not understand your post. How do we know an April launch is certain?

He would then win the charity bet.

 

[Electroman]

I do not understand your post. How do we know an April launch is certain?

If you click on that link it will take you to post #32 on that thread. And then it will be clear to you and everyone why April launch is certain

 

[ecarfan]

No launch license yet, but expected soon.

I stand corrected.

(Feb 21, 2023) https://observer.com/2023/02/spacexs-starship-orbital-launch-delay-nasa-calendar/

A time slot for SpaceX’s Starship orbital test on NASA’s calendar has been removed, adding new uncertainties around the highly anticipated flight of the world’s largest privately developed rocket.

On the regulatory side, however, SpaceX still has to settle a few issues with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which issues launch licenses for all space missions in the U.S.

SpaceX hasn’t received a license from the FAA to launch Starship just yet. The federal agency completed a lengthy environmental review of the proposed test in June last year and required SpaceX to take more than 75 actions to mitigate environmental impacts related to the flight.

This must be driving Elon absolutely nuts.

 

[ecarfan]

If you click on that link it will take you to post #32 on that thread. And then it will be clear to you and everyone why April launch is certain

It was obviously not clear to me.

If you had used that emoji in your earlier post (#2,224 in this thread) than I would have understood that you were joking.

That’s what emojis are for; to add context to text. You could also have added something like (joking) or ;-)

If we had been having a face to face conversation and you had smiled as you said it then I would have understood.

Clear communication is helpful and useful skill.

 

[mongo]

This must be driving Elon absolutely nuts.

There is still pre-launch OLM work going on and ships are being built so lauch license isn't really holding up anything other than pad capacity.
I'm guessing Gwynne may be happy to not have to deal with the option of launching right now.

 

[ecarfan]

Cryo testing S26 today.

 

[ecarfan]

High level SpaceX guy says launch attempt will be in March.

 

[ecarfan]

It appears that S25 is about to be removed from sub-orbital pad B. S26 remains on pad A after its cryo test.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1628746224844021761

 

[ecarfan]

S25 has been lifted off the test stand and put on a transport stand, I assume it will be moved tomorrow. And today Gwynne was spotted onsite.

 

[Grendal]

The future of Starship includes national security missions

As SpaceX prepares to attempt Starship’s first orbital flight, the company is contemplating military applications for the super-heavy launch vehicle.

spacenews.com

 

[mongo]

I'm saying F9 will be the workhorse for non starlink missions for years to come--through end of decade for sure--because most current and near term missions aren't all that compatible with Starship. For sure there will be occasional commercial or beyond earth SS launches, but most customers care about the bottom line, and so most customers are going to opt for F9. SX certainly needs more money than they thought to get Starlink profitable andand Starship off the ground (you don't keep raising money if you don't need money) so certainly SX won't retire F9 until internally SS returns a cost advantage on external revenue.

I'm also speculating that Starship will evolve into a smaller, more versatile "2.0" because it likely won't ever get to that cost advantage over Falcon 9.

You're expecting launch cost of SS to be more than F9? And a smaller version will help with that?

 

[bxr140]

You're expecting launch cost of SS to be more than F9? And a smaller version will help with that?

Yes, and yes. The issue is that SS is WAAAY too big for anything but the mega-ist of constellations or big lift human based missions (which is its point) and so there's not going to be a huge external demand to buying a more expensive rocket even if it has more favorable mass-to-orbit economics.

 

[ecarfan]

S25 has been removed from its test stand. S27 has been stacked in the Megabay and B10 aft section has been moved into the Megabay. Incredible vehicle production pace!