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SpaceX Starship - IFT-3 - Starbase TX - Pre-Launch Preparations Thread
- Thread starter VIKING26
- Start date
For those like me who are not familiar with who this guy is, he's the Washington Posts's aerospace guy.
@Grendal, why did you screenshot the tweet instead of linking it?
Do you think SpaceX can clean everything up and be ready for a launch in two weeks?
They move awfully darn fast for such significant tasks... so...maybe?
It's been noted here that it's very likely SpaceX and the FAA are in regular communication for these, so I assume they've been aware of the probable timeline for a while, and as such would schedule stuff so they can launch as close to immediately as possible?
I don't use X/Twitter that much. I pull information from all over the place. Someone posted this on Facebook and I copied the screenshot.
If that is true, I am baffled as to why after so many months SpaceX has not yet submitted all the required information to the FAA to receive the next launch license.
Hopefully Elon will keep his mouth shut on Twitter and just get it done.
Hopefully Elon will keep his mouth shut on Twitter and just get it done.
Speculation: if SpaceX submits the paperwork, then they will be providing technical solutions to problems experienced, and the launch license would be contingent on doing the launch that specific way. If SpaceX is still clowning around with different solutions, then they may not have decided how they want to tackle things.
zoomer0056
Active Member
"Clowning around" is intended to be a lighthearted way of saying that they're working on it.
I didn't think they'd do it while the scaffolding was in place, but Booster 10 is now on the OLM.
Yep, B10 is back! Road closure scheduled for next Monday; will S27 be making its trip to Starbase?
Knowing these are the guys who launched a mannequin into space in a sports car with a Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy plaque on the dash and a Bowie song blaring on the radio, I suspect there's definitely some goofing off as well... lol.
Did you mean 28?
I assume that a full day road closure means engine testing. With all the changes at the launch site, they've got to work back up to a static fire, but I have no idea how aggressive they'd be about it. Would they go through a full sequence of tank testing, then spin prime, then static fire? Or would they try to go straight to a static fire?
I'd expect the Starship to go to the launch site when they're ready for a wet dress rehearsal.
Sorry, yes.
And I agree that, given all the recent work on the tank farm and OLM, my guess is that there will be a full tanking test first.
To my surprise, Ship 28 showed up at the launch site this morning and they look ready to stack it. I'm assuming that this is for testing the quick disconnects. So they'll make sure they mate properly and then probably do some propellant loading and unloading. Then they'll unstack the ship so they can work up to a static fire on the booster. Edit: But maybe not, given that they've already completed that test. I don't know if anything has changed with respect to a booster static fire to warrant a repeat.
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Livestream running now, but it could be hours before stacking starts.
S28 was stacked last night. Given there is no launch license yet, so no great urgency, why does SpaceX chose to do this in the middle of the night?
And then at 2:38AM two people went to the top of the ship QD and shined lights on the connection points (I assume). I drew arrow in red pointing at their location. I don’t recall seeing that before. The QD was connected to the ship later.
And then at 2:38AM two people went to the top of the ship QD and shined lights on the connection points (I assume). I drew arrow in red pointing at their location. I don’t recall seeing that before. The QD was connected to the ship later.
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