-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
SpaceX Starship - Integrated Flight Test #2 - Starbase TX - Including Post Launch Dissection
- Thread starter Grendal
- Start date
Last edited:
That issue is that it took them over an hour to stack it. Note the timestamps. Chris was being a little too optimistic. He saw the ring going into place and assumed that it would stack without a hitch. In the end, it wasn't quick and took about 90 minutes. But it's a prototype ring, and there's no reason that it should stack quickly.
For that matter, the whole rocket is a prototype, so having expectations of it is kinda silly. I'm just gonna watch along with everyone else and hope for the best.
I also suspect "takes no time to do this", is relative to what it takes to put a component on a "traditional" rocket stack. Even 90 mins is probably lightning quick comparatively speaking...
FWS review is complete, looks OK. Limited to 30 operations per year.
https://www.faa.gov/media/72766
https://www.faa.gov/media/72766
Ah. I'm reading the document now. This is 30 operations of the deluge system per year. They expect 10 launches with an additional two "engine ignition events" per launch. So, 30 operations.
There're all sorts of interesting bits of information in the report. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the technical stuff was undoubtedly written by SpaceX.
In reading the document, it seems like they're going to see steel ablation with the deluge system running.
Composition of the deluge plate: "approximately 18% chromium, 74% iron, and 8% nickel"
Lots more in there for the curious.
I'm into the actual ecological stuff now and one bit, I think, is illustrative of the sorts of considerations that the FWS goes through. The Piping Plover habitat is mud flats with little vegetation. Well, launches will scatter fresh water into the surrounding areas and could trigger the formation of new vegetation. That alteration would damage the natural habitat. But don't roll your eyes; the report states that the amount of fresh water wouldn't be significant enough to be of concern.
It's an interesting read.
Last edited:
Which is no different than a natural event like a rain?
Interesting data:
Forward Heat Shield Interstage
SpaceX proposes to add an interstage to Super Heavy consisting of a forward heat shield. The forward heat shield provides thermal protection against heat produced by Starship engines start during the stage separation event. It is made of stainless steel and is approximately 30 feet in diameter and 6 feet long, weighing approximately 20,000 pounds. For some missions, the forward heat shield would be jettisoned between 30 and 400 kilometers offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. SpaceX would not recover the forward heat shield as it is expected to sink.
Forward Heat Shield Interstage
SpaceX proposes to add an interstage to Super Heavy consisting of a forward heat shield. The forward heat shield provides thermal protection against heat produced by Starship engines start during the stage separation event. It is made of stainless steel and is approximately 30 feet in diameter and 6 feet long, weighing approximately 20,000 pounds. For some missions, the forward heat shield would be jettisoned between 30 and 400 kilometers offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. SpaceX would not recover the forward heat shield as it is expected to sink.
Yet, you rolled your eyes.
The report exists to address and document all possible issues. It's saying "We considered the impact of additional water on the habitat because that's our job, and we discounted it as inconsequential". If they didn't say anything, then an environmental group would go after them with a "what about excess fresh water???" argument. The report does the same thing with concerns over contaminants found in the water around the site after the deluge test that weren't part of the local water supply. For example, rust inside the tanks. They again discounted it as a one-time issue when the tanks were first used.
Interesting indeed. In the section you quoted, “interstage” appears to mean the same thing as “forward heat shield”. So what would be the advantage to getting rid of the interstage? Perhaps it would mean that less fuel would be required for the boost back/re-entry/landing burns since the booster would be lighter, meaning that Starship could carry a heavier payload to orbit.
Edit: sorry realized this is off topic for this IFT-2 thread. Perhaps it is better located in the Starship General Development thread.
That's the only thing that occurs to me, but I wonder how they'd dump the interstage. Use that flip maneuver they wanted to use on the first flight? Expending it also presents the opportunity to create a purpose-built interstage. It would have to deal with the loads, but only one staging. Regardless, I'm sure SpaceX will be looking for ways to make those things as light and simple as possible, whether reused or expended.
I take it you're not that kind of moderator...
So FWS sent over the biological opinion on November 14th, FAA signed off launch license on November 15th, exactly as I predicted. It confirms FAA is indeed waiting for FWS, and not waiting for anything - launch readiness or else - from SpaceX.
There really should be no question about this, given FAA laid everything out clearly in various press releases days and weeks ago, only a conspiracy theorist would doubt this.
Attachments
This thread has gone off the rails many times. It's still about Starship in one way or another. So I'm letting it run it's course since it's all a good discussion about Starship.
Similar threads
- Article
