SpaceX Starship - Orbital Test Flight - Starbase TX

Launch Date: April 20
Launch Window: 8:28am CDT (6:28am PDT, 13:28 UTC) - 62 minute window
Launch site: LC-1? - Starbase, Boca Chica Beach, Texas
Core Booster Recovery: Expended in Gulf
Starship Recovery: Water landing near Hawaii
Booster: Super Heavy Booster 7
Starship: Starship 24
Mass: No mass simulator mentioned
Orbit: LEO-ish
Yearly Launch Number: 26

A SpaceX Super Heavy and Starship launch vehicle will launch on its first orbital test flight. The mission will attempt to travel around the world for nearly one full orbit, resulting in a re-entry and splashdown of the Starship near Hawaii.

Webcast:

 

[superblast]

Alternative date set for 4/21 on road closure page:

SpaceX - Cameron County

www.cameroncountytx.gov

 

[mongo]

4/20 may be off the table, TFR removed.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1648425030018293760

 

[ecarfan]

Maybe two days is not enough time to refill the GSE tanks? But the tanker numbers in those tweets seem like they might be high. My completely uneducated opinion…

https://twitter.com/x/status/1647953241001345025

 

[ecarfan]

If I recall correctly, autogenous (which just auto-corrected to “auto genius”!) pressurization is the plan for SH/Starship but B7/S24 do not have that capability. Do I have that wrong?

I still have not found an authoritative source that explains how helium and/or auto genius pressurization is used in V7/S24. Lots of speculation on the NSF forum but no clear answer. No one outside SpaceX even seems to know if the “frozen” valve was in the vehicle or the GSE.

 

[Nikxice]

Eric Berger on Twitter. Playfully dealing with the delay.

Eric Berger
@SciGuySpace

April 20 is definitely out for the Starship flight test, per two sources. No confirmation on whether it slips just a day or further. For more details I will reefer you to SpaceX’s social channels.

 

[mongo]

Eric Berger on Twitter. Playfully dealing with the delay.

Eric Berger
@SciGuySpace

April 20 is definitely out for the Starship flight test, per two sources. No confirmation on whether it slips just a day or further. For more details I will reefer you to SpaceX’s social channels.

And yet, TFR is back for 4/20...
Current Operations Plan Advisory

https://twitter.com/x/status/1648499113112276994

https://twitter.com/x/status/1648498635355865089

 

[scaesare]

And Berger again, lol:

 

[mongo]

Refilling tanker counts as of midnight.
53 N2
23 O2
4 CH4

https://twitter.com/x/status/1648654787271852032

 

[ecarfan]

Lots of activity at the OLM. I wonder what they are doing?

 

[ecarfan]

Refilling tanker counts as of midnight.
53 N2
23 O2
4 CH4

And I assume many more to go today?

How is SpaceX going to get to multiple launches/day at BC and Florida if every launch requires so many deliveries? Build massive onsite facilities to extract O2 and N2 from the atmosphere, and a huge methane storage tank connected directly to a pipeline?

 

[mongo]

And I assume many more to go today?

How is SpaceX going to get to multiple launches/day at BC and Florida if every launch requires so many deliveries? Build massive onsite facilities to extract O2 and N2 from the atmosphere, and a huge methane storage tank connected directly to a pipeline?

Probably. For volume launching, an on site air liquefaction plant to handle N2 and O2. CH4 needs are much less, only 20% by mass. Sabatier, tanker, or pipeline.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Probably. For volume launching, an on site air liquefaction plant to handle N2 and O2. CH4 needs are much less, only 20% by mass. Sabatier, tanker, or pipeline.

From December 2021, he wanted SpaceX to make the methane:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1470519292651352070

 

[mongo]

From December 2021, he wanted SpaceX to make the methane:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1470519292651352070

Yah, that's Sabatier.
Tanker update, 69,30,6
Also they swapped out all the helium COPVs on the booster. Apparently, those are for spinup.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1648766937948643366

 

[ecarfan]

Still targeting tomorrow!

https://twitter.com/x/status/1648800397279240192

 

[ecarfan]

SpaceX webcast scheduled to start at 5:45AM PDT. Launch window 6:28 to 7:30 according to the NSF livestream right now.

 

[Grendal]

 

[mongo]

Go for propellant load

https://twitter.com/x/status/1649012769906368514

 

[ecarfan]

Tank farm getting busy!

 

[Electroman]

Visibility is very POOR. I doubt people can even see the rocket clearing the tower. What a shame.

I am hoping they cancel it.

 

[ecarfan]

Prop loading on B7 is well underway and can now see frost rings on the ship.