SpaceX Starship SN9 experimental test vehicle

[HVM]

That would be funny if they salvaged an Eloneron from SN8.

No they yoinked it from SN10.

 

[HVM]

SN9 peeking out of the High Bay, ready to go.

https://twitter.com/SpacePadreIsle/status/1341377506662821889

 

[HVM]

Now moving:

 

[HVM]

https://twitter.com/SpacePadreIsle/status/1341426801747382272

 

[HVM]

I think they called SN9 to "Tipsy, the rocket cannonball" in Lab Cam chat.

Nearly at launch site NSF:

 

[HVM]

SN9 arrived to the launch site, and Bluto crane back at its job:

 

[ICUDoc]

When she fly?

 

[HVM]

When we get notice to airmen (NOTAM) which look like this:

Current active one is for all ground test stuff...

Starship SN9 is almost on the launch stand:

https://twitter.com/BocaChicaGal/status/1341524302785605632

 

[HVM]

Also CEO of Tesla some times tweet about it...

 

[Electroman]

Lets discuss SN9 here. What will be flight parameters? more height? what additional tests & maneuvers are expected?

Approx date/timeframe? I am planning to see if I can drive down there, but then with all rocket launches we may need to stay there for multiple days to accommodate scrubs and delays. Just got lucky with Falcon Heavy launch. It launched right on the first attempt with just a few hours delays.

 

[HVM]

 

[Electroman]

Which is the best nearby airport to fly from Dallas? Otherwise it is a 10 hour drive each way I would think

 

[miimura]

Which is the best nearby airport to fly from Dallas? Otherwise it is a 10 hour drive each way I would think

American (Envoy Air) has at least one daily flight from DFW to Brownsville.

Flight Finder ✈ Dallas-Fort Worth Intl (KDFW) - Brownsville Intl (KBRO) - FlightAware

 

[HVM]

"WOW! Amazing RCS testing on Starship SN9. She's alive for the first time! Some sweet cold gas thruster action there! Seemed much more powerful than we've ever seen before (no clue!)"

https://twitter.com/nasaspaceflight/status/1344031598455492610

(Live when posted):

 

[HVM]

Tim Dodd:
How're you feeling about SN9? What exactly had to be addressed to keep the CH4 tank from losing pressure? Any hardware changes or just software? Header tanks are also back pressurized with GCH4 and GOX, right?

Elon:
SN9 will press CH4 header tank with helium. Long-term solution is under debate. Not clear what is lightest/simplest.

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1344344855237992448

 

[Electroman]

Any guesses on which week this will fly? I am really tempted to go there and book the same hotel as that of Tim Dodd to watch it fly.

 

[HVM]

Tim Dodd's site Everyday Astronaut says "NET January 6, 2021" for The Launch Window. But WDR and static fire is need before that...
Starship SN9 | 12.5-kilometer flight | Everyday Astronaut

For Road Closures:
SpaceX - Cameron County

SpaceX related notice to airmen:
https://twitter.com/notamupdates?lang=en

 

[Grendal]

Tim Dodd:
How're you feeling about SN9? What exactly had to be addressed to keep the CH4 tank from losing pressure? Any hardware changes or just software? Header tanks are also back pressurized with GCH4 and GOX, right?

Elon:
SN9 will press CH4 header tank with helium. Long-term solution is under debate. Not clear what is lightest/simplest.

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1344344855237992448

I'm pretty sure that helium is a temporary thing they are using for Starship testing. SpaceX and Elon wants to get the maneuvering and flip process down. Pressurization is something they know well and they can modify and perfect at a later time.

 

[HVM]

"Aiming for a Wednesday [Jan 6] static fire and hoping for a Monday [Jan 11] flight."
According Boca Chica local (Nomadd in NSF).

 

[HVM]

NOTAMs for Jan 8-10, so who knows.

1/1073 NOTAM Details
1/1076 NOTAM Details
1/1077 NOTAM Details