Starship Orbital Prototype - Florida Version

[e-FTW]

The race is on! If the turtle will allow.

Pics inside: Jared-Base | AMOS-17? AEHF-5 GPS 3 on Twitter

 

[e-FTW]

Looking good!

 

[ecarfan]

Looking good!

I’m sure it does...but I can’t see an image in your post.

 

[e-FTW]

I’m sure it does...but I can’t see an image in your post.

Well, I can... hmm. I grabbed the Twitter image URL like I usually do: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EAraYJSUcAIPR6J?format=jpg&name=4096x4096

 

[ecarfan]

Thanks, now I see it. Nice and shiny.

 

[Snerruc]

 

[Snerruc]

Went by the site today. Looks like the silo is about 100 feet tall. Nose goes on it eventually. Working seven days a week.

 

[e-FTW]

Drone flyby of the site:

 

[e-FTW]

Drone flyby of the site:

Am watching this, trying to see how they can move this thing out to a pad... Then I see someone’s pool.
And some more sections next to it...

 

[ecarfan]

Looks like it may be moved by barge.

Do you think the FH (booster) will be moved into the tall building that is being constructed? And the Starship stage will also be moved into there? But it’s not tall enough for them to be assembled inside that structure.

 

[e-FTW]

Looks like it may be moved by barge.

Do you think the FH (booster) will be moved into the tall building that is being constructed? And the Starship stage will also be moved into there? But it’s not tall enough for them to be assembled inside that structure.

I have been wondering the same thing. Feels like Starship is a logical choice for fitting in that structure.

Also, I now kind of really want to believe that this FL prototype is being built by an above-ground pool company, under the guise of an actual space contractor...

 

[mtapes]

Much progress at the Florida facility as well.

1 month ago (top image)
a few days ago (bottom image)

 

[Snerruc]

The guard at the gate said nobody there has a clue how they will move it. It’s impossible by road and there are only small bodies of water nearby that aren’t connected to the river. I saw that Elon said they were clearing land nearby
, but I didn’t see it. If they plan to hop this thing out, Cocoa will go nuts. This appears to be the classic boat in the basement.

 

[ecarfan]

Obviously SpaceX has a plan for how to move the spacecraft to LC-39A. Unsurprisingly, the “guard at the gate” is not in touch with SpaceX management.

 

[HVM]

Google says like this:

SpaceX prefer this:

Page 73
https://netspublic.grc.nasa.gov/main/20190801_Final_DRAFT_EA_SpaceX_Starship.pdf


And here's a close up:

My suggestion for a gravel road path: ; - )

Can cause some Nimbyism...

 

[HVM]

And actual road work:

(c) Seamore Software, LLC

 

[bxr140]

While Starship is obviously way bigger than most of the things that have been transported in the area, and certainly from the mainland, its common to move rocket parts around on roadways on and around the cape. For instance, most (all?) Atlas 5 and some Delta 4 payloads are integrated and encapsulated at the Astrotech shop in Titusville and then dragged across the causeway.

I'd also guess that SpaceX might plan to transport the thing horizontally. Vertical is so old space.

Rando Googs image of rocket parts driving down the road:

 

[adiggs]

I guess power lines across the highway, or stop lights that block the road, are totally not the thing to do around the Cape, eh?

And go ahead and set those street light poles WELL back from the highway too.

 

[miimura]

Are those parallel sets of rail tracks on each side of the roadway? That would be the way to move something really large and heavy along that path. There is even a junction into the blue-gray building on the left...

 

[bxr140]

Are those parallel sets of rail tracks on each side of the roadway? That would be the way to move something really large and heavy along that path.

Yes, but those are relics from when it was a big Titan facility called the ITL. The tracks pretty much just run down from the LCs to the SMARF and SMAB (where the SPIF is that SpaceX uses), though I think they used to go down to the VIB (which is no longer there but if you googs it you can see the old rail beds). In other words, there aren't tracks all over that can be used, and certainly not all the way down to anywhere that can connect to the SpaceX transportation route.

Atlas 5 still uses the dual tracks for transportation from the VIF to LC41 (I'm sure there's Youtubes of a rollout) but, at least the last time I was there (which was 2009), the rest of the tracks seemed to be in various states of disrepair. There's also no curb/barrier/anything that would prevent you from dropping your rental car off the road surface--which is the same level as the top of the rails--down into the tracks. So don't drive like a jerk.