BFR Developments

[Yazata]

The last few days there's been lots of difficult to understand activity around the Orbital Launch Mount.

But Zack Golden has it scoped out! Turns out they are doing load tests, to ensure that the mechanism can support a fully-fueled full-stack, which will weigh something like 5,000 tons!

Unclear why they are doing these tests now and not earlier. Zack speculates that the FAA might have put it on their list of things to complete before a launch license is granted. Others have speculated that NASA might want the test performed on the existing Texas OLM before construction begins on the new OLM at Pad 39A at Cape Canaveral. It's assumed that the clamp design has already been examined with computer modeling, but it never hurts to actually do the tests in real life.

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/NHpJuYNbu6g

You can watch them doing the load tests here live:

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/nbBeoReu12E

[Yazata]

The load tests are finished and Full-Stack is Back!

(watch this with sound on, the music is by Maryliz, of Consider Cosmos.)

https://twitter.com/considercosmos/statu...9984222208

[Yazata]

In the photo below, the Ship hasn't quite been mated to the Booster. That process is done entirely by remote control, which is an extraordinary piece of engineering. (Everything at Starbase is mind-boggling engineering!)

(SpaceX drone photo)

[Image: FmQtLkgXkAEt9wu?format=jpg&name=large]

[Yazata]

Absolutely great satellite photo of the Starbase launch area by Airbus Space, using their PleiadesNeo satellite

Shows the fully stacked Starship in the loving arms of the tower

[Image: FmSQf9QWAAEJMCl?format=jpg&name=4096x4096]

[Yazata]

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/3VFs9Se0VzM

[Yazata]

Expectation that tanking tests of the full-stack in which it is completely filled with live propellants (5,000 tons worth!) will take place at Starbase on Monday January 23, with a backup day Wednesday January 25.

Chances are that if on the off-chance it all goes south, it would just be a big fireball with little blast pressure. But an explosive detonation remains a possibility. (We all remember Sn4...) If this one did that, it could conceivably detonate with power approaching a small nuclear weapon. I'm told that residents of Boca Chica village had a big meeting in which they were told they will need to evacuate for a few days. (They are almost all SpaceX employees.) Elon has his home there and I'm told that Gwynne is now occupying the house next door to Elon's.

https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_3_5923.html

[Image: FnC3ygIWQAA04fZ?format=jpg&name=large]

[Image: Fm8zbSVWIAQSNT2?format=jpg&name=large]

[Yazata]

Well, they loaded the whole thing, both stages, with something like 5000 tons of liquid oxygen and liquid methane. It didn't collapse or explode. The Earth didn't get blown out of orbit! Detank is underway but seemingly going well.

SpaceX's announcement with cool drone video

https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1617676629001801728

https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1617676719103836164

(Photo from LabPadre's Rover2 camera)

[Image: FnMYax1WAAI6lkT?format=jpg&name=large]

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And here's Grandpa Joe's updated progress chart

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One thing that scared me midway through was this huge vent plume from the booster methane tank. For a moment there I feared it was all going bad.

(Photo from LabPadre's RaptorRoost camera)

[Image: FnMAk-MWYBw-wVy?format=png&name=large]

[C C]

And here's Grandpa Joe's updated progress chart

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FnMPmAhXkAA0...name=large

LAUNCH DAY ...... APRIL 1, 2023?

Every one of the proposed or speculated launch dates has been an A1's joke so far. But at least it can be official this time.

[Yazata]

SpaceX says that they will be unstacking B7 and S24, in preparation for the long-awaited 33-engine static fire of the booster. S24 does have some finishing touches to its thermal tiles to complete. (The crane lifting points on the nose need to be removed and tiled over, for one.)

33 raptor engines firing at once will be scary powerful and will definitely be a sight to see! (Something like 80% more powerful than SLS!) It's perhaps the riskiest test they have left, prior to launch which will be all-or-nothing.

I'm told that the SPMTs have pulled up next to the launch mount and destacking might already be happening as I write this.

https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1617936157295411200

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And here's Grandpa Joe's updated progress chart

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FnMPmAhXkAA0...name=large

LAUNCH DAY ...... APRIL 1, 2023?

April Fools!

This isn't an official launch date, it's just Grandpa Joe's guestimate as to when it might happen.

[Yazata]

Here's Zack Golden's latest video about the poor suffering concrete under the launch pad and about the addition of a water-deluge system to dissipate the energy. Given that 33 raptors will soon be letting loose their thousands of tons of super-hot fury at that concrete, it's more than topical.

Zack's a good guy and his video is well worth a watch.

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/zKhJwWymJWE