YazataJun 19, 2020 08:22 PM (This post was last modified: Jun 20, 2020 02:59 AM by Yazata.)
The reason why SN5 didn't travel down to the launch area is now clear. They have repaired the ruptured weld on the test tank and look like they are preparing to give it a second shot. While road closures are canceled for today, they are still on for Monday and Tuesday.
The hive of work around the test stand continues prior to SN5's arrival. Given that the last two failures were the result of ground and not tank failures but nevertheless resulted in total loss of the vehicles (SN3 a test configuration error that led to the tanks collapsing and SN4 a failure of the ground support connections spraying fuel and oxidizer that caused a huge detonation), they are making sure that they have all the ground ducks in a row this time. Road closures specifically intended for SN5 have been announced for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of next week.
Here's Mary's latest video from yesterday, with editing by Jack Beyer adding helpful labels on what we are seeing. Shows 'Corey's Taco Dome' (the name was written on it), a junk dome taken from the scrapyard and sleeved in some reject rings, which is believed to be a training article used to train welders and fabricators. And it shows the SpaceX food truck (which should give Mary a lifetime all-she-can-eat pass) where tacos are no doubt on the menu.
YazataJun 22, 2020 07:05 AM (This post was last modified: Jun 22, 2020 07:25 AM by Yazata.)
Sunday June 21, SN's 5 and 6 in the High Bay, the blue Super Giant Crane still being assembled where the Giant High Bay will go (I believe that the crane is rented and comes with its own crew), and work continues on the new launch stand that replaces the cruder one that SN4's detonation took out. Repair of the test tank is wrapping up. Pressure testing on it is expected to resume Monday. The place where a seam split has been repaired and welds on the top dome have been reinforced.
Tweet by Austin Bernard with a photo of the test tank that shows strain gauges installed. So it's equipped to send telemetry as it's pressurized. It hit 7.6 bar last time before a weld failed and hopefully it will exceed 8 bar this time before something fails. They only need 6-something for flight, but want 8 or more to provide a safety margin, which is especially important down the road for eventual manned flight.
Since it was a quiet Sunday by Boca Chica standards, Mary's video for today takes the form of a drive-by tour of the build and launch sites with labels on things supplied by Jack Beyer. Shows where the blue Roll Lift crawler is lurking by the solar power farm, waiting to transport SN5 to the pad, expected midweek.
YazataJun 23, 2020 02:52 PM (This post was last modified: Jun 23, 2020 07:02 PM by Yazata.)
The test tank is being pressurized and it is frosting up.
Edit: The tank just ruptured at the bottom. This was intended to be a test-to-destruction, but I suspect that the failure happened before they expected it, and at a lower pressure. If so, not a good result.
The whole bottom of the tank appears to be blown out. Not a minor ruptured seam like last time.
I thought that I saw Zeus moving in the fog but wasn't sure. Apparently I wasn't the only one who thought that. Zeus seemed interested in getting imagery of the bottom of the tank. Then the robot dog disappeared from view and hasn't reappeared. I hope that the liquid nitrogen cryo-temperatures didn't injure him.
Photo from LabPadre's stream. Label by Loekf on NasaSpaceflight.com.
YazataJun 23, 2020 10:36 PM (This post was last modified: Jun 23, 2020 10:48 PM by Yazata.)
And here's the definitive Zeus video, again by Lab Padre, entitled "Zeus Sniffs Trouble"
This video conclusively shows that Zeus has been equipped with a head. (Useful for any dog.) It appears to be a camera of some sort, attached to the rack found on a Spot robot's back, and ported in to the robot's onboard computer so that it can be controlled and digital images can be sent back through the robot's comm link.
I'm guessing that Zeus either already can or will soon be able to literally sniff, when he's equipped with a methane sensor so as to be able to detect the presence of explosive rocket fuel vapors.
YazataJun 24, 2020 07:21 PM (This post was last modified: Jun 24, 2020 07:31 PM by Yazata.)
This appears to be Zeus' new head.
360 degree camera coverage and 30x zoom. Plus sound. All integrated with the Spot computers and controls. Designed for visual inspections in dangerous environments that humans shouldn't enter.
While considering the nature that the human races space exploits is a bit like a teenager that jumps in their dads car and rides it to the end of the driveway. Who then realises they shouldn't go any further because it's too dangerous and then returns it back to being parked in the garage. Where then a form of angst exists about the feat they did and whether they should attempt it again.
I kind of see it that we've not moved much from out parking space, we've not even been round the block (the solar system). Sure we've sent out satellites (paper aeroplanes to ride the wind) but cost, coordination, time, those have been our limitations and of course our infancy, while we might say we've had over 80 years of rocketeering that's not even a batter of an eyelid in regards to the universe.
It made me consider that to some it might seem pointless, a push beyond a level of adversity that we are ready for... the proverbial "Spruce Goose". With that I get to the point, I name the ship "Space Goose" (Well I now nickname it that)
YazataJun 30, 2020 11:03 PM (This post was last modified: Jun 30, 2020 11:28 PM by Yazata.)
Road closures tonight from 7 PM CDT to 7 AM CDT (8 PM EDT, 5 PM PDT, 24:00 UTC to 8 AM EDT, 5 AM PDT, 12:00 UTC)
The road closures originally scheduled for today were cancelled yesterday. Then Elon's private jet arrived at a local airport and suddenly the road closures were on again.
Similar all-night closures were announced for tomorrow and Friday.
The purpose of the closures is given as "SN5 pneumatic proof and cryo proof". So it's pressure testing ahead of rocket engine static fires and (hopefully) a Hoppy-style hop-test. Then SN6, waiting patiently, might start to get its flipper-flappers and the nice pointy nose necessary for higher altitude aerodynamics.
YazataJul 1, 2020 02:58 AM (This post was last modified: Jul 1, 2020 05:09 AM by Yazata.)
The road is closed and there are two Sheriffs SUVs with flashing lights and a SpaceX Tesla at the road block. The pad is clear. Hoppy's scary looking Cylon eyes are lit and everyone on LabPadre's stream is calling it Gort (the giant robot from 'The Day the Earth Stood Still') Along with the scary red Cylon eyes, Hoppy seems lit by a weird purple light. Hoppy's obviously not going to let SN5 get all of tonight's attention.
Ambient temperature gaseous N2 pressure test underway.
Vehicles back at the pad. Not unexpected between ambient and cryo tests.
Jun 19, 2020 08:22 PM
(This post was last modified: Jun 20, 2020 02:59 AM by Yazata.)
![[Image: Ea4BMy2XkAABVaF?format=jpg&name=medium]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ea4BMy2XkAABVaF?format=jpg&name=medium)
![[Image: Spot%20CAM+.jpg]](https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/4845432/ECommerce/Spot%20CAM+.jpg)
