YazataSep 25, 2022 05:56 AM (This post was last modified: Sep 25, 2022 08:33 AM by Yazata.)
Here's Mauricio's (of RGV Aerial Photography) aerial photo of Masseys, inside an algae filled oxbow lake with Starbase in the distance and Mexico right across the Rio Grande river. The gun range (it's Texas!) that used to occupy the property before SpaceX bought it has moved to a new location down the road in the direction of Brownsville.
The site has been used by SpaceX for storage, but more recently two big cryo tanks have been moved there and tanker trucks have been delivering liquid nitrogen. (One is visible doing that in this photo.) It's speculated that SX will conduct pressure tests on test tanks here without interfering with operations at the launch site. The tall tower on the left was there before SpaceX arrived and is a cell-phone tower.
The nosecone structural test cage is to the tower's right, with the e-dome test tank to the cage's right. The 7.1 test tank is towards the camera. The two horizontal cryo tanks are sort of earth colored and behind 7.1 with a tanker truck just to their left. It isn't believed that any more tests remain for 7.1 (that might be wrong) and that it's destined to become a water tank.
There's also speculation that Raptor engine servicing and maybe even static fires may occur here as well, so engines that need work don't have to be transported all the way to and from McGregor, all the way up by Waco.
It's a slow period at Starbase, but workers are still swarming like they always do.
The focus of attention at the launch site is the Orbital Launch Mount that has been receiving some armor protection against rocket blast and the occasional explosion. (I guess they've learned from past experience.) And they seem to still be having trouble with their cryo-pumps at the Orbital Tank Farm. The engineers speculate that the pumps are being torn up by cavitation. (It's a known problem with cryo-pumps and should be fixable.)
At the build site, the focus of attention is finishing the new factory building. In the last couple of days, Elon's robot overlords (welding robots) have been seen arriving.
Mauricio's (RGV Aerial Photography) latest flyover video of Starbase, starting at Masseys, then the Build Area, then the Launch Area. All in all a stretch about 5 miles long.
YazataOct 13, 2022 03:36 AM (This post was last modified: Oct 13, 2022 05:33 AM by Yazata.)
For lifelong Science-fiction nuts, this is what we've been talking about.
They still don't have government approval to launch and given Elon's unpopularity with the left-wing of the current federal administration, it might not be coming soon. (But NASA and the Space Force need Starship, so Elon has allies too.) And there are still some tests to conduct on the full stack and some items to complete. But what you see here isn't a mockup. It's a flight article.
YazataOct 16, 2022 07:58 PM (This post was last modified: Oct 17, 2022 03:28 AM by Yazata.)
Well, that didn't last long.
They have just a few minutes ago destacked the ship. Unknown why, but they must have encountered some kind of problem. They've been working on the Ship Quick-Disconnect, through which electrical and propellants are supplied to the ship, so perhaps the connections on the ship where the SQD plugs in were leaky and need to be replaced. (That's just a guess, though.)
Elon says "We are proceeding very carefully. If there is a RUD on the pad, Starship progress will be set back by ~6 months."
Over the last couple of weeks, colored lights have appeared at various places on the launch tower and elsewhere at the launch area. It was assumed that the colors meant something and there was lots of speculation as to what they meant. Kevin Randolph of WAI media has come up with the color code.
The stacking was simultaneous with lifting Ship 25 onto the hydraulic test stand that pushes upwards on the bottom of the ship to simulate engine thrust. And while all that was happening, SpaceX was launching a Falcon 9 from SLC 40 at Cape Canaveral laden with another batch of Starlinks.
They are clearly learning to juggle several balls in the air at once.
Comparison shot by Mauricio (of RGV Aerial Photography) showing the launch site in January 2019 and again October 2022. In 2019 it was nothing but dirt. Hoppy's glorious 150 m flight was August 27, 2019, by which time the first propellant tanks were already in and Hoppy had conducted static fires and both tethered and untethered (20 m) flights.
In October 2022 they have the Orbital Launch Mount, the Orbital Launch and Integration Tower (with its loving arms), the Orbital Tank Farm and a full-stack flight vehicle on the pad. They are nearing launch readiness, with government launch license probably the biggest hold up at this point.
Sep 25, 2022 05:56 AM
(This post was last modified: Sep 25, 2022 08:33 AM by Yazata.)
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