BFR Developments

[Yazata]

OK, here's the most authoritative information yet:

Starship fully stacked at Starbase. Team is working towards a launch rehearsal next week followed by Starship's first integrated test flight ~ week later pending regulatory approval.

https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1644044484026716160

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1643873905113722880

SpaceX photos

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[Yazata]

FAA's advisory to Air Traffic Controllers has been updated accordingly:

https://www.fly.faa.gov/adv/adv_spt.jsp

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[Yazata]

Starship is ready for launch.

Awaiting regulatory approval.

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1644944993499357184

And talking about Starship's future

Will get bigger. Ship will probably stretch by another 10m or so. (32.8 feet!)

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1644868187354284034

And we need to add 3 more Vacuum Raptor engines, because it's inevitable.

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1644868577265172481

[Yazata]

The goal is to see this floating in the Pacific off Hawaii

Probably won't happen though. Lots will have to go right, first time out, to get Ship 24 back from orbit intact. (SLS performed its first flight flawlessly, so it isn't impossible.)

People are saying that if B7 gets the stack safely away from the launch complex without blowing up the pad, anything else will be gravy.

I'll consider it a success if it achieves orbit.

(Visualization by @ErcXspace from twitter)

https://twitter.com/ErcXspace/status/146...8463797256

[Image: FtY4GNDXsAAW1Ke?format=jpg&name=large]

[Yazata]

SpaceX has updated their Starship flight test page. They have decided not to perform the launch rehearsal that had been penciled in for this week. They are still aiming at launching next week.

But that's conditional on the FAA issuing the launch license.

I like how their countdown sequence has "excitement guaranteed" at t-0!

https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/...light-test

This "Launches" page still says "April 17", but that's exceedingly iffy.

https://www.spacex.com/launches/

Their Twitter page says "as soon as next week, pending regulatory approval"

https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1645875678657810439

(SpaceX photo)

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[Yazata]

Eric Berger of Ars Technica is reporting that according to "multiple sources", the FAA is preparing to issue the Starship launch licence today.

https://twitter.com/SciGuySpace/status/1...6481651715

Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino has issued amended road/beach closures for Monday April 17, with backup days rest of next week, "due to anticipated test launch activities". Still conditional on that damned FAA license.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ftnf55kX0AoY...=4096x4096

Edit: It's 4:20 PM EDT and still no license.

[Yazata]

11:30 AM EDT on Friday, and still no word that the license has been issued.

But preparations are proceeding as if it will be issued.

Many space-nuts from around the world are traveling to the Brownsville/South Padre Island area as we speak, to watch the launch.

TFR issued for Monday from sea-level up to unlimited:

https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_3_1793.html

There are rumors on Twitter (I don't know how true they are) that the license holdup is because FAA is awaiting a required clearance letter from some federal environmental agency, which supposedly is concerned about the welfare of some rare shark species, which hasn't been seen in the relevant part of the Gulf of Mexico for many years, but might conceivably still live there.

(I'm hoping that it isn't the Biden administration jerking around Elon Musk, who the left hates with a viscious passion. If they were doing that, they would just be hurting the government's own NASA which needs Starship to proceed in order for lunar HLS to appear on time for Artemis III. To say nothing of the Space Force which no doubt has lots of tasks in mind for Starship as well.)

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TFR issued for Tuesday April 18

I don't know if this is because Tuesday is a backup day for Monday, or if it's because they expect the launch to slip to Tuesday.

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[Yazata]

Another Starship animation film, this one by space-nuts in France! It's very well done and very inspiring.

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/gpsBzSTro-k

[Yazata]

Marine Safety Information Bulletin for April 17

"Mariners operating offshore in waters east of Brownsville Texas are advised of rocket launching activities and associated hazardous areas which may impact navigation interests. Navigational hazards from rocket launching activity may include free falling debris and/or descending vehicles or vehicle components, under various means of control. Mariners should avoid all waters within rocket flight trajectories..."

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[C C]

Hopefully the bureaucrats will let it fly before hurricane season.