BFR Developments

[Syne]

It'll buff out

SpaceX photo posted by Elon

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A little super glue, some popsicle sticks.

[Yazata]

The end of the rainbow

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nsNS

[Yazata]

And this morning, before all the B12 booster business, the workers who have been working so frantically on the arms posed on an arm for a photograph.

Photo by Genna

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And here's the SpaceX photograph

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Everybody is making this comparison

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And the recovered remains of B11 return home to the Port of Brownsville

Photo by Genna Hammer

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Drone photo by Jordan Guidry

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nsNS

[Yazata]

Hos Ridgewind has been back out at B11's landing spot and is due back in the Port of Brownsville on Saturday October 5 where the purpose of the visit is listed as 'unload cargo'. Apparently it has more B11 bits.

I'm guessing that it is most interested in collecting all of B11's advanced engines, so that another country doesn't acquire them (that's you, China), which would be a huge ITAR violation.

[Yazata]

Pieces of the second Orbital Launch Mount have started arriving, after being fabricated off site somewhere.

It's expected that the design of OLM-2 will end up being very different than OLM-1

This thing will be very beefy, made out of thick armor plate, since not only will a fully-fueled, fully-stacked Starship weighing thousands of tons sit atop it, it will also have to survive the rocket blast at launch.

Photo by Starship Gazer

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[Yazata]

Something Big Might Be Happening

Notams (notice to airmen) and Notmars (notice to mariners) are coming out for the awaited Flight 5 of Starship on Sunday October 13!!! NASA's WB57 tracking plane is booked for that date. Mexico has issued their Notam. So has Australia for a Starship landing in the Indian ocean off the NW Australian coast.

Last night, after a daytime fuel tanking test, they conducted a double water deluge test of Elon's upside-down shower head. First was a full-deluge as seen during launch when all 33 booster engines are fired up. Then a second deluge a few minutes later, as expected when B12 returns for a catch landing.

SpaceX says

"Starship’s fifth flight test is preparing to launch as soon as October 13, pending regulatory approval"

https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1843435573861875781

When I first heard this, I thought "Nah, no way! The FAA still insists no license before late November. This is just Elon putting pressure on the FAA by saying 'Here we are, all ready to go, just waiting on you' "

But the Washington Post's Christian Davenport says (The WP is close to the Biden administration.)

"Am told the regulatory approval from the FAA is indeed possible for a Starship launch by Sunday but not a certainty."

https://x.com/wapodavenport/status/1843618901990822068

So there's a chance, not a certainty, that things are about to get exciting!

(SpaceX photo)

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nsNS

[C C]

Something Big Might Be Happening

Notams (notice to airmen) and Notmars (notice to mariners) are coming out for the awaited Flight 5 of Starship on Sunday October 13!!! NASA's WB57 tracking plane is booked for that date. Mexico has issued their Notam. So has Australia for a Starship landing in the Indian ocean off the NW Australian coast.

Last night, after a daytime fuel tanking test, they conducted a double water deluge test of Elon's upside-down shower head. First was a full-deluge as seen during launch when all 33 booster engines are fired up. Then a second deluge a few minutes later, as expected when B12 returns for a catch landing.

SpaceX says

"Starship’s fifth flight test is preparing to launch as soon as October 13, pending regulatory approval"

https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1843435573861875781

When I first heard this, I thought "Nah, no way! The FAA still insists no license before late November. This is just Elon putting pressure on the FAA by saying 'Here we are, all ready to go, just waiting on you' "

But the Washington Post's Christian Davenport says (The WP is close to the Biden administration.)

"Am told the regulatory approval from the FAA is indeed possible for a Starship launch by Sunday but not a certainty."

https://x.com/wapodavenport/status/1843618901990822068

So there's a chance, not a certainty, that things are about to get exciting!

(SpaceX photo) https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GZUy2A5XoAAO...=4096x4096

Give Biden credit for finally realizing that the country comes first, before satisfying the Dem and wokester grudges against Elon. Of course, in his semi-vegetable state, it was surely someone else in the administration that poked him awake and suggested he call the FAA or instruct an applicable heavyweight in the cabinet to do so.

[Yazata]

Eric Berger says

"Everyone keeps asking about a launch license. No, it has not been finalized. However, it's Tuesday, and SpaceX clearly believes it is on a path with the FAA and other federal agencies to resolve this by the weekend. So it's probably going to happen."

https://x.com/SciGuySpace/status/1843694950552412212

[Yazata]

Cameron county TX order establishing the safety perimeter on Oct 13. The order specifically says "This closure is for flight activity..."

https://www.cameroncountytx.gov/wp-conte...3.2024.pdf

[Yazata]

Flight termination explosives are being installed

(Photo by Starship Gazer)

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And they have started to add a totally unexpected giant Mars mural to the side of the new parking structure! I absolutely love it!!

(Photo by Genna Hammer)

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