SpaceX Starship updates (thread 2) [launch in March]

[Dr Mordrid]

Well, well...

https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/new-nasa-partnerships-to-mature-commercial-space-technologies-capabilities

SpaceX will partner with NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, to capture imagery and thermal measurements of its Starship vehicle during orbital re-entry over the Pacific Ocean. With the data, the company plans to advance a reusable thermal protection system, which protects the vehicle from aerodynamic heating, for missions returning from low-Earth orbit, the Moon, and Mars.

[Dr Mordrid]

Cape Canaveral Space Force Base pad LC-40 enhancements;

Cargo Dragon infrastructure will be added for use this fall, Crew Dragon upgrades later. New launch tower, etc.

This gives SpaceX redundancy in case pad LC-39A is out of commission. It would also give them the capability to launch two Dragons in a short period of time. With them having to expand their fleet with another Crew and Cargo Dragon they need the extra capacity.

Sometime this spring they will launch the Polaris Dawn mission, during which they will attempt to beat Geminis 1400 km low earth orbit altitude record, and do spacewalks which will introduce their new extra vehicular activity space suit. Apparently a major upgrade which should lead to their Moon and Mars Starship suit.

https://twitter.com/StephenClark1/status/1618307887549276161

[Dr Mordrid]

SpaceX targeting 33 engine Super Heavy static fire next week.

https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1618989574616743936

[Dr Mordrid]

Starship's mass to orbit has been updated

Falcon 9 can do 22.8* metric tons. Falcon Heavy can do almost 63.

Reusable: 150 metroc tons
Expendable: 250 metric tons

https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/starship/

SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket – collectively referred to as Starship – represent a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond. Starship will be the world’s most powerful launch vehicle ever developed, with the ability to carry up to 150 metric tonnes to Earth orbit reusable, and up to 250 metric tonnes expendable

[Dr Mordrid]

Starship 27 gets a Starlink Gen 2 "PEZ dispenser" payload door. Note the remove before launch tags.

https://twitter.com/cosmicalchief/status/1621364472727076865

20230203_020842.jpg

[Dr Mordrid]

Super Heavy 33 engine static fire attempt Feb 9 (tomorrow)

https://twitter.com/joroulette/status/1623391088701480963

[Dr Mordrid]

[Dr Mordrid]

Elon Musk @elonmusk
This test is at ~50% throttle. Launch attempt next month will be at ~90%.

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1624412830446534656

20230211_100123.jpg

[Dr Mordrid]

We may be getting a Starship launch date soon

https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1628092269872947201

Jeff Foust @jeff_foust (Space News)

Gary Henry, senior advisor for national security space solutions at SpaceX, says at a Space Mobility panel that both the Starship booster and pad are in "good shape" after static fire test earlier this month. The test was the "last box to check" before the first orbital launch.
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He adds the company still needs an FAA launch license but expects that in the "very near future." Tells the audience to expect some "must-see TV" sometime in March.