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

[Dr Mordrid]

Boca Chica road closures (all Eastern Time)

Most likely moving SN-08's nose cone goes to the pad for installation, perhaps the second static fire. A flight to 15+ km on the 22nd is possible, but we'll see.

October 21: 0800 - 1300, 1600 - 1800, 2200 - 0700

October 22: 1000 - 1900

They're also applying a white coating to a nose cone, so it's possible they're building the lunar Starship HLS (Human Lander System) prototype for NASA..

[Dr Mordrid]

SN-08 pre-burner test then a 3-engine static fire (Starship can fly with 6-10 Raptor engines)

A Michael Bay worthy screen whiteout...

Wow...12 miles (19 km) away

https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/...71751047761921

https://twitter.com/austinbarnard45/...66366425518086

[Dr Mordrid]

Possible 3-engine static fire tonight

Window is 2200-0700 Eastern

LabPadre will be installing a seismograph for their livestreams

[Dr Mordrid]

1) static fire #1 campaign
2) data analysis
3) mount payload module
4) static fire #2 campaign (?using landing header tanks?)
5) flight to 15+ km, skydiver landing

Austin Barnard @austinbarnard45
SpaceX's Starship SN8 now has all three Raptors mounted into the aft compartment. We are only a mere few days away from the Static Fire test campaign, as the 15km flight inches closer by each passing day.

Propulsion module
IMG_20201012_161659.jpg

https://twitter.com/austinbarnard45/status/1315714592815841282

[Dr Mordrid]

Sounds like the SN-08 fun's starting; 3 Raptor engines headed to the pad. Payload section in the wings.

[Dr Mordrid]

Fanart but pretty accurate image: Starship/Super Heavy stack atop the new launch table, currently under construction. The tower build can wait for a bit.

IMG_20201010_152208.jpg

https://twitter.com/ErcXspace/status/1311369990344409088

[Dr Mordrid]

ITAR = International Traffic in Arms Regulations

Transpirational cooling = heat shield tiles which "sweat" a cryogenic fluid, most likely liquid methane

Elon Musk @elonmusk
Replying to @Neopork85 @Caspar_Stanley and 6 others
Tiles will be on hot side of flaps too. A very tough problem is sealing the moving flap to body joint without melting or shredding the seal.
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Viv @flcnhvy
Replying to @elonmusk @Neopork85 and 7 others
Are you still considering transpiration cooling for most vulnerable hotspots or are the heat shield tiles tough enough?
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Elon Musk @elonmusk
It might be used in some areas. ITAR laws prevent us from being too specific about solutions

Thread

https://twitter.com/Neopork85/status/1314587511042322432

[Dr Mordrid]

How to get the cargo on the ground? Elevator.

The concept for NASA's Commercial Lunar Cargo Services (CLPS) shows where they're heading,

Lunar Starship cargo - elevator 1024_crop.jpg

[Dr Mordrid]

With high altitude test flights and a major update from Musk coming up, time for a new thread.

Thread 1...

Starting off with the US Transportation Command looking at Starship Earth-2-Earth for high speed logistics. Basically, Starship E2E is said to be capable of hopping 10,000 km without a booster. Looking at a test next year, 80 tonnes of payload

Space News story

https://spacenews.com/u-s-transportation-command-to-study-use-of-spacex-rockets-to-move-cargo-around-the-world/

Defense News C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance)

https://www.c4isrnet.com/space/2020/10/07/the-pentagon-wants-spacex-delivering-cargo-around-the-globe-and-a-live-test-could-come-next-year/

Pentagon wants SpaceX delivering cargo around the globe — and a live test could come next year

WASHINGTON — U.S. Transportation Command is taking the potential for cargo delivery via orbit seriously enough that it hopes to test the concept with SpaceX as soon as next year, the command’s head said Wednesday.

In what he called a “provocative thought,” Gen. Stephen Lyons said: “I’m really excited about the team that’s working with SpaceX on an opportunity, even perhaps in as early as ’21, to conduct a joint proof of principle” for space-based delivery.

The dream, Lyons told the National Defense Transportation Association, is to be able to move 80 tons of cargo - the equivalent of a C-17 transport - via a space-based vehicle anywhere on the globe within one hour.
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