SpaceX Starship: Orbital Test Flight (launch: April 17, webcast link)

[Dr Mordrid]

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Jack Beyer @thejackbeyer
Super Heavy Booster 4 is now at the Launch Site. Also, I'm now in Boca Chica! @NASASpaceflight

https://twitter.com/thejackbeyer/status/1422639587948642306

[Dr Mordrid]

Six-pack of engines on Ship 20, Nine-pack possible. The big RVac nozzles are >3 meters wide.

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https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1422780001183834117

[Dr Mordrid]

This was a "fit test," to assure the construction matched the blueprints, and a photo op

Mary @BocaChicaGal
Ship 20 and Booster B4 have been stacked!!
@NASASpaceflight https://t.co/Vm8Uqa1N1C

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[Dr Mordrid]

Oh, my...

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https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1423830326665650179

[Dr Mordrid]

NASA didn't waste time writing that first HLS check...

Michael Sheetz ✓ @thesheetztweetz (CNBC)
NASA paid $300 million to SpaceX, its most recent major payment under the HLS program toward Starship, on July 30 (the day the GAO denied the protests of Blue Origin and Dynetics):

https://usaspending.gov/award/CONT_AWD_80MSFC20C0034_8000_-NONE-_-NONE-

https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1426614843147161609

[Dr Mordrid]

QD = quick disconnect = hard umbilical; one for Super Heavy on the launch mount, one for Starship on a swing arm which also supports the stack before liftoff.

The launch mount QD has been installed.

[Dr Mordrid]

Once the bottom aero covers are on Super Heavy will be one pretty rocket...

Nic Ansuini ✓@NicAnsuini
Booster 4 looking epic this morning!

- @NASASpaceflight

https://twitter.com/NicAnsuini/status/1435250468205338625

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[Dr Mordrid]

Booster 4 w/29 engines back on the Orbital pad for tests...(time: 4:55)

[Dr Mordrid]

Booster-catching "Chopsticks" lifted to integration tower.

[Dr Mordrid]

How Starship is assembled

[Dr Mordrid]

More on the Kennedy Space Center LC-39A Starship pad construction. This will be used for commercial, StarLink, and NASA Artemis program crewed and cargo Moon missions. Most likely Mars missions when that time comes.

The Starship launch tower & mount will be about half way between the hangar and Falcon launch tower/mount, off to the right side (from the hangar's view.)

The launch tower will incorporate the "Mechazilla" robotic arms for catching inbound Super Heavy boosters and Starships, rather than doing legged landings.

The boxy Starship launch mount they built ~2 years ago has been taken down in favor of something like the Starbase round launch table mount.

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/03/elon-musk-spacex-starts-construction-of-starship-launchpad-in-florida.html

Elon Musk says SpaceX has started building a Starship launchpad on Florida’s Space Coast

>
NASA, in a statement to CNBC, confirmed that SpaceX is “within the rights of their lease agreement to make launch infrastructure improvements within the boundaries of the pad.” The agency also confirmed that NASA is not providing funding for the Starship launchpad, and deferred to SpaceX on the project’s scope, cost, and timeline.
>
Tom Engler, director of planning and development at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, told CNBC that he think the SpaceX plan is “really exciting.” Before the company leased the complex, it was previously used to launch Saturn V rockets for Apollo missions, as well as Space Shuttle missions.

“If you look at the history of the launchpad, this is probably right in line with how it was meant to be used,” Engler said. “To us, it’s really just kind of an reaffirmation of the thought process of why that pad was built to begin with.”
>

[Dr Mordrid]

The FCC has issued a Special Temporary Authority (STA, frequency license) for the Starship orbital test flight. FAA Environmental Assessment and flight license pending.

Window: December 20, 2021 - March 1, 2022

[Dr Mordrid]

After months of trying to get FAA
environmental approval for their Boca Chica launches the agency report finally came out as a mitigated FONSI, of finding of no significant impact. FAA still needs to issue a launch license, but the ball is rolling downhill now.

SpaceX is also building several Starship pads at the Kennedy Space Center, the first at a new pad co-located at LC 39a where they launch Crew and Cargo Dragon. NASA and SpaceX are also talking about building a Dragon capability into the LC40 pad used for military
& Com ercial satellite launches.

[Dr Mordrid]

2 Starship flight articles on the way.

Bear in mind that SpaceX has one launch pad ready in Boca Chica and another under construction at KSC LC-39A, now preparing to stack its launch/catcher tower.

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1536747824498585602

Elon Musk @elonmusk
Jun 14, 2022

Replying to @SirineAti and @mn_google
Starship will be ready to fly next month. I was in the high bay & mega bay late last night reviewing progress.
|
Elon Musk @elonmusk
We will have a second Starship stack ready to fly in August and then monthly thereafter

[Dr Mordrid]

It seems Ship 24's nose fins look smaller. This had been hinted at but not seen. This is likely the first orbital test flight vehicle.

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1536896085557399552

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