SpaceX Super Heavy and Starship updates

[FloatingFatMan]

46 minutes ago, Steven P. said:

Scrubbed again.

 

 

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

 

In The Expanse, once they take ownership of a vehicle they launch to Luna. I saw it in this weeks episode on Amazon.

Damn you, I've not seen this weeks episode yet! 🖕

[Astra.Xtreme]

21 minutes ago, FloatingFatMan said:

Y'know... I find it unacceptable that people that have lived there for years should have to evacuate just because some new guy bought some land near them...  Perhaps he should have bought it further away, hmmm?

 

 

I think there are only 2 permanent residents still there, and SpaceX is working on buying their homes.  Pretty minor impact for something that will benefit mankind.

[DocM]

46 minutes ago, FloatingFatMan said:

Y'know... I find it unacceptable that people that have lived there for years should have to evacuate just because some new guy bought some land near them...  Perhaps he should have bought it further away, hmmm?

The state was begging SpaceX to select that site instead of sites in Puerto Rico, Georgia, Florida (north of KSC) and other coastal locations. Even now it's a County Spaceport Authority, the state and Feds who set the ground rules. 

 

Speaking of the Feds...

 

/sigh...

 

 

 

 

 

[DocM]

Sounds like SN-09 flies tomorrow, January 29, if the weather & rocket gods are willing. The tweet's times are Central, so add 1 hour for Eastern.

 

 

 

[Skiver Veteran]

16 hours ago, Astra.Xtreme said:

I think there are only 2 permanent residents still there, and SpaceX is working on buying their homes.  Pretty minor impact for something that will benefit mankind.

I'm sure the site has brought a lot of jobs to the area too. As the site grows, so will the surrounding area I imagine.

Also you've got people like Tim Dodd and I suspect many others all set up in Hotels for weeks on end bringing even more money to the town. 

[bguy_1986]

Where else could they do this?  I would assume the property next to the ocean and far enough away from any town is pretty hard to come by anymore.

[DocM]

On 28/01/2021 at 13:35, FloatingFatMan said:

Y'know... I find it unacceptable that people that have lived there for years should have to evacuate just because some new guy bought some land near them...  Perhaps he should have bought it further away, hmmm?

 

There are only 2 full time residents at Boca Chica Village, and they're SpaceX fans. A few other properties are owned by "snowbirds," people from northern states who travel south during the winter; over holidays, etc. 

 

SpaceX has bought out everyone else at premium prices, and the few which remain are likely to sell.

Otherwise the Cameron County Spaceport Authority, a govt agency, gets involved to clear the zone. For now they're evacuating residents during launches to a safe & comfortable site, but this won't last forever.

Edited January 29, 2021 by DocM

[DocM]

Scrubbed today. 

 

SpaceX has penciled in Monday.

 

NASA's Human Lander System program people have been in and out of there for over a week to observe the flight.

 

The Washington Post report sounds like the heat is on FAA,

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/01/28/elon-musk-spacex-starship-faa/

Quote

 

An official with knowledge of the FAA’s thinking pushed back against Musk’s allegations and said the agency had been in constant contact with SpaceX over the flight and was very close to issuing the modification to the license required for the flight.

 

The agency is “not purposefully slowing the process down,” said the person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal processes. The FAA has “a responsibility to the American people and particularly those who live in the southern Texas area to make sure they are not put at undue risk.”

 

MEANWHILE, 

 

the party has a crasher - SN-10 is heading to Test Stand A. Prepare for some awesome pics showing 2 Starship's side by side 😍

 

 

 

[bguy_1986]

10 minutes ago, DocM said:

The Washington Post report sounds like the heat is on FAA,

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/01/28/elon-musk-spacex-starship-faa/

Quote

 

An official with knowledge of the FAA’s thinking pushed back against Musk’s allegations and said the agency had been in constant contact with SpaceX over the flight and was very close to issuing the modification to the license required for the flight.

 

The agency is “not purposefully slowing the process down,” said the person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal processes. The FAA has “a responsibility to the American people and particularly those who live in the southern Texas area to make sure they are not put at undue risk.”

 

Would a new administration have anything to do with this? or was this also common with the last?

[Steven P. Administrators]

Man, the live feed makes it sound like it is all being run by amateurs because no-one seems to know what is happening and I couldn't find an official web page for it either.

 

Yesterday's launch was happening right up until it was no longer possible despite the fact the FAA called it off shortly after the window opened on Thursday and all I heard after that was how the FAA was somehow wrong but no-one knew either way so prep was made right up until before the launch sequence (which they can call a test in hindsight) either way, the chaps on the live feed didn't know what was happening.

[DocM]

57 minutes ago, Steven P. said:

Man, the live feed makes it sound like it is all being run by amateurs because no-one seems to know what is happening and I couldn't find an official web page for it either.

 

That's because no one does know what's happening.  Part of it is the FAA AST office that handles this is seriously understaffed. Another part is that, in general, the Federal govt. is overly bureaucratic and incompetent.

 

This is regardless of who's in charge. It's why when some proposal to create  another big program comes along many or most Americans just go "O-M-G, another s***show 🙄" 

 

FAA fits this for several reasons (see how they've mis-handled Boeing, anti-collision systems, etc.) 

Quote

 

 

[DocM]

1 hour ago, bguy_1986 said:

Would a new administration have anything to do with this? or was this also common with the last?

 

A new administration may be part of it, but not because of politics. During the first weeks of a new administration the agencies are running on autopilot. New agency heads haven't been appointed yet, so you see "Acting..." department heads with reduced authority (Fred? He won't be there in 6 weeks. Ignore him...)

 

[DocM]

Twins!

 

[DocM]

BocaChiocaGal one-ups everyone, as usual...

 

[DocM]

Even if FAA goes along, Monday looks too windy.

 

BocaChicaGal was up early. For scale, they're about 80 meters apart.

 

[DocM]

 

[DocM]

With 2 Starship pads and 2 Super Heavy pads the new layout will be a photographers playground (as if Boca Chica isn't already)

 

 

[DocM]

They've stated pressure tests on SN-10

 

[DocM]

New Starship TFR's have been posted for Feb. 2, 3 & 4 (Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday.) Altitude: 7,200 feet, so likely a wet dress rehearsal and/or static fire.

[DocM]

Temporary Flight Restriction for Boca Chica

 

Date: Tuesday, February 2, 2021

Altitude: unlimited

 

https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_1_9224.html

 

 

Washington Post

 

Edited February 1, 2021 by DocM

[DocM]

This is just the BN1 Super Heavy booster's LOX tank 🤪

 

Full height of the SH booster stage will be  70 meters (230 feet), as tall as a fully stacked Falcon Heavy (all stages + the cargo fairing). The NASA Space Launch System (SLS) booster stage is 65 meters (212 feet). 

 

 

[dfuk]

I wonder if SN15 will be the first starship to be stacked to the booster.

[DocM]

2 hours ago, dfuk said:

I wonder if SN15 will be the first starship to be stacked to the booster.

I guess that'll depend on how the SN-09, SN-10 and BN1 test flights go.  They may use SN-15 for a suborbital re-entry test, then do a full launch with 16 or 17 on BN2.

[Skiver Veteran]

 

 

I've seen on LabPadre's stream they say a TFR is in place but we've heard that one before - fingers crossed the FAA and Space X got the new license ironed out over the weekend.

[Skiver Veteran]

Got the stream on mute as I'm on a work call but NSF at least seems to be suggesting Approval is in.