Topic: Interesting stuff about SpaceX Starship (hate the name)

[Nemesis]

SpaceX has said they want to do over 50 launches this year.  If they start launching Starlink on Starship (even in expendable mode) they should be replacing quite a number of Falcon 9 launches for each such launch as it is expected to carry 400 or more per launch compared to 60 at most with Falcon 9. 

I do want to see Starship deploying 100s of satellites per launch this year, preferably by summer. 

[Nemesis]

A used Falcon Heavy side booster was just flown as a standard Falcon 9.  Modifications were required.  Landing was successful.

6 Falcon 9 launches in 5 weeks this year.

[Nemesis]

Stacking Starship with Mechazilla:

[Nemesis]

The latest batch of Starlink satellites had issues with a "geomagnetic storm" which increased drag by 50% and about 40 of them will NOT achieve orbit.

[Nemesis]

The rocket expected to impact the moon in March is NOT a Falcon 9 but is a Chinese rocket instead. 

Musk talked about how when trying to get to 250 tons of thrust on the Raptor 2 they have trouble with keeping the thrust chambers from melting.  People seem to think this means that at the 230 tons they are rated for they have the same problem.  Personally I think this is a misunderstanding.  I think they are currently topped at 230 tons is because that is a reliably stable (not melting down) thrust rate.  He does say they expect to upgrade to 250 tons as they solve the problem.

Note how in the image the Raptor 2 has far less wiring.  This is because of all the sensor systems in the Raptor 1 prototype that can be dispensed with on the (near) production model vs2.  Far less to go wrong, simpler to assemble, cheaper and I am guessing lighter.

Edit to change image type:

[Nemesis]

SpaceX is planning a Dragon mission with an EVA in a SpaceX suit.  Could be they'll be making a Lunar/Mars suit solving NASAs problem getting suits for Artemis.

[Nemesis]

FAA has now delayed their environmental assessment report till the end of February delaying Starship orbital launch until at least March.

Now delayed till March 28th so launch unlikely before April. 

[Nemesis]

New Shepard 7m X 15m.  Starship cargo compartment 8m x 18m.  Finally a way for Bezos to get a rocket to orbit, even fully fueled.  Not sure if that includes the capsule.

[Nemesis]

12th successful flight of a Falcon 9.  On to 13.

[Starfox1701]

They manage to keep the lower booster?

[Nemesis]

They reuse the Falcon 9 first stage, yesterday was the record of 12 flights and a safe recovery.  They also can reuse the Dragon capsule both the cargo and manned versions.  They manage also to recover some of the fairings and reuse them.  It is a large part of why SpaceX undercuts the competition.  I believe last year they had about 40 launches only 2 of which were new 1st stages (and that is insisted on for some customers).   This year they target 50+ launches.

Starship target if fully reusable.  Hopefully they will achieve it.

[Nemesis]

Once again the FAA has delayed their report, now to April 29th. 

As a result of all these delays SpaceX is going to have enough Raptor 2 engines on hand to finish a booster and Starship with them and they (SH 7 and SS 24 apparently) will be doing the first launch.  SH 4 and SS 20 will not do an orbital flight. 

I would like to see them use the landing platforms from the earlier test flights with pure catching towers to do short hops and attempted catches so any failures don't risk the larger more complex launch tower and tank farm.  Alternately complete one of the sea launch platforms to the minimum to do catches and armour the rest against failures.  They could do tests using hops with the SH4 and SS20 that are being decommissioned anyhow.  Get some testing done.

A quick edit:

Some people think the FAA is going to stall until the SLS (Space Launch System) launches first (due in May) so they can make a big thing of it being the most powerful rocket ever launched.  The Starship stack is even more powerful so if it is launched first then SLS never gets to make that claim.  The best they can do is the "most powerful government rocket launched successfully).  Possible but I think unlikely.  More likely (IMO) is the FAA and the other involved agencies are just showing government inefficiency and stonewalling in response to attempts to pressure them to finish quickly.

[Nemesis]

One Web that was bailed out of bankruptcy by the British government was contracted to have the rest of their satellites launched on Russian rockets but when conditions were added (after the invasion of Ukraine) to the launches and rejected by One Web they were facing bankruptcy again due to not only no launch provider but some of their satellites in Russia and not being returned.  SpaceX is going to launch them (for a price of course) One Web does need to either get the satellites back or have replacements made but they are bought time by getting SpaceX to launch what they do have. 

Some people were predicting that SpaceX would either refuse or put the price too high but I expected them to do the launches at a good price, glad I was right.

People need to remember that Roscosmos has always had issues with SpaceX especially since they undercut the Soyuz price to resupply the ISS and deliver astronauts. Musk I'm quite sure likes giving them the finger like this.  During a recent launch of Starlink satellites they made a response to Roscosmos saying the U.S. would have to use broomsticks to get to orbit by having the Falcon 9 referred to as a American Broomstick.  Musk does like to send jibes at those who annoy him.

[Nemesis]

SpaceX has stopped producing Crew Dragon capsules.  They seem to think that with reuse they have enough till Starship can replace it.  It also puts pressure on NASA because without Crew Dragon they have no manned space flight.  Starliner isn't currently viable as it has never had a successful unmanned test.  The 2 rockets it is intended to fly on are A/ using Russian engines which are no longer available and all flights using them are booked or B/ use the BE-4 engine which isn't yet available (maybe not even this year) and will need extensive flight testing for man rating. 

This could be a move to have NASA put pressure on the FAA to finish their assessment of Boca Chica for Starship launches.

They also seem to have a design for a Starship "Launch Slot" to dispense Starlink 2 satellites like a giant Pez Dispenser retaining the launch mechanism for return to Earth and reuse.

[Nemesis]

The Axiom 1 mission has achieved orbit.  Still to reach the ISS. 

Docking was achieved and the crew has boarded the ISS. First purely commercial mission to the ISS.

[Nemesis]

Amazon has signed contracts with Arianespace for their Ariane 6 vehicle, with ULA for Vulcan Centaur and of course Blue Origins New Glenn to launch their Kuiper satellite network.

Ariane 6.  Still in development.

Vulcan Centaur.  Waiting for BO to complete the BE4 engines.

New Glenn still in development AND waiting for those same BE4 engines. 

Estimated cost about $10 billion, twice the SpaceX launch price if SpaceX were to give Amazon their standard prices.   Of course if I were Musk I would give the standard prices but insist that Amazon and Bezos/BO stop all their opposition to SpaceX which Bezos won't agree to I'm sure.  Go ahead and compete but stop trying to manipulate the government and courts into causing SpaceX delays.

[Nemesis]

Once again the FAA has delayed their report, now to April 29th. 

Once again.  Now May 31st.

They had a pressurization accident on the BN7 booster where they had too great a pressure differential between the O2 tank and the methane downcomer pipe passing through it crushing the pipe.  They seem to be trying to repair it. 

The extended Axiom flight to the ISS ended after 15 days with a successful return and the next ISS crew has gone up.

I saw a video with a SpaceX photo of a group of Raptor 2 engines in the forefront was one with the number 52, it takes 33 for the booster and so far 6 for Starship (with a planned upgrade of Starship using 9) so at most 42 are needed.

The Cape Kennedy site has a lot of progress towards being a 2nd launch site for Starship but it has a long way to go.

Allegedly BO is finally shipping BE-4 engines to ULA.  Haven't seen a trustworthy confirmation or what the source was so maybe.

[Nemesis]

The crushed downcomer pipe on SH7 has been repaired and the booster pressure tested twice.  Seems likely that this will still be the first booster used but likely depends on how many more delays by the FAA.

SN24 seems to be the most likely candidate for first Starship to orbit.  It includes the "PEZ" dispenser door but he seems unsure if it will launch any Starlink 2 satellites on the first test flight. 

There are reports that 2 Raptor 2s failed testing at MacGregor but no details.  Was this a pair of failures and if so are they repairable or was it test to destruction to find the Raptor 2 limits? 

Some people are attacking the launching of Starship at Kennedy as it is "too close" to the pad used to launch Dragons to ISS and Falcon Heavy.  Would like to see how many of those are connected to the competition that fears Starship.

Starliner is soon to redo its flight to the ISS (this Thursday).  Atlas V.  Then crewed flight December 2022 still on Atlas V.  Then again March 2023 still on Atlas V.

BO has apparently shipped BE-4 engines for Vulcan Centaur to ULA (1 set) so it is expected to launch near the end of 2022 barring issues.

[Nemesis]

Starliner was launched but had multiple unplanned engine cut outs.  Not what I consider crew ready but Boeing (again) so far seems unconcerned with the issues.

Docking was successful but there seem to have been some issues there as well.  Docking thruster failures.  Docking mechanism requiring reset.  Delays to get telemetry, communications and lighting correct.  Temperature control problems.  Had to manually control the temperature systems.

Hope that NASA doesn't allow a manned flight until a essentially bug free flight and this flight ISN'T good enough.  I'd have waved them off the docking due to the thruster issues.  No sale Boeing.

[Nemesis]

Elon Musk:  At SpaceX we specialize in turning things from impossible to late.

In reference specifically to the catching of a Starship or Super Heavy when landing.