Author Topic: SpaceX Texas launch site Discussion and Updates - Thread 12  (Read 1154302 times)

Online FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: SpaceX Texas launch site Discussion and Updates - Thread 12
« Reply #1920 on: 05/31/2023 02:11 pm »

Online zubenelgenubi

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Re: SpaceX Texas launch site Discussion and Updates - Thread 12
« Reply #1921 on: 05/31/2023 06:46 pm »
Moderator:
I split/merged the WAG/SWAG anecdote posts to the party thread.

How's about we get back to SpaceX Texas launch site Discussion and Updates, please?
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Online FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: SpaceX Texas launch site Discussion and Updates - Thread 12
« Reply #1922 on: 06/01/2023 06:09 am »



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Re: SpaceX Texas launch site Discussion and Updates - Thread 12
« Reply #1923 on: 06/03/2023 02:02 pm »

Offline baking

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Re: SpaceX Texas launch site Discussion and Updates - Thread 12
« Reply #1924 on: 06/03/2023 03:07 pm »
For anyone wondering, the black pipe in the foreground of the OLM with multiple white hoses connected to it is a dewatering system.  Wells are driven around the perimeter of a pit, or in this case between the pit and the source of the water, and water is sucked out to keep the water table around the pit low, so you don't need to have a sump pump in the pit.

Also, that pit is getting deep.  Looks like they are doing it right this time.

Offline alugobi

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Re: SpaceX Texas launch site Discussion and Updates - Thread 12
« Reply #1925 on: 06/03/2023 04:32 pm »
They're putting crushed granite roadbase about 10 meters down in that hole.  I suspect that they'll pour a hefty pad on top of that and then set the water system tanks on top of that. 

The whole thing looks like it's going to be pretty stout.

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Re: SpaceX Texas launch site Discussion and Updates - Thread 12
« Reply #1926 on: 06/03/2023 07:50 pm »
https://twitter.com/rgvaerialphotos/status/1665083202040463365

Quote
Aerial view of Stage Zero.
Predictions on launch readiness? 1/2/3/4+ months?

Launch site discussion livestream link:  youtube.com/live/lLg9BHgzn…

Offline novo2044

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Re: SpaceX Texas launch site Discussion and Updates - Thread 12
« Reply #1927 on: 06/04/2023 11:43 am »
For anyone wondering, the black pipe in the foreground of the OLM with multiple white hoses connected to it is a dewatering system.  Wells are driven around the perimeter of a pit, or in this case between the pit and the source of the water, and water is sucked out to keep the water table around the pit low, so you don't need to have a sump pump in the pit.

Also, that pit is getting deep.  Looks like they are doing it right this time.
After all the hand wringing, makes me wonder how much did the the first OTF actually delay the installation of the new showerhead, etc.  A couple weeks, a month maybe?  It's always fun to go back and read the discussion immediately after one of their tests and realize what limited data points we are working with.

My personal favorite was someone posting about how they knew a senior manager who was insisting on a flame trench who was fired for standing up to Elon's hubris, and how Elon should call and personally apologize to them.  You'd figure after the Starhopper wackiness we'd all know better by now.

Offline robot_enthusiast

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Re: SpaceX Texas launch site Discussion and Updates - Thread 12
« Reply #1928 on: 06/05/2023 01:53 am »
For anyone wondering, the black pipe in the foreground of the OLM with multiple white hoses connected to it is a dewatering system.  Wells are driven around the perimeter of a pit, or in this case between the pit and the source of the water, and water is sucked out to keep the water table around the pit low, so you don't need to have a sump pump in the pit.

Also, that pit is getting deep.  Looks like they are doing it right this time.
After all the hand wringing, makes me wonder how much did the the first OTF actually delay the installation of the new showerhead, etc.  A couple weeks, a month maybe?  It's always fun to go back and read the discussion immediately after one of their tests and realize what limited data points we are working with.

My personal favorite was someone posting about how they knew a senior manager who was insisting on a flame trench who was fired for standing up to Elon's hubris, and how Elon should call and personally apologize to them.  You'd figure after the Starhopper wackiness we'd all know better by now.
Their actions post launch do not indicate that there was any significant change to the design of the pad system based on the results, and this excavation needed to happen either way. That means that all the concrete the vehicle excavated was just less work to be done to prepare the installation. If anything, the results of the flight made the installation faster.

Offline VaBlue

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Re: SpaceX Texas launch site Discussion and Updates - Thread 12
« Reply #1929 on: 06/05/2023 12:36 pm »
Their actions post launch do not indicate that there was any significant change to the design of the pad system based on the results, and this excavation needed to happen either way. That means that all the concrete the vehicle excavated was just less work to be done to prepare the installation. If anything, the results of the flight made the installation faster.

Agree.  This is a LOT of work with some seriously large hunks of metal and piping.  No way this was all dreamed up after the test flight launch.  It would have taken months to design and plan all of this from scratch, get the long lead items procured and manufactured, and get the construction workers on site.  And 'months' is being generous...

Online FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: SpaceX Texas launch site Discussion and Updates - Thread 12
« Reply #1930 on: 06/05/2023 04:10 pm »
https://twitter.com/nasaspaceflight/status/1665752579114926081

Quote
Starbase Status Update with Jack (@thejackbeyer)!


Offline Alberto-Girardi

For anyone wondering, the black pipe in the foreground of the OLM with multiple white hoses connected to it is a dewatering system.  Wells are driven around the perimeter of a pit, or in this case between the pit and the source of the water, and water is sucked out to keep the water table around the pit low, so you don't need to have a sump pump in the pit.

Also, that pit is getting deep.  Looks like they are doing it right this time.
After all the hand wringing, makes me wonder how much did the the first OTF actually delay the installation of the new showerhead, etc.  A couple weeks, a month maybe?  It's always fun to go back and read the discussion immediately after one of their tests and realize what limited data points we are working with.

My personal favorite was someone posting about how they knew a senior manager who was insisting on a flame trench who was fired for standing up to Elon's hubris, and how Elon should call and personally apologize to them.  You'd figure after the Starhopper wackiness we'd all know better by now.
Ah... I remember that post.
Absolutely agree on the fact that we had near zero information.

I would wonder also about how much installing the "entire showerhead" system would have delayed the OFT. All the work of building pilings would have probably needed to be done even without the B7 aided excavation, since we have enstablished that probably the support on the concrete was unsufficient. This delay now seem to be in the order of months, since OFT was on April 20, and after a few weeks they started working, and there are still a lot of work weeks ahead.
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Online KilroySmith

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Re: SpaceX Texas launch site Discussion and Updates - Thread 12
« Reply #1932 on: 06/05/2023 05:27 pm »
I would wonder also about how much installing the "entire showerhead" system would have delayed the OFT. All the work of building pilings would have probably needed to be done even without the B7 aided excavation, since we have enstablished that probably the support on the concrete was unsufficient. This delay now seem to be in the order of months, since OFT was on April 20, and after a few weeks they started working, and there are still a lot of work weeks ahead.

Seems likely to me, given the knowledge at the time as we understand it, that the showerhead would have been installed on top of the existing (now non-existent) concrete pad.  They had static-fired 30 engines at 50% thrust, and had no issues with the strength of the existing support structures or of the existing concrete - other than surface spalling. Only after the launch did it become obvious to us lookie-loos that there was a strength issue, not just a surface issue.  Perhaps that was known to the knowledgeable insiders, though that's not clear to me.

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Re: SpaceX Texas launch site Discussion and Updates - Thread 12
« Reply #1933 on: 06/06/2023 11:31 am »
Quote
Another deluge-related part arrived at the LC last night.
@LabPadre  #Rover2

https://twitter.com/vickicocks15/status/1666044227547983877

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...followed shortly after by this HUGE pipe section!

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Re: SpaceX Texas launch site Discussion and Updates - Thread 12
« Reply #1934 on: 06/06/2023 06:09 pm »

Offline InterestedEngineer

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Re: SpaceX Texas launch site Discussion and Updates - Thread 12
« Reply #1935 on: 06/06/2023 08:25 pm »
If you don't want to watch the entire video but you've been wondering where the pilings are going, here's the screenshot

Offline catdlr

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Re: SpaceX Texas launch site Discussion and Updates - Thread 12
« Reply #1936 on: 06/06/2023 08:36 pm »
If you don't want to watch the entire video but you've been wondering where the pilings are going, here's the screenshot

Now we have the "Pad Watchers" in addition to the "Ring Watches".
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Online FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: SpaceX Texas launch site Discussion and Updates - Thread 12
« Reply #1937 on: 06/06/2023 10:27 pm »

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Re: SpaceX Texas launch site Discussion and Updates - Thread 12
« Reply #1938 on: 06/07/2023 01:09 pm »
https://twitter.com/starbasepulse/status/1666430733940932611

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Morning to Morning 24 hour timelapse (Jun 06 through Jun 07) of the @NASASpaceflight Starbase Live camera at nsf.live/starbase (click to watch live)

#BocaChicaToMars #SpaceX #Starship

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Re: SpaceX Texas launch site Discussion and Updates - Thread 12
« Reply #1939 on: 06/07/2023 04:05 pm »
https://twitter.com/nasaspaceflight/status/1666476110589186053

Quote
Some cheeky updates on the Starbase launch site:

nsf.live/starbase

1) New Tower Elevator view.
2) Ship 25 is released ahead of the Static Fire test.
3) Tank Farm shells seem to be buffing out nicely.
4) Diggers are hard at work ahead of the steel plate and pipes installation for the water deluge system.

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