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SpaceX Facilities and Fleets / Re: Starship Static Fire stand on OLM structure

« Last post by DanClemmensen on Today at 02:58 pm »

Have we seen anything that looks like SQD plumbing?

Is SpaceX crazy enough to use the chopsticks to raise the Ship up to fill it with the actual SQD and then lower it to the stand for the actual static fire?

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Commercial Space Flight General / Re: Innospace

« Last post by TheKutKu on Today at 02:48 pm »

❄️Cool Progress! We’re pleased to share the successful completion of the 300-second cold flow test of Liquid Methane and Liquid oxygen for HANBIT-Nano’s second stage. This test kept its target mass flow rate and pressure while simulating a full-duration propellant feed cycle under flight-like conditions—without combustion.

As a key step in development, cold flow testing lets us validate flow dynamics, thermal behavior, and system readiness while reducing risk ahead of hot-fire test.🔥 This milestone strengthens confidence in our design and supports the path toward final qualification.

We remain committed to rigorous testing and continuous improvement to deliver safe, reliable launch services. Stay tuned—we’ll keep you posted.🔔

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SpaceX Facilities and Fleets / Re: Starship Launch Mount / Pad / Table Discussion

« Last post by catdlr on Today at 02:48 pm »

Opinion post:

That's high nickel content, 5/16 hard facing rod, stick welded. Mig welding would have a different appearance. Done in a tent to prevent salt air inclusions and minimize loss of shielding from wind. The legs should have been sleeved with 1" 309 series stainless tubing $$$.
7:37 AM · Jul 8, 2025
·

https://twitter.com/BocasBrain/status/1942593989418574027

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ESA Launchers - Ariane/Vega / Re: European new micro launchers

« Last post by catdlr on Today at 02:45 pm »

Rocket Factory Augsburg
@rfa_space
Big news: RFA has been selected as a winner of the European Launcher Challenge by
@esa
.
 
This is a major milestone for us - and a strong vote of confidence in our technical roadmap, commercial strength, and long-term vision. With ESA funding in the three-digit million range until 2028, we will deliver:

 🔹Launch services using RFA ONE Block 1 – our current configuration, being prepared for its first test flight later this year
 🔹A capacity demonstration of RFA ONE Block 2 – our subsequent configuration with increased payload capacity
 
This win reflects the incredible work of our teams, who have navigated a competitive and evolving framework with precision and persistence 💪
 
More than just a funding success, the ELC marks a paradigm shift in European space flight: from government-built rockets to commercial, privately developed launchers.
 
We’re proud to be a leading company in this transformation – making space access in Europe more flexible, cost-efficient and scalable!

https://twitter.com/rfa_space/status/1942203651914596512

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SpaceX Starship Program / Re: SpaceX Starship/Super Heavy Engineering General Thread 5

« Last post by DanClemmensen on Today at 02:42 pm »

Look, SpaceX has shown multiple uses of Starship: Mars, Lunar, outer solar system landers, even p2p...

They never once showed a space station, even though there are 100 ways to spitball Ships into a StarStation.

Clearly SpaceX doesn't think there's any value in that, or they would have at least made one concept slide about it.

Musk even mentioned larger Starships. What's the application of a Space Station that can't be addressed by a large ship?

SpaceX agreed to study the concept for NASA:

Something like that was envisioned in this article

A Station is just a Ship, so as you say an actual Ship can do almost all of the functions of a station. The only thing missing is hosting of very long term experiments. IMO ISS should be functionally replaced by a fairly modest long-term station for such experiments that is visited by EDL Ships that stay for 6-month tours. Crews live and work in their Ships and enter the long-term station only to service the long-term experiments.

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SpaceX Falcon Missions Section / Re: SpaceX F9 : Starlink group 10-28 : CCSFS SLC-40 : 8 July 2025 (08:21 UTC)

« Last post by catdlr on Today at 02:41 pm »

https://twitter.com/John_Winkopp/status/1942530604110598598

You know I wasn't going to miss this Starlink sunrise with a 4:21 AM launch. I knew the Noctilucent cloud would be great.

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Commercial Space Flight General / Re: Andøya Spaceport

« Last post by catdlr on Today at 02:40 pm »

https://twitter.com/AndrewParsonson/status/1942558145852682741

Some fun slow motion footage from last week's MaxiDusty-2 launch from @AndoyaSpace in Norway.
Credit:
@DLR_en MORABA

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SpaceX Facilities and Fleets / Re: Starship Static Fire stand on OLM structure

« Last post by catdlr on Today at 02:32 pm »

https://twitter.com/StarshipGazer/status/1942418787799585006

A current view of progress on the Starship transport stand being modified into a pad 1 launch mount ship static fire adapter. New pieces are being welded on that are thought to be RVac (Raptor Vacuum) braces for static firing.

7/7/25

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SpaceX Facilities and Fleets / Re: Starship Launch Mount / Pad / Table Discussion

« Last post by catdlr on Today at 02:30 pm »

Manual metal 3D printing.

Basically, ya:)

Does my new welded cladding make me look fat?

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SpaceX Falcon Missions Section / Re: SpaceX F9 : Project Kuiper Flight 1 : Florida : NET July 2025

« Last post by DanClemmensen on Today at 02:28 pm »

How many satellites per Falcon 9 launch?  20-something?

Unknown. Atlas V 551 can lift 18800 kg to LEO (28.5 deg) and lifts 27 Kuipers. F9 (asds) lifts 17700 kg to LEO (28.5 deg). A straight simpleminded ratio says F9 can lift 25 Kuipers, but there are roughly a zillion things we don't know that may affect the number. For example, renders show the Atlas V Kuipers launched in three rings of nine on the dispenser. Atlas V may have a comfortable spare capacity that is awkward to use for more than 27 Kuipers. If so, F9 might launch 27. Going the other way, there are likely to be differences in the two dispensers that add or subtract mass.

An expended F9 (22800 kg to LEO) could carry about 32 Kuipers, Price comparisons with Atlas V 551 is unguessable, since ULA sold the 551s to clear the inventory.