The new blast shielding installed onto the launch mount - which prevents explosions from making their way to the inside of the structure - is more than 3/4 of the way complete. SpaceX will likely resume static fire operations once that job is finished.
Anticipating the responses on this...here is a time-lapse of crews welding in the remaining OLM shielding last night. The shields are used to protect the RBQD's and also surrounds the hold down clamps. More on this later...
What are they doing that requires a lockdown?
A recent incident indicated a need to be a little more aggressive with closures.
Hey #StarshipAddicts, with Booster 7 off of the Orbital Launch Mount, SpaceX carried out a test of the #FIREX Fire Suppression System. To be clear, this is not deluge. Its intended for fire suppression purposes only ! 5x speed increase🎥: @LabPadre
As expected, SpaceX also tested the secondary water system. This new system looks slightly more deluge-like @elonmusk. I'm still on the fence if that's what its intended to be. It's currently labeled as FIREX.🎥: @LabPadre
CHECK THIS OUT!!First full test of the Fire Suppression system on the Orbital Launch Mount. #SpaceX is using a high pressure nitrogen gas nozzle to both atomize the water, and quickly displace oxygen. 🎥:@LabPadre
SpaceX just concluded a >6 minute water deluge test on the OLM!-@NASASpaceflight
The rainbow machine functioning at 💯-@NASASpaceflight
Starbase Orbital Launch Mount is enjoying some testing (without a booster) this morning.youtube.com/watch?v=mhJRzQ…
First test of the OLM new plumbing which lasted several minutes. Is this fire suppression or water deluge?? Whatever, it was pretty cool to watch and loud as hell.#Starbase #Starship #SpaceX 📸 Me for WAI Media @FelixSchlang
https://twitter.com/cosmicalchief/status/1572948306891784198QuoteFirst test of the OLM new plumbing which lasted several minutes. Is this fire suppression or water deluge?? Whatever, it was pretty cool to watch and loud as hell.#Starbase #Starship #SpaceX 📸 Me for WAI Media @FelixSchlang
Out of curiosity, where is all that water going after it pours out of the launch mount? Is it being collected for filtering and reuse or does it flush into the drain network?
So there are two water circuits and a cold/liquid nitrogen circuit.It seems like one of the water circuits connects with the nitrogen circuit, possibly making a kind of snow maker.I can understand using nitrogen to displace oxygen for fire suppression, adding some water will help a little but mostly it helps cool stuff. But if this is a fire suppression system what is on fire in there that needs to be put out? Excluding methane, there's not a lot of stuff that should burn under the rocket, there's probably a lot more burny stuff bolted to the sides but we are not seeing any fire suppression there. If it's out of control methane burning you have a really big problem that I doubt that fire suppression system could handle.So it doesn't make sense to me that this is just for putting out a fire. BUT it does seem like it could absorb a lot of heat energy, maybe it's a cooling system for static fires and launch? They don't think they need a deluge system for sound suppression or flame diverter because they designed the rocket to be robust etc. But all that heat is going to be too much for the structure and equipment down below and nearby. So maybe this is just a big air-conditioner! 🤔
So there are two water circuits and a cold/liquid nitrogen circuit.It seems like one of the water circuits connects with the nitrogen circuit, possibly making a kind of snow maker.I can understand using nitrogen to displace oxygen for fire suppression, adding some water will help a little but mostly it helps cool stuff. But if this is a fire suppression system what is on fire in there that needs to be put out?