SpaceX Starship : First Flight : Starbase, TX : 20 April 2023 - DISCUSSION

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1636085203742466051

SpaceX's Tom Ochinero: "so close" to launching Starship; waiting for FAA license so we can announce launch date.

[Hog]

I think the quote means, "we're planning a first attempt in the next 30 days but don't know how it will go or how many attempts it will take to get to release of the hold down clamps."

Hold down clamps? Huh?

The 20(IIRC) Stage-0 hold down clamps that support the mass of the entire stack until launch.  You can start the stage-1 engines but until the clamps release the stack's going no where. 
Think of a SH booster engine start without a launch similarly to a STS(shuttle) RSLS(Redundant Set Launch Sequencer) abort. The 3 RS25s lit at T minus 6.6 seconds and if they didn't register at least 90% thrust, or if other Launch Commit Criterion were not met, the 3 liquid engines shut down, the 2 solids never fired, the 8 SRB pyro holdowns remained intact and the stack was left to twang back and forth in a most anti-climactic fashion.

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1636515448970698752

SpaceX will be ready to launch Starship in a few weeks, then launch timing depends on FAA license approval.

Assuming that takes a few weeks, first launch attempt will be near end of third week of April, aka …

[pb2000]

So translated from Elon time, to normal time, does that mean NET June?

We’re still at NET March. NET.

"hopefully in the next month or so" implies that March is already out, even without taking into account the 'Elon Time' multiplier (which varies from 1.1x to infinity).

And to think y'all doubted me.

So going on the easy assumption this slips further, we got may 4th and june 9th (not applicable to the D/M/Y folks) as backup dates.

[kevin-rf]

Aim for the 26th, Aim for the 26th!!!

(sorry, just want to see it launch on my birthday)

[Darkseraph]

Aim for the 26th, Aim for the 26th!!!

(sorry, just want to see it launch on my birthday)

By coincidence, that's Alien Day!

Alien Day is an annual promotional event dedicated to the Alien franchise, held on April 26. It is officially organized and promoted by 20th Century Fox. The date is a reference to the moon on which Aliens is set — April 26, 4 / 26, LV- 426 .

[Zed_Noir]

Aim for the 26th, Aim for the 26th!!!

(sorry, just want to see it launch on my birthday)

By coincidence, that's Alien Day!

Alien Day is an annual promotional event dedicated to the Alien franchise, held on April 26. It is officially organized and promoted by 20th Century Fox Disney. The date is a reference to the moon on which Aliens is set — April 26, 4 / 26, LV- 426 .

Minor correction.

[Vahe231991]

If the FAA gives SpaceX the license to conduct the first Starship orbital launch, then SpaceX could assign the nickname Homeric to the first Starship launch for publicity's sake.

[alugobi]

They won't have to name it for publicity.  There will be plenty of coverage.  This is an opportunity for everybody: from a big rocket launch and new tech for the fans to a possible giant explosion for the Musk haters and for the lulz.

[FutureSpaceTourist]

[erv]

Probably have nothing to do with the topic of this thread whatsoever.

https://twitter.com/WarshipCam/status/1638968486431977485

[Alexphysics]

Probably have nothing to do with the topic of this thread whatsoever.

https://twitter.com/WarshipCam/status/1638968486431977485

Correct, doesn't have anything to do with Starship. See here: https://twitter.com/Marco_Langbroek/status/1638204692671995905

[catdlr]

Probably have nothing to do with the topic of this thread whatsoever.

Could also be for upcoming hypersonic testing out of VSFB (The one that was canceled last month at the cape)

The subject subject starts at 25 seconds into video

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/tgmetsfan98/status/1640769989035667456

For Starship's orbital test flight, it may take multiple attempts to reach liftoff.

Sawyer Rosenstein (@thenasaman) takes a look at other past and present super-heavy rockets, and the scrubs and aborts that could appear on Starship launch day:

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2023/03/starship-aborts-scrubs/

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/wapodavenport/status/1641147299257516049

This tracks with what I’ve heard. Unless there’s an unforeseen problem, SpaceX should have the launch license for the Starship debut launch by April 14 or thereabouts. Then again, there always could be last-minute checks that cause delays.

[AndyH]

From: <[email protected]>
Date: Fri, Mar 31, 2023, 10:19 PM
Subject: NAVAREA IV 372/23(11,28).
To: <[email protected]>

250611Z MAR 23
NAVAREA IV 372/23(11,28).
GULF OF MEXICO.
TEXAS.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING
   1125Z TO 1710Z DAILY 06 THRU 12 APR
   IN AREAS BOUND BY
   25-57.00N 097-12.00W, 26-02.00N 097-12.00W,
   26-06.00N 096-46.00W, 26-05.00N 095-44.00W,
   25-57.00N 093-13.00W, 25-43.00N 092-44.00W,
   25-33.00N 092-44.00W, 25-32.00N 093-07.00W,
   25-47.00N 095-14.00W, 25-52.00N 096-17.00W,
   25-53.00N 096-46.00W.
2. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS
   1255Z TO 1710Z DAILY 06 THRU 12 APR
   IN AREAS BOUND BY
   25-57.00N 097-12.00W, 26-02.00N 097-12.00W,
   26-03.00N 097-07.00W, 26-07.00N 096-59.00W,
   26-10.00N 096-49.00W, 26-32.00N 096-25.00W,
   26-42.00N 095-34.00W, 26-42.00N 092-53.00W,
   26-08.00N 091-05.00W, 25-32.00N 090-24.00W,
   24-37.00N 084-52.00W, 24-30.00N 084-52.00W,
   25-09.00N 090-30.00W, 24-55.00N 091-06.00W,
   25-09.00N 092-53.00W, 25-14.00N 093-53.00W,
   24-58.00N 094-40.00W, 25-12.00N 096-10.00W,
   25-54.00N 097-04.00W
2.CANCEL THIS MSG 121810Z APR 23.//

No idea why this was dated 25 Mar.

[Ken the Bin]

In addition to the notice posted above, there are these two also ...

291338Z MAR 23
HYDROPAC 1098/23(GEN).
NORTH PACIFIC.
HAWAII TO MARSHALL ISLANDS.
DNC 12, DNC 13.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS 
   1255Z TO 1850Z DAILY 06 THRU 12 APR 
   IN AREA BOUND BY
   22-09.00N 167-02.00W, 19-50.00N 174-26.00W,
   18-19.00N 179-59.90W, 15-00.00N 173-24.00E,
   11-44.00N 167-39.00E, 11-18.00N 167-54.00E,
   13-44.00N 174-11.00E, 16-08.00N 179-30.00W,
   18-10.00N 173-45.00W, 20-13.00N 167-33.00W,
   21-52.00N 162-27.00W, 22-26.00N 160-32.00W,
   23-04.00N 157-57.00W, 23-36.00N 155-42.00W,
   24-05.00N 154-01.00W, 24-24.00N 153-16.00W,
   24-43.00N 152-44.00W, 24-49.00N 152-48.00W,
   24-41.00N 154-58.00W, 24-08.00N 158-18.00W,
   23-21.00N 162-33.00W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 121950Z APR 23.//

291338Z MAR 23
NAVAREA XII 176/23(GEN).
NORTH PACIFIC.
HAWAII TO MARSHALL ISLANDS.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING 
   1125Z TO 1850Z DAILY 06 THRU 12 APR
   IN AREA BOUND BY 
   23-49.00N 157-42.00W, 23-30.00N 157-37.00W,
   23-40.00N 156-57.00W, 23-58.00N 157-03.00W.
2. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS 
   1255Z TO 1850Z DAILY 06 THRU 12 APR 
   IN AREA BOUND BY 
   22-09.00N 167-02.00W, 19-50.00N 174-26.00W,
   18-19.00N 179-59.90W, 15-00.00N 173-24.00E,
   11-44.00N 167-39.00E, 11-18.00N 167-54.00E,
   13-44.00N 174-11.00E, 16-08.00N 179-30.00W,
   18-10.00N 173-45.00W, 20-13.00N 167-33.00W,
   21-52.00N 162-27.00W, 22-26.00N 160-32.00W,
   23-04.00N 157-57.00W, 23-36.00N 155-42.00W,
   24-05.00N 154-01.00W, 24-24.00N 153-16.00W,
   24-43.00N 152-44.00W, 24-49.00N 152-48.00W,
   24-41.00N 154-58.00W, 24-08.00N 158-18.00W,
   23-21.00N 162-33.00W.
3. CANCEL THIS MSG 121950Z APR 23.//

[alugobi]

Does this mean that they have a licence?

[Ken the Bin]

Does this mean that they have a licence?

Not necessarily. Other launches have had notices issued in advance of the launch license.

But if SpaceX doesn't already have the FAA launch license, they must have reason to believe that they'll receive it soon.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

KML files of the marine closure zones for reference: