Author Topic: Super Heavy Booster 9 + Starship 25 UPDATES (Read 698134 times)

FutureSpaceTourist · « **Reply #460 on:** 09/13/2023 06:44 pm »

Starting about on the hour:

matthewkantar · « **Reply #461 on:** 09/13/2023 07:07 pm »

Very quick dirty count; that is about 1200 human makers.

pyromatter · « **Reply #462 on:** 09/13/2023 09:14 pm »

Fish and Wildlife still the holdup

https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/faa-could-advance-spacex-starship-license-soon-october-2023-09-13/

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WASHINGTON, Sept 13 (Reuters) - The acting head of the Federal Aviation Administration said on Wednesday the agency could advance the SpaceX Starship launch license as early as next month.

"We're working well with them and have been in good discussions ... I think we're optimistic sometime next month," acting FAA Administrator Polly Trottenberg told reporters on the sidelines of a conference.

SpaceX would still need a separate environmental approval from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service before a launch.

Ken the Bin · « **Reply #463 on:** 09/13/2023 09:16 pm »

Quote from: Ken the Bin on 09/07/2023 02:03 pm

From the USCG District 8 weekly Local Notice to Mariners.

Quote from: USCG
FL/AL/MS/LA/TX - GULF OF MEXICO - Hazardous Space Operations - UPDATE
The rocket launch scheduled for September 8, 2023, in the vicinity of Boca Chica Beach, TX., has been postponed. New rocket launch dates will be advertised by U.S. Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi, and can be found at: https://www.cameroncountytx.gov/spacex/.

This week's USCG District 8 weekly Local Notice to Mariners contains nothing about the launch.

Robotbeat · « **Reply #464 on:** 09/13/2023 09:32 pm »

Quote from: pyromatter on 09/13/2023 09:14 pm

Fish and Wildlife still the holdup

https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/faa-could-advance-spacex-starship-license-soon-october-2023-09-13/

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WASHINGTON, Sept 13 (Reuters) - The acting head of the Federal Aviation Administration said on Wednesday the agency could advance the SpaceX Starship launch license as early as next month.

"We're working well with them and have been in good discussions ... I think we're optimistic sometime next month," acting FAA Administrator Polly Trottenberg told reporters on the sidelines of a conference.

SpaceX would still need a separate environmental approval from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service before a launch.

I believe Reuters is incorrect. The FWS approval is a prerequisite of the FAA launch license, not something that occurs afterwards.

FutureSpaceTourist · « **Reply #465 on:** 09/13/2023 10:15 pm »

https://twitter.com/nasaspaceflight/status/1702025079884751279

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Starship is ready for its second flight. Now, we await regulatory approval for the world's most powerful rocket to launch again!

The latest - including info on the gang of future vehicles waiting in line - via Ryan Webber (@rweb11742)

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2023/09/space-x-wait-faa-approval-starship-flight-two/

FutureSpaceTourist · « **Reply #466 on:** 09/14/2023 10:52 am »

https://twitter.com/alexphysics13/status/1702234011165188205

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The dancefloor has come back to the OLM and Ship 25's transport stand has been moved near the tower. I would not be surprised to see Ship 25 being destacked soon

Is this bad news? Good news? Meh news? I don't know! Figure it out watching Starbase Live: nsf.live/starbase

FutureSpaceTourist · « **Reply #467 on:** 09/14/2023 12:52 pm »

https://twitter.com/vickicocks15/status/1702299706733326482

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@LabPadre #Rover2 clearly shows the SQD has been retracted from the ship. Pad announcement said "pad is now clear". Looks like S25 is coming down...though not going far, since there are no transport worthy SPMTs at the LC.

FutureSpaceTourist · « **Reply #468 on:** 09/14/2023 02:29 pm »

https://twitter.com/vickicocks15/status/1702322295044538772

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S25 has been destacked from SuperHeavy Booster B9. #Starship no more!

FutureSpaceTourist · « **Reply #469 on:** 09/14/2023 02:32 pm »

twitter.com/nasaspaceflight/status/1702309139601404052

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Ship 25 destack is underway.

nsf.live/starbase

https://twitter.com/nasaspaceflight/status/1702310316137218261

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This is highly unlikely for FTS work when the FAA approval does not appear to be close.

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Chopsticks begging for WD40 is my new ringtone.

https://twitter.com/nasaspaceflight/status/1702319897198612814

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And we're nearly down.

pyromatter · « **Reply #470 on:** 09/14/2023 02:39 pm »

https://twitter.com/SpacePadreIsle/status/1702328968500908412

Kathy Leuders mentions FTS

Further comments

https://twitter.com/SpacePadreIsle/status/1702341661718630538

"2-3 weeks"

FutureSpaceTourist · « **Reply #471 on:** 09/14/2023 03:43 pm »

https://twitter.com/bocachicagal/status/1702314707221160393

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Ship 25 being destacked this morning. 🚀

@NASASpaceflight

StevenOBrien · « **Reply #472 on:** 09/14/2023 04:58 pm »

Another clip of Kathy Lueders at that same event:

https://twitter.com/SpacePadreIsle/status/1702357443890548773

"In the process of destacking right now to get ready for final preps for the mission. One of the key things you gotta do is to be able to do the Flight Termination system ... and the team will go through one more time looking at the vehicle ... we are always [working] up until flight ... [the] teams and their responsible engineers for each of the areas are dilligently continuing to look through all the issue tickets, figuring out is there anything else they can be doing to make this vehicle, and the mission be as successful as possible."

FutureSpaceTourist · « **Reply #473 on:** 09/15/2023 04:18 pm »

FutureSpaceTourist · « **Reply #474 on:** 09/15/2023 08:10 pm »

https://twitter.com/spacex/status/1702774532174733387

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Starship represents a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars, and beyond

ChrisC · « **Reply #475 on:** 09/15/2023 08:31 pm »

(apologies to the moderators if this does not rise to the threshold of an update, but it's real shoe-leather reporting from a real newspaper)

https://www.expressnews.com/business/article/spacex-faa-ok-second-starship-rocket-launch-18366987.php

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In addition to the launch license, SpaceX must get the “modifications” made on the Starship program approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the FAA said Thursday. Last month, the FAA submitted a draft update of the so-called biological assessment to Fish and Wildlife for review and “requested consultation” under the Endangered Species Act.

The Fish and Wildlife Service said such consultation can be triggered by various circumstances, such as when a project and its impacts change significantly, there is new information on listed species not previously considered, or a new species is listed. Fish and Wildlife said that once it reviews the FAA’s final biological assessment, it has 135 days to issue a final biological opinion.

billh · « **Reply #476 on:** 09/15/2023 08:59 pm »

Just got this email from the FAA (based on having submitted a comment on the PEA last year):

Dear Interested Party:

SpaceX conducted a test flight of the Starship/Super Heavy at Boca Chica, TX on April 20, 2023. As a result of that launch, SpaceX completed a mishap investigation with FAA oversight; this investigation analyzed the launch, mishap events, and corrective actions. Before it is authorized to conduct a second Starship/Super Heavy launch, SpaceX must obtain a modified license from the FAA that addresses all safety, environmental, and other regulatory requirements. As part of that license application determination process, the FAA will review new environmental information, including changes related to the launch pad, as well as other proposed vehicle and flight modifications. The FAA will complete a Written Reevaluation (WR) to the 2022 Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) evaluating the new environmental information, including Endangered Species Act consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. If the FAA determines through the WR process that the contents of the PEA do not remain valid in light of the changes proposed for Flight 2, additional environmental review will be required. Accordingly, the FAA has not authorized SpaceX’s proposed Flight 2.

The FAA will provide updates with notification of any license determination or results of additional environmental review.

Thank you,
The FAA SpaceX Boca Chica Project Team

StevenOBrien · « **Reply #477 on:** 09/21/2023 03:54 pm »

Booster 9 has had its hot-staging ring removed while on the OLM.

FutureSpaceTourist · « **Reply #478 on:** 09/21/2023 04:25 pm »

https://twitter.com/nasaspaceflight/status/1704894246656893443

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Delving into the significant upgrades SpaceX introduced for Starship’s second flight. From the hot staging ring, new vents, and gimbal changes to the major launchpad modifications.

Ryan Caton (@dpoddolphinpro) overviews:

FutureSpaceTourist · « **Reply #479 on:** 09/21/2023 07:49 pm »

twitter.com/nasaspaceflight/status/1704880327569604925

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Hot staging ring removed from Booster 9. An interesting turn of events.

nsf.live/starbase

https://twitter.com/nasaspaceflight/status/1704881643775726066

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Ship 25 right now:

"Wut? That was my comfy seat!"