Starship is being lifted into position for stacking atop the Super Heavy booster ahead of Flight 5
The final stacking of Ship 30 on Booster 12 before flight on October 13, 2024. 🚀🔥🚀@NASASpaceflight
SpaceX has stacked Ship 30 on top of Booster 12, ahead of a flight attempt as early as this Sunday.Live: nsf.live/starbase
Ship 30 has been stacked atop Booster 12, following operations earlier this morning - (hopefully) the last stack before launch.One step closer to Flight 5, currently targeting this Sunday the 13th. 📸 - @NASASpaceflight 📺 - nsf.live/starbase
Starship stacked ahead of its fifth flight test. We expect regulatory approval in time to fly on October 13
Looks like Starship might fly on Sunday!This the largest & most powerful flying object ever made at more than double the thrust of the Saturn V Moon rocket. We will try to catch it upon return to launch site using the Mechazilla arms like giant chopsticks (like Karate Kid)!
LIVE on X: SpaceX Launches Starship for the Fifth Time (and Tries to Catch a Booster)
Live Broadcast Link: [Twitter/X]
Vehicle is stacked and ready to go for tomorrow. Check out the flight information below. Go Flight 5!
It is an amazing sight to see. Another Starbase launch for RGV to own and enjoy! Approximately 80% of our employees are from the Valley so this is our collective community’s launch. One more critical step to the Moon and Mars.
🔴 LIVE: Starship Stakeout - SpaceX Launches Starship for the Fifth TimeNASASpaceflight12 Oct 2024Leading up to the launch, NSF will go live with eight hours of commentary stakeout, where we answer questions, observe, and provide you with everything you need to know, for Starship Flight 5.
Workers are inside of Booster 12 this morning. Starship flight 5 is ready to launch according to Starbase general manager Kathy Leuders at T-minus 22 hrs and counting!10/12/24
It looks like the FAA has closed out earlier today the Written Reevaluation of the 2022 PEA for Flight 5. This includes the larger sonic boom levels, the modified splashdown area for the hot-staging ring, and the use of the water deluge for the booster landing. Link at the end.
Looking through the document, this process was finished in the last couple of days with the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service ESA Interagency Cooperation Division signing off on the modified plan for Flight 5.
During the consultation period, the FAA requested the Fish and Wildlife Service to expedite the process and carry it out solely for the proposed Flight 5.
The FWS was concerned that the use of the expression "Flight 5 mission profile" would imply this concurrence was not just for this flight but also for flight 6 which is expected to use the same profile and vehicle configuration. They recommend certain measures before Flight 6.
The FAA replied back clarifying this and referencing the scope of the license.
In its concurrence, the FWS does agree that SpaceX could repeat launches using the Flight 5 profile, within the scope of the license, for up to five flights per year as has been the case for the current PEA which is being re-evaluated in this process.
The NMFS ESA Interagency Cooperation Division also signed off on the proposed plan for Flight 5.
According to the documentation, the new splashdown location for the hot-staging ring could be as close as 1km from the shore, although it is expected to be more in the 3 to 4 km distance. Previous reevaluation in Nov 2023 only covered 30-400km from shore.
Link to document: https://www.faa.gov/media/85696
Updated sonic boom models predict a higher sonic boom level for Super Heavy's return to the launch site.
Starship's fifth flight is now part of the FAA ATC Planning AdvisoryReminder: this is a PLANNING advisory for ATC, it is NOT any confirmation of anything (other than they're planning for it I guess?)
Statement of the FAA on the license:
FAA STATEMENT (Oct. 12, 2024)The FAA has issued a license modification authorizing SpaceX to launch multiple missions of the Starship/Super Heavy vehicle on the Flight 5 mission profile. The FAA determined SpaceX met all safety, environmental and other licensing requirements for the suborbital test flight. The Flight 5 mission profile involves launch of the combined Starship/Super Heavy vehicle from Boca Chica, Texas, a return to the launch site of the Super Heavy booster rocket for a catch attempt by the launch tower, and a water landing of the Starship vehicle in the Indian Ocean west of Australia.
The @FAANews has confirmed the license includes the same mishap exceptions as flight 4.@NASASpaceflight
"The Starship/Super Heavy Flight 5 license authorization includes the same Test Induced Damage Exceptions previously approved for Flight 4. SpaceX identified test objectives associated with certain flight events and system components of the Starship vehicle. The three approved exceptions include: failure of the thermal shield during high-heating; the flap system is unable to provide sufficient control under high dynamic pressure; and the failure of the Raptor engine system during the landing Starship burn.There are no test induced damage exceptions related to the Super Heavy booster rocket."FAA responding to NSF
The @FAANews confirms the go-ahead for flight 6 as well:@NASASpaceflight
"The SpaceX Starship/Super Heavy Flight 5 license authorization also includes FAA approval of the Flight 6 mission profile. The FAA determined the changes requested by SpaceX for Flight 6 are within the scope of what has been previously analyzed. Any modifications requested by SpaceX to the approved Flight 6 scope of operations may require further FAA evaluation. Contact SpaceX for additional detail."FAA responding to NSF
Targeting Sunday, October 13 for Starship’s fifth flight test. A 30-minute launch window opens at 7:00 a.m. CT → http://spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-5
SpaceX has received FAA approval and is ready to go. Booster 12 and Ship 30 on Starship Flight 5 on Sunday morning, with the potential booster chopsticks catch, too!Overview by Ryan Weber (@rweb11742)
Starbase range security marine assets have started to appear on tracking as they're prepared ahead of launch operations for Flight 5.
