SpaceX
- Starship Development Thread #56
Portions of this thread copied from a Starship Dev thread on r/SpaceX.
FAQ
- When next launch? Wen IFT-4? IFT-4 is now NET June 6th. "The main goal of this mission is to get much deeper into the atmosphere during reentry, ideally through max heating."
- When previous launch? (IFT-3)? Booster 10 and Ship 28 launched on 2024-03-14.
- What was the result? Booster makes it to the landing burn, but loses control and insufficient engines relight. RUD occurs at 462 m in altitude. S28 makes it to reentry but fails to face the heat shield in the correct direction, followed shortly by RUD. Payload door test and propellant transfer demo "complete".
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Quick Links
RAPTOR ROOST | LAB CAM | SAPPHIRE CAM | SENTINEL CAM | ROVER CAM | ROVER 2.0 CAM | PLEX CAM | NSF STARBASE
Starship Dev 55 | IFT-3 launch thread | Starship Dev 54 | Starship Dev 53 | Starship Dev 52 | Starship Dev 51
Official SpaceX Starship Update Video (2024-04-06)
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Status
Road Closures - @bocaroad Mastodon bot
|Type | Start (CDT) | End (CDT) | Status| |---|---|----|----| | Primary Date | 2024-06-05 00:00 | 2024-06-05 14:00 | Possible Closure. | Backup Date | 2024-06-06 00:00 | 2024-06-06 14:00 | Possible Closure. | Backup Date | 2024-06-07 00:00 | 2024-06-07 14:00 | Possible Closure.
Up to date as of 2024-05-29
Vehicle Status
As of 2024-06-01
Follow Ring Watchers on Twitter and Discord for more.
Ship | Location | Status | Comment ---|---|----|---- S26 | Massey's | On new test stand | Static fire Oct. 20. No fins or heat shield, multiple mysterious changes. Completed 3 cryo tests, latest on Oct 10. Rolls to Massey's May 8th, likely to test the new flame trench. S29 | Stacked on B11 | FTS installed | Spin prime Mar 11th, Static fire Mar 25th (6 engines) and 27th (1 engine), partial WDR May 16th, full WDR May 20th, full WDR May 28th, FTS installed May 30th S30 | Highbay 1 | Static fire completed | 2x cryo: Jan 3rd and Jan 5th. Engines installed ~Apr 9th. Static fired May 8th. S31 | Build site | Under repair | Cryo tested May 12th, suffers small electrical fire. S32 | Rocket Garden | Resting | Fully stacked, fore flaps installed but not aft flaps S33-34 | Build Site | Parts spotted | To be scrapped in preparation for Starship V2
Booster | Location | Status | Comment ---|---|----|---- B11 | Launch Mount | FTS installed | Completed 2 Cryo tests. Static fired Apr 5th, hot stage ring installed ~May 3rd, partial WDR May 16th, full WDR May 20th, full WDR May 28th, FTS installed May 30th B12 | Megabay 1 | Finalizing | Cryo x2 B13 | Megabay 1 | Testing | Cryo tests Apr 26th (methane tank) and Apr 29th (LOX tank) B14 | Megabay 1 | Partially stacked | Stacking in progress B15 | Build Site | Assembly | Potential aft end spotted Jan 5th
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Resources
- LabPadre Channel | NASASpaceFlight.com Channel
- NSF: Booster 7 + Ship X (likely 24) Updates Thread | Most Recent
- NSF: Boca Chica Production Updates Thread | Most recent
- NSF: Elon Starship tweet compilation | Most Recent
- SpaceX: Website Starship page | Starship Users Guide (2020, PDF)
- FAA: SpaceX Starship Project at the Boca Chica Launch Site
- FAA: Temporary Flight Restrictions NOTAM list
- FCC: Starship Orbital Demo detailed Exhibit - 0748-EX-ST-2021 application June 20 through December 20
- NASA: Starship Reentry Observation (Technical Report)
- Hwy 4 & Boca Chica Beach Closures (May not be available outside US)
- Production Progress Infographics by @RingWatchers
- Raptor 2 Tracker by @SpaceRhin0
- Acronym definitions by Decronym
- Everyday Astronaut: Starbase Tour with Elon Musk, Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
- Everyday Astronaut: 2022 Elon Musk Interviews, Starbase/Ship Updates | Launch Tower | Merlin Engine | Raptor Engine
- Old orbital tank farm map | Source.
- Here’s why a Japanese billionaire just canceled his lunar flight on Starshiparstechnica.com Here’s why a Japanese billionaire just canceled his lunar flight on Starship
"I feel terrible making the crew members wait longer."
Feed bad for Everyday Astronaut :(
- [rykllan] 2024-06-01 Falcon flightworthy boosters overview
Infographic source: rykllan
https://x.com/_rykllan/status/1796956135758389521
B1062 becomes the first booster to fly 21 times. B1061, B1067, and B1063 are close behind at 20, 19, and 18 flights.
- Starlink 6-64 launch bulletin
Starlink Group 6-64 launch out of SLC-40 in Florida currently scheduled for 2024-06-01 02:37 UTC, or 2024-05-31 22:37 local time (EDT). Booster 1076-14 to land on A Shortfall of Gravitas.
Webcasts:
- Space Affairs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPUD7A0a4Dc
- Spaceflight Now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nB_GVyc3DVY
- NASASpaceflight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T40HpZ3Jj3g
- The Launch Pad:
- SpaceX: https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1796731267582730649
- The Space Devs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pj8zzvStmK4
- Ars Live: How profitable is Starlink? We dig into the details of satellite Internet.arstechnica.com Ars Live: How profitable is Starlink? We dig into the details of satellite Internet.
How has Starlink has gone from zero to profitability in five years?
>This will be the first Ars Live event we've done in a few years. During these discussions, reporters and editors at Ars Technica speak with industry leaders about the most important technology and science news of the day. So please join us at 2 pm ET (18:00 UTC) on June 11 on our YouTube livestream.
- As SpaceX Completes Second Starship WDR, FAA Closes Safety Investigation Into Flight 3www.nasaspaceflight.com As SpaceX Completes Second Starship WDR, FAA Closes Safety Investigation Into Flight 3 - NASASpaceFlight.com
SpaceX is clearing the final milestones before launching the Starship vehicle for the fourth time.…
- SpaceX has launched the EarthCARE climate research satellite for ESA and JAXA - NASASpaceFlight.comwww.nasaspaceflight.com SpaceX has launched the EarthCARE climate research satellite for ESA and JAXA - NASASpaceFlight.com
The joint European-Japanese EarthCARE satellite has begun its mission to improve our understanding of Earth’s…
- EarthCARE Launch Thread!
Mission and payload info
>EarthCARE is a planned joint European/Japanese (ESA/JAXA/NICT) satellite, the sixth of ESA's Living Planet Programme. The main goal of the mission is the observation and characterization of clouds and aerosols as well as measuring the reflected solar radiation and the infrared radiation emitted from Earth's surface and atmosphere.
Launch info
| Scheduled for (UTC) | 2024-05-28, 22:20 | | --- | --- | | Scheduled for (local) | 2024-05-28, 15:20 (PDT) | | Launch site | SLC-4E, Vandenberg SFB, California | | Payload | EarthCARE | | Booster | 1081-7 | | Landing site | LZ-4 | | Customer | ESA/JAXA/NICT | | Mission success criteria | Successful delivery of payload to sun synchronous orbit |
Webcasts
| Stream | Link | | --- | --- | | ESA | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9WKok_1Jhg | Space Affairs | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQF1Q_MZNWk | Spaceflight Now | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=516ClI1Ylu0 | NASASpaceflight | | The Launch Pad | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dn95LmUNah8 | SpaceX | https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1795577480109322331 | The Space Devs | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTejJWwA1O8
Stats
Sourced from NextSpaceflight and r/SpaceX:
☑️ 18th launch from SLC-4E this year
☑️ 6 days, 14:20:00 turnaround for this pad
☑️ 19th landing on LZ-4
☑️ 56th Falcon 9 launch this year, 57th SpaceX launch this year
☑️ 270th consecutive successful Falcon 9 launch (excluding Amos-6) (if successful)
☑️ 356th SpaceX mission overall (excluding Starship hops)
☑️ 369th SpaceX launch all time (including Starship hops)
☑️ 315th Falcon Family Booster landing, 325th Falcon recovery attempt
- Starlink 6-60 launch bulletin
Starlink Group 6-60 launch out of SLC-40 in Florida currently scheduled for 2024-05-28 14:24 UTC, or 2024-05-28 14:28 local time (EDT). Booster 1078-10 to land on A Shortfall of Gravitas.
Webcasts:
- Space Affairs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDHSTu9AE4U
- Spaceflight Now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4a3nmTJdQHg (scrub)
- NASASpaceflight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lt2X_568sxc (scrub)
- The Launch Pad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJm2tR80MvE
- SpaceX: https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1795459807278772636
- The Space Devs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwxuHOhaXSc
- SpaceX sets early June launch of next Starship test flightspacenews.com SpaceX sets early June launch of next Starship test flight
SpaceX has set a June 5 launch date for its next Starship integrated test flight, with a focus on demonstrating the ability to bring back both stages.
- SpaceX sets date for next Starship flight, explains what went wrong the last timearstechnica.com SpaceX sets date for next Starship flight, explains what went wrong the last time
Clearing blocked filters and clogged valves is the order of the day.
- SpaceX Starship Flight 4
>The fourth flight test of Starship could launch as soon as June 5, pending regulatory approval.
>The fourth flight test turns our focus from achieving orbit to demonstrating the ability to return and reuse Starship and Super Heavy. The primary objectives will be executing a landing burn and soft splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico with the Super Heavy booster, and achieving a controlled entry of Starship. > >To accomplish this, several software and hardware upgrades have been made to increase overall reliability and address lessons learned from Flight 3. The SpaceX team will also implement operational changes, including the jettison of the Super Heavy’s hot-stage following boostback to reduce booster mass for the final phase of flight. > >Flight 4 will fly a similar trajectory as the previous flight test, with Starship targeted to splashdown in the Indian Ocean. This flight path does not require a deorbit burn for reentry, maximizing public safety while still providing the opportunity to meet our primary objective of a controlled Starship reentry.
- Starlink 6-63 launch bulletin
Another day, another Starlink launch...
Starlink Group 6-63 launch out of LC-39A in Florida currently scheduled for 2024-05-24 02:45 UTC, or 2024-05-23 22:45 local time (EDT). Booster 1077-13 to land on Just Read the Instructions.
Webcasts:
- Space Affairs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjrgWPgCpNY
- Spaceflight Now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHB9ZX_CIZY
- NASASpaceflight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOQnbaqOkM8
- The Launch Pad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlTeSkKCb40
- SpaceX: https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1793834039297880361
- The Space Devs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FqeLcDkxgU
- Starlink 6-62 launch bulletin
Starlink Group 6-62 launch out of SLC-40 in Florida currently scheduled for 2024-05-23 02:35 UTC, or 2024-05-22 22:35 local time (EDT). Booster 1080-8 to land on A Shortfall of Gravitas.
Webcasts:
- Space Affairs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkRsdmok1oI
- Spaceflight Now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1-x7SJAs2s
- NASASpaceflight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wblxfc6KN4
- The Launch Pad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tf8D3XJv94
- SpaceX: https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1793469322888908959
- The Space Devs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-XQ8wxKI5g
- SpaceX launches NRO’s first batch of next-generation spy satellitesspacenews.com SpaceX launches NRO’s first batch of next-generation spy satellites
SpaceX launches NRO’s first batch of next-generation spy satellites
- NROL-146 Launch Thread!
It's been a few weeks since the last non-Starlink launch!
| Scheduled for (UTC) | 2024-05-22, 08:00 | | --- | --- | | Scheduled for (local) | 2024-05-22, 01:00 (PDT) | | Launch site | SLC-4E, Vandenberg SFB, California | | Payload | NROL-146 | | Booster | 1071-16 | | Landing site | Of Course I Still Love You | | Customer | United States National Reconnaissance Office | | Mission success criteria | Successful delivery of payload to orbit |
Webcasts
| Stream | Link | | --- | --- | | Space Affairs | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANAimO31tLI | Spaceflight Now | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Vj88sXicsY | NASASpaceflight | | The Launch Pad | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9OARqVhoMc | SpaceX | https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1793187706044080168 | The Space Devs | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niaovijGKfI
Stats
Sourced from NextSpaceflight and r/SpaceX:
☑️ 17th launch from SLC-4E this year
☑️ 6 days, 13:21:00 turnaround for this pad
☑️ 91st landing on OCISLY
☑️ 52nd Falcon 9 launch this year, 53rd SpaceX launch this year
☑️ 266th consecutive successful Falcon 9 launch (excluding Amos-6) (if successful)
☑️ 352nd SpaceX mission overall (excluding Starship hops)
☑️ 364th SpaceX launch all time (including Starship hops)
☑️ 310th Falcon Family Booster landing, 321st Falcon recovery attempt
Mission and payload info
>First batch of satellites for a reconnaissance satellite constellation built by SpaceX and Northrop Grumman for the National Reconnaissance Office to provide imaging and other reconnaissance capabilities.
- SpaceX nears next Starship test flight as Starbase expansion continuesspacenews.com SpaceX nears next Starship test flight as Starbase expansion continues
As SpaceX prepares for its next Starship test flight, the company is also working to scale up facilities in Texas to build and launch those vehicles.
- Surviving reentry is the key goal for SpaceX’s fourth Starship test flightarstechnica.com Surviving reentry is the key goal for SpaceX’s fourth Starship test flight
Elon Musk says SpaceX aims to launch the fourth Starship test flight in about two weeks.
- Pentagon working with SpaceX to cut off Russian military's illicit use of Starlink internetspacenews.com Pentagon working with SpaceX to cut off Russian military's illicit use of Starlink internet
Pentagon working with SpaceX to cut off Russian military's illicit use of Starlink internet
- SpaceX launches Falcon 9 booster on record-breaking 21st flight – Spaceflight Now
21 flights! Onward to 40 flights, I suppose. Long live B1062!
- We take a stab at decoding SpaceX’s ever-changing plans for Starship in Floridaarstechnica.com We take a stab at decoding SpaceX’s ever-changing plans for Starship in Florida
"On Artemis III, we anticipate using at least two of the launch sites: one at KSC and one at Starbase."
- Starlink 6-58 launch bulletin (First 21st flight of a booster!)
Starlink Group 6-59 launch out of SLC-40 in Florida currently scheduled for 2024-05-18 00:32 UTC, or 2024-05-17 20:32 local time (EDT). Booster 1062-21 to land on A Shortfall of Gravitas.
B1062 will be the first booster to fly for the 21st time.
Webcasts:
- Space Affairs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbAwHi67ZyM
- Spaceflight Now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BigxImsLGVk
- NASASpaceflight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAGhp7jjfdc
- The Launch Pad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dn95LmUNah8
- SpaceX: https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1791626565861900547
- The Space Devs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_d3ZOsZZTo
- Omnispace reports interference from Starlink direct-to-device payloadsspacenews.com Omnispace reports interference from Starlink direct-to-device payloads
Omnispace says it is seeing interference from direct-to-device payloads on recently launched SpaceX Starlink satellites.
- [rykllan] 2024-05-15 Falcon flightworthy boosters overview
Infographic source: rykllan
https://x.com/_rykllan/status/1790817098328924339
B1061 has joined B1062 in the "20 flights" club. B1063 and B1067 catching up at 18 and 19 flights respectively.
B1062 slated to be the first booster to launch for the 21st time.
- Starship Flight 4 begins Wet Dress Rehearsal campaign - NASASpaceFlight.comwww.nasaspaceflight.com Starship Flight 4 begins Wet Dress Rehearsal campaign - NASASpaceFlight.com
SpaceX is gearing up for Flight 4. The start of full stack testing on Thursday…
- The stack is back! (B11 and S29 for IFT-4)
Source: Starship Gazer: https://twitter.com/StarshipGazer/status/1790832190898753769
- Starlink 8-7 launch bulletin
Starlink Group 8-7 launch out of SLC-4E in California currently scheduled for 2024-05-14 18:39 UTC, or 2024-04-14 11:39 local time (PDT). Booster 1063-18 to land on Of Course I Still Love You.
Webcasts:
- Space Affairs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxIvZI0z_kA
- Spaceflight Now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aw5SYFZVxmY
- NASASpaceflight:
- The Launch Pad:
- SpaceX: https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1790450577501233539
- The Space Devs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GU_ZllW71Bc
- Musk sees fourth flight of SpaceX's Starship in 3-5 weeks
SpaceX's Starship rocket, a futuristic vehicle designed to eventually carry astronauts to the moon and beyond, will probably have its fourth flight in 3-5 weeks, the company's Chief Executive Elon Musk said in a post on social media platform X on Saturday.
- Starlink 6-58 launch bulletin
Starlink Group 6-58 launch out of SLC-40 in Florida currently scheduled for 2024-05-13 00:53 UTC, or 2024-05-12 20:53 local time (EDT). Booster 1073-15 to land on A Shortfall of Gravitas.
Webcasts:
- Space Affairs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dytbHKQlUI
- Spaceflight Now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77lYUQpcsNM
- NASASpaceflight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RX6KeBEuVU8
- The Launch Pad:
- SpaceX: https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1789819605944574006
- The Space Devs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41tBnJAIDN8
- JRTI is taking a brief vacation in the Bahamas for some preventive maintenance
https://twitter.com/SpaceOffshore/status/1789061498288889861
>Bob departed Port Canaveral on Thursday evening towing Just Read the Instructions droneship. Bob is reporting its destination as Freeport, The Bahamas. > >Curious to see what this trip is for - JRTI just had a major month-long overhaul back in January. > >!
https://twitter.com/TurkeyBeaver/status/1789098132950692158
>Nothing major, but JRTI needs a quick dry dock stop for some additional preventative maintenance. It’s important the vessels are ready to sustain a fast recovery cadence as launch rate increases.
TurkeyBeaver is VP of launch at SpaceX.
https://twitter.com/SpaceOffshore/status/1789363807879323907
>JRTI droneship has arrived at Freeport in The Bahamas and looks to be heading straight into a floating drydock if the satellite imagery matches up 😅 > >!
- B11 is back on the launch mount
Source: https://twitter.com/BocaChicaGal/status/1789353664663994756
- Analyst on Starlink’s rapid rise: “Nothing short of mind-blowing”arstechnica.com Analyst on Starlink’s rapid rise: “Nothing short of mind-blowing”
Starlink's estimated free cash flow this year is about $600 million.
- FAA to begin environmental review of Starship launches from Kennedy Space Centerspacenews.com FAA to begin environmental review of Starship launches from Kennedy Space Center
The Federal Aviation Administration is preparing to start an environmental review of SpaceX Starship launches from a pad at the Kennedy Space Center.
- Jared Isaacman hints at which booster will be used for Polaris Dawn
Jared Isaacman hints at which booster will be used for Polaris Dawn:
>https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1788265574872543337 > >>SpaceX Falcon 9 B1083 is set to launch the Starlink 6-56 mission from 39A > >https://twitter.com/rookisaacman/status/1788274038608994711 > >>! > >https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1788280580175712460 > >https://twitter.com/rookisaacman/status/1788280887429247092 > >>Welcome back 1083
Isaacman seems interested in this booster.
Polaris Dawn mission unlikely to require expendable booster, despite high orbit:
>https://twitter.com/airlinesRadrian/status/1788283278526480590 > >>@rookisaacman with the orbit that is planned for Polaris will the booster have to be expended? > >https://twitter.com/rookisaacman/status/1788348034960503160 > >>Commercial space really only exists because of reusability.
And a humorous quip from everyone's favourite war criminal:
>https://twitter.com/SciGuySpace/status/1788283266165858555 > >>I'd be a bit concerned. This booster only has three flights of experience. Might want something more seasoned ...
