Starship readying for Flight 5 amid future preparations

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SpaceX is setting the stage for acquiring final approval to launch the fifth flight of Starship, a mission that includes another major milestone toward its rapid reusability aspirations. With a preliminary Oct. 13 launch date, SpaceX is taking all the required steps to prepare for the final approval from the FAA. Meanwhile, Starbase continues to set the stage for its future, with numerous vehicles in various stages of testing and the buildup of the second pad at the launch site.

Flight 5 preparations:

Following previous FAA statements, it was expected that Flight 5 would have to wait until late in the year. A NOTMAR filing from the US Coast Guard then threw the potential of mid-October into the mix. This document alone is not enough to cause people to change their travel plans, with previous experience pointing to realignments of the date range to align with actual launch date expectations.

NSF contacted the FAA, which once again cited the previous statement that their target for regulatory approval in late November remained.  Interestingly, sources this time noted the NOTAM date range was “possible,” soon followed by dismantling the huge CC8800-1 crane used to assemble Pad B, as it needs to be protected from a Starship launch just a short distance away.

SpaceX then took the opportunity to continue final testing on the Mechazilla Chopsticks, utilizing the water bags previously used for checkouts after the device was installed on Pad A’s Tower.

This was conducted while Booster 12 was on the orbital launch mount (OLM), with Ship 30 watching nearby. The lack of a rollback of either vehicle added to the potential SpaceX felt the launch was far less than two months away.

 

The Hot Staging Ring (HSR) was then reinstalled atop Booster 12, setting the stage for returning to full stack operations. Road closure notices also pointed to one additional fueling test, which was completed on Monday.

With continued rumors SpaceX was feeling confident approval for launch would allow for an attempt as early as Sunday, Oct. 13, all eyes were on the publication of an official statement from officials. SpaceX then confirmed the target, along with a mission profile overview, with the usual caveat of “pending regulatory approval.”

NSF again contacted the FAA, which cited the need to make a determination but this time removed the late November timing from its language.

Since then, additional documentation relating to the October 13 target, including road closures, has been filed. Final requirements, such as local evacuations, will likely only occur once the FAA confirms the launch license has been provided.

SpaceX also conducted a double test of its water deluge system at the pad, mimicking the timing of launch and firing up the system a second time around the simulated time the Booster will return to the launch site.

The flight termination system (FTS) installation also began on Wednesday.

SpaceX is likely fully aware that the approval is close, pressing them to take action for the cited launch date target. Any additional delay is expected to be measured in days rather than weeks.

NSF’s launch article this weekend will publish a full overview of the mission objectives, including the ambitious first attempt to catch the returning booster using the launch pad’s chopsticks.
Flight 6:

Booster 13 and Ship 31 are set to launch Flight 6, with the latter already having conducted its static fire test at SpaceX’s Masseys test site at Starbase.

Following the upcoming launch, and pending the pad’s condition following Flight 5, SpaceX may opt for a speedy turnaround by sending Booster 13 to the OLM for its static fire test.

Like Ship 30, Ship 31 is also undergoing a revamp of its thermal protection system (TPS) tiles, which is hoped to aid the vehicle during re-entry. The new heatshield is more resilient, including having a backup ablative layer in case any tiles are lost.

Future vehicles:

Booster 14, set to fly on Flight 7, is also progressing following its recent trip to Masseys for a cryoproofing test. Since returning to the production site, B14 is being readied to fly with Ship 33, given that Ship 32 is no longer expected to be flown.

Booster 14 during its time at Masseys. (Credit Mary @bocachicagal)

Ship 34 is also making progress, with sections of the ship being moved around the production site, sporting its v2 configuration. Ship 34 is set to fly on Flight 8, showing how far along SpaceX is on the upcoming vehicles.

Additional ships can be seen through the Starfactory window.

Pad B:

With the second tower now assembled at the launch site, work is focusing on the pad. As SpaceX moves away from the current OLM design, all eyes are on the new design that will sit over a flame trench that is currently being excavated.

Sections of that new OLM have begun arriving at the Sanchez site at Starbase, including the intriguing water-cooled plates that were trucked in over the weekend, including a helpful label indicating that they are for the launch mount’s deck.

Some of the fall protection nets have also been removed from the tower’s structure, and work on the chopstick carriage system is also taking place. This sets the stage for the carriage system and chopsticks to be lifted onto the tower once the drawworks have been installed.

Booster 11:

After weeks of monitoring HOS Ridgewind‘s operations in the Gulf of Mexico, all salvaged components of Booster 11 have been brought back to land for inspection.

 

Booster 11 was the first Super Heavy to land intact via a soft water landing. After toppling over and sinking, SpaceX opted to recover engines and the aft section from the seabed.

Numerous Raptor engines were recovered, with some since spotted at SpaceX’s engine test site in McGregor. NSF’s Gary Blair spotted numerous engines in various states of condition at the Texas site.

A subset of B11’s engines at McGregor. (Credit: Gary Blair for NSF/L2)

While these engines aren’t in any condition to be test-fired, engineers will likely gain valuable data by disassembling them as they have completed their mission during Flight 4.

Should Booster 12 be caught during Flight 5, those engines could be candidates for being taken to McGregor for additional hot firing tests.

(Lead image: Flight 5 full stack Credit: BocaChicaGal for NSF/L2; L2 includes full res full collection of all photos taken by NSF photographers.)

The post Starship readying for Flight 5 amid future preparations appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.



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