Hello, we are TheSpaceXFans and welcome to TheSpaceXShow, the place where you can stay
up to date with everything SpaceX.
We have a few bits of standard SpaceX information for today, although most of the video will
be spent looking at the stuff in Boca Chica with infrastructure and Starship pieces.
So let’s head straight in and get up to date…
To begin with, we now have a date in which we can expect the next Starlink launch.
As you can see on TheSpaceXFans website, a Falcon 9 booster is set to lift off with the
next batch of 60 satellites for the Starlink-12 mission on Thursday 17th September.
A new article has emerged about a dispute between environmental groups and the federal
government to do with Starship testing.
The originally proposed use of Boca Chica for Starship and Falcon launches had less
of an impact versus recent activity.
With all the testing SpaceX are doing, the groups want another environmental impact assessment
done.
The article says “The FAA has said that a new environmental assessment (EA) is being
conducted to assess the effects these operations are having on the local environment, which
include sensitive coastal wildlife areas.”
There’s also a new document recently released by the FCC which is still currently pending.
However, once approved, it will be an experimental license issued to SpaceX to allow Starship
to use comms for medium altitude flights up to 20km.
The license would be valid from between October 11th 2020 and April 11th 2021.
To add another bit of Starlink information; Jonathan McDowell has tweeted about 2 more
Starlink v0.9 satellites that have re-entered the atmosphere recently.
So, with all that information covered, let’s take a look at what’s up in Boca Chica starting
with this launch mount.
You can see work continues on the mount at Pad A post SN6 hop test in order to get it
ready for the next prototype.
Taking a look at the new orbital launch mount which is being constructed not too far away,
you can see this new mount now has almost all of its sleeves for the rebar cages.
They also recently hooked up the last of the 6 rebar cages.
Then, they were also seen installing the 5th rebar cage sleeve so the supports are almost
complete.
Hopefully soon we will start seeing how the mount will look.
Also nearby, we have recently seen them remove the fence and put up a wall just in front
of the area by Pad A. Now they’re doing further work on removing fences near the launch
area for what I assume will be further walls.
Some interesting arrivals were seen sitting near the launch area with what looks to me
to be parts for a new launch mount.
As you will see later in the video, the amount of tanks being produced is increasing rapidly.
So having another new launch mount might make a bit of sense.
These were unloaded off the trailers that transported them just inside the launch area.
Nearer to the production area, by the old gas well lot, more new components were unloaded.
Again, these look like they could be more parts for a new launch mount structure so
lots of new pieces have arrived.
As always, we also have further work continuing as engineers work to get the high bay ready
for Super Heavy.
The wall for the 3rd level is pretty much complete and further work on preparing to
add a roof has been happening.
Here’s a view of them working up top to get everything ready for installing the roof
on this building.
I’d imagine this high bay might also get some bits like the mid bay such as the elevator
platforms.
Moving on to pieces of Starships spotted, here we have a brand new 3 ring stack that
was seen sitting outside in the yard.
Also spotted was another brand new ring stack, this time consisting of 4 rings, it was seen
being moved around inside a fabrication tent.
Maybe this is another stack for an upper bulkhead, but we will have to wait and see.
In another tent, there was also another brand new ring stack spotted being worked on and
this one even has lead-ins.
Those lead-ins at the top suggest that this barrel section could be moved outside soon
for stacking.
I also want to show you the latest view of the nosecone and fairing area, even though
nothing has changed there’s a lot of components.
These will probably either be pathfinders or are waiting for their respective Serial
Number tanks to be constructed.
For the final Starship piece to look at we have some more new aerosurface covers sitting
outside.
These will be placed just over the area which will be joining the flaps to the body of the
tank.
Moved back into the construction yard from the launch site recently after performing
a hop test is SN6.
It was spotted on the move again, but this time to join SN5 hanging out outside in the
yard.
In terms of testing, we will now move onto SN7.1.
They will be testing a variety of things including the new stainless steel, new thrust puck and
more.
They’ve already begun the testing campaign for this tank as, on Thursday, late into the
evening they did the first test.
I believe it was a partial cryo test with the tank still sitting on the transport mount.
Since performing that test, the SN7.1 test tank has been placed on the test mount to
see how it does under pressure whilst also simulating the thrust.
Looking at the expected testing dates for SN7.1, here you can see the road closures
posted on the Cameron County website.
There’re testing dates from tomorrow, Monday 14th through to Thursday 17th September.
Then, there’s also more backup dates of Monday 21st and Tuesday 22nd should SpaceX
need to utilise more days.
Whilst there is no SN8 progress to look at, we do have a very exciting Tweet from Elon
Musk.
He said “SN8 Starship with flaps & nosecone should be done in about a week.
Then static fire, checkouts, static fire, fly to 60,000 ft & back.”
Remember though this is Elon time so could be a bit longer than a week, either way though,
super exciting.
We’ve recently seen not only SN9 start to be put together but also SN10 was seen being
sleeved.
You can see that the upper ring stack and bulkhead have been sitting outside since then
and are being welded together.
Also spotted sitting outside still are the other new components that recently arrived
for the SN10 vehicle.
What you see sitting on the ground is a downcomer to feed methane through the oxygen tank to
the thrust section.
They also took delivery of a new thrust puck which you can see just to the right of the
boxes.
I didn’t show it in the last video, so here is the latest build diagram from Brendan Lewis
of SN10.
Can’t wait until we get to see multiple full size Starships constructed in Boca Chica.
If you thought SN9 and SN10 weren’t enough Starships being constructed for now, SpaceX
are already on SN11.
Yes, parts of SN11 have also already been seen, this is absolute madness but also this
is probably what Musk means by a production line, they can push out Starships at a much
quicker pace.
This barrel section for this serial number, SN11, was spotted in a tent being worked on.
Here is the build diagram for the SN11 prototype and you can see that this ring stack we’ve
just seen is for the lower bulkhead.
What we’re seeing here in Boca Chica is just incredible, the speed at which Starships
are growing is mind blowing.
There’re now 7 Starships that are either already built or being worked on in Boca Chica.
Plus there’s probably parts of Super Heavy around and being worked on, we may have already
seen some parts.
Can’t wait to see where we are in 6 months time.
In all my videos, I like to say a thank you to Mary, or BocaChicaGal who goes out there
basically every day for hours and films.
Massive thanks to her, as well as the whole NASASpaceflight team who do a fantastic job
bringing us the best space coverage and news.
Can’t thank you all enough for producing and allowing me to use this content.
That’s it for this episode of TheSpaceXShow, I hope you enjoyed the video, if you did,
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