Hello, we are TheSpaceXFans and welcome to TheSpaceXShow, the place where you can stay
up to date with everything SpaceX.
We have a pretty big video today with some launch and other standard SpaceX related information.
Then we have some exciting updates with Boca Chica infrastructure and Starship development
updates including some new SN8 testing dates.
Let’s head straight in and get up to date…
Yesterday, SpaceX launched the Sentinel-6 mission with their first launch from Vandenberg
Air Force Base in a long time.
The booster which launched was B1063 and flew its first mission before landing on the LZ-4
pad.
Looking on TheSpaceXFans website, you can see that the launch of the Starlink-15 mission
is expected tomorrow, Monday 23rd at 2:56am UTC or 9:56pm EDT.
I want to point out something really cool with this launch, you can see it will be using
booster B1049.7.
That .7 means it will be the first booster to fly and hopefully land for the 7th time.
SpaceX also tweeted a confirmation of successful static fire of the booster.
They added “Falcon 9’s first stage previously supported six missions; this launch will make
it the fleet leader.”
The booster B1061 which launched astronauts last week returned on the droneship a few
days ago.
Julia Bergeron caught this great shot where you can see the booster wasn’t standing
upright.
It was leaning quite a bit to the point where one leg wasn’t even touching the deck of
the droneship.
Michael Sheetz tweeted about an interesting test SpaceX are planning to do with Starlink.
He said “SpaceX wants to further expand testing of its Starlink satellite internet
by connecting the network to a Gulfstream jet inflight, the company revealed in an FCC
request earlier this month.”
There was an article about the first in orbit press briefing from Crew-1 members since the
flight describing their experience.
Soichi Noguchi who has flown on 3 different vehicles, Dragon, Shuttle and Soyuz said “The
Dragon is the best, short answer.”
SpaceNews posted an article about something the director of the Space and Missile Systems
Center’s Launch Enterprise said.
What they said was “Over the next 18 months we’ll complete the transition to a fully
reusable SpaceX fleet.”
I want to add this in here, somebody tweeted Musk saying “Several studies show that terraforming
Mars is not possible with current technologies.
What will SpaceX do to reverse this in the future?”
He responded with “Terraforming will be too slow to be relevant in our lifetime.
However, we can establish a human base there in our lifetime.
At least a future spacefaring civilization – discovering our ruins – will be impressed
humans got that far.”
With those SpaceX bits covered, let’s check out what’s been happening in Boca Chica
starting with work at the orbital launch pad.
They’ve been doing more construction with the ground.
They’ve also since started erecting what seems to be walls for new buildings, it will
be interesting to see what these are for.
SpaceX have been further expanding their wall of shipping containers which you can see here.
Mary caught another shot from further away where you can see the whole wall at the moment.
Engineers were seen doing some work up at the top of Starhopper nearby where some cameras
are mounted.
If you’ve ever wondered where SpaceX employees live in Boca Chica, here’s a shot of their
trailers.
I believe this is pretty much right next to the construction yard.
Inside the construction yard, engineers have been doing some more work on the outside of
the high bay.
One of the transporters used for moving large stuff around was seen being taken away from
the production area.
Somebody tweeted how crazy it is that the LZ-4 pad where the booster landed yesterday
is right next to the launch pad.
He also said it’s even more nuts that the future Starship Super Heavy booster will land
on top of the launch mount.
Musk said “Actually, off to the side (so it doesn’t take out the launch mount in
bad landing), but with the same arm used to pick up the ship.”
With a couple of Starship pieces to look at, we have a very interesting shot with some
interior mockups for what looks to be cabins.
This is being put inside the lunar lander nosecone mockup.
There are some new bulkheads seen outside but I’m not sure what Starships these thrust
domes are for.
There’s also an upper bulkhead to the left which I believe is for SN12.
We’ve seen barely any action recently with SN5 after it performed a successful 150m hop.
However, it has been spotted moving in the yard recently.
It appears to have been moved to just beside the mid bay, will be interesting to see what
happens with it.
As you will probably be aware, SN8 hasn’t had the best time recently with a Raptor issue
caused by some concrete.
However, it’s almost ready to resume its testing as engineers worked inside and out
to prepare it.
Like usual, engineers were seen doing work and inspections underneath SN8 to make sure
all is good for upcoming testing.
Looking at the Cameron County website, we have a whole load of road and beach closures
posted for testing.
There’s a primary date of Monday 23rd for what will likely be another static fire, with
backup dates on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Then, they have another primary on Monday 30th with backup dates on December 1st and
2nd.
We could see SN8 fly to 15km during that window, I can’t wait.
We have a whole bunch more Starship serial numbers to look at, here though we have SN9
which continues to be worked on in the high bay.
SN9’s nosecone was moved into the windbreaker not too long ago as they prepared it for its
canard installation.
They were seen lifting and moving one of these fins over to the nose to hook it up.
Then, they fixed the canard to the mounting point.
Next, they look to have moved the nosecone out of the windbreaker and lifted the other
fin which was also hooked up.
We saw this nosecone barrel section being worked on in the fabrication tent and it has
since been moved outside.
It was worked on some more as they got it ready to be moved once again.
They lifted it and moved it into the windbreaker as it got ready for the SN9 nose to be stacked
on top.
Here’s a great view of the 2 sections side by side just as they got ready for the stacking
process.
Overnight, they then lifted the nosecone and stacked it with the barrel section to form
SN9’s fairing section.
I’m hoping it’s not too long now before they stack this section with the tank.
Progressing through Starships now at an incredible pace, SpaceX have been doing some more stacking
with the SN11 tank.
Here’s the latest build diagram of serial number 11 thanks to Brendan Lewis once again.
It’s crazy to think that we now not only have the SN9 and SN10 tank but almost SN11
too.
I have yet to talk about serial number 13 in any of my videos because until now, we
hadn’t seen any pieces of the Starship.
However, a methane header tank was seen outside with a label saying SN13.
Not only do we now know that SN13 exists, this barrel section here is the very first
piece for SN15 spotted.
Yes, we already have Starship serial number 15.
This ring stack is for the common bulkhead to separate the methane and Liquid Oxygen
tanks.
The final thing I’d like to show for this episode is the latest Starship & Super Heavy
prototype status thanks to Brendan.
The prototype fleet is really coming together now.
None of these detailed updates would be possible without the amazing Mary, or BocaChicaGal
going out there and filming, so a huge thanks to her.
Also behind the scenes providing awesome space coverage is the NASASpaceflight team so a
huge thanks to them for everything they do.
That’s it for this episode of TheSpaceXShow, I hope you enjoyed the video, if you did,
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Thanks for watching and have a great day!