Hey everyone! Welcome back and thanksfor tuning in to episode 16 of LabPadre's weekly update.
Now lets dig in!
Early in the morning of the 17th, the white painted Mystery Box, a potential Starlink
satellite loader, was moved into Tent 1. Working through the night at the launch site
workers continued to prepare the B7.1 tank for
cryogenic load testing with the Can Crusher.
In the morning, as part of SpaceX's public outreach program
a number of students toured Starbase on a school field trip.
Over at the Cape, a Falcon 9 sent Starlink
group 4-19 soaring into the Florida skies.
As the afternoon rolled around, workers on scissor
lifts continued to prepare B7.1 for testing.
Starbase's launch facilities have been inching closer to completion, and important
finishing touches, including permanent
facility gates, are being put into place.
The chopsticks were raised again in preparation
for its first operational booster lift.
On the 18th, a truck type frequently used for Raptor engine deliveries
made an appearance at the build site.
A Raptor engine was later spotted being lifted
and laid horizonally outside the High Bay.
One of SpaceX's self propelled modular transporters relocated 15,
ten ton counterweights as workers prepared to
clear the way to decomission Buckner's LR11000.
Scaffolding was installed on top of the Orbital Launch Tower. The tower's build plans
call for a 10 foot lightning mast at the top. In the afternoon, the B7.1 test tank was lifted
onto the Can Crusher. B7.1 is a structural validation test article for Super Heavy.
With the test tank moved into place,
SpaceX's LR11000 placed the "Top Hat" on B7.1
The "hat" is designed to apply massive
compression loads to test tanks.
An unexpectedly heavy venting event was observed that night from the Orbital Tank Farm.
It's not quite clear why this took place. One of the few constants at SpaceX is trying out
new ideas, and new hardware often
makes its way to the build site.
Meanwhile, workers continued to install the new sliding gate at
the D2 entrance to the launch site. At the Can Crusher, workers lowered
down the large hold down straps that are
used to apply loads through the Top Hat.
Launch site logistics necessitated the relocation of the Booster Raptor lift stand
to sit by the EDOME test tank. With structural steel work
completed on the Mega Bay, Buckner's LR11000
laid down its jib to be disassembled.
Starbase's launch site continues to move towards vehicle static fire and launch operations with
each new delivery of methane fuel for Super Heavy. Continuing where crews left off the day before
Buckner's LR11000 boom was
laid down for disassembly.
Once the crane was laid flat, workers proceeded in reverse order to its assembly.
After unreeving the jib, workers dismantled
it, followed by removal of the jib mast.
With the jib fully removed, the main boom was set flat on cribbing to continue cable removal.
Once that was done, the boom was
disassembled to be loaded onto trucks.
Back at the Cape, SpaceX's recovery vessel Doug towed A Shortfall of Gravitas into
Port Canaveral with booster B1060 on deck. With the Can Crusher Hat's Polypropylene
ropes lowered into place, it was time
to rig them to the crusher's hydraulics.
Meanwhile, construction continued on the new climate controlled building near the old BFC
shed with the arrival of roofing. Returning to the Orbital Launch Mount,
workers installed the final sections of awning next to the Quick Disconnect Hood.
The awning, made of heavy steel plate, is designed to protect the propellant lines,
pressurant lines, and other supporting
hardware from the fury of launch.
Starship 25's payload bay section proceeded to the next phase of construction with the addition
of the Starlink "Pez Dispenser" device. The orbital launch site's heat exchanger
for methane was seen venting as the
propellant fill lines were purged.
Continued venting was seen from the Orbital Tank Farm as hardware commissioning proceeds
ahead of future wet dress
rehearsals and static fire tests.
After the chopsticks received a fresh coat of paint, several protective covers were removed
from various launch site devices. Later on, additional pieces of the
launch mount awning were installed
next to the Quick Disconnect hood.
Over at the build site, a Starship
engine dome was moved to the scrap yard.
Additional finishing touches at the launch site include the addition of a concrete cover
to the protective berms
around the propellant farm.
Over at the new building next to the old BFC shed, workers finished up
with insulation and the exterior cladding. The booster quick disconnect was subjected
to one last test prior to Booster
7's delivery to the launch site.
Meanwhile, the Can Crusher which features tanks at the top,
was wrapped up in some sort of polymer. After some trouble on previous days,
a new, small scale jib crane with Shaw-Box
hoist was installed on the launch mount.
Late in the morning on June 23rd, At long last, after having engines, engine shielding
and all of the requisite plumbing and avionics connections made, Booster 7 made its way out
of the Mega Bay, transported on a pair of Self Propelled Modular Transporters. Once it reached
the gate and after a few minutes of multi-point turning to reach State Highway 4, Booster 7 began
its hour long journey to the launch site.
After the booster arrived, it was soon moved over to the
chopsticks to be lifted onto the launch mount. Lift preparations began with removal of the quick
Disconnect plate that was used in transport. Late that night, the chopstick stabilizer arms
were swung into place, and locked
into the booster's hard points.
At 10:20 PM, with everything securely in
place, Booster 7 was lifted into the sky.
The hardware operated in a relatively abrupt, start-stop fashion with each
lifting step throughout the night, as they
gingerly moved the booster into position.
A little over an hour after being raised, the booster began its descent as the arms performed
minute adjustments to its position and angle. Not long after midnight, Booster 7 was finally
clamped to the launch mount,
leaving it secure and aligned.
And there you have it another SpaceX
and Starbase weekly update brought to you by
LabPadre.
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We'll see you next week and thanks for watching.
LabPadre....out!