Welcome back and thanks for tuning into episode 22 of LabPadre’s SpaceX and Starbase weekly updates.
We got another good one for you today…so lets dig in!
On the 29th, parallel to the preparations taking place in Boca Chica,
the fifth module of the orbital launch tower was stacked at Launch Complex 39A at the Cape.
Turning to Texas, a set of booster chines, which cover up the engine
spin start hydraulics, was delivered to Boca Chica's build site.
After wrapping up a cryogenic tank pressure test, the cryo-valve
pressure control and ventilation stack was removed from the B7.1 test tank.
Once all of the testing hardware was removed from B7.1,
SpaceX's LR11000 removed the test tank from the can crusher.
Back at the build site, the long idle absorption column was lifted onto a transport trailer.
Late in the morning, a low-boy trailer pulled in
indicating that another set of Raptor engines was delivered.
A few minutes later, a group from Customs and Border Protection
arrived at the Build Site for a training course.
A Self Propelled Modular Transporter
loaded with counterweights, was later relocated to the Launch Site.
The Raptor work platform was then moved near the Orbital Launch Mount.
With methane purification out of the picture, the absorption column was shipped out to McGregor.
Capping off an apparently successful battery of tests, the B7.1 test tank was loaded onto
a self propelled modular transporter and driven down Highway 4 to the Build Site.
Over at the storage yards, the payload storage and starlink
loading building continued to receive its new coat of reflective white paint.
Late in the afternoon, one of SpaceX's Grove cranes was relocated to the Launch Site.
A few hours after its return, the B7.1 test tank was moved into the Mid Bay.
A new build technique was seen with Booster 9's fuel tank section,
which was lifted into the air with a new, soon to be welded quad section hanging below.
At the Cape, Doug towed A Shortfall of Gravitas to a spot just off shore,
before making a return on Monday.
Returning to Starbase, on the 30th,
a load spreader was attached to Booster 5's aft section for removal and scraping.
Over at the launch site, the Booster Quick Disconnect mechanism was retracted
for repainting of the protective armored hood.
Crews soon set to work, covering over the areas where the paint had been worn and burned away.
After they finished, the hood was opened and the quick disconnect extended,
before being retracted and closed once more.
Turning to the Cape, Kurt J. Crosby towed
Just Read the Instructions out to sea for Falcon 9's KPLO mission.
Two days after the load spreader was attached,
Booster 5's aft section was removed from the stand.
Later on, a number of wishbone linkages were seen being driven past rover cam.
On the 2nd, Workers began reinstalling the QD
framework that was removed from the Can Crusher for B7.1 testing.
Late that morning, a truck delivered what appeared to be cribbing to the launch site.
Returning to the Cape, United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket was rolled
out ahead of the launch of the final Space Based Infrared Satellite, Geo-6,
for the United States Space Force. This was the final launch of the 421 configuration.
The Chopstick arms were moved slightly in the first test of the newly installed actuators,
which were recently replaced.
Late in the evening, a booster load spreader arrived at the Boca Chica launch site.
At the build site, a load spreader was observed being lifted into mid bay.
Night at the launch site was marked by worker's
sparks flying as they worked on the Starship Quick Disconnect arm.
On the dawn of the 3rd, a piping assembly was delivered to the Launch Site.
Back at the Cape, the first barrel section of the new water tower for
Starship at Launch Complex 39A was put into place.
On the 4th, the fully sleeved aft thrust dome for Booster 10 was flipped.
To help control water and drainage, a sump pump was installed at the entrance to the Launch Site.
At the build site, Starship 25's aft section was moved from Tent 3 to the High Bay.
Reinforced skin sections are visible around Ship 25's aft flap mounts and the tank dome.
Over at the storage yard, after finishing the front doors,
painting wrapped around to the next side of the Payload Processing Building.
An apparent arrest for trespassing at the launch site shows how serious SpaceX is about security.
Returning to the launch site
the Raptor stand was relocated next to the Raptor maintenance platform stand.
As ship 24 sat on the pad, a Water deluge test was conducted at Suborbital Pad B.
On Thursday, August 4th At 6:29 AM Eastern Time, the last United Launch Alliance Atlas
V 421 lifted off into the Florida skies, headed for Geostationary Orbit from Space
Launch Complex 41, carrying the SBIRS-GEO 6 satellite for the United States Space Force.
At 7:08 PM, a SpaceX Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, carrying the Korea
Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter into space, flying into a ballistic capture trajectory, and marking the
first time two orbital launches have taken place from Cape Canaveral on the same day since 1966.
Greg Scott brings us our latest flyover update,
where a fair amount of work has been done since our last look at Launch Complex 39A
The fifth module of the Orbital Launch Integration Tower was stacked, joining the fourth module,
and topping out the plumbed sections of the tower. The fifth segment will hold the service arm
for Starship, providing electrical, data, propellant loading, and tank pressurization lines.
Fabrication work on the water tower foundation has been completed,
and the scaffolding around it has now been removed.
A pair of large horizontal storage tanks, similar to the methane tanks
at Starbase, have been placed between the launch and water towers. The first ring segment for
the water tower can be seen to the side, prior to its installation.
Meanwhile, NASA's Launch Complex 39B continues to wait for the return of SLS for the Artemis I
mission, tentatively scheduled to launch between August 29th and September 5th.
SpaceX's Roberts Road facility remains quite active,
servicing Falcon 9 boosters between flights
and serving as a staging ground for the buildout of launch infrastructure for Starship.
Sitting on the driveway to the access road, a trio of Falcon 9s were waiting outside Hangar X.
Launch Tower prefabrication work continues on modules 6, 7 and 8. These sections, not needing
cryogenic handling systems, are simpler than the previous segments.
Sections six and seven are the final full height segments,
and the crane will need to be extended for the lift of section seven.
The first components for the top of the tower, where the lines will be
run for the chopstick's lifting arms have begun to be staged for assembly as well.
While the tower module assembly is ongoing, the chopsticks and ship quick disconnect arm
continue to come together nearby.
The chopsticks have been laid on their sides to allow for workers to start adding additional
components now that the base structure is complete.
Also, the scaffolding that was previously seen on the QD arm has since been removed.
Next to the Qd arm work area, the Roberts Road Star Factory continues to make progress.
New, expansive sections of concrete are being poured ahead of the construction of the next
phase of the building's steel work, while groundwork is being prepared for
the third phase of construction.
The steel for the first section of the building seems to be about complete, including steel beams
that the future bridge crane rails will ride on. Crews have also begun to paint some of the steel white.
On the newly poured concrete of the second section, crews have started assembling additional
steel sections to extend the structure into that area.
It appears that the underground conduit banks in the final section are nearly complete.
In the final corner of the site, it appears the external
concrete foundation of the first mega bay is
complete and additional excavation being done on the inside.
Over at the Blue origin production facilities, construction is also progressing.
With the foundations complete for the warehouse expansion, the construction is now shifting to
the assembly of the steel structure of the addition.
A significant amount of ground clearing for further expansion of Blue Origin's facilities
has been accomplished.
Shifting to the northern half of the facilities we can take a look at the new 2nd stage cleaning
and testing facility for Blue Origin's New Glenn Rocket.
Crews are still hard at work on this new construction.
Noticeably absent this week, however, is the
large steel structure they had been assembling on the ground during the previous flyover.
Blue Origin's Launch Complex 36 lies dormant, awaiting for their upcoming reusable orbital
rocket, New Glenn, to be completed and readied to begin flight testing.
Not everything at the complex is idle, however; the nearby testing grounds are in use.
A New Glenn second stage demonstrator tank for project Jarvis was spotted
standing by for pressure testing.
Over at LC-16, Relativity Space's Terran-1 Rocket is still standing tall on its launch pad.
In recent weeks, this rocket has undergone both spin prime tests
as well as full throttle Hot fires
as Relativity works towards the First orbital flight of their 3d printed rocket.
Meanwhile, with Astra officially halting all flights of Rocket 3.3,
things are looking quiet over at SLC 46.
With launches not set to resume until Rocket 4 is operational,
Space Launch Complex 46 will be sitting idle for the rest of the year.
A number of space related ships were spotted in Port Canaveral
starting with United Launch Alliance's aptly named Rocketship.
The ship is used to transport Atlas and Delta rockets from Decatur
Alabama to their launch sites at Vandenberg and Cape Canaveral.
Another ship that was spotted was SpaceX's Dragon recovery ship Megan, which serves as a
mothership for crew and capsule recovery after Dragon splashes down.
SpaceX's Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship, A Shortfall of Gravitas,
was seen at the portside docks between missions.
A Shortfall of Gravitas' Octograbber, which helps to anchor Falcon 9 to the deck after landing,
was also out on deck for maintenance.
And there you have it. Another Spacex and Starbase weekly update with a splash of
Blue Origin, Relativity Space, and Astra brought to you by LabPadre.
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We’ll see ya next week and thanks for watching! LabPadre – OUT!