Despite the lack of hops over recent months, SpaceX Starbase continues to be a hive of activity with preparations ongoing for both the upcoming orbital test flight of Booster 4 and Ship 20 and the future acceleration of launch cadence with follow-on vehicles.
Most of the recent focus has been directed at the Orbital Launch Site, specifically the Tank Farm and the “Mechazilla” additions to the Launch Tower. However, Ship 20 is keeping the suborbital pad occupied with an opening salvo of testing that began with a proof test on Monday night.
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For the orbital flight test, SpaceX is currently progressing towards a readiness target in November, which will still be subject to clearance from the paperwork side of approval.
The recently published Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment from the FAA, calling for public comment ahead of Booster 4 and Ship 20’s flight, highlighted the requirements that need approval for the historic first push to orbit for the world’s most powerful rocket.
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Regardless of the FAA approval route, SpaceX needs to achieve numerous flight vehicles and launch infrastructure milestones.
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For Ship 20, numerous Thermal Protection System (TPS) tiles were replaced amid continued preparations for proof testing.
For these test objectives, which began on Monday evening, Ship 20 was initially filled with gaseous nitrogen, now called the pneumatic test and formerly known as the ambient test, before being loaded with super-cold liquid nitrogen (LN2) for the cryogenic test.
Although it is unclear if all of the proof testing objectives were completed, an important lesson was observed when some of the TPS tiles popped off the vehicle during the early phase of the testing. Elon Musk noted that Header Tank venting caused the small liberation of tiles.
Ship 20 lost some tiles during testing.
Live views: https://t.co/AKG2G3Lid1 pic.twitter.com/oDkextThlb
— Michael Baylor (@MichaelBaylor_) September 27, 2021
Other objectives of the proof test include using Thrust Rams, which are hydraulic rods, to simulate loads on the Thrust Puck. A clue to the next phase of testing will be noted once this device is removed, allowing Ship 20 to prepare for Static Fire testing.
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Loaded with Liquid Oxygen (LOX) and Liquid Methane (CH4), it is expected Ship 20 will initially fire up its three sea-level Raptors, followed by unspecified testing with the three RVacs. However, only one RVac has even been fired at any one time, with all that testing conducted at SpaceX’s McGregor site as opposed to Starbase.
While Ship 20 moves through its test objectives at the suborbital pad, Booster 4 – next door at the Orbital Launch Site (OLS) – will follow a similar path with proof testing objectives before what is likely to be a series of Static Fire tests.
Interestingly, Booster 4’s tests will be aided by the use of the OLS Tank Farm, which has been building up its set of commodity tanks over the last few months.
With all but one GSE (Ground Support Equipment) tank installed on-site, proof testing has already taken place on some of the tanks, with a series of venting tests observed on Monday.
OLS Tank Farm via Mary (@bocachicagal) for NSF
All that remains is for GSE-8 to roll, followed by transports of the remaining cryo shells that the tanks are sleeved with to provide insulation.
Smaller tanks were also observed rolling down Highway 4 on Saturday, highlighting why SpaceX will be testing Ship 20 first, as they carry out testing ahead of the readiness of the OLS Tank Farm.
Booster 4 has spent a few weeks undergoing preparations on the OLS Site mount while work continued on the Launch Tower. That work has included the installation of the Quick Disconnect (QD) extension, which will be used to supply propellant to Starship when mated atop Super Heavy.
This arm will also supply power and communication lines to the Ship and provide some stability to the integrated stack.
As part of the “Mechazilla” system, the Launch Tower will stack Starship onto the booster via the use of two large chopstick arms. Installation of this system is set to take place over the coming days.
To allow these large devices to be installed on the tower, SpaceX opted to remove Booster 4 from the mount, enabling additional clearance and removing the risk of hitting Booster 4 during the complex lifts.
Once Mechazilla is complete, the giant arms could be tested with Ship 20’s installation onto Booster 4 ahead of a full WDR (Wet Dress Rehearsal).
However, Mechazilla’s somewhat more fascinating role, to “catch” the vehicles returning to the launch site after flight, is not expected to be tested until at least the flight of Booster 5 and Ship 21.
These follow-on vehicles are already being processed at the Production Site, with Booster 5 currently being stacked inside the High Bay.
Ship 21 preps via Mary (@bocachicagal)
The production cadence has been chiefly focused inside the production tents with numerous barrel sections and nosecones, some of which are already undergoing TPS application.
However, once SpaceX presses through the initial test flights, numerous Ships and Boosters will be stacked, requiring additional High Bay capacity.
SpaceX is already building a more extensive, wider facility to the north of the current High Bay to cater for this. Foundation work has been ongoing for the past few weeks, with the walls of the new bay expected to rise out of the ground next month.
Photos and videos provided by Mary (@bocachicagal) and Nic Ansuini (@nicansuini). Additional information and article assistance provided by the NSF (L2 Level) Discord.
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