Starbase, Tx - SpaceX Launch Infrastructure

[aaron38]

9th tower section lifted. They had an American flag hanging from this section, so in the steelworker tradition, I think this signals Topped Out. At least from a lift standpoint. They might build up some there. But the principal structure should be complete.

There will still be a lot of cool engineering going on, so I'll post more when there's fun crane work to see, like the lift of the launch table.


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[aaron38]

Lift of the launch table and a bunch of other cool stuff.

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[aaron38]

They followed fast lifting the booster onto the launch table for fit checks. More massive crane work, and lots more construction.

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[Coldrsx]

The three piece interview with Elon is amazing.

Part 1 of 3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t705r8ICkRw

[aaron38]

For those who haven't seen it, this animation is pretty close to what they're building right now.

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/...ic%3D53088.540

[aaron38]

They already need a bigger building for the booster. Not sure how much taller it will be.

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[mrnyc]

no way they get to one hour turnaround, but this process is mind blowing.

[aaron38]

More big crane work, adding a massive swing arm to the tower. This will hold the fuel lines and will need to swing away from the rocket for launch. So it mounts to the side of the tower on hinges.


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[aaron38]

Another addition to the launch tower, at 2:20 mark. This is part of the arm that loads fuel into the rocket.
The video also shows a lot of other work going on. They've started checks on the cryo plumbing using liquid nitrogen.

The next big addition to the tower should be the arms.

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[aaron38]

This short timelapse feature shows the Starship Orbital Launch Tower's Quick Disconnect (QD) Arm moving under its own power for the very first time. This first test was executed very slowly and we're excited to see how quickly the QD arm will move under normal launch operations.

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[aaron38]

I’ll post a summary video later, but if anyone wants to watch this crazy lift live, here you go.

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[aaron38]

Wow. And those arms are going to move.
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[aaron38]

A new phase of construction is starting. The big "Frankencrane" has been taken down. Construction on a new assembly bay has begun.

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[dubu]

This is probably a small step to building space cities, we are getting closer. China will have its new space station done soon. Also musk and bezo combined have half a trillion dollars, but we know the first people living in space won't live well and people will die. So close but so far, literally.

[mrnyc]

mechazilla is alive!


SpaceX's Mechazilla Is Alive!
Starship Orbital Launch Tower Arms Move For The First Time

by Evelyn Janeidy Arevalo October 28, 2021


SpaceX’s Mechazilla is alive! Engineers working at Starbase on the 400-foot-tall Starship orbital launch tower moved the robotic arms for the first time on Thursday morning. Called ‘Mechazilla’ by SpaceX Founder Chief Engineer Elon Musk, the giant claw-like steel structure is designed to ‘catch’ the Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket as it conducts a propulsive descent. The arms attached to the tower will enable the company to develop a reusable launch system capable of flying multiple times per day. “SpaceX will try to catch largest ever flying object with robot chopsticks,” Musk said last month, “Success is not guaranteed, but excitement is!” NASASpaceflight operates a set of Live cameras that captured footage of the Mechazilla arms moving for the first time.


more:
https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesm...chazilla-moves

[Obadno]

Originally Posted by dubu

This is probably a small step to building space cities, we are getting closer. China will have its new space station done soon. Also musk and bezo combined have half a trillion dollars, but we know the first people living in space won't live well and people will die. So close but so far, literally.

I am big on space commercialization. A lot of people seem to not realize the massive strides that have been made between Bezos, Elon and other various private space interests and how rapidly the cost of launch is falling.

Like any frontier its going to be quite hostile in the beginning, and space is more hostile than any frontier humanity has ever set forth into.

I think its important for our sense of wonder, adventure, its important for our very souls to have a frontier to strive towards and venture into.

[Alpha]

Boca Chica launch site is situated close to the Mexican border. Can there not trouble arise, when a rocket overflies Mexican territory?

[Lariliss]

Originally Posted by dubu

that thing is so tall you dont need a rocket. you are already in space imo.

A reasonable comment

There were so many space reaching options proposed. Majority are listed in Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-rocket_spacelaunch

This one might be new age trial.

[dubu]

Originally Posted by Lariliss

A reasonable comment

There were so many space reaching options proposed. Majority are listed in Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-rocket_spacelaunch

This one might be new age trial.

spacex is trying to advance in flying tech, its cool but like you said getting into space isnt so complex.

[Obadno]

Originally Posted by dubu

spacex is trying to advance in flying tech, its cool but like you said getting into space isnt so complex.

Its not complex its just expensive.

thats the whole reason for SpaceX and others working on re-usable spacecraft to cut the Price per LB for launch.

Its why the best option would be a "Space Elevator" but we dont have the materials capable of engineering such a structure.

...... yet!