LettuceTurnipTheBeet @ LettuceTurnipTheBeet @lemm.ee

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Joined

2 yr. ago

Pics of the hot staging ring from SpaceX!

https://x.com/spacex/status/1692610662604702138?s=46&t=Mj914Aam14loAYQOISZ9zQ

Looks great to me, can’t wait to see this thing fly. Hope they get to staging.

New comment from /u/santacfan on Reddit:

Starbase Live-

11:00pm- Ventilation hose removed

1:23am- RIP tent 2

6:20am- The wooden concrete forms are being removed from the area around the edge of the pad

8:30am- Lifts were up at the staircase, top of the OLM, and chopsticks overnight. The air handling units were also removed from around the base.

9:40am- Area around the pad is being cleaned out of lifts and equipment. Are we in for more testing?

10:50am- Party on top of the OLM and 1 lift up. (I count at least 10 people) They did a quick run through with the sweeper

10:52am- Lift at S25. Finishing the tile work?

10:57am- Pressure washing. That’s a sure sign that we are getting ready to see the deluge

11:02am- Workers climbing into the BQD

12:00pm- Workers working on both sides of the BQD as well as on the BQD itself. (Even with RGV’s pictures I still can’t figure out what they are doing off to the sides). Pressure washing continues underneath

1:25pm- Looks like 2 pressure washing trucks are all that is left at the pad

1:28pm- Trucks leave. Still people on top of the control bunker for the tank farm

1:46pm- 3 people on the very top of the tower at the pulley for the chopsticks and a drone watching them. (NSF on the raptorside thinks they were working on the cameras)

2:28pm- Pressure washing truck back under the OLM

3:00pm- Water truck and a sweeper vehicle back at the launch site.

3:12pm- 3 people on top of the OLM. Another pressure washing truck returns

4:19pm- Pressure washing trucks leave again

5:10pm- Lift up at the deluge tanks

5:34pm- Workers taking down tarp that was set up on top of the new deluge tank

6:06:51pm- PA announcement- Clear the pad deflector testing

6:43pm- Chopsticks rising

7:28pm- Elevator just went up to the chopsticks level.

7:35pm- Last tanker truck leaving deluge tank farm

8:18pm- Another water tanker arrives at the deluge tank farm. Pad still clear

8:34pm- Tanker leaving

8:44pm- PA announcement/Klaxon

9:07pm- System is being primed

9:09pm- Whoosh

9:10:05pm- End of test (Looking at the replays, it looks like full pressure for around 25 seconds)

(This gets synced)

New comment from /u/santacfan on Reddit:

Starbase live-

8:00am- You’ll never believe it but work continued on the staircase and top of the OLM overnight. The crane never extended and no lifts went up to the chopsticks.

8:26am- Concrete pump truck up over on the backside of the deluge tank farm

8:51am- Lift up at the back side of the chopsticks carriage

9:05am- There are 4 lifts up at the staircase. They are really pushing to finish the welding

10:43am- B10 on the move down Remidos

11:53am- B10 turns on to hwy 4

12:07pm- B10 turns into the production site

12:18pm- Turns into the megabay

1:21pm- Crane leaves OLM area

1:35pm- Concrete truck arrives to start pouring at edge of pad (5 trucks yesterday so this is number 6)

3:56pm- Small concrete mixer under the OLM. Looks like they are repouring the fondag that was removed

5:45pm- Forklift has brought in 4 pieces of metal trough(think house gutters) and placed them in the area where the concrete was poured the last 2 days.

7:21pm- Pad appears to be clear and the pope stack just started venting. Testing something tonight? BQD hood is still open right now

7:32:12pm- Purge vent from the deluge tank farm

7:49pm- Pope stack stops

8:12pm- (20:12) Rover 2 - Security at the entrance to the pad leaves. So pad should be back open.

8:16pm- Or maybe not. Pope stack starts back up

8:18pm- Recondenser vent going

8:25:25pm- More loud venting (from recondenser?)

8:57:26pm- Vent finally dies out/recondenser stops

8:58pm- Pope stack starts again

9:20pm- Fireworks

9:40pm- Half of tent 2 goes down

10:39pm- Workers return to the OLM and get right back to work on the staircase.

(This gets synced)

Road closure for Monday: https://x.com/bocaroad/status/1691876519457554600?s=46&t=Mj914Aam14loAYQOISZ9zQ

With the hot staging ring already on B9, this could be for more booster static firings, but then we’ll need a transport road closure for that as well.

Looks like we have a tentative date for the next flight! August 31st. Obviously won’t hold, but this and the FAA Mishap report finally show some movement on the paperwork side.

https://x.com/nasaspaceflight/status/1691829712203497738?s=46&t=Mj914Aam14loAYQOISZ9zQ

New comment from /u/santacfan on Reddit:

Starbase Live-

2:11am- Crane lifts another piece of bracing up to the top of the staircase

2:33am- Crane disconnects from brace.

3:11am- There is some welding happening around the pivot point of the chopsticks

3:19am- Another piece of bracing is lifted

3:56am- Crane disconnects

8:40am- Work continues on the top of the OLM near the BQD. Welders are working on the staircase. A mini excavator worked along the edge of the pad closest to the OTF most of the night.

9:45am- The reconfigured LR11000 at the build site is being raised

10:05am- Another piece of bracing is lifted up to the staircase

1:38pm- Yet another piece of bracing is lifted up

2:26pm- More bracing lifted. ( Instead of building a framework to weld the shielding on to at the top of the staircase. They welded the shielding to the OLM and are now building the structure to support it. )

3:09pm- The LR11000 at the build site finishes raising into its new configuration

3:25pm- Concrete truck arrives to pour into the new forms along the edge of the pad

3:50pm- Another piece of bracing lifted up (That’s 11 pieces)

4:15pm- Roof panel lifted up to the staircase. Concrete truck count at 3

5:23pm- Chopsticks raising

5:33pm-Chopsticks lowering (must be testing some of the work they’ve done)

7:54pm- End panel being removed from tent 2

8:05pm- End panel partially collapses

8:16pm- End panel ripped down. Definitely not trying to save it

8:30pm- Looks like another piece of bracing lifted to the stairs. (In a small box on SBL so I might be wrong but something was definitely lifted to the top of the stairs)

8:57pm- Awesome raptor test at McGregor

9:13pm- SPMT’s headed to Masseys

10:06pm- Hot stage ring being lifted up in the megabay

10:17pm- Swings over towards B9

(This gets synced)

New comment from /u/santacfan on Reddit:

Starbase Live-

12:33am- 2nd ventilation hose installed to the OLM

6:45am- Forklift moves a header tank to over by the HLS nosecone

7:36am- AWP goes back up to the SQD arm

8:00am- Lots of welding on the staircase shielding overnight. A few lifts went to the top of the OLM

10:29am- Workers up at the SQD

10:44am- SQD arm getting a fresh coat of paint as well

10:45am- Crane lifts a cross brace up to the halfway point of the staircase. (Piece of square steel tubing)

11:29am- Crane lifts another cross brace up to the staircase. A little above the first one

11:52am- Concrete forms being built around the edge of the OLM pad

1:40pm- 2nd vent hose lowered about halfway. (Probably getting in the way of the welders working on the staircase)

1:51pm- Crane lifts the next cross brace up to the stairs.

3:04pm- S29 rolls out of the high bay

3:10pm- Next cross brace lifted up to the staircase

3:54pm- Another cross brace lifted

4:29pm- After rotating a bit, S29 rolls back into the high bay

5:39pm- Venting at the production site. Can’t see it on Rover 1. Raptor roost definitely shows it at the production site though. Not sure what it is from.

6:45pm- Another piece of bracing is lifted. This one will support the top of the shielding on the right hand side

8:36pm-BQD hood closes

9:30:15pm- RQD test

9:47:58pm- RQD test

10:14:41pm- RQD test

10:36:35pm- RQD test

10:37pm- Depress vent

10:52pm- BQD opens back up

(This gets synced)

Took a bit of work, the automation broke because of a backwards incompatible api change in the Lemmy JS client, but should be good now!

New comment from /u/santacfan on Reddit:

Starbase Live-

11:14pm- Shielding gets lifted again

3:57am- Crane detached from the shielding

6:56am- Second crane arrives by the OLM

7:42am- Original crane leaves

8:59am- Next piece of shielding for the right side of the staircase is lifted. This will bring the shielding on both sides even

9:20am- Work continued on the BQD area overnight. The aerial work platform continued inspecting the chopsticks rail on the left side as well.

9:46am- Crane disconnected from shielding

10:21am- Next piece of shielding goes up on right side. Slanted piece that should support the roof structure over the doorway

1:25pm- Crane detached from shielding

1:33pm- Aerial work platform goes up to the SQD arm. (Workers are inspecting the bottom of the arm)

1:38pm- Crane lifts final piece of shielding to the left side of staircase.

5:26pm- Crane detaches from shielding and lowers (That’s 3 pieces for 1st shift. They’re getting it done today).

9:00pm- Lifts up at the OLM, staircase, and chopsticks

(This gets synced)

New comment from /u/santacfan on Reddit:

Starbase Live-

12:05am- B9 rolls into the mega bay

3:10am- Vent hose to the OLM reinstalled. Air handling unit was brought back in during B9’s move

7:12am- Generator for the air handling unit brought back in

9:00am- Lifts go up, lifts go down. Not a lot of activity at the pad. So I think that’s a good sign that the pad fared well during the static fire.

10:59am- Semi delivers the load spreader used to lift the deluge tanks. The 3rd tank must be getting close. Work at the OLM seems to be centered around the BQD this morning. There’s also been 4 water trucks.

11:08am- Here comes the scaffolding on top of the OLM

1:10pm- Looks like another Lox pump is getting installed

2:00pm- Only 3 sections of scaffolding with guard rails going up to the right of the BQD. Another water truck arrived. It looks like they may be pumping out the deluge pond.

2:26pm- Worker climbs up into the BQD housing

2:40pm- More scaffolding pieces being unloaded from a lift. Ugh. The top of the OLM was looking so clean.

3:00pm- LR11000 has moved over to the old Landing Pad area. Another indication that the deluge tank should be arriving soon

3:49pm- Workers up at the SQD

7:01pm- Lift up inspecting the new stairs.

9:18pm- Crane returns to the launch site and extends

9:32pm- Workers grinding on the top of the shielding on the new staircase

(This gets synced)

And maybe attaching the hot staging ring?

New comment from /u/santacfan on Reddit:

Starbase Live-

11:05pm- Equipment starting to be brought back in

2:50am- B9’s transport stand is rolled up next to the OLM

9:30am- Lifts have been up and down all around the OLM as well as workers on top. Workers are also on top of the booster transport stand.

10:00am- 4 lifts up at the can crusher at Massey’s. Did they do a test and are inspecting now?

11:08am- Chopsticks closing

11:16am- Chopsticks lowering around B9

11:29am- Chopsticks close in on B9

12:54pm- Stabilizer arms going in

1:07pm- B9 lifted up off the OLM

1:11pm- Chopsticks translate over

1:20pm- Lowering towards stand

1:22pm- Holding above the stand

1:33pm- One of the stabilizers on the stand goes up

1:38pm- Second stabilizer goes up

3:16pm- Lowered the rest of the way onto the stand

4:35pm- Workers on top of the transport stand. Looks like they are checking the hold down clamps.

5:23pm- Workers on the stand appear to be done

7:45pm- Lifts have been up at the can crusher most of the day. They have cleared out now though and it looks like there may be tension on the cables (or might just be because the lighting has changed)

8:46pm- Chopsticks release B9, open and lower some

9:40pm- B9 rollling

9:44pm- Booster stopped after clearing the chopsticks which then fully closed. Light truck turned off

10:08pm- Workers going up to the OLM

10:17pm- Rolling again

10:30pm- Turns on to Hwy 4

11:30pm- Turns into production site

11:35pm- Stops outside of the high bay

11:41pm- Rolls over to in front of the Mega bay

(This gets synced)

So this is a bit tangential to SpaceX, but somewhat related so posting it anyway.

With CFT set for March earliest (and who knows when it’ll actually happen?) we’ll see SpaceX fly Crew-8 and Crew-9 as well, before Starliners first operational mission in Spring 2025, if all goes as scheduled from now on…

Plate seems to have survived this very well. Didn’t see any bits flying up either, and white cloud seems good, so very positive overall.

But 4 engines shut off and I think John mentioned they were aiming for 5 seconds, so I bet they’ll go for another run in the next few days.

New comment from /u/santacfan on Reddit:

Starbase Live-

1:12am- S25 starts rolling

1:20am- Turns on to Hwy 4

2:08am- Turns on to to Remidos

2:19am- Arrives at the rocket garden

7:32am- Sheriff at road block

7:52am- FireX test

8:07:20- Deluge test/system prime

8:09am- Pope stack starts venting

8:15:33- Igniter test

8:29am- Grid fin tests

8:50am- NSF going live

9:42am- Booster venting it’s ambient pressure

10:35am- Sub coolers are off. Working a problem in the OTF?

10:39am- Workers head to pad/ Roadblock still in place

10:42am- Ship puck shucker headed back to Masseys

11:00am- Workers at the generator by the Lox sub coolers

11:04am- Pope stack firing back up

11:32am- Workers starting to leave pad

11:35am- All 3 vehicles leave. Pad clear again

11:44am- Lox subcoolers going again

12:15pm- OLM vent

12:53pm- Frost forming on the methane sub coolers

1:01pm- Waterfall mode on the OLM vent. We’re getting close to fueling

1:03pm- OLM vent stopped. Prop load should be underway. Around 90 minutes to test possibly

1:06pm- Engine chill underway

1:08pm- New engine cavity purge vents going

1:09pm- Frost forming quickly

1:10pm- Lox chill pit active

1:18pm- Methane frost line forming

2:02pm- Drone

2:05pm- OLM vent. Loading complete

2:08pm- FireX / Deluge / Fire (Lots of steam)

2:10:30- Deluge stops

2:12pm- Depress vent

2:41pm- Pad looks good but they are going to need some new fencing

3:17pm- Engine compartment and Deluge plate purge

3:47pm- Another purge from the new engine compartment vents

3:53pm- Big depress vent (That should be it)

4:55pm- OLM vent

5:00pm- Road open

6:16pm- OLM vent finally ends

7:59pm- 3 SPMT’s headed to launch site with counterweights and connectors. B9 coming back?

8:04:32pm- SPMT down! Looked like a hydraulic failure? Front went up, back all the way down and to the left where the weight was. They got it leveled back out and going pretty quick though.

9:22pm- Workers return to pad

9:28pm- 3 workers kneel down to look at one spot on the plate

9:48pm- After checking the rest of the pad, they came back for a second look at the one spot

10:15pm- Workers headed up the stairs to check the inside of the OLM

10:21pm- Exit the OLM and drive away

10:52pm- Lift goes back up at OLM (New door)

(This gets synced)

Todays test window just opened, sherrif is at the road block. FireX has already been tested. So progressing very quickly.

I wonder if they want to try more than one static fire today.

Overpressure notice has been posted: https://twitter.com/bocachicagal/status/1688009513645821952?s=46&t=Mj914Aam14loAYQOISZ9zQ

And they’re clearing the launch area quickly. I wouldn’t be surprised if static fire prop loading starts at beginning of the window (~7 hours from now?)

New comment from /u/santacfan on Reddit:

Starbase Live-

12:33am- S28 arrives at rocket garden

1:05am- Lift goes up to hook the crane to S28

1:06am- Workers return to the OLM

6:55am- 2 Concrete trucks pull in at the OLM

7:06am- 3rd concrete truck

7:09am- S25 lifted off of the suborbital pad

7:15am- Set down on the transport stand

7:19am- 4th concrete truck. Pouring somewhere behind the doghouse by the OLT

8:12am- S28 lifted on to the raptor install stand

11:09am- B9’s transport stand is moved over to the sub orbital pad area

11:56am- Last segment of the 5th level of the new mega bay lifted

2:12pm- Workers disconnecting S25 from the crane

2:21pm- Worker cleaning off the top of the raptor install stand

2:42pm- Workers cleaning under the OLM and pressure washing the deluge plate

5:55pm- Squid finally disconnected from S25

8:25pm- Raptor install stand moves from behind S25 to in front of it. Looks like it might roll back tonight as well

(This gets synced)

New comment from /u/santacfan on Reddit:

Starbase live-

5:59am- Sheriff at road block

6:05:45- FireX tested

6:27am- Chopsticks rising

7:25am- Extremely loud vent

8:28am- OLM vent

9:43am- OLM vent stops. Loading should be starting

9:49am- Engine chill pipe frosty and condensation under booster

9:53am- Frost line on lox tank

10:02am- OLM vent back. Propellant load could be finished

10:09am- FireX seems to start but just trickles.

10:12am- FireX

10:13am- Spin prime. Video

10:16am- Depress vent

11:00am- Frost free

12:25pm- OLM vent starting up again

12:46pm- Frost line on the lox tank. Looks they are going for it again

1:07pm- Big OLM vent

1:13pm- Vent stopped again

1:32pm- Depress vent?

1:47pm- Frost receding

2:12pm- Cables being attached on the can crusher.

2:14pm- New vents around the aft skirt tested

2:35pm- Another long depress vent

3:47pm- Road opened

4:45pm- SQD extends

5:20pm- OLM vents

5:30:20pm- Another test of the new vents

5:43pm- OLM vent ends

10:26pm- S28 starts rolling at Masseys

10:58pm- Turns on to Hwy 4

(This gets synced)