First SpaceX Starship Hopper tests this week?
Capitalism in space: According to this news story on Sunday, SpaceX could attempt its first Starship Hopper tests this week.
A sheriff hand-delivered road closure notices to residents on Friday, according to a local resident. The document warned locals that SpaceX will “conduct testing” as soon as Monday, March 18.
The article also cites a flurry of tweets about the hopper that Elon Musk made on Sunday. Unfortunately, Musk’s tweets do not say anything about tests this week.
Regardless, it appears that SpaceX might actually be close to beating the schedule it announced for these tests back in November, when Musk said they were aiming for tests in June. If so, this would be a remarkable achievement, one that is almost unheard of in the aerospace launch industry.
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Capitalism in space: According to this news story on Sunday, SpaceX could attempt its first Starship Hopper tests this week.
A sheriff hand-delivered road closure notices to residents on Friday, according to a local resident. The document warned locals that SpaceX will “conduct testing” as soon as Monday, March 18.
The article also cites a flurry of tweets about the hopper that Elon Musk made on Sunday. Unfortunately, Musk’s tweets do not say anything about tests this week.
Regardless, it appears that SpaceX might actually be close to beating the schedule it announced for these tests back in November, when Musk said they were aiming for tests in June. If so, this would be a remarkable achievement, one that is almost unheard of in the aerospace launch industry.
Readers!
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. Your support allows me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
The news out of the tweets was really good though.
First hop (probably barely lifting) is going to be with the single Raptor they installed over the weekend. (If they test, 2-5 days after installing the engine, that is a VERY good sign. NASA would need 6 months to test before willing to fire it up).
The two cylinders under construction at the original site (Hopper was trucked to a launch area, freeing up construction space) are for the next Hopper build, called Suborbital (But since everything that gets off the ground is suborbital, what does that mean?).
And they will launch and build from Boca Chica and the Cape.
And details on heat shielding.
Actually, the additional barrel sections now under construction at Boca Chica are not for a second StarHopper. From a Musk tweet two days ago:
“We decided to skip building a new nosecone for Hopper. Don’t need it. What you see being built is the orbital Starship vehicle.”
In late 2018 Musk said he expected the first Starship to complete construction by mid-year. Looks as though that project may be ahead of schedule.
Imagine all the heads that would explode if Musk – gasp! – finished something ahead of schedule!