Starship/Superheavy launch scrubbed
Because of “a pressurization issue”, SpaceX engineers decided to scrub today’s first test launch of Starship/Superheavy. The launch team then made this launch attempt a wet dress countdown rehearsal, ending at T-40 seconds.
Because of the amount of fuel and oxygen involved, turn-around will take 48 hours, meaning the next launch attempt will likely occur on Wednesday, April 19, 2023, probably at the same approximate time in the morning.
Stay tuned for more details.
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Because of “a pressurization issue”, SpaceX engineers decided to scrub today’s first test launch of Starship/Superheavy. The launch team then made this launch attempt a wet dress countdown rehearsal, ending at T-40 seconds.
Because of the amount of fuel and oxygen involved, turn-around will take 48 hours, meaning the next launch attempt will likely occur on Wednesday, April 19, 2023, probably at the same approximate time in the morning.
Stay tuned for more details.
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.
I suppose I’m glad I didn’t get up early for this.
I timed it perfectly, tuning in just as the scrub was announced. I wonder what SpaceX’s plan is in terms of having a fuel supply that can support the flight cadence they plan for. I don’t see how they can possibly put a tank farm big enough for several launches per day at either Boca Chica or the Cape, or process enough tanker loads a day to keep such a farm at capacity.
If they had an Optimus robot climb out on the launch ring and give that sticky value a whack, I’ll bet that would have fixed it?!
At least they followed my advice and had Kate Tice as a hostess!
“We turn the impossible into late” – Elon Musk
I believe they have natural gas reserves on their property in Boca Chica, so they might plan to build a rig there. Of course that assumes the EPA lets them.
Mr. Zimmerman:
Thank you very much for posting the links for the original launch attempt. I did a split-screen with both of them until it was scrubbed.
Would you mind throwing out a quick post with similar links for the next launch attempt? I tried looking for good links on YT and DuckDuckGo but couldn’t come up with the same two that you provided.
In any case, thanks again.
Blackwing1: Only about 15 minutes ago I added an update to the main post, noting that when a new launch is announced I will post links and embed the lives stream again. Stay tuned.
Musk has stated that he “learned a lot” today. I’m sure one of the things he’s thinking about is that 2 to 3 day turnaround for launch attempts. That won’t match up well to his goal of 2 or 3 launches per day.
He probably won’t like being reminded of single point of failure designs, as well.
Didn’t Buffett have plans for a natural gas stockpile? Musk builds tanks and a pipeline to it if Buffett helps.
If and when the launch cadence gets to a point were relying on truck tankers to be the mode of LNG or liquid methane delivery become impractical, a local liquification plant would be a reasonable economic alternative. They are a long ways away from that.
I don’t think the launch cadence at BC being as big an issue as it will be at KSC.
There’s is a NG pipeline that currently supplies KSC and some studies were done on building an LH2 production site at KSC but the consumption rate there now with SLS is ridiculously low to justify such a large capital and operational cost.
Musk may have other plans as there are KSC SpaceX engineering jobs being posted now that mention having experience with commercial turbomachinery and liquification equipment.
Texas still has lots of LNG. Remember how in Gulf War I we had lines going back to Kuwait? There is a company named ‘Petra’ IIRC that uses a gas blowtorch to eat through rock. So with that Boring Co could start at the nearest tank farm already fenced off and tunnel under protestors feet. Texas is a purple state-best be in stealth mode.