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.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
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.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
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.