Let’s do this!! Starship’s third launch is scheduled for this
week! We have new info! Can this one make it to reentry? Starliner delayed… again.! And Blue
Origin wraps up first stage testing of New Glenn! My name is Felix. Welcome to What About It!? Let’s dive right in! Starship Updates We’re so close! I can smell the ignition!
If everything goes according to plan, you won’t see a Spaceship sitting on the
Orbital Launch Mount in just two days. That’s because it will be on its way to space!
There's so much new information to cover regarding the flight! Let’s get you up to speed!
Welcome back to the Gateway To Mars! It’s crazy that one can even say this. With each launch,
it feels like we're getting closer to setting foot on an alien world. Mars or bust!
Hopefully, the upcoming third flight will significantly help to narrow the
gap between us and the rusty planet! Since the last episode, where we delved
into the new flight plan for this mission, a flurry of indicators pointing
to an imminent launch has emerged. Pre-Launch-Checklist Time!
Let's go through it together! First off, we have the official word from SpaceX. While a launch announcement doesn't
legally greenlight the mission, it strongly hints that the company is confident
about clearing any regulatory hurdles. Otherwise, you wouldn’t say anything publicly.
They've even scheduled an official launch livestream, set to begin on March 14th at
6:30 am Central Time, which is 12:00 GMT. The official webcast will kick off
about half an hour before launch. But for those eager to learn more about the
flight, I invite you to join our live coverage. We're starting at 4 am Central Time, giving
us a solid three hours of pre-launch analysis. Time to get every question answered!"r
Despite restricted access to the launch site, our two remote cameras will keep you updated on
what’s going on at Starbase during the launch day! We're 200 feet away from stage zero!
Close enough for you to feel the heat from home! The description includes
a link for you to set a reminder! Another crucial piece of the puzzle is
the booking of the WB-57 aircraft, NASA's high-flying plane among other things designed to
capture detailed videos of Starship in flight. The beauty of the WB-57 is that after the
mission, its recordings can be requested through the Freedom of Information Act,
which is how videos from the previous two launches were released to the public.
The WB-57 has been scheduled for imagery support on March 14th, indicating that
it has been reserved for Starship! Furthermore, Cameron County has announced road
closures on March 14th from 12 am to 2 pm Texas time, with backup dates on the 15th and 16th.
This time, the road closure deviates from the usual "non-space flight activity" to something
far more exciting - it's specifically for the launch we're all so eagerly anticipating!
Then there's the Notice to Mariners or NOTMAR for the Gulf of Mexico, which essentially declares
a no-go zone extending from Starbase towards Cuba. You wouldn’t want to be in
this zone during the launch… This region also marks where the
Booster is expected to perform its splashdown after the landing burn.
Alternatively, this is where debris from Super Heavy might be scattered
if the launch doesn’t go as planned… With the release of the NOTMAR, we also saw
its aerial counterpart - a NOTAM for the airspace on the Mexican side of the border.
Similar restrictions through both NOTMAR and NOTAM have been set for the potential
splashdown site in the Indian Ocean. We’re talking about a huge area stretching
over nearly 6,000 kilometers or 3,000 miles. But why would they need such
an extensive splashdown window? As I mentioned in the previous episode,
SpaceX plans to test the Raptor relight capabilities during this flight.
It’s possible that we’ll see something resembling a deorbit burn, with Starship
performing a 180-degree flip for it. Oh boy, I so hope that the
onboard video feed is stable! A successful burn could result in
a splashdown closer to Madagascar, whereas failure to relight might see
it descending closer to Australia. If this test succeeds, we could be looking at
a true orbital attempt for the fourth mission! One of the final preparations was the
installation of the flight termination system charges on March 8th.
These don’t directly blow up the rocket once something goes wrong.
Instead, they’re designed to puncture the tanks in a way that will cause
a structural failure of the rocket. Now, if you've been following previous Starship
launches closely, you might’ve noticed that there are still a few boxes left to tick.
So, what's left on the checklist? Most importantly, Starship needs to be
restacked for any mission to proceed. Ship 28 was taken down from
Booster 10 on March 5th, as it required some additional heat tile work.
For a second, we were concerned that SpaceX may need to roll back the prototype.
However, it turned out that the cracked tiles could be replaced right
at the launch site, a process captured by our incredible photographer, John.
With the FTS now installed and the heat tiles fixed, SpaceX stacked it again and the
Starship is already in its flight configuration! Haha! Woo! Interestingly, there's still some scaffolding
around the Ship's quick disconnect arm and the launch deck itself.
Thankfully, removing this scaffolding is just a few hours of work.
On the regulatory front, we're awaiting three crucial documents.
Firstly, the evacuation notice for Boca Chica Village.
Only a few people live there currently, but their safety is a priority, so they
have to leave the village for the launch. So far, we haven’t seen much damage to
private property caused by Starship, but when people are involved, it’s
always better to be safe than sorry. Secondly, we’re missing a notice to air
missions for the US side of the border… This is usually issued a day or two before
the launch, so there’s no reason to panic. Including the Starship launch in the FAA’s
Advisory Operations Plan is a promising indication that this is on the horizon.
Last but not least, we're still on the lookout for the official launch license
from the Federal Aviation Administration. For the second flight, the license was
issued just three days before the launch, so hopefully, it has already been
granted by the time you're viewing this. It’s hard to believe we’re so close to another
launch of this monster! Excitement guaranteed! And to think, this is just the beginning, with up to nine flights potentially
on the calendar for this year alone! What are your thoughts? Will
Starship launch on March 14th? Share your predictions in the comments.
As Starship prepares to clear the tower, we all hope it will achieve even
greater milestones this time. During flight two, Super Heavy’s
journey ended during the boostback burn. This critical maneuver is required to guide
the Booster to the designated landing zone. While the vehicle successfully executed the
flip, it struggled with combustion instability, which led to one engine's catastrophic
failure, destroying the entire first stage. The Ship, on the other hand, fared much
better, actually managing to reach space! However, an oxygen dump led
to an onboard fire, ultimately triggering the Flight Termination System.
Yet, this iterative process is where the beauty of SpaceX's hardware-rich approach shines.
Encountered a problem? Great! Build an improved prototype and test a solution
for the issues identified in the previous test. Repeat if necessary.
Given the Booster's relatively good performance, we didn’t see many hardware changes.
There are definitely some internal modifications, with the easiest one to spot being the addition
of slosh baffles, as suggested by two rows of welding marks at the bottom of Booster 10.
Recently, Ryan Hansen released simulations on how different slosh baffle designs
may impact the liquid oxygen slosh. One of them was able to nearly
completely eliminate the waves, although this is probably a bit of an overkill.
I highly recommend checking out the entire thread on X, as a ton of work went into those
simulations. The link is in the description. Now, quickly, before we continue, let’s hear a
word from our sponsor. Buckle up. It’s the law. Thanks Felix, our honorary Florida
man! Nice, oh, which reminds me- Imagine driving to witness a rocket launch
at the cape, when you’re suddenly rear-ended due to an alligator crossing the highway!
Now what? Tend to others, trade info and document with the other drivers at the scene
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forthepeople.com/whataboutit or click the link in the description. I hope the alligator's okay.
Safe and sound! Okay, back to Starship news! For flight three, the main change may not
be in the hardware but in the software. The boostback now begins eleven seconds
after hot staging, a one-second change from the previous mission, and the burn duration has
been extended by an additional second as well. A second might not sound like
much, but it’s a 10% increase. These changes can result from either the new
flight trajectory or maneuver modifications. Ship 28 is where we see even
more substantial changes. Most importantly, this prototype
transitioned from a hydraulic to an electric thrust vector control system.
This was already done with the Booster going from flight one to flight two, but
Ship 25 still used Hydraulic Power Units to drive pistons that moved the engines.
This change eliminates another potential source of fire during flight.
Finally, the aft section saw one more notable addition: liquid oxygen vents,
which likely lead directly to the LOX tank. These vents could serve dual purposes:
allowing for a safer oxidizer dump or potentially acting as a thruster system
to assist with the flip maneuver. There have also been some modifications that
might not directly influence the flight outcome. For instance, Ship 28 features a longer Starlink
PEZ deployer and a substantially more reinforced payload bay door than its predecessor, Ship 25.
Massive thanks go out to the Ringwatchers! The WAI team is proud to be able to help you guys!
These changes will allow SpaceX to conduct an in-flight test of the payload bay, possibly paving
the way for a Starlink mission later this year! Judging by just how much of an improvement
we saw from flight one to flight two, I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw a similar
level of improvement during flight three. I am extremely hyped about this launch,
and I’m sure you’re too! Don’t forget to set your reminders for the "Feel the
Heat WAI Live stream! The link is in the description! So, what do you think?
Do you believe Ship 28 will successfully make it to reentry, or is there a
specific aspect you deem most likely to fail? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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Check our new website as well. Launch previews, road closures, the latest weather report,
and our Multistream Viewer! whataboutit.space The link to our Patreon page and the new
website is in the description! Thanks to all the supporters who help fulfill dreams for
our team! We can’t thank you enough! You rock! Heading back into space news, here's a phrase
that's probably become all too familiar: "Starliner launch delayed.
As much as I wish I could tell you otherwise this time, I'm afraid
we're in familiar territory yet again… After the space shuttle was retired in 2011,
NASA found itself in a difficult position. They needed their own way again to send
astronauts to the station quickly but lacked the means to do so directly.
For quite a while, hitching rides with the Russians was the go-to solution, and it
worked. But without wanting to get political here, relying on Russia today is less than ideal.
So, in 2014, NASA made a pivotal decision. They selected both SpaceX and Boeing
to develop crew capsules, aiming to restore America's capability for independent
access to space sooner rather than later. NASA awarded SpaceX 2.6 billion dollars and Boeing over 4 billion dollars to develop their
vehicles and fund six initial missions. Many expected SpaceX to be the
troublemaker back then. Everyone expected them to be delayed more than the
mighty Boeing. That statement aged quickly. They surprised everyone by launching their
capsule more than six months ahead of Boeing, achieving a successful docking with the ISS. Done!
Finally, December 2019 was Starliner's turn to shine, but its moment in the spotlight
likely wasn’t what NASA expected. Just a few hours into the mission,
docking had to be aborted. It was later disclosed that buggy software nearly
resulted in the loss of the vehicle… twice. Following this fiasco, it was clear that
considerable rework was necessary before Starliner could approach the ISS safely.
The second uncrewed test was initially set for July 30th, 2021.
However, it had to be pushed back as the ISS Nauka module decided to spin
the entire station, causing a lot of chaos. Another launch attempt was scheduled for
August 2nd, yet, mere hours before liftoff, engineers discovered a major issue with
propulsion valves leading to another scrub. This problem proved far more complex than first
anticipated, as we wouldn’t see Starliner on the pad for almost another year.
Finally, on May 19th, 2022, the capsule embarked on its second test
flight, successfully docking with the ISS and fulfilling its mission objectives.
Six months later, it successfully launched with two pe… Oh wait, it still hasn’t
launched with a crew onboard yet… Despite the mission's initial success, further
investigation revealed issues with the parachute system and electrical wiring harness.
Boeing had to completely disassemble the capsule and strip every single piece
of electrical cable as it was found to be flammable, marking yet another setback.
At this point, it's worth mentioning that Crew Dragon also faced its fair share of challenges.
Many might have forgotten, but SpaceX’s first crewed flight was postponed because the Dragon
C204 capsule, used during the Demo-1 mission, blew up during a ground test.
Oooooh, kay. That wasn’t planned... There were also minor hiccups like stuck valves
and the now legendary lagging parachutes. The main difference is that SpaceX
tends to address these issues quickly, which helps them launch on a regular schedule.
Turning our attention back to Starliner, the capsule is gearing up for
another launch attempt in 2024. Originally set for April 22nd, the launch date
has - somewhat predictably - been pushed back. This time, however, the delay is attributed not
to the vehicle itself but to the ISS's scheduling, with other missions taking priority.
The rescheduled mission is now expected to occur in early May.
The Atlas V rocket designated for this launch is almost ready.
On February 21st, the booster was hoisted at the Vertical Integration Facility
near Space Launch Complex-41 in Florida. Subsequently, two solid rocket boosters
were added, and by February 28th, the interstage and second stage were installed,
leaving only the capsule to be attached. Notably, this mission will mark
the 100th launch of Atlas V! This time, it will be a crewed launch,
with two seasoned astronauts - Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams - onboard.
Both have already been to space twice, bringing a wealth of experience to this mission.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that everything goes smoothly this time. The US
could really use a backup space taxi. Switching gears to a project that's
been making notable progress, let's talk about New Glenn! Big New Glenn.
After years of keeping everything secret, Blue Origin finally opened the
door to us, the space enthusiasts. Though snippets of New Glenn hardware had
been occasionally seen, a significant reveal came in the latter part of February when the
rocket - with partial flight hardware - was transported to Launch Complex 36.
This site has a rich history! Originally known as Space Launch Complex 36,
it featured two pads, A and B, and first saw action in 1962 with an Atlas-Centaur launch.
Over the years, these pads supported 145 missions, including launches of the Pioneer, Surveyor,
and Mariner probes, significantly enhancing our understanding of the solar system.
After falling out of use in 2005, both launch towers were demolished in 2007.
Fast-forward to 2015, and Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin took over the lease, merging the site
into a single pad now simply known as LC-36. By 2024, Blue Origin was ready to
test out the Stage Zero or simply the Ground Support Equipment systems.
Following the rocket's rollout to the pad, the company revealed that they
had a tanking test in plans. True to their word, New Glenn
underwent not one, not two, but three cryogenic tests of its first stage.
Details about these tests have been sparse, but the first one took place on
February 28th, as far as we know. After this testing phase, the rocket was moved
back to the integration facility on March 5th, though it may return shortly
for second-stage testing. It’s great to see progress.
However, Blue Origin still has much work before New Glenn can take to the skies.
Currently, the only actual flight hardware present seems to be the tanks and maybe the fairing.
Beginning at the base, the rocket lacks its seven BE-4 engines.
These would normally attach to the aft section; however, the installed
one appears to be just a pathfinder. It lacks the necessary landing gear, as
New Glenn supposedly will attempt landing on its maiden launch.
It also lacks strakes, aerodynamic surfaces similar to the Super Heavy's
chines, designed to generate lift during descent. Moving up, New Glenn also needs its vertical
fins, akin to Super Heavy's grid fins, which play a critical role in navigating the rocket
through the denser layers of the atmosphere. The interstage, which connects stages one and
two, likely isn’t ready for flight either, as seen by the "not for flight"
label observed during rollout. In the end, progress is progress.
The looming question is whether Blue Origin can launch New Glenn before the end of this year.
For its initial launch, the rocket is tasked with deploying two satellites for the Escapade mission.
These were initially planned to ride-share the Psyche mission to Mars, but those plans were
shelved due to issues with the main payload. Believe it or not, Blue Origin is
currently NASA's most cost-effective option to yeet these spacecraft into space.
The agency paid just 20 million dollars for the launch, which is pennies
for interplanetary missions. There is a catch though… well, maybe two….
Firstly, the Mars launch window lasts until the end of 2024.
If they encounter a big delay, NASA will have to ground the satellites for another two years.
Secondly, we all know how maiden launches tend to go. There’s a lot of risk involved.
Still, I can’t wait to see the launch of the New Glenn, as you have to admit,
it’s quite an eye-catching rocket! Most people also misjudge the size of New
Glenn. It is not just another Falcon 9. Take a look at this comparison done by Lewis Knaggs and
Declassified for us. It is a true eye opener. A link to their X profile is in the description!
It’s definitely worth waiting for New Glenn! That’s it for today! Remember to smash
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