It’s coming!
4th Starship test campaign!
What to expect? Second launch site construction begins!
Where are the tower sections? Rocket Lab accelerates construction
of Neutron launch site! Stratolaunch is testing a hypersonic vehicle! My name is Felix. Welcome to What About It!? Let’s dive right in! Starship Updates The emotions from the third flight are slowly
beginning to cool down, yet you can already feel the heat of work underway to prepare the next
Starship for launch! SpaceX is lightning-fast! But how fast exactly are they?
Want to know more? Follow me! The race to get ready for the 4th Starship launch
is heating up, and from what we see, it's shaping up to be even smoother than the last one.
Recently, we saw reports of some comments from Kelvin Coleman, Associate Administrator
for Commercial Space Transportation at the FAA, hinting that both the Federal Aviation
Administration and SpaceX are seriously considering ramping up Starship's launch cadence.
This is exactly what we want to hear! According to Coleman, the third Starship flight didn't
raise any major red flags for the agency! Yes! It's becoming increasingly clear that Starship
launches do not pose any risk to public safety. Or Wales or Sharks! Who would have thought?
Despite these encouraging words, a mishap investigation, under the FAA's
watchful eye, is still required. SpaceX would likely undertake this on
its own, anyway, as understanding the root causes is the key to the iterative design
approach. Very important and very much needed. Aside from the investigations, one
of the current challenges slowing down the launch rate is the licensing process.
Given that each new Starship prototype undergoes hundreds, if not thousands, of modifications,
securing a modified license for every launch has been a logistical nightmare.
However, SpaceX is now working with the FAA on establishing a special
license. Yes, you heard me right! This new system would potentially allow
the company to get a license for - let’s say - three launches at the same time.
That’s likely assuming that SpaceX can actually complete a mission where
no investigation is needed. But! Additionally, the FAA has once again mentioned
that SpaceX expects to see between six and nine more launches this year alone - so there’s
definitely something cooking behind the scenes. And if that wasn't enough to stir
excitement, Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX's COO, has told us what to expect from the program
in 2024. Now, hold on to your seatbelt. Ready? According to her, reaching orbit will be the
easiest thing they want to achieve this year. I tend to agree. There’s one thing
missing for that: an in-space engine relight to ensure a safe reentry capability.
Next in line will be the deployment of the first batch of Starlinks and the successful recovery
of not only the Booster but even the Ship. All of that within the next eight months, SpaceX
really knows a thing or two about ambitious goals! Shotwell also hinted that the next
Starship could be launch-ready within six weeks following the third flight, setting
the next launch window towards the end of April. 4 20, anyone?
Given that SpaceX is known for slightly overexaggerating its timelines, I'd advise
against booking your trips to Starbase just yet. However, there are indications that
the campaign for this launch could indeed progress quite rapidly. Here’s the proof.
Let’s start with the upper stage, aka Ship 29, which is currently stationed in the High Bay.
This prototype has already undergone three cryogenic proof tests at Massey's and
two tests at the suborbital launch site. SpaceX had ambitions of conducting a static
fire test before Starship's third launch, but for one reason or another, the
initial spin prime test was aborted. Fortunately, just a few days later, SpaceX
successfully tested the Raptor turbopumps. By then, Ship 29 needed to return to
the production site to avoid a collision with the shockwaves from the third launch.
Although the liftoff was only a week ago, the team appears to be already
preparing for Ship 29's return. This involved reactivating the LR11000
crane, which was responsible for moving the prototypes from the transport stand to Pad B.
Then, before the two-point lifter returned, the static fire test stand was thoroughly inspected.
This device, required for ground handling Ship prototypes, uses the same attachment
points as Mechazilla's arms. All these developments hint at Ship
29's imminent return to the launch site, possibly as early as this week!
Upon its arrival, it remains to be seen if SpaceX will want to redo the spin prime
test or jump directly to a six-engine static fire. This time around, we may also once
again witness two static fire tests. One to check out all engines and
another to simulate a deorbit burn, which Ship 28 failed to conduct in
space as it was unsafe to relight an engine if you can’t point it in the right
direction. Ship 28 practiced its waltz. Relighting an engine would have
turned that into a breakdance lesson. Following these tests, Ship 29 will
either remain at the Gateway To Mars, waiting for stacking, or it will return
to the production site for modifications. After all, SpaceX needs to address any
issues that became apparent during the latest flight. So, that’s the ship.
But we also need a booster, right? Booster 11 is currently
housed at the first Mega Bay. As far as we know, it is unlikely that it
will roll out to the launchpad this month due to the extensive work required
to refurbish the launch table. Additionally, this prototype still needs
to be equipped with its hot staging ring. Upon its return to the launch site, Booster
11 is expected to proceed directly with a full 33-engine static fire test! I love that!
Later, it will likely be taken back to the production site for a brief period to remove
all the sensors installed for the test. There’s not much left to do! What do you
think? Will we see Ship 29 or Booster 11 making their way to the launch site this
month? Place your bets in the comments. It's been some time since we've
examined things from the air, and thanks to the awesome people at Redline
Helicopter Tours, we're about to rectify that. Our photographer, John, captured these images
during the aforementioned spin prime testing. A closer inspection of the suborbital side of
Starbase reveals something truly fascinating, and this time, it's not Ship 28
that's catching our attention. The parking area was demolished, and since then,
it's been replaced with an array of wick drains and the machinery used for their installation.
Wick drains are essentially strips of plastic with internal channels, supplied on rolls.
They're used in a machine that drives them into the ground and precisely
cuts them to the required length. Okay, but why would they need
plastic strips in the ground? Well, that’s part of the process required to
make the ground stable for future construction! After this, additional weight, such as soil or
sandbags, will be placed on top of the area. This added pressure helps force water from
the deeper layers of the soil to the surface. Such consolidation of the soil is crucial
for supporting heavy structures - without proper preparation, the foundation
could settle unevenly over time, leading to sagging or structural failure.
Now, what kind of heavy structure could that be? As a well-informed WAI viewer,
you likely already have a good idea. Stage Zero number 2! That’s right! Tower
number 2 is under active construction! Even though this ground preparation method
accelerates the process significantly, fully draining and consolidating the
ground can still span several months. However, the silver lining is that
lighter construction activities can proceed as the soil is drained.
As such, we might soon witness the beginnings of the second Orbital Tank Farm! Now, before we discuss the progress
regarding the second orbital launch and integration tower or short OLIT, here’s a
word from our sponsor! Buckle up! It’s the law! Thank you Felix, our honorary Florida man! Nice, oh, which reminds me imagine driving
to witness a rocket launch at the Cape once suddenly you're rear ended due to an
alligator crossing the highway. Now what? For first tend to others: trade info and
documents with the other drivers at the scene and with the police, then you
should consider legal representation. Especially if you're seriously hurt,
your injury could be worth millions! You can check out Morgan & Morgan, America's
largest injury Law Firm who will fight for your rightful compensation above lowball claims from
insurance companies. Just in the past couple of months Morgan & Morgan saw verdicts of $12
million in Florida, $26 million in Philadelphia and $6.8 million in New York. 25 times the
highest insurance offer and the best part is the fee is absolutely free unless you win!
Did you know that you can start a claim with America's largest injury law firm in just
a click? It's so easy you can start your claim now at Morgan & Morgan at
forthepeople.com/whataboutit or click the link in our description!
I hope the alligator is okay. Alright, catastrophe averted!
Back to Starbase! Meanwhile, a lot is going on regarding the
sections of the tower itself. The components closest to the launch site
have been spotted at the Sanchez site. Construction on the eighth segment
of the tower began here in February. This segment now appears nearly finished, and it
seems the engineers have moved forward, starting work on the ninth and top segment of the tower.
This section will house the pulley system and various mechanical components
essential for the Mechazilla arms. Additional five sections are
stationed at the Port of Brownsville! According to our photographer, substantial
repair work is being undertaken on the stretch of Highway 4 leading to the production site,
likely ahead of transporting these segments. Right, but that’s only seven out of
the nine segments needed for the tower. So, where are the remaining
two? Excellent question! To shed light on this mystery, we turned our
attention to Florida, where our friends at SkyFi provided a satellite image specifically
for our analysis. The return of WAI Orbit! Sometimes it’s really worth
going the extra miles to orbit! In this high-quality picture, you can see
the Kennedy Space Center, featuring the Vehicle Assembly Building at its heart.
Right next to it are two launchpads, LC-39A and LC-39B, but that’s not why we are here.
Our focus is on the Robert's Road facility, which, unfortunately, was partially covered
in clouds when this picture was taken. However, the areas of our interest remain visible!
Here, we see Starfactory, which is really similar to the one we can find at Starbase.
To our knowledge, no active Starship construction is currently happening here.
What catches our eye, though, is the underway expansion of this building!
We’ve talked about these plans a few episodes ago. It’s interesting to see work regarding this
building, especially that we probably won’t see a Starship at LC-39A for another year or so.
To the right lies the tower staging area, where all sections for the second Starbase
tower, except sections 8 and 9, were assembled. Peering through the cloud cover, you'll see our
two missing sections, still undergoing work. They’re very likely getting ready to be
transported by barge, along with other critical components needed to complete the tower.
This includes the quick disconnect arm, the slightly shorter Mechazilla arms
or chopsticks, and the carriage system, which attaches these arms to the tower.
It’s all coming to Starbase! You can learn more about SkyFi at SkyFi.com.
Fantastic website! It’s incredible to see what can be done with Satellite imagery!
Thank you, SkyFi! Definitely worth a click! Looking at all these tower sections, we
can already tell that the second tower won't be an exact replica of the first one.
While things appear quite normal up to segment six, notable deviations begin at segment seven.
The first tower's seventh segment featured three levels, distinguished by horizontal beams.
In contrast, the new tower's equivalent segment is made up of just two levels.
Segment eight, which has two levels, is identical across both towers, but
the final segment compensates for the earlier reduction by incorporating
the missing level from Segment seven. You may wonder: What’s the point
of making these adjustments? It likely comes from issues related
to the center of mass encountered during the construction of the first tower,
particularly when lifting the final section. This design modification shifts
that center, which will hopefully make the stacking operation much safer!
What do you think? When will we see the foundations for the second tower?
A month from now? Maybe longer? Share your thoughts in the comments.
It’s incredible how much you can discover just by looking at things from the air! Did you know you
can take a helicopter ride over Starbase and get the same kind of views that you see in our videos?
Visit redlineheli.com/felix to book your very own helicopter ride over Starbase with
$25 Off! You’ll never forget this! Now, you’ve watched more than half
the video, and you’re still watching! Thank you! This means you like it!
We’ve looked into our channel metrics, and there are over 2 million returning monthly
viewers who have not subscribed yet. Help us improve the channel even further by
double-checking that you’ve hit that subscribe button so you don’t miss our updates!
While you're at it, give us a like and become a WAI supporter for exclusive SpaceX updates!
With it, you get access to daily Starbase photo galleries, including satellite,
aerial, and ground photos of SpaceX’s progress and countless other extras on top.
And no matter how much you decide to give, Everyone gets the same supporter content and
access! You decide what you want to give! For all those who watched IFT3 with us or
somewhere else, I have something very special. So brand new that I don’t even have my shirt yet!
Our IFT3 commemorative shirt! If you loved IFT3, this is something you want to have! Designed by
our very own Aprime and on our shop right now! The link to the shirt is in the description
and the link to our Patreon page and our new website is in the description as well!
Thanks to all the supporters who help us fund more crazy projects! We
can’t thank you enough! You rock! Returning to the news, we start on a somber note.
We've lost an American icon whose possibly greatest achievement was a handshake
that shaped the history of spaceflight. The life of Thomas Stafford was
nothing short of extraordinary. After graduating from the US Navy, he made
his way to the Air Force Test Pilot School, where he built up his skills and served
as a flight instructor for some time. In 1962, driven by a mix of ambition and
curiosity, Stafford applied to become a NASA astronaut. Back in those days, this was an
even crazier career path than it still is today. By the end of that year, he found
himself selected for NASA's Astronaut Group 2, also known as The New Nine.
This group was essentially the vanguard of the Apollo program, featuring legends such
as Neil Armstrong, Frank Borman, and Ed White. Though honestly, every single
member of The New Nine was a legend! The journey to the Moon was fraught with
challenges, a path paved by the Gemini program's extensive test campaigns.
These missions focused on critical and never before done procedures like docking and
spacewalks, ensuring that NASA had a solid grasp of these operations ahead of the Apollo missions.
Initially, Tom was slated to be part of Gemini 3, the program's first crewed mission.
However, when his crewmate, Alan Shepard, was diagnosed with an ear disease, they were both
withdrawn from the prime crew for that mission. Instead, Stafford was reassigned to Gemini 6A.
This mission replaced the original Gemini 6 flight after its intended docking target, the
Agena Target Vehicle, blew up after liftoff. The revised 6A mission
successfully docked with Gemini 7, capturing these breathtaking images from orbit.
Following this mission, Stafford was selected for the backup crew of the Gemini 9A mission.
Tragically, it was one of those rare instances where the backup crew became the prime crew.
Elliot See Jr. and Charles Bassett - the astronauts originally assigned to Gemini 9 - died
in a plane crash just months before the launch. As the Gemini program drew to a close, Stafford
transitioned to the Apollo program, where he was initially part of the backup crew for Apollo 2.
However, the early years of human spaceflight were marked by a few tragedies, including the Apollo 1
fire, which claimed the lives of three astronauts and momentarily stalled the Apollo program.
Later, Stafford was named the commander of Apollo 10, a mission that served as a
dress rehearsal for the Moon landing. Upon his return to Earth, Stafford took on
the role of Chief of the Astronaut Office, later embarking on another
journey aboard an Apollo capsule. This mission, however, was aimed at
low Earth orbit rather than the Moon… I'm, of course, talking about the
historic Apollo-Soyuz Test Project. This mission symbolized the end of the space race!
This is also the mission behind Stafford and Aleksei Leonov's iconic handshake, a gesture
of international cooperation that eventually developed into a lifelong friendship.
After his last mission, Stafford became a NASA advisor, contributing to future
Moon and Mars exploration strategies and the development of what would eventually
become the International Space Station. Sadly, Thomas Stafford passed away on
March 18th, 2024, at the age of 93, leaving behind a legacy filled with
monumental achievements in space exploration. Thank you, Thomas. Sometimes, a handshake is worth
traveling to the edge of space. Rest in peace. Switching to a lighter note, let's dive
into recent activities at Rocket Lab. Not so long ago, we talked about the
Electron launch from New Zealand's LC-1. Rocket Lab has since rolled out another rocket,
but this time to LC-2 at Wallops Island, Virginia. The "Live and Let Fly" mission
features a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office, so
everything about this launch is top secret. This leaves us guessing about the
cargo and its intended orbit. Is it James Bond himself? We’ll never know.
This mission was scheduled for March 21st, so if it actually launched, you'll
see an annotation on screen right now. But Wallops isn't home only to Electron. In
the future, it will also accommodate Rocket Lab's upcoming and very special Neutron rocket.
The company has been making some significant progress on Launch Complex 3, recently
installing a water tower for the deluge system. Standing at 86 meters or 282 feet and capable
of holding more than 900,000 liters or 200,000 gallons of water, this water will help to mitigate
acoustic energy during Neutron's lift-off. Additionally, foundation work
for the launch pad has begun, alongside the construction of a Neutron
integration facility a few kilometers from the pad, where the vehicle
will be assembled before launch. Neutron will lead Rocket Lab into
the age of fully reusable rockets. I sure can’t wait to see this baby fly, no
matter if it will be in 24 or next year! Now, let's pivot to a company that's
working on something truly fascinating. Those who have been following aerospace
developments for a while are likely familiar with this company, or at least
its colossal aircraft, known as Roc. The Stratolaunch Roc is the world's largest
operating plane, and its resemblance to Virgin Galactic's WhiteKnightTwo is no coincidence!
And this is precisely where it gets interesting! Stratolaunch was co-founded by the
legendary duo Paul Allen and Burt Rutan, who were also behind the creation of SpaceShipOne,
the precursor to Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo. While Virgin’s twin-fuselage plane is used
to support suborbital tourist spaceflights, Stratolaunch is taking a different
approach with the development of the Talon-A - a hypersonic flight vehicle.
This ambitious test platform is designed to achieve speeds from five to
seven times the speed of sound! Okay, Felix, that sounds pretty sick, but
why would I need a hypersonic test vehicle? Excellent question!
On one front, it could serve as a platform for testing military
systems needed for hypersonic missiles. For us, the space enthusiast community, the
more exciting use of Talon is in helping the development of space planes. I love space planes!
A hypersonic test bed can’t reach space but it can be used to evaluate avionics and other systems
for vehicles like the aforementioned Dream Chaser. Furthermore, the vehicle can be used to conduct
scientific research, as some materials can exhibit unique properties at such extreme speeds.
Despite not actually going into space, Talon-A gets its speed from a rocket
engine developed by Ursa Major. Following several test flights of
the Roc aircraft, the second half of 2023 witnessed a separation test
of the Talon, including a drop test involving a vehicle equipped with live propellant.
A huge milestone came on March 13th, when Talon-A was released from the Roc and successfully ignited
its onboard engine for its first powered flight. Looking into the future, Stratolaunch
wants to expand its fleet with larger, reusable hypersonic planes.
They also have plans for an actual space plane, so watch out, as they may
become an important player in the space industry! That’s it for today! Remember to smash
that like button. Subscribe for more awesome content! This is what fuels the
Algorithm and helps us immensely! Check out our epic shirts in your favorite space
nerd store! Link is in the description. And if you want to train your space IQ even
further, watch this video next to continue your journey! Thank you very much for watching,
and we’ll see you again in the next episode!
