What’s going on here? The Starship production line
is coming together FAST. More intriguing looking parts spotted at Starbase. Psyche launch is back on track! And my name is Felix! Welcome to What about it! Stay tuned, and let’s dive right in! Starship Updates Welcome back to Starbase! Another few days have passed,
and the progress has been staggering again! Workers are upgrading the Orbital Tank Farm,
the last 20 series Ship was finished, and
the Starfactory expansion has started. Let's kick things off this time
at the Orbital Tank Farm. Remember our last visit here, when I revealed
what magic the workers were using
to iron out the dents in the tanks? Well, the crew's been busy with some more
pulling, but here's the kicker – they've
also welded new reinforcements, ensuring these tanks stand strong
for the next launch attempt. Even though the orbital tank farm has many
battle scars, there's no cause for alarm. After all, these are just the ground support
equipment tank shells – they were designed
to protect the real tanks on the inside. Did you know that the current flurry of
activity is merely a temporary affair, since these tanks are earmarked for replacement
in a few months, anyway? Instead, new foundations are being set up adjacent to
the methane side of the ground support equipment. Their mission? To accommodate
more horizontal tanks. These vessels will not only be easier to maintain
– being off-the-shelf commercial tanks. But also, unlike their vertically aligned, custom-built
by SpaceX cousins – they will be low profile. Meaning that shielding them will be a breeze,
and believe me, shielding will be needed, especially if the next couple of flights decide
to a big scene similarity to the first one. There's also a beehive of activity right
by Highway 4, where workers are putting
together some intriguing-looking pipes. A connection is being made. Given their location, they're likely to be associated
with the orbital tank farm itself. Perhaps they will be used to offload the fuel
from tankers, or maybe they have a role
to play with the orbital launch mount. What's your take? Please let
me know in the comments! Now, shift your gaze behind the tanks, and behold
the majestic Orbital Launch Integration Tower. One thing you'll notice is the absence of the
QD plate on the Ship Quick Disconnect Arm. It was dismantled a while back, likely for some
repair work, but it’s never been seen since. Vanished! And the Booster Quick Disconnect arm
seems to have joined the same club, with its shielding and internal components
given a time-out a few weeks ago. We're awaiting their return and
installation patiently. Same story with the new hold down clamps
– still in line for installation. With each passing day, Elon's promise of having
everything shipshape by the end of June
looks increasingly like a long shot. But credit where it's due, the progress
here is nothing short of spectacular. Under the cloak of nightfall, a gigantic
Y-shaped pipe journeyed from the
Sanchez site to the launch complex. That might be a good beginning for my memoirs. Given its sizable diameter, it's a safe bet
that it'll join the water deluge system. We'll need to wait for the next aerial reconnaissance
by RGV to pinpoint its exact destination. The fact that it moved at all, could very well
signal that the rest of the system is preparing
to make the trip in the coming days. Now, let's shift our attention to test pads
A and B, the seasoned veterans of cryogenic
tests and static fire attempts. Follow me! Let's unravel what’s changed
since the last episode! Over here at Pad B, the latest orbital Starship, Ship
S25, has been sitting around for some time now. But as of June 7th, it was unhooked
from the LR11000 crane, implying the completion of the required work and
pointing to a static fire test on the horizon. It’s action time again! That’s
why we’re watching them! Raptor roar and a future outlook for Space
travel that couldn’t be more futuristic. As soon as we have solid information
you’ll get the test dates from me! Subscribe and you won’t miss it either! Just a quick jaunt – five minutes down the
road, and you'll stumble upon the build site,
a hive of activity in recent times. Let's first cast our eyes on
the imposing High Bay. To the right, behold Ship 28, a marvel
pieced together some time back and
now receiving the finishing touches, gearing up for a series of
cryogenic pressure tests. More action incoming! To the left, you'll find Ship 29. As of June 7th, its upper sections were merged
with the aft section, marking the completion
of hull assembly for this prototype. That's not to say it's ready to roll just yet. There's plenty more work to be done. Aft flaps are yet to be mounted, not to mention
the installation of avionics, cables, plumbing and other internal components
concealed from our view. This also signals a generational
shift of some sorts. This is the last ship from the 20s series. Time is flying when you’re having fun! It’s mind blowing to look back on the journey since
the Mark 1 prototype – just four short years, and we're already eyeing Ships
bearing the 30+ tag. Who can guess the prototype number we'll
be staring at in another four years? Ship 100, 500, or an insane 1000? Only time will tell. Gwynne Shotwell once confirmed
my speculation that the Starbase Starfactory
should be able to punch out 3 ships per week whe fully operational. For now, it looks like SpaceX has already built
a ton of parts for future prototypes. Over recent days, five nosecones, from Ship 30 through
Ship 37, were rolled out of Production Tent 3. The fascinating part? No nosecones
remain in this building, sparking speculation that this tent
may soon be dismantled as the
Starfactory spreads its wings. Our Starbase correspondent – the steely-eyed
missile man and WAI Camera Operator Chief,
has captured something truly riveting. The first few pillars of the Starfactory
have been erected, signalling the launch
of the Starbase expansion phase. Do you remember from our earlier episodes that this
colossal structure is set to engulf the surrounding
area, including the production tents? This mammoth factory will accelerate prototype
production to new levels, with weather and
contamination no longer being a concern. To make way for the expanding factory, a
few structures had to bite the dust. As you're probably well aware, the
Low Bay and the propulsion building
vanished in the blink of an eye, while the Ground Fabrication Building is still
standing tall – at least what remains of it. Given the current dismantling pace, this structure
should be history within the week. Let’s pack our gear and go further up the road! Welcome to the Sanchez site, a place that's
been quite the hotbed of activity lately. You're probably well acquainted with the pre-assembled
segments of the second Mega Bay, prominent fixtures of this site if
you’re a regular WAI watcher. Let me recap. Just last week, two such sections were transported
to the build site, while the construction
of the third level is well underway. Adjacent to them, you'll spot the
water-cooled steel plates, engineered to shield the orbital launch mount from
the fiery onslaught of 33 Raptor engines. Right next to them, you'll find a host of
deluge pipes, including the Y-shaped one that
was recently moved down to the pads. Did you know that these components are only part of the
puzzle for the water-cooled steel plate assembly? Well, allow me to introduce
you to the Inventory Tent. A flurry of activities unfolds within these walls, but
our primary interest lies in the deluge assembly. Components have been delivered and welded together here,
as depicted in photographs shot through the entrance. Take a look at the back wall of this tent. You'll notice some of its panels
are being stripped away. Given SpaceX's recent track record of deconstruction,
this doesn't come as a shock, but it might not be for the reason
you're imagining right now. Our hypothesis is that this tent
isn't being fully disassembled. More likely, once the water-cooled steel plate
parts were welded together, they grew big. Too big to fit through the door! So what do you do? Right, you build a bigger door. Our expectation here is the creation of a massive hangar
style door that will allow these assembled sections to roll out directly onto Highway 4. So, what are we all waiting for? Right. We want SpaceX to put it all together!
I can’t wait until these plates get installed. It’ll give us valuable insights into its workings and the
whole launch table will look so shiny and professional! Let the next phase commence! There are additional elements at Sanchez
that you should take a closer look at. Next to the water-cooled steel plate components
there’s a ramp under construction. Now’ before you scream Flame
deflector, listen to this. Its exact purpose remains shrouded
in mystery for now. Possibly, it could be covered in thick steel plates
and positioned near the orbital launch mount. Serving not as a flame deflector,
but as a plume diverter, preventing
the creation of a dust cloud, something SpaceX was harshly critiqued for following
that first concrete tornado launch. Let’s think a little further. Alternatively,
this could be a component of a diverter
system for a suborbital launchpad, with a steel or concrete pad beneath the stand itself,
and protective ramps encircling it to deter
debris from plummeting onto the tank farm. Very important. Don’t get the pitchforks out. Instead feel free to share your ideas down below. Let’s figure it out together as
we always do here at WAI. Lastly, let's swing by the Massey test
site, nestled a mere nine kilometers
or 5.6 miles from the build site. We're beginning to see increasingly evident indications
that this location is getting ready for
a ton of test activity in the very near future. It’s b ecoming an integral part of Starbase. The remnants of Booster 6's explosive flight termination
system test are gradually being removed. ... ... Do you see that black structure
by the white tanks? There’s a high probability that this will
become the Booster Quick Disconnect arm
for the brand new Booster Cryo station. Situated a little further down, a considerable amount
of rebar has been put in place, and soon, this entire structure is set to be filled
with concrete, forming a robust base
for the gigantic Booster test stand. Upon completion, Booster 10 will likely have the honor
of being the first to undergo testing on this stand. Go booster 10! And do you see that oddly shaped stress cage? It’s gradually being dismantled, clearing
the NC31 test article that had been
destroyed there quite some time ago. Right alongside, you can see the S26.1 prototype,
which after three cryogenic test tortures
still hasn't concluded its test run. Finally, the foundations for additional
tanks are close to being done, they will likely be a new home for the tanks
located towards the back of Massey's. All of these developments could potentially
signify a shift in testing operations. On June 2nd, a Notice to Airmen was released, declaring an airspace closure from ground level up to
600 meters or 2000 feet above Massey's from here on. While this announcement is unfortunately
a dead end to drone flyovers… darn it! It could also suggest that we’ll see more extensive
pressure testing on site, as this NOTAM
remains in effect until December 1st, 2023. What are your thoughts? Will the Massey’s test
site be used for more advanced testing? Or maybe SpaceX just doesn’t want people
to take close up pictures? Maybe it’s something else entirely? Leave your thoughts in the comments. I read every single one of them! Even though I sometimes don't
have the time to reply. And while you’re at it, leave us a like and
a subscription if you like what we do! Consider becoming a supporter. You get access to behind-the-scenes
content and much more. This way, you provide a stable
income for the team! A link to our Patreon page can
be found in the description! Thank you so much for your support
from the entire team! You Rock! All right, stay with me. Sometimes it even pays to be a supporter at WAI. Magic! Once we were crazy enough to raffle
out an actual YouTube Play button. I had two. What can I say? This time we’re
raffling out a brand new 4/20 shirt for
one of our new Twitter subscribers! Here they are. And this is the lucky winner! I’ll contact you through Twitter. Keep your DM’s open. If you want to be a
part of the next raffle at 100 members,
subscribe to @felixschlang on Twitter! Alright! Now, do you remember the
whole Psyche mission fiasco? If the specifics elude you, allow me to jog your
memory, given that this extremely mission was
on the verge of being canceled altogether. Psyche, the mission, is a space probe designed to study
an asteroid, which conveniently is also named Psyche. Psyche, the asteroid on the other hand, is
a true heavyweight champion, boasting a
diameter of 226 kilometers or 140 miles, which equates to roughly one-sixteenth
the diameter of our Moon. We’re talking planet killer category here. What you should be most interest about this asteroid
besides its hollywood movie size is its potential
to be a partial core of a shattered planetesimal – a celestial body that might be a building
block of terrestrial planets. This potato shaped metal ball is thought to be composed
mostly of iron, nickel, and a gold core, making it potentially a perfect
candidate for asteroid mining. Sweet. Should this oddly formed asteroid indeed
prove to be a planetesimal, it could grant scientists valuable insights
into what lies beneath the myriad
layers of our own planet – Earth. To achieve this, Psyche will use off the
shelf components, allowing it to study
its topography, gravity, magnetism, and other characteristics without spending billions
of dollars on research and development. Smart. Now, the original launch window for
this mission was July 2022. Nope, it hasn’t launched yet. Unfortunately, a combination of software problems
and staff shortages led to an indefinite postponement
while the mission was reassessed. Finally, after the Jet Propulsion Laboratory
reassigned personnel from the Veritas mission
(a project focused on studying Venus) to the Psyche mission, work has accelerated to
a pace where the mission has been revived. Now, the launch is anticipated no earlier than
October 5th, onboard one of the most adored
rockets of all time – mighty Falcon Heavy. While it's heartening that this mission has secured
a new launch date, there is a cost to this delay. Had the mission launched as originally scheduled
in 2022, the spacecraft would have been
expected to reach Psyche by January 2026. With the shift in the launch window, however, Psyche
now has to take a different and slower course, delaying its arrival until the end of 2029,
a postponement of almost four years. Despite this setback, this mission will
achieve some incredible things, and I am eagerly looking forward to witnessing
its launch and its findings in 2029. And while Psyche was getting delayed, another
mission encountered exactly zero problems. Shenzou-16, three brave space travelers
were propelled into space aboard the
Long March 2F rocket on May 30th. This launch was historically even more significant
for China, as it included the
country's first civilian astronaut. And where’d they travel to? Tiangong Station. The heavenly palace. Having spent just under 700 days in orbit,
the Chinese Space Station has already hosted
five crewed and five cargo missions. It is composed of three modules: The core
module named Tianhe, along with the laboratory
modules, Wentian and Mengtian. There are future plans for the station to accommodate
a temporary fourth module - Xuntian. A Space Telescope! It’s planned to have a field of
view that is 350 times larger than Hubble's. Interestingly, it will maintain a slightly
different orbital phase, meaning it
will dock to the station periodically. Did you know that, just as we distinguish between
astronauts and cosmonauts, there is a unique
term for space travelers launching from China? They are referred to as taikonauts. Upon the Shenzhou 16 crew's arrival at the station,
they were welcomed by the crew of Shenzhou 15. After their 186-day-long stay, the Shenzhou
15 crew undocked their capsule
and made a safe return back down. Interestingly, while both the crews were still onboard,
they helped to set a new world record! With the docking of Shenzhou 16 at the station,
there were temporarily 17 people in orbit: three from Shenzhou 15, three from Shenzhou 16, four from Axiom-2, three from Soyuz MS-22, and finally, four from Crew-6. This figure surpasses the previous record of 14. The rapid evolution of the Chinese
Space Program is setting records. It's been only 20 years since they sent their
first human into space, and they now
operate a fully-fledged space station. The question that lingers now is who will be
the first to set foot on the Moon again? Since we can’t answer this question just yet, for now,
let’s focus on cargo lunar launches instead. An example of this is the planned maiden launch
of the Vulcan Centaur rocket, which has
been facing its fair share of obstacles. Initially, there were setbacks in the delivery of the two
BE-4 engines from none other than Blue Origin itself. You might remember the “where
are my engines, Jeff Memes. Following a series of successful fueling
trials, an unforeseen event led to
an indefinite delay of the mission. In March 2023, during testing at NASA's Marshall
Space Flight Center in Alabama, a leak occurred
in the rocket's second stage Centaur V, resulting in an impressive explosion. Though this incident didn't involve the
rocket undergoing tests in Florida, the United Launch Alliance still needed
to pinpoint the root of the problem. Thus postponing the launch. By the end of May, Vulcan Centaur was being
prepared for its 6-second static fires. However, an issue in the booster engine
ignition system was discovered, prompting engineers to return the rocket to
the Vertical Integration Facility or VIF. On June 6th, Vulcan did another stroll back to
the SLC-41 launchpad with hopes of successfully
completing the test firing this time around. If all goes as planned, the rocket will
return once again to be mated with its
payload, and after additional tests, it will be set for its journey to the Moon. Yes, you heard it right – Vulcans first
flight is going to the Moon! During its inaugural flight, the Vulcan Centaur will carry Astrobotic's
Peregrine lunar lander designed for the Commercial
Lunar Payload Services program, in addition to two Kuiper satellites, which are
Amazon's response to SpaceX's Starlink. That’s it for today! Remember to hit the like button
and subscribe for more awesome content! Check out our epic new shirt in your
favorite space nerd store! Link is in the description. And if you want to
get even smarter about space and rockets, watch
this video next to continue your journey! Thank you very much for watching, and I’ll
see you again in the next episode!
