That was unexpected! Booster 11 aces its static fire! Flight 4 soon? Starship recovery is coming! When
will we see the Super Heavy catch? Elon Musk announces Starship V3!
This one is a beast! And the Starship Mars
colonization plan was unveiled! My name is Felix. Welcome to What About It!? Let’s dive right in! Starship Updates Wow! That was unexpected! An unannounced
Starship update from Elon Musk himself happened! There’s so much information there that
we decided to dedicate the entire episode just to Starship. Starship v2 and v3,
Raptor 3, Mars colonization, Moon base Alpha! Get yourself some popcorn! This is epic!
First things first. The test campaign for Starship number four is unfolding at an astounding pace.
It's been just shy of four weeks since we witnessed the last launch of the world's
biggest rocket, and already, the next one has breezed through its major milestones!
The upper stage, known as Ship 29, had already executed a spin prime even before
flight three and followed it up with two successful static fires shortly after the launch.
Since then, it has returned to the High Bay. Last week, we were scratching
our heads over the removal of heat tiles from the tip of its nosecone.
Our photographer, John, captured photos confirming that most of them were already reinstalled.
However, there’s a plot twist… On April 4th, the prototype was
temporarily moved out from the High Bay, revealing a rather unsettling sight.
Ship 29 was stripped of dozens of its tiles, and in certain areas, entire sections
and even the mounting clips were missing. Now, before anyone hits the panic button,
it's likely that the reentry of Ship 28 provided SpaceX with data as to which
areas of the Ship need extra attention. That's probably why the team is now reworking
portions of the heat shield! It’s all about surviving the reentry!
As a side note. You might be curious about the reason behind the rollout of Ship 29.
Obviously, It wasn't for a photo op… Surprisingly, the prototype needed to vacate
the High Bay to make room for Ship 30, which was being transferred to the second
Mega Bay for its Raptor engine installation. So, while Ship 29 gets a well-deserved break,
let's pivot our attention to the Super Heavy designated for flight four - Booster 11!
In our last episode, we were on the edge of our seats, anticipating its rollout
and the subsequent rush to static fire. True to expectations, that's
precisely what happened! The prototype left the first Mega Bay on April 3rd
and headed directly to the Orbital Launch Mount. There, it was hoisted onto the launch
deck by Mechazilla a few hours later. This is a clear indication that despite the
damage we spotted just after flight three, the Chopsticks are once again fully operational!
Upon securing the prototype on the OLM, SpaceX teams were observed working on
the deck, busy removing scaffolding. Finally, on April 5th, we saw a procedure
that’s already starting to feel like a routine. The road was closed, and
the tank farm came to life, allowing Stage Zero to slowly
chill to cryogenic temperatures. This set the stage for the
fueling process to begin, with pumps delivering Liquid Oxygen and Liquid
Methane to the Super Heavy’s propellant tanks. Following the tanking, the water deflector
system was activated, showering the facility in a protective mist, and then all 33 Raptor
V2 engines roared to life for a few seconds. Our cameras captured the
scene. Nothing short of epic! Soon after, SpaceX shared some more
spectacular footage from this test, confirming that it proceeded exactly as planned.
At this point, I think we can all agree that those who argued that Starship would share the
fate of the Soviet N1 by using so many engines were wrong. SpaceX is marching on, and there
are no indications that the Starship design won’t do what SpaceX is planning for it!
Moreover, it's noteworthy that this test occurred just three weeks and
one day after the last launch. That’s a huge improvement in turnaround time
compared to the almost six weeks before Booster 10 could be properly tested post-flight two.
SpaceX is improving refurbishment times of the ground support equipment. Rapid
reusability will need some redesigning, but it is interesting to see how far down they
can get the time between launches with the initial design of the launch mount and the tower!
Following this milestone, scaffolding was quickly re-assembled on the deck, and by now,
Booster 11 is likely back in the first Mega Bay, undergoing final tweaks and potential upgrades.
With the testing wrapped up, we weren’t expecting much excitement at Starbase over the
next week... You should never expect less at Starbase. You might be surprised
by some extra epicness here and there. Seemingly out of nowhere, SpaceX released an over
40-minute update on the future of the Starship program, delivered by Elon Musk himself!
We’ve watched the whole thing and noted all the details to sum it up
for you and give some insights! Musk has once again reiterated
the objective for Flight 4. The mission will mirror the trajectory of
Flight 3, but with the crucial distinction that this time, the Ship is expected to survive
reentry and splash down in the Indian Ocean. In one piece, of course, as technically
during Flight 3, some of it did land… The Super Heavy Booster will conduct a simulated
landing, essentially maneuvering as if it were aiming to be caught by the Mechazilla arms,
albeit just above the water's surface. Musk called it a "virtual tower". The booster acts
as if there were a tower out on the ocean. It’s great that they’re already testing this maneuver,
as they’ll have to repeat it a dozen times before they’ll attempt the real thing, right?
Here comes the biggest plot twist from the presentation - Musk confirmed the swirling
rumors that SpaceX intends to attempt catching the Booster as early as during Flight 5.
That's right. Booster 12 could be the pioneering Booster to be retrieved via Mechazilla!
I mentioned this during the IFT-3 flight stream. Landing a Super Heavy Booster is very
much like landing a Falcon 9 booster. Not much is different from an engineering
standpoint. SpaceX is feeling confident! Musk estimates the probability of
success to be between 80 and 90 percent. Despite the optimism, the stakes
are undeniably high, and a failure would come at a substantial cost.
One wrong move and the tower will need substantial repairs, or in the
worst case, it’ll have to be rebuilt… SpaceX also unveiled an updated
animation of the catching maneuver, and it definitely does look interesting.
Just before the catch, the Booster descends at a steep angle, approaching the
tower from the Chopstick side. I don’t think anyone was expecting that we’ll see
this attempt so early into Starship development! Recovering the Ship, however, poses a more complex
challenge. They need to do this more precisely. And by precise, they mean executing a powered
descent to a specific location in the ocean. For instance, the planned splashdown for flight
four, targeting a general area, doesn’t count. Finally, during the third flight,
SpaceX tested out the propellant transfer between the Ship’s fuel tanks.
Elon said that next year, we should expect to see a Ship-to-ship fuel transfer.
This will be an incredibly crucial milestone in the development, as without
refueling, Starship can’t reach the Moon or Mars with any meaningful payload.
Musk also added that to reach the Moon or Mars with a 200-ton payload, Starship will
require only five to six refueling maneuvers. This is substantially lower than NASA’s
estimate of 14 refueling flights needed to only get to the Moon with Artemis III.
This NASA number was very likely estimated from current prototype efficiency. I always found it to
be extremely high, and it was even used to argue against SpaceX’s Starship in the US Congress.
To support the launch rate required for such a mission by the end of the next year, SpaceX will
have four Orbital Launch Integration Towers! Elon Musk has mentioned the upcoming construction
of a second tower at Boca Chica - a development that's becoming increasingly evident.
He also hinted at two towers being planned for Cape Canaveral, with the one at LC-39A, expected
to be operational roughly a year from now. What intrigues me is Elon's mention of a second
tower being constructed in Florida next year. Specifically, where such a tower would be.
Some time ago, NASA confirmed that Launch Complex 49 is currently off the
table. There was so much paperwork involved that SpaceX decided to drop it for now.
I know, I am repeating myself, but if paperwork becomes a hurdle keeping the entire project from
moving forward, that paperwork needs a reform. Currently, the company is interested in
taking over SLC-37, but the Environmental Impact Statement necessary for such a
move will not be ready until Summer 2025. Paperwork… again. If we could fuel a
rocket with it, we’d be flying for free. A final decision is expected by October next year.
This could be a suggestion that perhaps SpaceX wants to build two towers at LC-39A. However,
for now, this remains highly speculative. What are your thoughts? Could the second tower
in Florida be planned for SLC-37 or LC-39A? I'm eager to read your opinions in the comments!
Now, before we continue with more Starship news, here’s a word about insurance claims
from TJ! Buckle up! It’s the law! Thanks, Felix!
Now, picture yourself driving to see a Starship launch, only to
be hit by a distracted driver taking photos! Post-accident procedures, consider seeking
legal counsel, especially if seriously hurt; your injury could be worth millions.
You can check out Morgan & Morgan, America’s Largest Injury Law Firm, dedicated
to securing your rightful compensation above low ball insurance claims.
Just in the past couple of months, Morgan & Morgan saw verdicts of:
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Did you know 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 with Morgan & Morgan at forthepeople.com/whataboutit or
click the link in the description. Thank you, TJ! We’re not done with Starship. Let’s
check out the production site! The most dominant feature here is,
without a doubt, the colossal Starfactory. A production line for Starship prototypes, which
to this point was mostly shrouded in secrecy. This changed thanks to this update
- we finally got a look inside! We have a forward section of
the Booster, as well as some sections that may be used to create test tanks.
We also saw a shot of a SpaceX engineer working on the aft section of a Booster.
You can clearly see a COPV tank, as well as mounting points for
the outer Raptor Boost engines. This year, this prototype factory
will manufacture parts for at least six more complete Ships and Boosters!
Speaking of, with this latest update, we've also received substantial details regarding
the current and the next generation of Starships. Quo Vadis, Starship?
Elon shared that the current version, Starship V1 - as configured for its third
flight - has the capacity to deliver 30–40 tons to orbit while maintaining full reusability.
This is well below SpaceX's final goal. The V1 series will conclude with Ship 32 and Booster 14.
Transitioning to V2, SpaceX aims to increase payload capacity to 100 tons, requiring
numerous modifications to the vehicle. Starting with the upper
stage, the Starship will grow! The V2 Ship prototypes are expected
to be 0.8 meters or 2.6 feet taller. This will extend the tanks a bit, allowing
them to squeeze in even more propellant! This iteration will see the introduction
of larger aft flaps and modified forward flaps - smaller in height but wider.
These design tweaks aim to simplify reentry by offering a bigger, controllable surface area.
Looking closely at the provided renders, we can spot even more heat tiles,
particularly at the front of the aft section - something we haven’t seen before!
For now, the six-engine configuration remains unchanged, with no plans to
incorporate the additional three Raptor Vacuum engines into the V2 Ship.
The prototype will obviously have many internal and external changes
that aren’t visible in the renders. For instance, recent pictures of what could be the
payload bay for V2 revealed the PEZ dispenser door positioned lower than on current models.
Interestingly, it looks like the Booster will also get a significant upgrade.
Can you spot the most significant one? If you said the hot staging
ring, then you’re correct! SpaceX seems to be going the full Soviet
route, with a design similar to what Soyuz or Proton rockets use for staging. Struts
rather than a full ring with openings. This change will help save some mass
while simultaneously giving the exhaust gasses additional escape routes.
With the new ring, the prototype will grow by 1.3 meters or 4.3 feet.
The shared render also suggests that the grid fins will be moved a bit down,
and it seems that they’re longer. Such a change could help them prevent
being blasted by the Ship's exhaust during separation and would again give
them more control authority to work with. Surprisingly, the grid fins are also
spaced 90 degrees apart. Right now, they’re not evenly spaced.
This could indicate a return to a previous design or possibly the adoption
of just three grid fins - a concept Elon Musk has floated in the past.
Moreover, all external stringers appear to be absent from the new design.
However, it's important to note that SpaceX's own renderings tend to be really inaccurate,
so take what you see with a grain of salt. The one change that’s definitely there on purpose
is the lack of shielding in the engine area. "Raptor 3 also will not need a heat shield." We got a huge update regarding the
beast that will be the Raptor 3 engine! There's a big chance that SpaceX might
integrate Raptor 3 engines into the V2 Starship, though it remains to be seen if this will
occur right from the first prototypes on. The render of the Raptor 3 looks
like it’s missing something. However, Musk assured us that this is indeed how
the third generation of this engine looks like. When Raptor 2 was introduced, people
also doubted that SpaceX was able to simplify it this much, and yet here we are.
We even got a video of what very likely is a static fire of Raptor 3, and just
look at this flame - it’s beautiful! The trick here is to integrate one thing
into another, using tighter packaging. Most of the components from Raptor 2 are
still there; they’re just invisible as they’re integrated into other parts.
Comparing the two generations, the thrust at sea level improves by 50 tons of force, while the
vacuum version gets 48 tons of force improvement. Those are huge improvements! The major
difference between this generation of Raptor and the previous one is the addition
of internal cooling channels to many of its components. Again, tighter packaging.
Basically, the cryogenic fuel will circulate not only through the
nozzle but through the entire engine. Now, why would they need so much cooling?
Apparently, Raptor 3 can be used without any shielding on the vehicle or the engine itself.
Consequently, the Booster could shave a lot of mass. The cocktail shakers, as SpaceX internally
calls the engine shielding, will be gone! The one downside of this move, however, is that
without shielding and containment compartments, an engine explosion could prove
fatal to the whole mission. The solution here is pretty straightforward - just
make an engine that never explodes. Simple, right? Now, before I tell you about the ultimate Starship
- Starship V3, we’ve looked into our channel metrics, and there are over 2 million returning
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Back to the ultimate Starship! We might not see this generation for a
few more years, yet the groundwork for its inception is already being laid out.
It elongates the Booster tank even more and introduces what's likely to be the
fourth generation of the Raptor engine. Elon gates… :D
This change would propel Super Heavy beyond the staggering threshold
of 10,000 tons of thrust at liftoff - that is almost tripling the power of the Saturn V!
Can you imagine that? Mind-boggling numbers. t, the Ship itself is projected to reach almost
comical proportions, standing just 10 meters or 33 feet shy of the Booster's height.
With expanded tanks and the addition of three more engines - this version of the
Ship could embark on some crazy missions, possibly bringing tons of payload to
geostationary orbit without needing to refuel. In an ideal scenario, this generation could
result in the launch cost of Starship plummeting to between 2 and 3 million dollars.
While that figure wouldn't directly translate to the purchase price for customers, it would significantly reduce
the cost per kilogram to orbit. The cost of a refurbished Falcon 9 launch,
which is estimated to be around 15 million, is largely due to the expense of fabricating
a new second stage for the rocket. Musk claims that a Starship launch could cost
less than the original Falcon 1 launch, which was around 9 million, and it’s certainly plausible.
All of these upgrades will be done to achieve one main goal.
Say it with me - "Making life multiplanetary" To make life multi-planetary!
Mars colonization has been a recurring theme in Elon Musk's presentations,
but this time around, we received more concrete details than ever before.
For starters, establishing a self-sustaining colony on Mars - according to
SpaceX's vision - would require transporting approximately one million people and one
million tons of cargo to the Red Planet. Previously, there was talk that Starship
could simply load up on more fuel and launch directly to Mars whenever it wished.
However, Elon now outlined a more realistic approach, adhering to the traditional launch
window every 26 months when Earth and Mars align during the so-called transfer window.
During such a window, we could witness up to ten Starship launches daily,
aiming to transport 250,000 tonnes of cargo to Mars in each launch window.
10 launches per day? How am I supposed to stream that? We’ll need an elongated Felix as
well. This ambitious schedule could enable the establishment of a self-sustaining
Martian city within two decades! Achieving this would demand a
staggering production rate of Starships, potentially reaching several vehicles per day.
While SpaceX has released some optimistic projections, we must temper our expectations.
Creating a thousand Starships is no easy task, and currently, we’re nowhere near this number.
This may change in the future, though. Musk brought a comparison to Tesla’s 1.85
million vehicles produced last year. They said the same about EVs at one point. It’s
doable even if it hasn’t been done before. When it comes to the first Mars missions, most
individuals embarking on this monumental journey would likely not return to Earth.
Don’t panic! It doesn’t mean they won’t be able to return. Musk just
says that they won’t want to return. Initially, the Ships making the
trip won’t return - instead, they’ll be repurposed for materials to construct
habitats and other infrastructure on Mars. A key milestone for sustaining life on the
Red Planet involves producing methane - used as Starship's fuel - on the planet itself.
The Sabatier process makes it possible! The process requires an abundance of CO2 and
H2O, which Mars has in its atmosphere and in the ground, but also a significant
amount of power - arguably the most challenging resource to secure once there.
One slightly concerning point raised during the presentation is the revelation that
SpaceX isn’t currently working on any of the necessary infrastructure for
living on and surviving on Mars. Their hope is that once the rocket is ready, other
companies will want to join them in the mission. While this means that a Martian
city is still a long way out, the upgrades and plans regarding Starship make
me optimistic that we’ll at least see a crewed Mars flyby by the 2030s. Here’s to the future!
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