We’re getting closer! Final preparations before SpaceX’s
second Starship launch! Starship Human Landing System mock-up confirmed? Virgin Galactic sent another crew to the edge
of space, and engineers at NASA are trying to
figure out why Ingenuity’s flight failed. My name is Felix. Welcome to What about it!? Let’s dive right in! Starship Updates It is another sunny day here at Starbase! While at first sight, it may look like not
much is happening right now, the whole place
is, as always, buzzing with activity. Today’s episode will contain numerous enigmas
that you’ll hopefully help me solve! Kickstarting today at the Launch Complex. Guess where exactly? Yep, the
Orbital Launch Mount! Just a heartbeat ago, it was home
to the world's mightiest rocket first
stage – Booster 9. But poof! It's vanished. It's gone! And why? Post its series of tests, it's chilling
in the Mega Bay while the SpaceX wizards are hooking
it up with some spicy hot staging gear. We should expect its return in
less than two weeks from now. Remember our last episode? Back then, we
were trying to deduce why Booster 9's static
fire went “That’s it!!” mid-firing. I threw out a theory about the Raptor Quick Disconnect
arms being the problem here, and after August 12th, I’m even more convinced that this was the cause. That day, the QD system huffed and
puffed a whopping eight times. It was like watching a dragon blow off steam. These many purges can point to the conclusion that this
was something SpaceX worked on, and hopefully, these fixes will allow for a successful
static fire next time. And believe me, that is coming
sooner than you think! As for the Launch Deck itself? Engineers are making sure that this time
the OLT or orbital launch table won’t
need so many repairs after liftoff. They do that by adding more armor near the Booster
Quick Disconnect and covering other sections
of the staircase – the orbital launch mount is truly starting to look very shiny! In addition, a brand-new door was
installed just a few days ago. Let’s just hope this one doesn't decide to
take a dramatic flight after liftoff, landing meters away from the Launch
Table and then folding in half. I feel like I’ve seen this before… Time to shift your gaze behind the tower. Here you see the water system. The unsung hero ensures the flame deflector
has enough liquid and enough oomph to handle
the inferno from 33 Raptor engines. We've been on the edge of our seats, waiting for the
third water tank to make its appearance finally. On August 9th, our wish was granted – a colossal
white behemoth moved into the Launch Complex. With SpaceX’s ideology based on not wasting
a second, just a few hours later,
the tank was already installed. This new vessel promises longer deluge sessions. Long enough – we hope – for the
Starship to clear the tower. Now, take a step back, and there it is – the Orbital
Tank Farm or, for the cool kids - OTF. SpaceX's very own fuel storage. Just after the maiden flight, it dawned on many
as to why putting incredibly tall tanks near
the launchpad might not be the best idea. Since that day, Musk's been teasing us with
the idea of a complete OTF makeover. Swapping the silo-looking structures for
more grounded, sausage-looking tanks. Known as bullet tanks. There's already one new methane tank sitting
up next to the quintet of similar vessels. And while the construction team is taking their
time with this – the overhead perspective reveals
eight platforms ready for tank installation and another 14 awaiting concrete. There is something interesting about them, though. Some of these blocks are shorter than
others – creating distinct zones. What’s SpaceX thinking? Is it a
spot for a wall or a barrier? Perhaps they are creating two sections, one
for oxygen and the other for nitrogen? Any ideas, Watson? Be sure to
leave them in the comments! Let's shift gears a bit and jog 4 kilometers or 2.5 miles
down Highway 4 – all the way to the Sanchez site, where we have another mystery to
solve, or two to be exact. All these walks we do, right? Work
out while watching Youtube. Fantastic! Do you see these rings? We’re trying
to figure out their purpose. The one located further from the road
was pieced together recently. Its design is really simple, as it consists
of only two types of parts. Up first are the so-called “Phone Booths. And no, that's not my fanciful spin – that’s
what SpaceX has named them internally! Ten of these segments are connected to
pieces that have massive cutouts in
them – squares with rounded corners. Our good friend - Owe, blessed us
with renders of the first ring. Be sure to show him some love at X. A link to his Account
on X and his YouTube channel is in the description! From this render, we know that the large cutout
is 1.5 x 1.5 meters or 5 x 5 feet in size. As for the opening in the Phone Booth? It measures around 45 centimeters across, so 17.7
inches or 4.425 standard Snickers bars. The ring itself also boasts four attachment points
that allow it to be hooked up to a crane. As is often the case, no official information
about this ring was revealed by SpaceX. But by donning our detective caps,
certain theories fade. Sporting an 11.5-meter or 37.7 feet diameter on
the outside and 9.5 meters or 31 feet inside, it's a no-brainer this isn't a Starship
segment or a weird HLS mock-up. It’s too wide. Hopefully, that’s not a hot take, but
a second Orbital Launch Table? Highly improbable. Unless SpaceX has invented some tiny clamps with
Herculean strength, we’d expect to see massive
openings for hold-down clamps on such a ring. Our best bet? An engine installation stand, potentially
destined for the second Mega Bay. This one could be a more permanent one, freeing up the
transport stand during the engine installation phase. Or perhaps, just perhaps, it's a
revamped suborbital launchpad! I’m skeptical if such a radical makeover
is needed, as the current one seems
to be doing just fine, but who knows. Now, adjacent to this ring,
you can find its sibling. Though it shares DNA, they aren’t twins. This one's completely black – it also has an
increased count of phone booth pieces, with additional sections that have smaller cutouts
and some that are completely solid. Could this be a thrilling new suborbital pad? Or maybe it's just an evolved transport stand
or another tool for the Mega Bay. It’s hard to tell, so the only thing
we can do here is be patient. This puzzle might solve itself. Now, take your mind a few weeks back. Do you remember our little investigation into a peculiar
tank, which, we thought, might be a prototype
for the Human Landing System's crew cabin? After biding its time in the Mid Bay, on August 12th,
this enigmatic monstrosity decided to grace us
with a full appearance, confirming our theories. Here's a quick jog down memory
lane in case you forgot. This test piece was created from several
intriguing components – first, an S22
nosecone minus its forward flaps. If it wasn’t looking goofy enough, sometime
later, workers added a door-shaped
cutout to its unfinished section. Following this, a curious white dome
was spotted, complete with a deck-like
structure sporting a central gap. Later, both these parts were welded together
– and interestingly – the exposed section
below the heat tiles was painted black. As days turned to weeks and weeks to months,
the prototype remained tight-lipped, revealing
no external hardware modifications. Everything changed on August 12th
when the mystery deepened. As it rolled out, a panel fitted with valves and
electrical connections emerged on its bottom. And just when you thought things couldn't get more
cryptic, a sticker proudly displayed “HLS”. Rocket science is known by acronyms, but in
this case, could there be another meaning for
HLS apart from the Human Landing System? Hilariously Large Socks, perhaps? Nonetheless, the plot thickens even more. The prototype's destination wasn’t the Launch Site, nor
Massey's, and it didn't retire to the Rocket Garden. Instead, it took a detour to the Payload
Processing Facility, settling gracefully
upon a newly poured concrete patch. As for its secrets, they remain locked away. Given its prolonged Mid Bay stay, could this nosecone
be a detailed mockup of the lunar Starship interior? Complete with life-support and many crew cabins? Or, perhaps it’s just an empty tank awaiting its interior
installation near the Payload Processing Facility? What is your take on this? Is this a simple
test tank, and it’s nothing to be excited
about, or is it something more? Please let me know in the comments! I always enjoy reading them! While you’re at it, hit that like button, subscribe,
share this video with your family and friends,
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is in the description! Thanks to all the supporters who literally
fulfill dreams for our team! You rock! We've delved deep into the mysteries of orbital
rockets, but let’s pivot a moment to
recognize their suborbital counterparts. Take, for instance – VSS Unity, which just
undertook another celestial dance, finally
hinting at a monthly flight cadence! It’s all thanks to Virgin Galactic – the brainchild
of visionaries Richard Branson and Burt Rutan, which promises exciting yet short
voyages to the edge of space. That is, the space line agreed by NASA and FAA, which
starts at the 80-kilometer or 50-mile mark. June witnessed the company – almost two decades in the
making – begin their inaugural commercial journey. Dubbed “Galactic 01”, this venture successfully
brought three passengers, comprising two pilots from the Italian Air Force
and an engineer from Italy's National Research
Council, into the vast expanse of space. Far from a mere joyride, the mission
was layered with scientific intent. Equipped with a rack of 13 experiments
and a sensor-equipped crew, it aimed to study the human physiological response
as one merges into a microgravity environment. Following this triumph, Virgin Galactic was swift
to announce the next mission for August. And surprisingly, on August 10th, the refurbished
SpaceShipTwo launched with another
trio: Jon Goodwin, Keisha Schahaff, and the young Anastasia Mayers Here’s a fun tidbit – Jon, back in 2005,
was among the first four people to secure
a space ticket with the company. Now, that's some patience! Keisha, on the other hand, emerged victorious in a
Virgin Galactic giveaway and chose to share this
cosmic escapade with her daughter – Anastasia. With smiles and starry eyes, all aboard the flight,
including the company's diligent staff, safely touched down just 16 minutes after
the space plane was released. Virgin Galactic now teases “Galactic 03” for September,
aiming to be the first space tourism company
with a somewhat regular flight schedule. Let's take a moment to discuss our sponsor Factor, which
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and use code Felix50 to avail the 50%
discount on your inaugural Factor box! In contrast, while Virgin has its eyes set beyond
our atmosphere, even if just for suborbital jumps,
Amazon seems to be tethered to our planet. But it is about to change! A few episodes back, we touched upon
Amazon's hefty new endeavor. A whopping 120 million dollar investment for
the construction of a satellite post-processing
facility at the Kennedy Space Center. Envision a 9300 square meter or
100,000 square foot building, with a 30 meter or 100 ft High Bay clean room designed to
process payloads for the New Glenn and Vulcan Centaur. You might wonder, “What celestial cargo does
Amazon possess?" Excellent question! This is Kuiper – Amazon's contender against
the Starlink constellation. That is yet to launch a single satellite. Here’s why! Before embarking on the colossal task of fabricating the
3200 satellites needed to complete the constellation. It might be a good idea to check if the
satellites actually work in space. Thus, the intent was to dispatch Kuiper 1 and
2 during the maiden Vulcan Centaur mission. Unfortunately, as with many brand-new rockets, setbacks
have dimmed hopes of a launch this year. With the FCC's clock ticking – a mere three
years left to deploy half the constellation
– Amazon has been seeking alternatives. Right now, you’re probably envisioning a
SpaceX collaboration to hoist their satellites
as part of a ride-share mission. Well, remember who started Amazon? Their previous plan already included the reservation of
nine Atlas V launches to boost the satellite count. With the Vulcan delays, they’ve decided to use one
such Atlas to launch just two small satellites. With the entire payload weighing
just above a metric ton. While some may deem this move excessive, it mirrors
SpaceX's approach when they launched the
Starlink prototype duo - TinTin A and B. They’ve also used an entire Falcon 9 for that,
albeit they’ve at least tried to maximize
its capacity by adding the PAZ satellite. What's genuinely captivating is the lengths
Jeff Bezos seems prepared to traverse
to sidestep a SpaceX partnership. Relying on three yet-to-be-tested rockets, each
bearing a heftier price tag than a Falcon 9. Sometimes, setting aside one's pride
can be a wise business decision Venturing beyond Earth's orbit, we're
setting our sights on the Moon, a celestial body that has ignited the competitive
spirit of nations trying to touch its surface. This past April, Japan made a bold attempt
with the Hakuto-R Mission 1. Regrettably, a mere oversight literally crashed
their dreams just moments before landing. A mere week ago, we shed light on India's Chandrayaan-3
expedition, the outcome of which
will be known by the end of this month. Recently, Russia jumped into this mini
Moon race with the Luna 25 lander. As the mission name suggests – Russia
isn't new to Moon missions. But saying that they’ve had a short break
from them is an understatement at best. To put that into perspective, the gap between
Luna 24 and 25 missions is so vast that it
saw the entire Soviet Union disintegrate, given that this mission transpired
in August… 1976! During that era, Luna 24, on its third
attempt, successfully drilled
two meters into the Moon's crust, dispatching a neat 170 grams of
lunar soil back to our planet. Fast-forward 47 years, and one day – a Soyuz 2.1b
rocket lifted off with Luna 25 onboard. This time with tempered ambitions – this mission isn't
geared towards bringing back lunar samples. The primary objective is quite straightforward. Achieve a successful lunar landing. Luna 25 comes with approximately 30
kilograms of scientific tools. The scientific goal of this mission is to delve into
the Moon's water content, gauge ambient radiation, and decipher the intricacies
of the Moon’s exosphere. Should all go according to the plan, the anticipated
touchdown is scheduled for around August 20th, with aspirations for the mission
to last at least one year. Success here would pave the way for
Russia's Luna-Globe program. This roadmap includes endeavors like
Luna 26, which envisions placing an
orbiter in the Moon's polar orbit, all culminating in a manned lunar landing
sometime in the distant future. Given the current geopolitical situation, details
about the mission's progression are scarce. However, rest assured, if Russia accomplishes a
lunar landing, we’ll definitely hear about it Wrapping up this episode – our gaze shifts
even further from our home planet,
reaching the vast expanses of Mars. Here, a tiny rotorcraft has been defying expectations
and rewriting the rules of Martian exploration. Dubbed “Ingenuity” by NASA, this helicopter
made its way onto the Martian ground alongside
Perseverance in February 2021. Let’s play a game! Pause the video and guess how
many times Ingenuity has flown since then. Five? Ten? Fifteen? Write your
answer in the comments! Alright, ready? I kid you not. It conducted 54 separate flights! Its journey, while exciting, hasn’t
been without challenges, though. One particularly nerve-wracking
moment unfurled on April 25th. During its 52nd flight, Ingenuity lost
connectivity with Perseverance, rendering
it unable to confirm its landing. This was followed by a daunting
silence that lasted 63 days. Those two months undoubtedly ranked among the most
nail-biting for the team behind Ingenuity. Relief washed over them on June 28th when the
Martian helicopter flickered back to life. As it transpired, Perseverance had unknowingly
hidden behind a Martian mountain, obstructing
communications with the helicopter. After overcoming that hurdle, Ingenuity
took flight once again on July 22nd. However, 74 seconds into what was intended
to be a 136-second aerial escapade, the
helicopter went into emergency mode, promptly halting its operations
and making a safe landing. According to the engineers behind Ingenuity, there was a mismatch between the helicopter's
navigational camera's observations
and its predicted position. Thanks to its robust design, this Martian drone
is capable of accounting for such unexpected events,
so aside from inducing some fear in us, Ingenuity itself didn’t suffer
any injuries from this. By August 3rd, its blades were whirring once
again, executing a modest 25-second hop. This successful jump will provide invaluable insights
to refine the software, ensuring such anomalies
are accounted for in future flights. Ingenuity's journey is nothing
short of awe-inspiring. Given that, its initial mission was simply to test
rotor operations and conduct three flights. Would you believe me if I told you that JPL didn’t
expect the mission to last longer than 30 days? That’s truly one of the most impressive
achievements of modern engineering! Tough little Ingenuity! That’s it for today! Remember
to smash that like button. Subscribe for more awesome content! This is what fuels the Algorithm
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