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SpaceX Starship - IFT-4 - Starbase TX - Pre-Launch Preparations Thread
- Thread starter JB47394
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I believe seeing X posts is browser dependent, in OSX never seen with Safari, works about 2/3rds of the time with FireFox
Ship 29 static fire expected on Monday, March 25. Road closure 8:00 am to 8:00 pm. Backup dates on the 26th and 27th.
The umbilicals for the BQD (Booster Quick Disconnect) were removed so apparently it suffered some damage during IFT-3. Other work being done on the OLM. B4 was moved out of the Rocket Garden to the Mega Bay for scrapping. S29 moved to Suborbital B to prep for static fire.
Go to the 1:12PM CDT time in this video and wait a few seconds to see the static fire. Replays from various angles start at the -18:50 point in the video. Looks like a successful static fire, as far as outside observers can tell.
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Good static fire.
Minimum CH4 load doesn't reach the side of the vehicle. There's the long downcomer and a bowl-shaped bottom to the CH4 tank.
TunaBug
Member
Do starlink satellites have cameras? Seems to me it would be useful if they could send up one in IFT-4, use it for testing deployment, then instead of raising itself to orbit, just maneuver around the ship and do a high-res external inspection of the entire starship. And if they don't have cameras, put some on just as a one-off for in-orbit inspection.
Apparently they have star-tracking cameras, but that's it.
That's a pretty expensive GoPro.
They have flaps at four locations, allowing outboard views of pretty much the entire ship. Add zooming and panning cameras and you're done.
TunaBug
Member
I'm assuming the star tracking cameras are all infinity focus, you'd need.... I like your analogy of a GoPro, although a camera drone is a better analogy. What I suggest certainly isn't lunch money, but compared the total cost of each SH/SS test flight? And at some point they will want to launch the full-sized only-enabled-with-Starship version of the Satellites, test the deployment mechanism for the PEZ dispenser, etc, so presumably they're going to throw a few away to test those, too...why not mount a camera to a couple of them while at it? The cost might be more in the development of the GoPro and flight control for zipping around the ship.
Whether it's good value in order to get 100% coverage of cameras and from any angle you want, I have no idea. For example, for missing tiles you could get a close-up of the connectors to see their state, from any angle you want, before they get melted by re-entry.
Ship 29 static fire expected today. Road is closed (today is the second backup date). Overpressure notice issued.
There is another full-day road closure scheduled for tomorrow as well. Tomorrow's closure is a primary date, so it's a new event.
There is another full-day road closure scheduled for tomorrow as well. Tomorrow's closure is a primary date, so it's a new event.
Those were each my first instinct, but the road closure tomorrow is all day (12 hours). If I recall correctly, a vehicle move is usually a 2-4 hour closure.
Edit: I should add that tomorrow is listed as a "Possible Closure". I can't remember what a "normal closure" looks like.
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NSF says it was a single engine static fire. So I assume on the Monday static fire one of the engines did not perform as expected.
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