Platform B begins ascent as booster 12 static fire approaches – NASASpaceFlight.com

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SpaceX’s preparations for Starship Flight 5 continue to focus on replacing Ship 30’s heat shield, while crews prepare to deploy Booster 12 for a static fire this coming week. Meanwhile, long-term planning revolves around the construction of Pad B at the launch site.

Orbital Launch Platform B

SpaceX is busy building Orbital Launch Pad (OLP) B, as teams have rolled out Tower Module 1 to the launch site.

However, this still needs to be stacked as teams work to prepare the corner adapters. With Hurricane Beryl threatening the region, teams have also laid down the CC8800-1 to protect it from the storm.

SpaceX is also taking a different approach with this tower in terms of how the base is designed and stacked compared to the original tower next to it. SpaceX built an all-concrete, reinforced base with the first tower before adding steel plating after flight 2. Pad B will be a hollow steel structure filled with concrete, giving it the necessary strength and protection from exhaust gases during launches.

Another change is that teams added the feedstock lines and cryogenic fuel lines into the modules at Sanchez before the modules were rolled and stacked at the launch site.

Currently, SpaceX is missing only two towers from Sanchez. These are currently at the Port of Brownsville, awaiting transport to Sanchez, along with the chopstick arms and transport from Florida.

During Tim Dodd’s Starbase Tour, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk mentioned that this tower would be taller than the one currently on Pad A. However, according to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) documentation, SpaceX aims to have this tower stacked by mid-August. So far, no additional tower columns have appeared, so that seems unlikely.

Ship 31 Cryo tested (again)

After approximately seven weeks of being in the High Bay following a minor explosion and electrical fire in the raceway, Ship 31 was rolled back to Masseys to complete cryotesting. During the rollout, it appears that SpaceX replaced the raceway as a whole and repaired any other damage caused by the anomaly.

Once at Masseys, Ship 31 will conduct two cryotests, including testing the new Liquid Oxygen Valve that is featured on these later ships. With Hurricane Beryl approaching, SpaceX Ship 31 will most likely roll back to High Bay before a possible come ashore to protect the ship.

Based on the ship’s previous readiness, Ship 31 could be ready for static fire testing in two to three months. After that, SpaceX could still replace its entire heat shield, as it did with Ship 30. If that’s the case, Ship 31 might not be ready to fly until October or November of this year.

Booster 12 possible rollout and static fire

Booster 12, which has been in Mega Bay 1 since January 23, could be launched to the Orbital Launch Mount (OLM) as early as July 8 or 9. However, depending on Hurricane Beryl, this could be delayed by a few days if Highway 4 floods.

In addition to the occasional shutdowns, SpaceX has requested test shutdowns on July 9, 10 and 11. All three days will be from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

This deployment would see Booster 12 perform a static fire attack with 33 engines and likely roll back while it waits for the other half to be ready for full stack testing. SpaceX likely will not put the Hot Stage Ring on Booster 12 for a static fire deployment and will instead use the new white booster cap to keep the forward dome clean and covered.

Ship 30 Heat Shield Work

In recent weeks, SpaceX has been replacing Ship 30’s heat shield, adding new ablative material and stronger tiles. So far, it looks like the ship’s tank sections will now have four layers of material. The flaps will also receive the Pyron material.

First is what appears to be Pyron, a carbon fiber material that will act as an ablative layer over the primary structure in the event that the primary heat shield, the tiles, fails. The next two layers are the felt blankets and mesh material that have been part of the heat shield up until this point. These provide insulation and a stabilizing material to make it easier to place the tiles onto the pins. Finally, the tiles are the primary heat shield.

So far, the newer tiles don’t appear to have any noticeable visual changes and function in the same way as the older ones. With this upgrade, SpaceX may lose tiles on the ship, but has a backup layer to ensure the ship survives reentry.

In addition to adding Pyron, teams added new types of gap filler to tiles on the nose cone and flaps. Some stainless steel tape and a blue RTV silicone adhesive appear to have been added to fill some of the gaps. RTV is room temperature vulcanizing silicone. It cures at room temperature and, depending on the mixture, can withstand temperatures up to 650 degrees Fahrenheit.

SpaceX still has a long way to go to complete Ship 30’s heat shield. Once that’s done, it will need to be transported to Masseys on the new static firestand to test the new Raptor Vacuum engine that’s been installed.

Orbital Launch Base A

At the launch site, SpaceX has removed all of the old vertical tanks from the Orbital Tank Farm (OTF). SpaceX had already switched to the horizontal tanks for Flight 4.

SpaceX has two new Liquid Methane Tanks, currently stored at Sanchez. These can be moved to open space to increase capacity, as SpaceX plans to connect this tank farm to OLP B once the tower and assembly are complete.

SpaceX has also been steadily working on repairing the OLP A and upgrading its chopsticks in preparation for a capture on Flight 5. Teams have also been working on the ship’s Quick Disconnect (QD) arm, as one of its main fuel lines was replaced.

The teams still need to prepare for Flight 5 regarding the OLP and both vehicles, but it appears that Flight 5 will not take place until mid-August or possibly September.

Main image: Tower Module 1 waiting to be stacked (Credit: Sean Doherty for NSF/L2)