Third Starship Launch! SOONER Than You Think!

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Starships Super Heavy Booster 10 loses its hot staging ring! Is it a bad sign?
New tanks arrive at Starbase! Can they hook them up before the launch?
Another private mission to the International Space Station! Do you know the details? And the Peregrine lander is still alive! Will it crash into the Moon?

#SpaceX #starship #elonmusk #starbase

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Editing: John Young, Alex Potvin, Stefanie Schlang
Photography: John Cargile, John Winkopp & Stefanie Schlang
3D Animation: Voop3D
Script & Research: Eryk Gawron, Oskar Wrobel, Felix Schlang
Host: Felix Schlang
Production: Stefanie & Felix Schlang
Graphics & Media Processing: Jonathan Heuer, Felix Schlang

Credit:

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📄Links for this Episode:

https://www.spacex.com
https://www.spacex.com/starship

It’s gone? Super Heavy Booster 10   loses its hot staging ring! Is it a bad sign? New tanks arrive at Starbase! Can they hook   them up before the launch? Another private mission to   the International Space Station! Do you  know the details? And the Peregrine lander   is still alive! Will it crash into the Moon?

My name is Felix. Welcome to What About It!?  Let’s dive right in! Starship Updates  Wow! Another busy week at Starbase! It’s been  only two months since the last launch, and we are   very likely less than a month from the next one!  Can you believe it? Talking about a hot winter! 

At SpaceX, engineers are working day  and night to prepare Booster 10 and   Ship 28 for flight. The intent is clear.  As of now, these prototypes are  still waiting at the production site.  Ship 28 is currently in the High Bay,  where it’s undergoing final touches,  

Including the installation of a few  remaining tiles in the nosecone area. Meanwhile, Booster 10 is  chilling in the first Mega Bay.  Notably, on January 15th, the  teams removed its hot staging ring,   transporting it to an unknown location. However, this shouldn’t be a cause for alarm. 

You probably recall that during the previous  test campaign, the hot staging ring was   removed and reinstalled multiple times. At worst, this might indicate that the   ring itself has to undergo some modifications. At best, SpaceX might be upgrading to a newer,   improved hot staging design for Booster 10. Once all necessary work is completed,  

Both vehicles will make their way  back to the launch site for stacking.  Following this, we anticipate a wet dress  rehearsal to simulate flight-like conditions.  If all goes well, the next  step will be to just send it! 

I’d say If we see a fully stacked Starship  by the end of the first week of February,   it’s plausible that the launch will  happen by the end of that month.  So, I’m definitely on team February launch.  What are your predictions for the third flight?  

Will Starship successfully reach orbit, or are we  looking at another Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly?  Share your thoughts in the comments! While getting the Starship ready is   important, currently, the main focus of Starbase’s  engineering team is likely on something different.  I’m talking, of course,  about the orbital tank farm! 

In our last update, a barge  transporting two cryogenic tanks   was en route to the Port of Brownsville. Our latest flyover made possible thanks to   Redline Helicopter Tours, enabled  us to see what happened next.  Our incredibly talented photographer,  John, was able to capture not only a newly  

Delivered tank at the site but also another  one being offloaded from that transport ship.  With eight new tanks now at the launch site  and only one pedestal remaining to be filled,   we’re close to the completion  of this phase of the expansion. 

The weather conditions were perfect during  this flyover, allowing us to capture some   truly stunning shots – arguably, that  might’ve been our best flyover to date!  Great visibility allowed us to see  progress on the horizontal tanks.  Work platforms have been erected  around three of these tanks,  

With more expected to be set up shortly. We also noticed sections of piping that   will link the various components of the farm,  as well as pipes already extending towards the   older part of the farm. It’s happening!  On the other side, an excavator  was seen destroying the concrete  

Base of the recently dismantled GSE-8 tank. This spot is likely where the new vaporizers   will be installed. You can actually see  them waiting right next to the new tanks.  Okay, Felix, but what exactly  is a vaporizer? Great question!  Vaporizers are relatively simple  yet very important devices. 

They operate somewhat like a reverse CPU cooler.  No joke. They don’t dissipate the heat from the   source but instead collect the heat from  the outside and transfer it to the source.  Their function is to warm up cryogenic  liquids, turning them into gas. 

This process involves the liquid flowing  through long, finned tubes, which substantially   increase the surface area for heat transfer. In simple terms, you attach, for example, liquid   nitrogen to it, and you get gaseous nitrogen  on the other side. Not too complicated, right? 

A vaporizer setup can then be used to pressurize  the tanks in the tank farm, which in turn ensures   that the Starship can be fueled safely  without the risk of damaging the tanks.  You could, in theory, also just  wait for the liquids to vaporize,  

But sometimes that would just take too  long. That’s when the vaporizers are needed.  While a similar system already exists at Massey’s,  the one at Starbase is expected to be much larger,   as they just use so much more liquid  oxygen, methane, and nitrogen here. 

Shifting focus to the orbital launch  table, it’s clear that the coastal   climate isn’t ideal for metal constructions. Just look at it. It’s so rusty! I recently had   a question in the comments, if the deluge  plate would rust over time. Simple answer.  

Everything here made from steel rusts over time.  The salty breeze is like steroids for corrosion.  By taking a closer look from the air, we can see  the hold-down clamps that secure the prototypes   during testing and release just before launch. Interestingly, two of these clamps are covered  

With blue tarps, and some are chained to the  deck’s top, which probably was done to secure   them during maintenance. Moving behind the tower,   we have yet another mystery to solve. This time, it’s this little area right next  

To the water system, where workers have recently  erected a temporary wall in the parking lot area   and laid fresh concrete. What is this?  Embedded within this concrete are  several reinforced square cutouts.  Their purpose is currently unclear, and the  fact that they aren’t symmetrical doesn’t help. 

These could potentially be the foundations for  some sort of new structure, but what exactly   it will be remains a speculation. Could this be the site for a water   tower or perhaps something related to a  second Orbital Launch Integration Tower?  There are countless possibilities,  be sure to leave your predictions  

In the comments. I love reading them! Also, how about you go see all of this   for yourself? Book your own ride at Starbase  and see these things in person, or just enjoy   one of the most incredible views in the world. Go to redlineheli.com/felix ! You’ll find the  

Link in the description as well! I  promise you won’t ever forget this.  Going to the production site, there’s a constant  buzz of activity, no matter where you look.  Let’s revisit the Mega Bay, which  was already mentioned today when we  

Were talking about Booster 10. But have  you been keeping an eye on Booster 13?  It’s a bit hard, but we  managed to snap some pictures!  This prototype’s construction began in September  2023, and its pace has been notably slower than   what we’ve typically seen from SpaceX. After completing its liquid oxygen tank,  

There was a period where it  seemed like nothing was happening.  That’s a bit unusual… However, on January 15th,   something finally changed. The forward dome of Booster 13   was mated with a three-ring tall barrel, marking  the beginning of the methane tank’s construction. 

The reason behind the slower pace for  Booster 13 isn’t entirely clear, but it   might be a decision by SpaceX to avoid pumping  out multiple prototypes that won’t get much use.  After all, the current Super Heavy design is  still in the proving phase, so it may have a  

Critical design flaw that’s only going to show  during – for example – a soft water landing.  It might also be that Booster 13 didn’t see much  progress because insights from IFT2 resulted   in a changed design. The time frame would fit  perfectly. Let’s see what else is there to find. 

Ship 26, for instance, has been moved  to the Raptor installation stand.  This prototype is a total enigma, particularly  with its unusual number of stringers.  Its relocation could imply that its  Raptors are being removed, perhaps   indicating that it will be finally scrapped. However, we’ve seen such signals before,  

And Ship 26 is still standing strong,  so its fate is still up in the air.  Meanwhile, over at the Starfactory, it’s been  mere days since the last production tent was   taken down, and the concrete is already being  cleared away for the Starfactory’s foundation. 

Roof panels are also being added to  the existing sections, and the pace   of construction appears to be accelerating. I sure can’t wait to see the whole thing!  The residential area just behind the  factory is rapidly evolving into a   small town, with new houses and smaller,  barrack-style buildings emerging everywhere. 

Living here must be a dream come  true, especially with Starship being   the first thing you see every morning. Life at Starbase may soon become even   more appealing with the addition of two new  large buildings planned to be built between   Massey’s and the production site. The first of these is a restaurant,  

Set to cover an area of 325 square  meters or about 3,500 square feet.  It’s expected to be open to the general public,  making it a convenient dining spot for visitors   and those who actually live in Boca Chica. The second project is a multipurpose  

Building that will house a grocery  store, retail shops, and a cafe.  Both these buildings are anticipated  to be situated within 6.5 kilometers   or 4 miles of the production site. Even in the worst case, that should be  

Within a safe distance to reach a toilet in time. It’s a real problem down there. It’s exciting to   see Starbase being more accessible. Currently,  it’s not that tourist-friendly and requires some   preparation before you get there. This will change soon! 

As we’re already in the area, let’s focus on  what’s set to become the new primary site for   static fire tests. – Welcome to Massey’s! The first thing that catches the attention   here is Booster 12, which rolled out in December. Starting on January 10th, it underwent a cryogenic  

Test of its methane tank, followed by a combined  cryo test of both its tanks two days later.  This mirrors the testing pattern we  observed with Booster 11 in October,   suggesting that Booster 12 will return to  the Mega Bay soon for engine installation.  As expected, a few meters next to  this prototype, foundations have  

Been laid for additional LOX tanks at the site. It appears that we’ll be seeing three such tanks,   with one possibly already stationed  at SpaceX’s new storage facility.  Meanwhile, significant progress is being  made to prepare the site for Raptor testing.  Two methane tanks have been recently  placed on their concrete bases.

Upon closer inspection, you’ll  also notice that two pumps have   been installed right next to these tanks. Massey’s is growing, but it’s unclear when   exactly we’ll see the first static fire here. Will it occur before Starship’s fourth launch,   or will we have to wait until summer?  Place your bets in the comments! 

Now, here’s a little task for you  before we continue with the news.  YouTube may have unsubscribed you without your  knowledge. This has happened to thousands of   WAI viewers, and they seem to do this frequently.  Please double-check that you’ve hit that subscribe  

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Incogni.com/felix . Incogni –  Take back your personal data!  Okay, back to SpaceX news! We’re shifting away  from Texas to Florida, home of the Crew Dragon.  Back in December, when Falcon Heavy faced a  launch delay, SpaceX mentioned a contingency plan. 

If they couldn’t solve the issue in time,  the first crewed Dragon mission of 2024   was supposed to be launched from the  newly constructed crew tower at SLC-40.  Fortunately or not, SpaceX’s skilled  engineers managed to revert the   modifications done to LC-39A in time to allow  for a Dragon launch from there in January. 

While the International Space Station typically  hosts a few cargo and crew missions from NASA each   year, this mission is a bit different. It’s a fully private mission,   a collaboration between SpaceX and Axiom  Space, which has been conducting its own   human spaceflight program since April 2022. Now, Axiom’s third mission is already underway,  

Again featuring a four-member crew. Commanding the Freedom capsule this   time is Michael Lopez-Alegria – a veteran NASA  astronaut with an impressive track record.  He has spent over 275 days in space,  participating in three shuttle missions,   one Soyuz launch, and the AX-1 mission. Notably, Michael also holds the record for the  

Most extravehicular activities by an American  astronaut, with ten spacewalks on his name.  Clearly, he’s exceptionally  qualified for this mission!  Joining him as the pilot for AX-3 is Walter  Villadei, an Italian military officer.  Italy’s Ministry of Defense  sponsors his journey to space. 

For those who have been following What About  It for a while, this name might ring a bell.  He’s already been to space, thanks to Virgin  Galactic’s first commercial mission, Galactic 01.  That flight served as a  preparation for the real deal. 

Joining the AX-3 crew as the first mission  specialist is Alper Gezeravci from Turkey.  With a 21-year experience as a military pilot,  he is set to become Turkey’s first astronaut.  The second mission specialist is Marcus  Wandt from Sweden, whose journey to   space is particularly interesting. In 2022, Wandt was selected for the  

European Space Agency 2022 astronaut group. Typically, joining such a group means a   lengthy wait before reaching space, if at all. However, Axiom Space’s commercial spaceflight   opportunity has fast-tracked Wandt’s journey. ESA secured a seat on this mission,   marking the agency’s first venture  into commercial human spaceflight. 

With each crew member holding at least partial  European citizenship, AX-3 is set to be the   first all-European mission to the ISS! Though, securing a spot aboard the   station comes with a hefty price tag. Each participant is reportedly paying  

Around 55 million dollars for their stay,  which is expected to last only about 14 days.  But this mission is far more  than a mere space tourism trip.  The crew has undergone rigorous astronaut  training and, during their time on the station,  

Will engage in over 30 scientific experiments. These experiments are designed to study the   physiological impacts of spaceflight on  humans and explore potential treatments   for certain cancers and neurological conditions. Basically, this research, unfeasible on Earth,   has the potential to significantly improve  the quality of life for millions of people.

The Axiom-3 mission was slated  for launch on January 17th.  If all has gone according to plan, by  the time you’re seeing this episode,   the crew should already be marveling at  the breathtaking views of Earth from space.  But that’s not the end of news from SpaceX! Believe it or not, even after we’ve covered  

The presentation from Elon Musk, there are  still new things popping up regarding Starlink!  Most of you are probably familiar  with how the system works.  You set up a terminal, and it connects with the  nearest satellite, allowing you to both upload and   download data from the internet. Sweet. 

However, this data – be it a YouTube video or  a silly X post – needs to travel between the   satellite and a server. How does it do that?  Meet the Starlink Gateway! A gateway is a ground station built   by SpaceX, where several Starlink terminals link  to existing fiber infrastructure, granting users  

Access to data centers around the world. They already have numerous such stations   in many countries to provide global  coverage, but now they’re introducing   the option to install a private one. For a very low one-time fee of just 1.25   million dollars, you can acquire your  own personal gateway. But this might  

Actually be worth it in many situations! This system, named “community gateway,”   works on exactly the same principle  as a normal gateway, but in reverse.  Assuming you can afford it, SpaceX will  install multiple terminals at your location,   enabling you to distribute the signal  and create a private fiber network. 

These terminals are heavily reinforced,  having a concrete base, with the dish   itself encased to protect it from snow… or cats! The impressive part is the network’s capability,   boasting up to 10 gigabits  per second of throughput.  However, this comes with a hefty price tag:  75,000 dollars per gigabit per second per  

Month. So, 750,000 dollars for ten gigabits. Of course, this service is primarily aimed at   network providers and isn’t really competitive in  places where fiber networks are readily available.  Even divided among 50 people, the cost  would still be about 1,500 dollars per  

Month for just 20 Megabits per second, which  isn’t what you’d call a high-speed internet.  That said, this system could be invaluable in  remote areas like islands, oil rigs, or research   stations where laying fiber optic cables would  be even more expensive to outright impossible. 

While not a practical solution for the average  consumer right now, this is only the beginning,   with the potential to become  more affordable over time.  Who knows, maybe one day, every university or  company will have its own Starlink Gateway! 

To end this episode on an almost unbelievable  note, let’s take another look at the Peregrine   lander, which is continuing to  impress everyone. A true Die-Hard!  We may have vastly underestimated  its willpower. Because, as of   recording this episode, it’s still going strong! The last time we mentioned Peregrine was shortly  

After its launch when it encountered an anomaly. A broken valve caused helium to rush into its   oxidizer tank, ultimately leading to its rupture. This incident effectively scrapped any hopes of   a lunar landing mere hours after the  launch. However, not all was lost.  On January 11th, Astrobotic shared some  good news: successful data transmission  

From all nine payloads aboard Peregrine,  with the passive ones receiving power.  The next day, the company predicted that the  lander’s fuel would be depleted within 48 hours.  Here comes the plot twist! The pressure loss in  the oxidizer tank eventually slowed down the leak. 

Despite the team trying to squeeze out  everything they can from Peregrine’s mission,   it will end soon nonetheless. The lander is currently on a crash   course with Earth, scheduled to reenter  the atmosphere in the next few days.  Given its small size, Peregrine is expected  to harmlessly disintegrate upon re-entry. 

Regrettably, this means that one of its  payloads, containing the cremated remains   of individuals intended to rest forever  on the Moon, will instead return to Earth.  Despite this setback, let’s hope that  Astrobotic has gathered enough valuable   data to polish their future missions. The company will have a second chance  

At the moonshot at the end of 2024. That’s when they will attempt to land   on the Moon’s South Pole using their  Griffin lander with NASA’s Viper rover   onboard. Exciting stuff. Fingers crossed! That’s it for today! Remember to smash that   like button. Subscribe for more awesome  content! This is what fuels the Algorithm  

And helps us immensely! Check out our epic shirts  in your favorite space nerd store! Link is in the   description. And if you want to train your space  IQ even further, watch this video next to continue   your journey! Thank you very much for watching,  and we’ll see you again in the next episode!