New Starship Forward Aerocover Delivered | SpaceX Boca Chica

[@NASASpaceflight]

0:00 - Sunrise over the Launch Site 0:22 - Booster 6 Aft Section 1:11 - Booster Aft Tank 5 1:43 - Forward Dome and a Booster Forward Section // A Booster common dome is in the back 2:05 - Ship 21 Nosecone Construction 3:44 - Crews Work on Booster 6 Aft Section 5:47 - -Y Forward Aero Cover Delivered // -Y is the Ship's starboard side 6:21 - Stair Sections Stacked in the High Bay 6:43 - Grove GRT 8100 Moved at the Production Site 6:51 - Ship Forward Dome Section With Thermal Blankets 7:14 - Construction of Wide Bay 7:38 - The Launch Site 8:02 - Booster 4 Awaits Testing 8:46 - Crews Work on Ship 20 After Static Fire 10:18 - The Orbital Launch Tower 10:56 - SpaceX's LR 11000 // SpaceX custom ordered this Liebherr crane in a black, white, and grey color scheme 11:18 - B2.1 at the Launch Site // It is on the structural test stand 11:42 - LOX Delivery to the Orbital Tank Farm 12:04 - Self-Propelled Modular Transporter // Known as an SPMT for short 12:28 - Crews Work on the Chopsticks 13:37 - Equipment Leaving the Launch Site 14:13 - Sunset at the Launch Site

[@petebateman143]

I love that fact that with all the space age technology "man smacking stuff with a big hammer" still has has his place.

[@JessiBear]

I find it all the more incredible, that the cutting edge of rocket development has returned to what is essentially a bunch of guys just building stuff in a field. Elon Musk and SpaceX have truly reinvented the entire industry.

[@christianvanderstap6257]

That scene where the frankencrane was stacking the ship on the booster was straight from a movie where all of mankind was preparing for some planet saving mission.

[@alanblyde8502]

Yeh no time to waste

[@dudermcdudeface3674]

Robert Goddard on a grand scale.

[@JessiBear]

@@texaswunderkind I was more referring to the development style of just building stuff and seeing if it works. As opposed to spending 10 years simulating stuff on a computer and building with spaceage fancy materials.

[@dudermcdudeface3674]

@@usernamenotknown Then how do you explain Bezos and his no-flying-a$*?

[@ishanmohile2607]

11:51 I love how there was that one guy who got so frustrated of waiting he just turned around and left

[@OliFPV]

Timestamp is the best way 🤣🤙 where?

[@TorjeRrvik]

No, he turned around because he had picked up the guy that had been walking since 11:46

[@fhmconsulting4982]

Well done Nic, you are definately adding a new perspective to the daily videos.

[@ancientastronut9915]

Great photography as always. Thanks for wonderful coverage. We appreciate your historical efforts.

[@badrinair]

Thank you Mary, Nic and NSF team for sharing this wonderful footage with us ,. its incredible to watch this every morning along with my cup of tea. tha is how my day starts . thanks to you guys.

[@venturestar]

11:45 amazing view of the sea

[@sequilla]

At first I thought it was some cryogenic vapours but that made no sense. I had a real wow moment when I realised that it was the sea! I think the sped up video plus the telephoto lens on top of the false horizon really make it look quite surreal. : D

[@More-Space-In-Ear]

Thank you Mary and Nic 🥰

[@Meister1551]

Fantastic look at this amazing development and how the future might look. Nice work team...!

[@ovalwingnut]

Who would have guessed that a construction site could draw more eyes than the Disney Imagineers. No disrespect Walt. It may be "because of you", we're here :O)

[@razzati420]

yes because of walt I'm definitely here! 1980s epcot and magic kingdom were awesome for science and space stuff

[@IvanKinkle]

Because this is making real change. Truly pushing the limit of what’s currently possible.

[@johndododoe1411]

Because Walt worked with von B to promote the idea of building giant rockets to go to the Moon and beyond. This helped sway public opinion enough that JFK could make it a 10 year national goal completed by Nixon (who famously lost the only election between the two).

[@TerrySmith1953]

The offsite fab shops certainly get to make some interesting components.

[@marioluptak]

awesome job team NSF

[@danielowens5976]

Love you guys!!! Keep it up!!!

[@drmosfet]

When I see those tiles falling off the StarShip I keep thinking about one of the first question that the salesman at the tile store ask me, are you installing the tiles on concrete or wood flooring? My reply was what's the difference? The salesman said that the wood adhesive need to flex, concrete adhesive does not, but StarShip case being able to flex is not enough, it needs to handle temperature 🌡️ range from cryogenics to the 4th state of matter, in vacuum and atmosphere that definitely some heavy-duty material science going on there!

[@randytaylor4766]

I'm quite certain there is a team of highly educated engineers working on this very issue Doctor...

[@TerrySmith1953]

Not to say anything against the people involved. but is hanging by your eyebrows on a bouncing cherry picker the best way to install these important components?

[@DanaOredson]

@@TerrySmith1953 Over time, they will invent new solutions, jigs and automated processes. Right now, it really is the best way.

[@projectcorporation3636]

I have a theory behind the horizontal GSE tanks at the orbital launch site. I have a feeling they’ll be used for when a landing booster/starship, they’ll have say a reserve amount of fuel left over, like for aircraft. Instead of venting and wasting that leftover fuel, it’ll be pumped back into the horizontal GSE tanks and cooled and pumped back into the vertical GSE tank storage, therefore cutting down costs in theory.

[@davidvogel8987]

I believe that the horizontal tanks are very high pressure compared to the vertical tanks, and are used just before lift off ,you always see venting coming from them at that time. The vertical tanks are used for bulk storage, just my guess

[@projectcorporation3636]

@@davidvogel8987 They could be used to prevent the needing to vent, hence the reasoning to my theory too seeing all Spacex rockets vent on landing. So seeing they’re high pressure would mean they could be used to hold the high pressure methane/oxygen before they’re cryogenically cooled again! It’s a much better way than venting the system and expensing expensive fuel.

[@placplacan6346]

@@projectcorporation3636 They are not allowed to vent methane. It is a powerful greenhouse gas and also explosive. They will need to burn it or most probably, recondense it to liquid form.

[@rodhancock4682]

Some much seen, so many questions. Its so amazing getting a grip of everything. Thanks again for the videos. 🇦🇺

[@totallyunknowable4259]

11:40 Ahhh, THERE it is, the hammer banging on steel!

[@The_O]

"rocket science" :)

[@sequilla]

Hammer go bang, rocket go boom, one leads to the other, and then to the moon! (plus Mars etc...)

[@Norminal1]

Thanks heaps for the video

[@skyhiker9669]

Everything SEEMS to be happening in slow motion, until I realize how far we’ve come since Starhopper. Then it’s jaw-dropping. 😲😲😲

[@lithgowlights859]

If a few second static fire knocks off tiles, that is something that needs to be addressed as they continue development. Considering this is still early in the development, I have no doubt they will overcome this in the next few versions of attachment points and tile manufacture

[@svenp6504]

The pattern is interesting... very few shaken off down in the skirt where I imagine vibration would be at it's worst. And a cluster came off way up near the common dome. Manufacturing defect or pressure wave moving through the tank at startup? This is version 0 so I'm sure the TPS will evolve rapidly.

[@westernwarlords6004]

Are those TPS tile attachment points on the aerocovers?

[@wallaceloper637]

Great job! just saying

[@L3gionMusic]

Are they raptor engine installation lifts being moved at 13:39 ?

[@tomnorkunas9194]

You'd think ultimately all routine engine installation will occur at the production site instead of the launch site.

[@johnvester4839]

When will you start covering Port of Brownsville work on SpaceX ocean launch platform?

[@jimhartley4701]

Watched Elon walking around with Tim Dodd, he was impatient with questions about ocean launch. First clear the tower, stage successfully, booster simulates landing, ship survives reëtntry and simulates landing. Then other topics are important. Until then, everything else is really really minor.

[@joshee_xx]

Let's gooooo! It goes without saying but SpaceX are definatly the leaders in the space flight and planetary exploration industry along side NASA of course!

[@andybryson3887]

I would like to know how many (total) TPS tiles on a StartShip and how many of these are unique (i.e. one position only). Don't know if anybody has these statistics. Also it is gonna be interesting to see how they put TPS tiles on the lifting attachments. I see that Ship 21 seems to have lifting attachments that can be removed. Seems they will tile over the gaps after the attachments have been removed. Makes sense. I had been thinking along these lines for some time now

[@batchint]

compare the mother fins... to the coffee table size fins on a falcon 9.. help..

[@scottymoondogjakubin4766]

if the faa doesnt allow an orbital flight soon - there is going to be a whole fleet of starships awaiting fight tests ! 🐺

[@totallyunknowable4259]

07:41 "The Launch Site"? Where they'll launch their orbital flights? Didnt there used to be a tower at the launch site?

[@Evert-JanN]

The launch site is not only where the tower stands, the whole area where b3, b4 and s20 are standing is the launch site too

[@gyquebec]

Water flooding is used to absorb shock and vibrations on the OLP. Is'nt it a good idea to use it for testing pads ??? Less intense vibrations will keep tiles in place, no ???

[@TrueArtNow]

That OLP is going to get sooo toasted.

[@old-wise-one4473]

Any idea where the elevator will go to get to the High Bar? I could see someone taking a header if they had a bit too much ;-} going down and a heart attack climbing all of the stairs.

[@fredbegal3884]

Ye start with a sunrise and end with a sunset, and everything that's in between is all over the place

[@khj5582]

7:00 Is thermal blankets a new method to replace tiles?

[@thestonedraider8684]

no, it just goes under all the tiles first.

[@charlesmiller000]

Why is B3 remnant still at launch site? (Sorry if it's already been answered)

[@thecoppermine8422]

@@texaswunderkind lol

[@kevinnugent6530]

Will there be a string of booster test flights reminiscent of the SN tests?

[@luismatthew5875]

Looks like additional tiles were lost. So, do you agree?

[@totallyunknowable4259]

10:20 I'd've thought an orbital launch tower would be built at the launch site, but in 'The Launch Site" clip (@07:41), no tower...?

[@chrismclaughlin7956]

It'll be very interesting to see how they solve this issue of the tiles staying on under heavy vibrations from the ignition of the rocket engines.

[@timw6596]

I'm thinking they need a new system, the tiles are not staying on for short static fires so they will never stay on for a full shot into space ! IMHO !

[@chrismclaughlin7956]

@@timw6596 From what I see, it's only a few that come off, so it might not be as big a problem as I think but I am after all an amateur 😀

[@robertvirginiabeach]

@@chrismclaughlin7956 Space shuttle Colombia was brought down by a few square feet of missing thermal protection on the leading edge of the left wing.

[@Evert-JanN]

@@robertvirginiabeach stainless steel can take a lot of heat

[@timw6596]

@@iamjadedhobo But that one hole in the protection is enough to let the heat go straight to the skin.... while the skin can take a lot of heat it can not take that much or they would not need the tiles at all ! did not take much to bring the shuttle down !

[@Vortechtral]

They going to have 2 finished boosters before they even do anything with Booster 4 at this rate.

[@louisl.8724]

I wonder, if anyone has tested the wire cables that will be used for lifting and lowering the mega catching arms, against the amount of heat from the rocket take offs ? After a couple of heated launches, it could get weaker!

[@rexroad9917]

At launch the chop sticks will probably at the top of the tower and pivoted to the side out of the way. Therefore little cable will be exposed to the heat. There may be a heat shield added at the top to cover the lifting pulley on the chop sticks. The launch tower is not done yet.

[@JustinKrux]

@@rexroad9917 most likely the case, its also important to note that steel has a melting point around 1500-1600 degrees, the cables probably wouldnt come remotely close to that during launch, and the launch tower is actually much further away than it seems. not to mention most of the heat is ejected downwards, point is, its probably not worth worrying about, though im sure its something they have thought of and evaluated.

[@The_O]

You "wonder if anyone has tested". Seriously? We're talking about the most innovative space company ever here: SpaceX. Yes, buddy, obviously they are doing rocket science and obviously they will have already thought about this more than any of us have. I'm sur that cable is the least of their launch problems.

[@sgd5k292]

Probably not...they must be using the "TLAR" method. ;)

[@kmac5793]

lets launch before i die !!!

[@craigwads]

Hey did you hear that Spacex custom ordered the new Liebherr crane in black, white, and grey colors?

[@XTARSAGENCY]

I want starship landing in my house rn

[@willgart1]

do you think SpaceX will use a gigapress to create parts of the rocket?

[@Thunderbyrd.]

Space-X is so much faster at everything compared to NASA. This company is putting people and cargo into space sometimes every few days while at the same time are building, refurb'ing, preparing vehicles, and building a launch site like no other. All at the same time. It would literally take NASA 20 years to do what Space-X has done just this past year.

[@nicks4597]

Birthplace to Mars

[@kyle.cushway]

When do we expect BN4 to do a static fire? Has it done cryo proof yet?

[@JessiBear]

Don't see this happening without it being on the orbital pad. So atleast not until the chopsticks are fully installed and operational.

[@domoredujordan]

Is this aerocover a new design?

[@MuhammadImran-ef2py]

Work is getting slow day by day, What is the issue with TPS Tiles? I think they will fly SN20 with broken tiles. Orbital launch may be delayed till Mar-2022

[@prihoditezavtra4765]

It’s interesting, out of those 37 people who put dislikes, can anyone respond to explain what they didn’t like?

[@njm3211]

I wonder if a mix of ceramic and ablative heat shield components will ultimately be the way to go. The compound curve shapes at the aero covers might be best protected by a larger one piece ablative shield that interfaces with the hexagonal ceramic tiles rather than a bunch of smaller ceramic tiles of multiple shapes individually pinned to the skin.

[@deanm.3881]

Replacing ablative heat shielding would mean longer turnaround times between launches, which goes against Elon's intention for the Starship system.

[@njm3211]

@@deanm.3881 As long as ceramic as currently designed actually works.

[@deanm.3881]

@@njm3211 yes!

[@Trojansteel-hh5xd]

Do we know which ship will have the new forward flap design?

[@GreenPartyHat]

26+ I think

[@Trojansteel-hh5xd]

@@GreenPartyHat ok thanks

[@wanderer_from_the_farlands]

flat earthers, anti-future peoples, just take a seat and wait for Elon Musk to slap y'al out with his works.

[@jkg6211]

FYI, the Earth is NOT flat... it's cube shaped. Lol

[@iamaduckquack]

@@jkg6211 It do be like that.

[@jkg6211]

@@texaswunderkind 🤣

[@TheSnoopall]

Great catchup over my morning breakfast, shaving time off my day getting latest news, talking of shaving reached for the 'Elon Musk' aftershave and still getting fresh air when is he bringing it out.

[@allenarnold6804]

These tiles are killing me, never liked them on the shuttle either.

[@kstaxman2]

No one likes them they just have to have them. Tesla us figuring it out. It's a tough problem but the have a better tile than we've had in the past and they will get the attachment figured out.

[@michaeldeierhoi4096]

@Allen Arnold. That's too too funny! These tiles are killing you?!?! What investment in the Starship could you possibly have to make a hyperbolic statement?? I have been watching these NSF videos almost every day for a year. What happens, happens. The first launch could fail in multiple ways. The TPS doesn't even come into play until the reentry and if S20 makes that far it will already be a huge success.

[@JZDutchman]

@@michaeldeierhoi4096 wow, pretentious much Michael? It was a benign statement. You made it into so much more.

[@michaeldeierhoi4096]

@@JZDutchman Your welcome! 😄😂😅🤣

[@oldmanstumpie1061]

Mmmmmm pretty. (forward aero cover) 5:55

[@francesco2647]

They will have to close texas and mexico when doing 29 engines static fire lol.

[@markissboi3583]

Camera zooms in so close you can see who needs a shave or not . SpaceX best times watching rockets been built in the open Nasa hidden in factorys .

[@raxsavvage]

starts video - links asleep somewhere passing time isn't he

[@sultanbuashwan1379]

Wide Putin meme for the wide bay

[@edelahaye]

4167 th

[@rajatbhoyar2166]

Is SpaceX implying jeff Bezos style by installing staircases in the high bay!!!!! and also why they are installing staircases?

[@thedislikecounterforcommen3525]

is it supposed to look like a penguin?

[@axelvdp1]

Chinese engineers are taking notes 🤷‍♂️😂

[@nagaea7409]

funny

[@myballsitchsomethingfierce6319]

China can't replicate the speed and innovation. They are still used dated Russian tech

[@axelvdp1]

@@myballsitchsomethingfierce6319 ofc the development speed of SpaceX is insane

[@jasonliang8876]

@@myballsitchsomethingfierce6319 Don't under estimate your enemy. China might be behind, but they are advancing at a steady pace. I doubt the US will remain far ahead with out SpaceX. Sleepy Joe should thanks Elon Musk for saving his ass...

[@friendo760]

China’s espionage network is alive and well as is ours.

[@starwolf0018]

Lame, I am more impressed by the space shuttle and the Saturn V.

[@garytruemner5345]

O

[@garytruemner5345]

P

[@chrismclaughlin7956]

As pretty as they are, I could actually do without the sunrise/sunset images, sometimes they take 60 seconds. I'm here for the engineering. Just some feedback from an avid fan.

[@ChocCad1905]

I just flick through it. 10s at a time lol.

[@chrismclaughlin7956]

@@ChocCad1905 Same 😀

[@The_O]

Nobody is forcing you to watch those. You can skip through 'em if you like. Other people might love those images. I personally sometimes watch 'em and smile :)

[@sgd5k292]

I wouldn't want them to change a thing and I am also here for the engineering.

[@tomnorkunas9194]

A little beauty every day ain't bad. You gotta stop and smell the flowers.

[@visioninprint]

Those tiles falling off is concerning!

[@FranklinX124]

1

[@amiman23]

I think those engineers are getting paid a lot less to check tiles than shuttle tile checkers got.

[@viniandressen]

How much CO2 they produce every day 24/7?! Really???

[@The_O]

Who cares? They are aspiring to make human life multiplanetary. In the grand scheme of things, that is much more important than some measly CO2.

[@sgd5k292]

Probably a lot, and the plants probably love it!

[@MG-io3hd]

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