Wide Bay Continues to Grow | SpaceX Boca Chica

[@NASASpaceflight]

0:00 - Sunrise 0:30 - Ship 21 Nosecone Construction 2:25 - Ship 22 Common Dome Section 3:25 - Extra Vent with Strange Nozzle Added 3:41 - Wide Bay Construction 5:13 - Ship 21 in the Mid Bay 6:34 - Booster 5 in the High Bay 7:07 - Forward Dome and Common Dome 7:24 - Forward Dome Caps 7:41 - Delivery to the Production Site 8:55 - I-Beams for the Wide Bay Delivered 9:47 - Orbital Launch Site Construction 10:23 - Booster 4 11:30 - B2.1 Test Tank on the Structural Test Stand 11:45 - Ship 20 12:52 - Earth Work at the Launch Site 13:24 - Ship 20 and Mechazilla 13:55 - Chopsticks and Orbital Launch Mount 14:16 - Orbital Launch Mount Construction 15:44 - Launch Tower Scaffolding Disassembled

[@badrinair]

Thank you Mary, Nic and NSF team for sharing this amazing footage with us fans. Makes my day, everyday.

[@jimmypenrose1401]

3:31 "Strange Nozzle" - Excellent name for a band.

[@someguy6220]

Seeing the new wide bay go up is giving me the same vibes I got seeing the high bay first being built. That's awesome.

[@switchblade_88]

Haven't had a closeup of the Launch Table in a while; the amount of plumbing on the outside now is staggering!

[@ars3nic]

It's surprising to me how long they've been working on it. I mean, they started joining sections of it together in February, and clearly it's still not done. Meanwhile they've built like 6 starships and three boosters in that same amount of time. Maybe they keep changing the design of it or something, but it just seems like a lot of work for something that is relatively (in the context of space vehicles) simple.

[@etiennedud]

@@ars3nic ground equipment take more time because it is design to last (compare to the prototype rocket they are doing right now)

[@jord1215]

@@ars3nic shouldn’t be that surprising, the thing looks complicated as hell.

[@techman2553]

@@ars3nic They bought the launch table from IKEA and are still trying to put it together. The instructions were pretty confusing, and there was a bag of parts missing.

[@illwind56]

What you called I beams on those trucks are actually called columns. A minor quibble, but I made those things for 15 years and my OCD kicked in.

[@sivzzz3008]

The fact that we can use the word construction istead of assembly is pretty amazing. It's a huge step forward that they don't have to plan and test everything ahead of assembly, instead they just figure things out as they go. I love this approach, it's a lot faster I would think. I would love to see others in the space indsutry adopt this mindset.

[@BreakingBarriers2DIY]

I like the informational headers that you put on what we are looking at...and I also like how you let us know what is speculation and what you are more certain of.

[@Vatsyayana87]

Agreed

[@enriquesnetwork]

thank you for keeping posting these! they are amazing! thank you!

[@philipstrutt1086]

Cant wait to see mechazilla come to life! Love from the UK

[@sl600rt]

Just think of the sweet rave parties when it's done.

[@More-Space-In-Ear]

Thank you Mary and Nic 🥰

[@Blasphème_Sataniste]

I can't wait to see how clean will be the production version of that thing

[@kevinwiechart2233]

The "I-beams for the wide bay" on the flat beds are actually columns. Beams are horizontal. But the light gage horizontal members that the siding attaches to are girts.

[@xgusart]

The complexity of the Orbital Launch Table is AMAZING. What the hell, now i understand why Elon said "the ground stuff is more than 50 times more expensive than a full Starship - Booster setup

[@Sneefus]

Their has been a lot of work on the launch table for months and months. It must have a lot of complex systems inside it. How I would love to see the prints for that.

[@MrGoesBoom]

not just complex, it has to be robust. the plan, eventually, is for multiple launches in quick succession. so need everything to be okay multiple launches without needing to take days or weeks to go back in and fix stuff.

[@klasmoser9339]

@@MrGoesBoom , the complexity of creating an unprecedented fully functional combined refueling station including tailor suted mechanisms for quick replacement of raptors within a two hour time frame AND making it robust at the same time, that most likely is the actual challenge don't you think?

[@KingdaToro]

The most complicated part is that it has 20 small quick disconnect systems, one for each of the Raptor Boost (outer ring) engines. These supply the pressurized gases needed to spin up and start the engines, so all the plumbing for these gases has to run through the launch table. This was done to significantly reduce the booster's mass, as the outer engines are only needed for the actual launch/boost burn. That means they don't need air-start capability. The center engines are started using the booster's COPVs, they're needed for the recovery burns so they need air-start capability.

[@stevewilkins2669]

@@KingdaToro interesting. It must be a challenge to design all this in a way that will survive the launch.

[@ektaron]

Seems like the 2 guys at 01:00 drill out the tiles’ corners to remove a defective tile? Really curious about the attachment mechanism that’s welded on the main structure. 🤔

[@dmellobasil]

The plumbing on OLM looks so confusing yet systematic.

[@caroldeeds5454]

At time stamp 7:50, we see a gold motor attached to a volute pump on a pallet.

[@jonhare392]

Looks like a gold series Baldor motor high efficiency type with a close coupled pump.

[@dudermcdudeface3674]

I really wish I had something to offer this company other than my support. Being part of such an effort must be amazing.

[@machineenvyllc437]

buy starlink service

[@techraan2160]

does anyone else get excited by new aero cover installations?

[@Vatsyayana87]

Of course :)

[@imconsequetau5275]

They remind me of the old Volvo designs, "boxy but good".

[@jamescobban857]

Tiling the curved parts of the Starship reminds me of an article in the November Scientific American on how honeybees adapt to a requirement for different sized cells in the honeycomb.

[@luv1ngu]

It looks like the coolest thing as it is, but I can’t wait to see it in it’s final form!

[@totallyunknowable4259]

10:34 Notice Boosters 5 & 6 no longer have staves reinforcing various areas - they've gone to welded bands.

[@Vatsyayana87]

Im not sure what you mean but im guessing you mean the things we call stringers? Staves are wood and i dont think there is any of that on these lol Do you have a time showing what part you mean on boosters 5 and 6?

[@totallyunknowable4259]

@@Vatsyayana87 What was at time tic above? Re-watch the video, it's fairly obvious. Yeah, staves=stringers, thank you, if we're referring to the square tubes attached to the exterior hull. "Staves" are universally known as the upright supports of a barrel, doesn't matter what they were originally made of.

[@Vatsyayana87]

@@totallyunknowable4259 Well i didnt know what they were, when i looked it up it says specifically made of wood, that and the fact that your talking about 5 and 6 yet leave a time stamp of 4 that made me ask what all you meant. As far as i know 5 and 6 have most of the same ones on them, so do you mean they put welded bands as internal braces instead or where exactly?

[@totallyunknowable4259]

@@Vatsyayana87 (...sigh...) Booster 4 has looooong square-tube reinforcing thingies attached to outside near top. Boosters 5 & 6 have shrt square-tube reinforcing thingies attached to outside near top and a new welded band where the looooong square-tube pieces would have been.

[@CokeCheese]

That platform is proving to be a real beast.

[@efraim6960]

From the mk1 mock up to sn20, starship has become more beautiful.

[@egoequus6263]

Does someone know the name of the style of building that uses those truss structures on the outside of the mid/high/wide bays? I'm assuming they are for stiffening the walls while maximizing interior space, but I can't find other examples of this construction technique.

[@andromeda9340]

Scaffolding

[@egoequus6263]

@@andromeda9340 The other buildings were completed a while ago and I haven't seen those braces used as scaffolding. They are still on the buildings

[@3gunslingers]

"Guys, we have to swap 20 tiles!" Shuttle tile engineer: "Oh f*ck. That means all vacations canceled until the new year... hope my wife doesn't kill me." Starship tile installer: "Okay, and what do we do today afternoon? Finish the next ship?"

[@davidroberts5602]

Hi guys thanks for for your video that was awesome David 🚀🚀👌🇬🇧❤️👍

[@MaunderMaximum]

15:46 Clearing the track! Chopsticks will rise soon!

[@abebarker]

I wonder how those tiles are secured. I'm just daydreaming about a fastener within the tile that can be rotated with a magnetic field. The fastener need not be magnetic just conductive so a current could be induced. A device that makes an axial rotating field could be placed on top to screw the fastener on without touching it. Hmm....

[@abebarker]

@@watkinscopicat that sounds simple and cheap. Thanks. I was just daydreaming.

[@WarrenLacefield]

@@abebarker But that magnetic rotation fastener is possibly a good idea. Myself, I suggested contacting dentists who design implant mechanisms for attaching crowns to jawbone.

[@abebarker]

@@WarrenLacefield That is a good idea. I never would have thought of that.

[@imconsequetau5275]

One of Mary's past photos showed a washer retained on such a clip. The press lock fittings are folded/stamped sheet metal clips that are robot welded to the hull. The sheet metal is springy enough to work as a retainer when it passes through holes in the tile backing.

[@alexanderwermlund3145]

Holdup, the heat-tiles are actually really satisfying to watch getting assembled.

[@fredrikjansson1601]

Does anyone know what the horizontal shelves on the outside of mid / high / wide bay are for?

[@maddogUK69]

An only semi-educated guess, but I believe it's bracing for the sides of the building, and they have it on the outside so it doesn't need to take up any space on the inside. Kind of how large buildings/exhibition halls etc. sometimes have big cantilevered exterior supports for the roof rather than needing pillars on the inside.

[@bog6282]

Stretch your wings and climb mechazilla! Can’t wait to see it get into action!

[@simonmanning1844]

If they have cleats sticking out the side and thick flanges they are columns not beams 🙂

[@_Teo_Dor]

What is the reason for an external rigidity structure for the Wide Bay ? If you put your wall on the outside of the structure You can use this structure on the inside of the building, It will not be subjected to outside weather, easier to maintain, doubles as access floors, you can place fixed stairs in this space.

[@danm6189]

Less room for starship tho no?

[@paulwild4524]

What is the white substance between the tiles on the tip of the nosecone? Is it an adhesive?

[@danm6189]

Probably - it's understood those particular tiles are glued on, as they are on sime other tightly curved / custom areas

[@RayLinderdotcom]

Looks like they've improved the heat shield by fastening them with screws. Kinda looks like dragon scales now. From Dragon capsule to a dragon rocket. Love it!

[@iamaduckquack]

Looked to me that they were drilling into them to remove remove them.

[@JG-dx5wi]

Some of those tiles are just not seated properly. Exposed edges are no bueno for reentry

[@schmetterling4477]

Unlikely. First of all the heat load on Starship is smaller compared to other spacecraft. Secondly, it's made of a very heat resistant material, much of which is cooled from inside by the remining fuel. The main problem areas are the sections that are not fuel tanks and the control surface edges.

[@nathan_aus]

Any thoughts on why there are chains on the grid fins (11:08)?

[@imconsequetau5275]

Perhaps the mechanism on the inside is not complete.

[@TheToyo212]

hmm indeed i think filling heatshield gaps with something is a great idea to make them support eachother in case one decides to pop off its hold back by the ones that are around

[@nathanc3189]

Anyone know how these tiles are actually fastened to the ship?

[@grndkntrl]

Yes, it's been discussed extensively on the "Heat Shield" thread in the Starship section of the NSF forum in the last few months.

[@13bigerdave]

used bubble gum

[@godlymana]

12:52 “Earth work”. When we go to Mars will the same tasks be called “Earth works” or “Mars work”? Interesting.

[@WarrenLacefield]

I tend to think of "earth" as dirt or soil - not rock, per se, or regolith or sand. Wet earth is mud or perhaps clay. The Moon surface, I suppose, is mostly regolith, rock, or lava. Not sure what people will call the ground on Mars which seems about as diverse as it does on Earth.

[@5nowChain5]

Looks like the launch mount is going to need another heavy outer ring to shield the fittings on the outside.

[@thecoppermine8422]

I concur. the last thing to be installed on the olm, will probably be a giant steel ring, to shield it from the breath of 33 raptors.......

[@hughshikarii]

What happens with the tiles around the lifting points at the top? If they can’t be on now ahead of lifting how would they lift starship back onto the booster?

[@davidlane159]

Mechzilla, duh lol

[@hughshikarii]

Nope I mean they don’t seem to want to put tiles around them right now, so I’m wondering if the tiles are difficult there and if they make lifting/ hooking in tricky. Would be a weak point in the shield

[@f205v]

Yellowzilla is now caged inside wide bay!

[@13bigerdave]

Pepprage Farm remembers when Launch Table was just single little rooms, my how he has grown

[@kenutton992]

What dose Boca Chica GAL mean? Thank you for your reply.

[@sidb9540]

8:51 MAssive centrifugal pump and motor!

[@raylansall6764]

Just wondering how those tiles are held on with...??

[@imconsequetau5275]

Mostly folded stainless steel sheet metal clips robot welded to the hull. Others are glued on.

[@fireisfire95]

All this feels like a vague dream sometimes. The world going through all this turmoil while humanity simultaneously is on the precipice of gaining the means to finally spread it's existence to other worlds, the cosmos and as Elon puts it, become a spacefaring civilization. We really are living through one of the most pivotal times that humanity has or ever will experience, billions of years of evolution from what was once a dead rock, now poised to either eventual extinction and the light of civilization and humanity dying out to what are essentially barbarians, or a destiny among the stars, not to be so dramatic. Maybe Elon is right and this really is all a simulation lol

[@WarrenLacefield]

Perhaps, as Ray Kurzweil has suggested, as exponential technology advances, life will become more frantic (as well as interesting) as the Singularity approaches :-}

[@cryophile]

What's the purpose of the wide bay?

[@shanemorris7514]

I still have no idea how this thing is going to catch the starship and booster without either damaging it or ripping the heat shield off 🤷‍♂️

[@sunkid86]

@1:49 I wonder what previous Space Shuttle heat shield engineers have to say about this

[@Jesse-jp2bf]

Seems like, building rockets for SpaceX, is the same as me putting together a Lego Set

[@francesco2647]

0:20 wow that cherry picker can go even higher then B4 lol. It's crazy

[@ryanhamstra49]

How long will these videos take to get old? I mean, I’m 5 years when they are pumping out a booster and 8 ships every month and launching every other day will Mary still be out there recording “Ship 420 aft dome sleeved”??

[@garyoneal4649]

How do you overcome the fragility of the heat shield tiles? For quick turnarounds on reuse it seems to be a problem. One would think that eventually you would have to perfect larger more stable panel types instead of the smaller tiles. The ideal would be a spray on application, but as of now I don’t think that is possible.

[@garyoneal4649]

@@phpn99 Yes was wondering out loud on the shield. You are correct on alignment on recovery as those pins are finite as positioning goes. The reaction thrusters would have to be robust to manhandle the ships rotation. Don’t know what the tolerances are but 5* would seem to be pretty close to the limit. It’s all so interesting and frustrating because you know they will make it work eventually but contemplating the fix makes me realize just how bright these people are.

[@jlandheer]

Fun fact: US: I-beam... EU: H-beam

[@rustyjoints4857]

I can’t seem to figure why the trucks delivering stuff usually have a small load. An artic carrying 1 beam seems a bit of a waste. Anyone know what the max load they can carry in the states? I think 4 axle in the UK is around 35 tonnes 🤷🏽

[@myballsitchsomethingfierce6319]

I believe they are shipping the parts as fast as the factories can make them. Instead of waiting for 12 beams to arrive and being 2 weeks behind. That giant tower took last than 9 months to build. I'm guessing they will be finished by late Feburary.

[@joyl7842]

I was kinda sad to read that the orbital launch won't be until January 2022. It sounds so far away.

[@ReinierS]

It's only 8 weeks

[@ClebyHerris]

W I D E Bay

[@Ragnarok3rd]

one I-beam at a time per semi????

[@a.h.5413]

Wondering when the first tesla semi is delivering raptors to the site 🤔

[@murraypearson2359]

The “I-beams” are not beams at all, they are obviously columns. Beams are installed horizontally. “I-beam” is incorrect terminology anyway; members shaped like that are called wide-flange beams IF they are in fact beams.

[@iamaduckquack]

You sound fun.

[@murraypearson2359]

@@iamaduckquack Are you a turtle?

[@fiodarkliomin1112]

I hope we can see orbital test flight before New year

[@Trex531]

Elon said could be January or February

[@googleever]

♥️SPACEX♥️🚀

[@schmetterling4477]

Starship should really be the spacecraft named "Dragon"... it has the scales in its skin.

[@jonmarquez128]

SN 21 Nosecone: were is my freaking body!? 😆

[@dpcooper381]

Well, it was good while it lasted. Loved listening to the ambient workplace sounds while Mary recorded. Had to turn the sound off when Nic "Wind Through the Mic" Ansuini began his recording. What do I get paid for being a KZbin sound engineer?

[@kenhazelbaker4952]

Nice photo work. You still need to correct your nomenclature if you want to appear credible with your captions: 1. Those are not "I-beams". There's no I beams in the structure. I beams are for specialty design applications. What you are showing are "wide flange or wf structural shapes. This shape is used in 95% of all construction, so please call it by the correct name. They are typically listed on drawings as: W14 x 225 or such. This means they are approx 14" tall in the cross section I or web direction and weigh 225 lbs per linear foot of the beams length. 2. The wide flange shapes arriving are not "beams". Typically a wide flange used as a beam has a taller web or "I" part to it to hold greater vertical loads. Note those arriving have super thick flanges and the whole cross section or "H" is almost symmetrical, thus it is being used as a column, not a beam. 3. Lastly, if you compare to what's been erected already, no beams (the horizontal structural members) have ears or tab plates welded on them - only columns so as to recieve/ bolt up the horizontal beams. I hope this helps your dialogue. I am an ironworker/structural engineer for 47 years, so I know what I am noting to you. :)

[@benbohannon]

Elon’s agile incremental approach should be taught in every academic and trade school. Anything can be accomplished with trial and error.

[@Ebbrush3]

6:54 high bay exoskeleton steel is already rusty........................... maybe better to build a starbase in the desert away from hurricanes

[@danm6189]

Who's going to tell them? they'll be kicking themselves...

[@koko969w]

Oooooh, scaffolding coming down around the rails. How long until we see those chopsticks snatching flies out of mid-air?

[@RaselRana-vv6te]

😍

[@davidlang4442]

In that salty environment, wonder how much rusting is going on on the tower and other things important, plus the wind blown dust and sand getting on everything? Must be a big problem...

[@bruceatkinson5357]

Is SpaceX using American produced materials on its buildings and vehicles?

[@WarrenLacefield]

Seems to be using products from all over the world. Certainly probably orders from many American supply companies - but they too get their products and parts through the global supply chain. If a new house or building, designed by a local architectural firm and constructed by local contractors using local labor pools, is built in Austin or Boca Chica, TX, do you ask or would you call that "American-made"? I would.

[@bruceatkinson5357]

@@WarrenLacefield I wouldn't use CCP materials. Would you?

[@WarrenLacefield]

@@bruceatkinson5357 I'm sorry, Bruce, but I am not sure what you mean by CCP. Goggle reports everything from "cubic-close-packed crystal structures" to Duke University's discovery based CCP learning materials. I'd use those. But I guess it also can mean the Chinese Communist Party. I probably would not buy propaganda but certainly I (and most everybody else) respect Chinese science and technology and the Chinese people and do buy things that are "Made in China" or Japan or Germany, etc. (BTW: It is good to be proud of things made in your own country, but generally, politics are not good topics for NASASpaceFlight commentary.)

[@bruceatkinson5357]

@@WarrenLacefield How do you know where materials originate? China is very very good at what they do - industrial espionage. You are aware of that? NASA is not immune and in fact have had multiple spies. Search NASA Chinese spies. Looking the "other way" doesn't help.

[@qual_usuario_sobrou]

😀

[@mathiasgrenacs3680]

Maybe a stupid question : why aren't they pouring some filling material between tiles ? Reinforcing insulation and mechanical properties.

[@CheaterCodes]

Pretty sure they need the gap because of thermal expansion

[@mathiasgrenacs3680]

@@ForeverNeverwhere1 i understand your point but they did it for the tip of nosecone.

[@danm6189]

Imo mainly if you glue em in place it takes longer to put them on and replacement is more involved too, contrary to mass production and rapid reuse. :)

[@maledictor]

Fly god dammit!

[@falconheavy5749]

My dream is to live in this house 9:26 and clean up at work starbaser: D possibly I can weld, I can cut with flex. I would like enough money so that I could live in this house 9:26 and have something to eat.

[@dwaynebailey333]

Just realised those heat shield tiles are the size of someones head! No wonder they keep breaking

[@benbohannon]

$10 those chopsticks squeeze the $hit out of the first starship like a weak undercooked egg roll.

[@aaronhokanson6718]

"5 hours ago" I hope you're getting enough sleep.

[@oelschlegel]

Someone please get Nic a wind block for his camera microphone

[@njm3211]

Suddenly from one standard size hexagonal TPS tile, there must now be at least 20 different configurations for all the various conditions on the ship's skin. Starship is getting evermore complex.

[@klazyy641]

Are those I-beams aluminum? If so, the entire High and Wide building is an all aluminum structure? No wonder pet food manufacturers can't provide us with their products---no AL for their small cans!

[@grndkntrl]

No, it's galvanised steel. They wouldn't use aluminium on this kind of structure.

[@chyraxion]

doesnt look like we are gona see a booster 4, full static fire this year

[@ammfidd5029]

$760,000 just in two weeks Mrs Elizabeth Armstrong Palmer you are so amazing.

[@joejack8659]

ah; I see jeffs' been here...one dislike.

[@bruceatkinson5357]

Why is this under NASA, not SpaceX?

[@Barcaelon]

I really wonder if the TPS works the way it is actually intended. I hope so. On a launch, a lost of a single Tile would be the end for starship on reentry. Let`s hope that there are less Vibrations on starship when it`s attached on SuperHeavy.

[@iamaduckquack]

You think it'll vibrate less when it's attached to a booster with 29+ engines?

[@S-K555]

First liker

[@S-K555]

First viewer 👍

[@AbdulHakim-uz6hy]

Second

[@AnuragSingh-zk6tp]

First