Zack Golden Profile picture
♦ Alias: #StageZeroZack ♦ Lead Investigator of #Starship Development ♦ Starbase Weekly Host w/ @RGVAerialPhotos ♦ Support us at https://t.co/0uyv8aa6cF

Nov 19, 2021, 11 tweets

#Starship addicts! Ever wondered how @SpaceX plans to deliver more than 1000 LOADS of cryo fluids to the Orbital Tank Farm?

Well, offloading 17 tankers simultaneously might speed things up! Check out this thread to see how it all works & preview some major changes to come!

1. Shown in the @RGVaerialphotos photo from above, there are (3) LOX, (2) LN2 tanks, and (2) CH4 tanks that need to be filled. There are (~12) stations/ports to offload LOX & (5) for CH4.

*LN2 is able to be offloaded at any of these ports which I will explain next.

2. Pretty common to see up to 3 tankers offloading these days at the OTF, as shown by @StarshipGazer .

Once complete, 17 offloading ports means you can have 34 trucks in rotation. Assuming a 90 minute offload time, there is an 11 tanker per hour capacity for the OTF currently.

3. @StarshipGazer we can see that each "parking spot" has 2 ports. One coming from the bottom pipe line (LN2) and one coming from the top (LOX/CH4). Interesting note: Only the LOX and CH4 ports have lock out tags currently.

4. This is where the LOX inlet manifold penetrates through the retaining wall and into the (3) LOX GSE tanks. This fill line will likely remain flooded at all times. Since all (3) LOX tanks are connected, they will be filling all 3 tanks at the same time. Same for LN2 and CH4

Here's where things get interesting........

5. Sometime between 9/23 and 10/31 (#crowfest2) the pipes used for CH4 offloading were removed along with 40ft of cryo tubing. So this is what our updated parking lot looks like.
@RGVaerialphotos Why dey do dat?

6. Well, when I went out to #Starbase for @LabPadre's amazing #Crowfest2 event, I was curious about this as well. So on 10/29 I took this picture which shows a replacement CH4 fill line located about 20' behind the old one.
Note:Parts of old CH4 fill line still remain

The fact @RGVaerialphotos was the first to notice this during his flyover on 11/10...

7. Idk guys, its sure looking like the CH4 fill lines got completely moved to the "landing pad"

But, who really needs one of those if you are going to catch SS/SH in midair, right? @elonmusk

8. Looking at it from the ground we can see at least 3 CH4 terminals thanks to @StarshipGazer .

#speculation This brings us to (at least 17) LOX/LN2 and (3) CH4 for a total of 20 stations. I think it safe to assume we might see this "landing pad" gas station grow some even more

9. Anyways if you are still following, that brings us to the end. Here is the updated Orbital Tank Farm + "Landing Zone 1" cryogenic tanker truck offloading terminal or #OTFLZ1CTTOT for short. Anyways let me know what yal think! Alternate theories welcome!

Hopefully you guys liked this. If you want me to continue to do more of these once a week let me know below...a little follow would hurt either! Thanks!

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