Thread by @CSI_Starbase

Hey #StarshipAddicts It's been a while since I've done this but here's a short thread explaining what is about to happen at the Starbase Orbital Tank Farm

1) Last week this trailer arrived to the Sanchez Gas site. As of yesterday it appears that SpaceX has started to move these items over to the Launch Complex, which is something I wasn't expecting until after the first Orbital Test Flight. Here's why...

2) At the OTF there are currently two active liquid oxygen pumps (green). To the left of those are two additional inactive pumps which were delivered back in March (red). So why weren't these ever fully installed?

3) The reason these weren't installed is because it will likely require SpaceX to halt all testing at the Orbital side of the Launch complex. The manifold shown in (1) will have to be inserted into the position shown here. This is the suction side of the LOX pumps

4) The manifold for the discharge side of the pumps has not yet been spotted. You can see in the first image that SpaceX has not yet applied the final white insulation wrapping and the required labels as shown in the second image.

5) This expansion has been in progress for a while on the methane side. The difference is, the CH4 side was (for the most part) prepared for this expansion from the very beginning. The necessary T fittings for adding additional pumps can be seen here.

6) Once the two new CH4 pumps were delivered, all that was required to integrate the two pumps was an extension to the manifold on the discharge side. In this image you can see that @RGVaerialphotos happened to catch pump #3 in the process of being lifted into place.

7) So these are the things I can say for sure. There are several remaining questions however. Is SpaceX planning a 2X increase in how fast LOX can be loaded onto the Starship, or will they max out at 2.5X increase by adding the 5th pump as well?

8) Is it possible to cut the proppant loading time in half by adding these pumps without also increasing the amount of heat exchangers as well? There are spots for 4 additional (2x increase) heat exchangers to be added in these location

9) Opinion #1: Unless the plan for these additional pumps is to simply be used as backups in the event something happens to either of the primaries during a testing event, then I would expect at least 2, if not all 4 heat exchangers to arrive sometime soon.

📸: StageZeroZack

10) If so, then they might as well add the remaining two for the methane side as well. Based on this capped off T fitting present in this location, I would say SpaceX is already somewhat prepared to add at least one additional heat exchanger.

11) I have shied away from posting threads like this because I don't want it to be used as the script for the next "SpaceX Fans" YouTube video again without permission🖕🏾. But I already know I won't have time to cover this in my next episode so...here ya go!