With this new photo from Elon Musk, there’s been a lot of discussion about what exactly we’re seeing. Today’s quick thread is going to go a bit deeper into what we can learn from this photo. (1/10)
For starters, let’s figure out the positioning of things. The Quick Disconnect is located in the upper right of the photo, and aft flaps can be identified from the frames the motors sit in. This means that the tiled side is on the lower left of this photo. (2/10)
📸 @elonmusk
We can immediately see the Hydraulic Power Unit that powers Ship 25’s Thrust Vector Control in the lower left of this image. Ship 25 is the last Starship to use this, as B9+ and S26+ use an electric TVC system. (3/10)
📸 @elonmusk
We can also see what appears to be a battery on the direct left of the photo, likely powering various subsystems on the Ship. This is actually the first battery we’ve seen on the modern version of Starship, and there's likely more hiding elsewhere. (4/10)
📸 @elonmusk
Looking at the dome itself, we can see a white insulation layer to prevent frost from building up on the exterior, which would create a pretty wet environment once the engine shielding is properly installed. (5/10)
📸 @elonmusk
Ship 25’s engine shielding was removed right after the 6-engine static fire and was slightly revised compared to Ship 24. It may just be removed for inspections, or maybe it’s being redesigned. (6/10)
📸 @elonmusk, @RGVaerialphotos
🖼️ @ChameleonCir
Off to the upper right, we can see what seems to be an onboard camera inside the skirt. This would line up with the false ceiling that the engine shielding creates, and would give a view that should look something like this. (7/10)
📸 @elonmusk
🖼️ @ChameleonCir
You can also see that the RVac static firing stiffeners are anchored into the test stand. These prevent the engine bells from being damaged or destroyed due to flow separation and are removed before flight. (8/10)
📸 @elonmusk, @RGVaerialphotos, @CosmicalChief for @FelixSchlang
Another interesting note is that the COPVs in the skirt, which were possibly related to engine startup, either moved or have been deleted. It’s unclear what else has changed to accommodate this. (9/10)
📸 @LenosGarage, @elonmusk
Those are some of the simple things we’ve seen in this photo, and while there are some other things, many of them get into some heavy speculation that can’t be proven. If you’ve noticed anything else, make sure to post it down below. (10/10)
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Some interesting developments have been happening lately with Starship 28, with one of the major ones being the removal of its sliding Payload Bay door. Let’s take a closer look at how this was done, and what it could mean. (1/6)
On June 15th, crews attached a crane to Ship 28’s sliding door, and after somehow reorienting it inside of the vehicle, slid it out. We’ve included an animation of how it was removed if it’s hard to tell from the recording. (2/6)
This is simply the sliding panel that we all see from the outside of the Ship. On Ship 28, you can see that it’s now missing, and what is likely related to the actuation mechanism can be seen hanging in the doorway. (3/6)
Ship 25 has had quite a life so far, and it hasn’t even had its first static fire. Let’s take a look at why this Starship has been so confusing, why many thought it was retired, and how it’s different from Ship 24. (1/13)
@RGVaerialphotos Ship 25 was fully stacked in the Highbay on September 12th, 2022, and was moved to the Launch Complex for cryogenic testing on October 19th. It conducted 3 cryo tests, before being moved back to the Highbay to receive its engines. (2/13)
@RGVaerialphotos@NASASpaceflight@LabPadre In the Highbay, all 6 engines were installed on Ship 25, and the PEZ Dispenser slot on the front was welded closed. Ship 25’s engines still use hydraulically-powered TVC, which changes to electric on Ship 26. (3/13)
A nosecone, a dome section, and a handful of ring sections. These are among some unusual Starship parts that we have been following for quite a while now, that are widely speculated to be related to the HLS Lander. Let’s take a look at some of these. (1/21)
@RGVaerialphotos So, fair warning, this is going to be a long one, but a lot has been happening and while we wanted to get this out sooner in a more concise manner, every time we got close, some new paradigm-shifting piece would show up. (2/21)
@RGVaerialphotos We're going to be treading through some speculative ground, so be careful. People often get set on the coolest theory and forget that there may not be much backing it up. We don’t tend to do this, but as it turns out, it can be fun. (3/21)
Super Heavy’s engine shielding is quite an impressive system, and Elon Musk has been talking a lot about this with Booster 9. Let’s take a closer look at how SpaceX isolates and protects all 33 engines on the Booster. (1/14)
@CosmicalChief@ChameleonCir Getting right into it, the covers are unsurprisingly made of stainless steel, and many areas beneath the vehicle are covered in this black material, which could be related to the extra heating in that area. (2/14)
@CosmicalChief@ChameleonCir@SpaceX@RGVaerialphotos These 13 circular pieces surrounding the center engine mounts get added to the aft section in the tents before stacking. SpaceX is always working towards reducing the number of tasks to be completed after final stacking. (3/14)
Starship's Flight Termination System is a crucial safety feature, allowing the vehicle to be remotely detonated if it deviates off course, or has a chance of putting people in danger. Let's take a look at our understanding of this system. (1/10)
@CosmicalChief There are 4 remote charges on the Full Stack. 2 on the Booster and 2 on the Ship. This creates a redundant system so if 1 charge fails on one of the stages, there is a 2nd to do the job. (2/10)
@CosmicalChief@RGVaerialphotos They are located over the common dome of both vehicles. When the detonation occurs, the common dome will be partially destroyed, allowing the Methane and Oxygen in the tanks to mix. They are ignited, and you can imagine what happens from here. (3/10)
Merry Christmas everybody! Many people have been wondering what exactly is new with Superheavy Booster 9, and while many of the revisions are understood, there are some details that haven't been covered yet. Let's take a look! (1/12)
@RGVaerialphotos The biggest change that has been noticed by the community was the removal of the Hydraulic Power Units on the side of the vehicle, which were used to power the Thrust Vector Control (gimbaling) system. On B9, electric TVC is now used. (2/12)
@RGVaerialphotos@StarshipGazer Hardware has been added to the thrust dome, which we believe is related to the electric TVC system, such as these black boxes. There appears to be one for each gimballing engine. (3/12)