Allegedly the parts are all flight worthy, and it's being assembled. You know what I meant LOL!

SIAP

https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/06/rocket-report-india-wants-its-own-spacex-firefly-targets-july-for-alpha-launch/

Quote:

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. . .
FAA delays decision on Starship site two more weeks. On Tuesday the Federal Aviation Administration again put off the release of an environmental assessment of SpaceX's proposed Starship launch site in South Texas. The federal agency said the delay was necessary to "account for ongoing interagency consultations." In addition to the delay, the FAA released a compendium of all 17,000 public comments it received as part of the process.

A shorter delay ... In the past the FAA has delayed the release of its assessment by a full month, so a 14-day delay suggests this decision-making process is drawing to a close. Sources have suggested this will probably be the final delay and that the FAA will likely ask SpaceX to take some mitigation efforts to protect local wildlife. Then there will probably be lawsuits as the process continues. However, it does seem likely that SpaceX will eventually get approval for test launches from South Texas. (submitted by Tfargo04)
. . .

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This article is from 6/3/22, so the Tuesday referenced would have been May 31, 2022.

Edited: Maximus Meridus did mention it a couple of pages back - however without noting that the shorter delay indicated that the process is drawing to a close.

I'm curious if the announcement about the Artemis standown and need for a restock will come before or after approval is granted

Faustus said:

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SIAP

https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/06/rocket-report-india-wants-its-own-spacex-firefly-targets-july-for-alpha-launch/

Quote:

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. . .
FAA delays decision on Starship site two more weeks. On Tuesday the Federal Aviation Administration again put off the release of an environmental assessment of SpaceX's proposed Starship launch site in South Texas. The federal agency said the delay was necessary to "account for ongoing interagency consultations." In addition to the delay, the FAA released a compendium of all 17,000 public comments it received as part of the process.

A shorter delay ... In the past the FAA has delayed the release of its assessment by a full month, so a 14-day delay suggests this decision-making process is drawing to a close. Sources have suggested this will probably be the final delay and that the FAA will likely ask SpaceX to take some mitigation efforts to protect local wildlife. Then there will probably be lawsuits as the process continues. However, it does seem likely that SpaceX will eventually get approval for test launches from South Texas. (submitted by Tfargo04)
. . .

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This article is from 6/3/22, so the Tuesday referenced would have been May 31, 2022.

Edited: Maximus Meridus did mention it a couple of pages back - however without noting that the shorter delay indicated that the process is drawing to a close.

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So we're all good until a booster explodes on landing and breaks every window in Texas and Mexico

I still laugh thinking about how all the locals I've met on SPI have been so excited about the test flights and everything. I have a feeling 33 Raptors will change their mind quickly.

bthotugigem05 said:

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I still laugh thinking about how all the locals I've met on SPI have been so excited about the test flights and everything. I have a feeling 33 Raptors will change their mind quickly.

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Only one way to find out

Astronomers Discover Weird Repeated Radio Burst Coming From Deep Space (ladbible.com)

Quote:

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Astronomers have discovered more fast repeating radio bursts coming nearly three million light-years from Earth, raising new questions about the universe.
According to new research published in Nature, an international team of researchers led by Li Di from the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, found millisecond-long bursts of radio waves in space once again.
They say these bursts are even more prominent and 'stranger' than previous signals.

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Yes, I know....lad bible? So, here's the Nature article they linked:

A repeating fast radio burst associated with a persistent radio source | Nature

A Starship Gigafactory?

See here at about 9:30

Sounds good. Roberts road is going to be a massive facility. I think in a year or three (no idea on the timeline) Boca Chica will become a very small part of the overall starship program.

Some great updates this week.



As per others, the micro/dust particle/asteroid that hit Webb seems not to be a big deal at all. It's damage they anticipated, certainly. Continued LOL's @ Blue Origin's little hopper rocket they are so proud of.

Astra launch from the Cape today failed to reach orbit.

https://www.space.com/astra-rocket-launch-failure-nasa-hurricane-satellites-lost

The Astra rocket, called Launch Vehicle 0010 (LV0010), suffered a second stage failure after lifting off from a pad at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 1:43 p.m. EDT (1743 GMT). Two NASA cubesats, the first of a six-satellite fleet to track hurricanes as part of a $30 million mission, were lost.

"We had a nominal first stage flight however the upper stage engine did shut down early and we did not deliver our payloads to orbit," Astra's Amanda Durk Frye, senior manager for first stage and engine production, said during live launch commentary.


https://www.foxnews.com/science/nasa-astra-launch-tropics-satellites-fails-orbit

The launch attempt was the company's seventh overall since September 2020, of which only two have been successful.

Watching the video feed, it kinda looked like the engine gimbaled just as it shut down, which could explain why it was tumbling afterwards.

Bregxit said:

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Why in the hell would anyone put an actual payload on an Astra rocket? They have had next to zero success getting to orbit.

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While 30 million is nothing to sneeze at, these were a pair of cubesats and they have four more still planned to go up. This is a pretty minor loss.

2 for 7, how many did SpaceX blow up?

Shoulda used SpaceX.

Build It said:

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2 for 7, how many did SpaceX blow up?

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First 3 in a row.

bmks270 said:

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Build It said:

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2 for 7, how many did SpaceX blow up?

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First 3 in a row.

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They didn't try a payload though until #3 if I recall?

Waiting for the FAA announcement and determination. https://t.co/N2xFRl7iNY

— StarshipBocaChica (@StarshipBoca) June 13, 2022

Biiiiiig bada boom

So when they launching?

So to clarify, this is NOT the launch license, but it was the biggest hurdle towards getting the launch license in the eyes of most people watching this. What I'm not clear on at the moment is whether or not these 75 mitigation items will be required to be completed before they allow a launch (doesn't sound that way).

Edit: NSF guys are going through it right now. Apparently a barrier on the north side of the launch area/tank farm will be required BEFORE launch operations can begin, so it would seem that some of these will be required.

BMach said:

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So when they blowing up BN4+SN24?

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FIFY

One step closer to the first orbital flight test of Starship https://t.co/MEcQ6gST6Q pic.twitter.com/jxqEsM62gc

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) June 13, 2022

LFG!!!

They have had an EIS submitted for a year + right?

NOW the FAA comes back with a FONSI...


What a joke.

When do they plan to launch and what does an orbital flight entail - length of time / payload / landing spot?

They got to do a bunch of static fire tests and stuff. Probably will need to replace a few engines because of that. Probably gonna be a while.

aTmAg said:

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They got to do a bunch of static fire tests and stuff. Probably will need to replace a few engines because of that. Probably gonna be a while.

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Can they do any/all of that while they get the mitigation in place?

They've been allowed to static fire before this. I'm sure they expected a lot of the mitigation requirements. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that they've already done 40+ of the 75 required, and that they'll be granted the license before the rest are finished. Honestly none of them are that odious either, even the wildlife crossing will be a 3-4 day job once its permitted...... Given how fast these crews work, they'll probably have 90% of that stuff done before the license comes through.

I'm thinking that, if the FAA comes through by then, we may see a honest attempt by the end of August. It will give them time to static fire, replace any engines, and get the tower finished.

OIG just SLAMMED SLS again. The new launch tower they're going to have to have for Artemis 4 and beyond, when the mythical block 1b is used, is already way behind and overbudget.... they've sunk nearly a billion into it at this point.

I'd love to see what Musk, rocket labs, and even ula( on the condition they have to ditch blue origin) could do if the money they're sinking into Artemis was given in contracts to them. Throw Sierra Nevada in there to, and go ahead and jettison starliner.

Decay said:

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aTmAg said:

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They got to do a bunch of static fire tests and stuff. Probably will need to replace a few engines because of that. Probably gonna be a while.

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Can they do any/all of that while they get the mitigation in place?

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Yes, at least I think that is the short answer.

Quote:

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Of the dozens of mitigations SpaceX will have to implement to conduct Starship launches under its new Starbase PEA, a majority appear to be normal and reasonable. Most focus on specific aspects of things already discussed, like protecting turtles (lighting, beach cleanup, education, nest scouting and monitoring, etc.), safeguarding other protected species, respecting impacted areas of historical importance; ensuring that road closures avoid certain holidays and periods to limit Starbase's impact on local use of public parks and beaches; and other common-sense extensions of existing rules and regulations. In a few cases, SpaceX has even agreed to deploy solar-powered Starlink internet terminals to enable "enhanced satellite monitoring" of wildlife for the US Fish and Wildlife Service and Peregrine Fund.

Others are oddly specific and read a bit more like local and state agencies taking advantage of their leverage to get SpaceX to manage and pay for basic infrastructure maintenance and improvement that any functional government should already be doing. The lengthy list of odd "mitigations" includes the following:

• Quarterly beach and highway cleanups
• Construct at least one highway wildlife crossing
• Construct a wildlife viewing platform along Highway 4
• Complete and maintain traffic control fencing demarcating the boundaries of TPWD land along said public highway
• $5,000 per year to "enhance" the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's (TPWD) fishing "Tackle Loaner Program"
• Prepare a history report on any events and activities of the Mexican War and Civil War that took place in all affected areas of historical importance
• Fund the development of five signs explaining the "history and significance" of those areas
• "[Replicate and install] the missing stars and wreaths on the Palmetto Pilings Historical Marker"

Ultimately, the Final PEA SpaceX received is an extremely positive outcome, and there should be little doubt that SpaceX will complete all mitigations requested of it and help improve aspects of Boca Chica, Texas as a result. Up next, SpaceX will need to secure an orbital Starship launch license from the FAA by demonstrating, to the agency's satisfaction, that it meets "safety, risk, and financial responsibility requirements" in addition to all environmental requirements. The company has already begun that process with the FAA, but it could still take weeks or months after the Final PEA to secure an operator license or experimental permit. Any such license or permit will be conditional upon the completion of all mitigation requirements established by the PEA.

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Not an expert in this stuff, but my guess right now would be to shoot for September for initial launch. As per others they have a lot of work around testing all the engines installed, wet dress rehearsals etc.

Just read the items about renovating historical markers and doing a research report. I guess it's better than requiring SpaceX to build a new courthouse or something

Construct a wildlife viewing platform along Highway 4
Complete and maintain traffic control fencing demarcating the boundaries of TPWD land along said public highway
Prepare a history report on any events and activities of the Mexican War and Civil War that took place in all affected areas of historical importance


These are all REALLY interesting because, the viewing platform can't be build without impacting wetlands and state/federal lands.
The ownership in this area is HIGHLY contested between TXDOT, TPWD, and USFWS.
Really cool, because basically any slight upland knoll out there is going to have TONS of artifacts on/in it, even though it's been heavily pilfered.

Oh gotcha. So they couldn't agree on who had jurisdiction and/or couldn't get the others to pay for it, so they just dumped it all on SpaceX?