Boeing Starliner suffers "off-nominal insertion", will not visit space station
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Submitted December 20, 2019 at 03:28PM by rustybeancake
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SpaceX engineers were at the Cali Science Center in LA looking at the Endeavour shuttle
I was talking to Bill while standing underneath Endeavour at the California Science Center in LA this last week. Bill was a structural engineer on the shuttle program as well as the SSMEs. We had been geeking out about space stuff for a solid 2 hours and Bill was complaining about ULA "Throwing his engines into the ocean" when I asked about how reentry heating effected the gaps in the bottom of the shuttle where control surfaces and landing gear panels all met up. He got excited and he told me that not only had a large group of 20+ SpaceX engineers been there last week but that they had been almost exclusively looking at the spots where the control surfaces joined the rest of the structure on the shuttle. I mentioned to Bill that they probably were cheating off his homework for the starship's control surfaces and his face lit up like it finally clicked as to why they took so many photos of the seams.Sorry for formatting I'm on my phone figured this group would enjoy this information more than most. If you have the chance go to the science center and talk to the retired engineers that are floating around. They absolutely love talking to people about their baby.

Submitted December 20, 2019 at 06:15PM by frosty95
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Using ground relays with Starlink
https://youtu.be/m05abdGSOxY

Submitted December 21, 2019 at 04:31AM by Hosentrager
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SpaceX poised to accelerate launch cadence with series of Starlink missions
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Submitted December 21, 2019 at 09:25PM by soldato_fantasma
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SpaceX on Twitter - "Yesterday the team completed the 10th successful multi-chute test in a row of Crew Dragon’s upgraded Mark 3 parachute design – one step closer to safely launching and landing @NASA astronauts "
https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1209201762596356096

Submitted December 23, 2019 at 08:59PM by jclishman
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SpaceX on Launch Pad 39 A left their doors open this morning showing what seems to be part of a Falcon 9 first stage
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Submitted December 23, 2019 at 07:46PM by Bad_Tan_Line
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54% higher efficiency for Starlink: Network topology design at 27,000 km/hour
Debopam Bhattacherjee and Ankit Singla have a paper in the CoNEXT '19 Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Emerging Networking Experiments And Technologies that focuses on networking within satellite constellations. They explore some new topologies that promise to be an improvement over what has already been disclosed about how Starlink will work, but which could be used with the Starlink constellation."For the largest and most mature of the planned constellations, Starlink, our approach promises 54% higher efficiency under reasonable assumptions on link range, and 40% higher efficiency in even the most pessimistic scenarios."ACM Digital Library overview of the paper. Contains link to full PDF download.

Submitted December 25, 2019 at 04:51PM by benthom
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Starlink-2 Launch Campaign Thread
OverviewSpaceX's first flight of 2020 will launch the second batch of Starlink version 1 satellites into orbit aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. It will be the third Starlink mission overall. This launch is expected to be similar to the previous Starlink launch in November of 2019, which saw 60 Starlink v1.0 satellites delivered to a single plane at a 280 km altitude. The satellites on this flight will eventually join the previously launched spacecraft in the 550 km x 53° shell via their onboard ion thrusters. Due to the high mass of several dozen satellites, the booster will land on a drone ship at a similar downrange distance to a GTO launch.Liftoff currently scheduled for:January 4, 03:23 UTC (Jan 3, 10:23 PM local)Static fireDate TBDPayload60 Starlink version 1 satellitesPayload mass60 * 260kg = 15 400kgDestination orbitLow Earth Orbit, 280km x 53° deployment expectedVehicleFalcon 9 v1.2 Block 5CoreUnknownPast flights of this coreUnknownFairing reuseUnknownFairing catch attemptExpectedLaunch siteSLC-40, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FloridaLandingASDS: 32.54722 N, 75.92306 W (628 km downrange)Mission success criteriaSuccessful separation & deployment of the Starlink Satellites.Links & Resources:Official Starlink Overview - Starlink.comLaunch Execution Forecasts - 45th Weather SquadronWatching a Launch - r/SpaceX WikiLaunch Viewing Guide for Cape Canaveral - Ben CooperSpaceX Fleet Status - SpaceXFleet.comFCC Experimental STAs - r/SpaceX wikiLaunch Maps - Google Maps by u/Raul74CzFlight Club - Launch simulation by u/TheVehicleDestroyerWe may keep this self-post occasionally updated with links and relevant news articles, but for the most part, we expect the community to supply the information. This is a great place to discuss the launch, ask mission-specific questions, and track the minor movements of the vehicle, payload, weather and more as we progress towards launch. Sometime after the static fire is complete, the launch thread will be posted, typically around one day before launch.Campaign threads are not launch threads. Normal subreddit rules still apply.

Submitted December 26, 2019 at 05:17AM by ElongatedMuskrat
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Elon Musk on Twitter: Was up all night with SpaceX team working on Starship tank dome production (most difficult part of primary structure). Dawn arrives …
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1210649166407438336?s=20

Submitted December 27, 2019 at 08:53PM by Aakarsh_K
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SpaceX set for record-breaking 2020 manifest
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Submitted December 28, 2019 at 12:36AM by That1Cockysoab420
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Musk on Twitter: “We’re now building flight design of Starship SN1, but each SN will have at least minor improvements, at least through SN20 or so of Starship V1.0. Flight is hopefully 2 to 3 months away.”
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1210756057791729665?s=21

Submitted December 28, 2019 at 05:59AM by rustybeancake
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Will SpaceX Disrupt Space Exploration
SpaceX have successfully disrupted the commercial launch market through moderate pricing, launch flexibility and reliability. Now they are disrupting the satellite communications market with their Starlink constellation, which should supply ubiquitous internet by the end of 2020 (in the US at least). Their dominance in these two key space markets could deliver revenue ranging between $25-100bn depending on commercial, civil and military uptake.Normally SpaceX use any surplus to build new infrastructure (such as launch, manufacturing and development facilities) or create new space technology like Starship. For an idea of scale, $25-100bn exceeds NASA’s current budget and SpaceX tend to spend more coherently, i.e. on engineering - whereas NASA seem more focused on wrangling troublesome and exploitative contractors...Given their track record, resource and progress, it seems probable SpaceX will land Starship on the moon before 2025, possibly even Mars. This should in turn disrupt the space exploration market, because a human presence would far exceed robotic capabilities on these worlds. Why send a probe to the lunar poles or median of Mars to discover the constituency and prevalence of water, when you could simply ask SpaceX teams already in situ. We know SpaceX are committed to ISRU propellant production on Mars, so seems unlikely they will overlook the moon, given its strategic potential for the cislunar system. Propellant is the oil of space and both hydrolox and methalox propellant can be manufactured on the moon and Mars using comparable equipment.So far NASA and the Air Force have stoically ignored the colossal potential of Starship, deciding instead to pay for exorbitantly priced expendable rockets supplied by the usual suspects. Before NASA agree to fly crew on Starship, it’s quite possible they will request a parachute landing capability and/or crew launch abort system – something SpaceX will rightfully refuse. Unfortunately the Air Force will probably wait for Starship to be approved by NASA before they proceed to use it for crew missions (at least judging by the Space Shuttle or MOL).If NASA/Air Force are late to the party no doubt SpaceX will have already begun to use Starship extensively i.e. for cislunar and deep space missions. With refueling stations on the moon and Mars plus ongoing Starship operations that suggests SpaceX will effectively become a space power while everyone's still scratching in the dirt. The first space superpower 2025…now that would be something.

Submitted December 27, 2019 at 03:57PM by CProphet
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SpaceX Hiring Thermal Protection System (TPS) Engineers
Thermal Protection is a critical component for StarShip.SpaceX has posted several jobs in December 2019 with a specific focus on SS TPS. See links below:- https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/supervisor-starship-heat-shield-at-spacex-1643581531/- https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/mechanical-design-engineer-heat-shield-at-spacex-1643492925/An excerpt from the job posting includes:" The Thermal Protection Systems (TPS) team tackles space exploration's toughest problems by developing the heat shields for our Starship program. This hardware must survive the most extreme environments known to mankind and protect our vehicle through atmospheric entry. As a Mechanical Design Engineer on the TPS team, you will own these heat shields from initial concept development to final launch and flight. You will interact regularly with senior leadership during critical design phases and spearhead qualification and testing necessary to pass stringent requirements set forth by NASA with flying colors. You are especially strong in analysis and employ a ground up fundamental physics approach to problem solving, ultimately executing on our mission to expand humankind's reach to Mars. "The MDE position is located in Hawthorne while the Supervisor, Starship Heat Shield position is located in Melbourne, Florida Area (production facility for TPS?).Few thoughts:- With MK-3 SS assumed to be nearing start of formal construction in Boca Chica, big question remains - will TPS be applied to the MK-3 SS?- The recent trip by SpaceX engineers to visit the space shuttle to view the TPS design (especially around the interface points for landing gear and flaps)- The TPS related job postings- Question: How far along is SpaceX with finalizing the TPS for Starship?- Back in the fall (Sep/Oct) with SS MK-1 sitting fully stacked... we were all juiced to see the 20 Km hop....- I was hoping to see early progress with the TPS.....- Given the job postings, visit to the shuttle and no visible progress with TPS on the MK SS prototypes perhaps larger engineering hurdles lie ahead.- The attachment of ceramic tiles to the stainless steel hull for SS will be interesting! Given the fit difficulties for the stainless steel rings (possibly due to different rates of thermal expansion). Wonder how the ceramic tiles will hold up as the stainless steel expands and contracts in the extreme temperatures of space and re-entry. Windward side - very hot, leeward side - cooler... drives different rates of expansion that potentially could create gaps between the ceramic tiles.Thoughts?

Submitted December 28, 2019 at 06:55AM by WindWatcherX
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Elon Musk on Twitter: Simulation of first crewed flight of Falcon 9 / Dragon 2020 @NASA
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1211493590456848385

Submitted December 30, 2019 at 04:46AM by OccupyMarsNow
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Elon Musk on Twitter: Crew Dragon should be physically ready & at the Cape in Feb, but completing all safety reviews will probably take a few more months
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1211497049906196480

Submitted December 30, 2019 at 06:36AM by PrimarySwan
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Almost three [Starship SN1 tank domes] now. Boca team is crushing it! Starship has giant dome [Elon tweet storm about Starship manufacturing]
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1211531714633314304

Submitted December 30, 2019 at 02:02PM by spacerfirstclass
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Crew Dragon Animation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZlzYzyREAI

Submitted December 30, 2019 at 07:01PM by thisiswhatidonow
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Open Question: Networking for Martian Missions
I've been wondering recently, with the spaceship now under construction and beginning testing, what progress has been made on the networking problem of moving large amounts of data to or from the spacecraft.I looked at the /r/spacex faq, and it mentioned the round trip lag time, and one possible tech demonstration from a lunar NASA mission, but nothing about what SpaceX is actually planning.Do we know anything about how SpaceX is planning to move the relatively large amount of data (videos and high resolution photos) that they'll likely want for public communications back from Mars? I can't recall ever reading anything on this particular topic specifically from SpaceX.Also does anyone here have any speculation on what such a network might look like? Given the payload capacity of starship, it seems feasible that it could bring a set of small relay satellites with laser links to set up its own comm network on arrival.This is more of an open discussion than anything else. I found one post on this sub from 3 years ago, but given the number of iterations we've seen of starship in that time and the recent Starlink deployments, there's probably been enough progress to warrant a new discussion.

Submitted December 31, 2019 at 12:46AM by Grabthelifeyouwant
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SpaceX Starship 2019: Year In Review
https://youtu.be/WM4IIwVyvvs

Submitted January 01, 2020 at 02:04AM by Koplins
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r/SpaceX Discusses [January 2020, #64]
If you have a short question or spaceflight news...You may ask short, spaceflight-related questions and post news here, even if it is not about SpaceX. Be sure to check the FAQ and Wiki first to ensure you aren't submitting duplicate questions.If you have a long question...If your question is in-depth or an open-ended discussion, you can submit it to the subreddit as a post.If you'd like to discuss slightly relevant SpaceX content in greater detail...Please post to r/SpaceXLounge and create a thread there!This thread is not for...Questions answered in the FAQ. Browse there or use the search functionality first. Thanks!Non-spaceflight related questions or news.You can read and browse past Discussion threads in the Wiki.

Submitted January 02, 2020 at 03:38PM by ElongatedMuskrat
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This may be a transcendent year for SpaceX
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Submitted January 02, 2020 at 04:34PM by CrankyBear
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