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Author Topic: Figaro to Mars? SpaceX at Boca Chica  (Read 1198 times)

ta0

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Figaro to Mars? SpaceX at Boca Chica
« on: October 04, 2020, 09:43:08 PM »

I visited the SpaceX facility in Boca Chica where they are developing the Starship rocket that Musk wants to use to colonize Mars.
The whole thing seems to be taken from a Steampunk movie. Here is Figaro, with the first prototype that flew a year ago in the foreground, the prototype serial number # 8 behind on the right, and the tested-to-failure SN7.1 on the left.



They might do a cryogenic ambient pressure test of SN8 tonight. If all goes well they will add the nose cone and it will fly to 15km in the next 2 to 3 weeks. They will try to make it fall side wise and at the last moment straighten it up and power land it using the engines, as they do with the Falcon 9.  :o
« Last Edit: October 05, 2020, 11:12:24 AM by ta0 »
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jim in paris

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Re: Figaro to Mars? SpaceX at Boca Chica
« Reply #1 on: October 05, 2020, 09:08:40 AM »

Cool shot
Eligible for contest

And Not NSTR at all 😉

Jim
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ta0

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Re: Figaro to Mars? SpaceX at Boca Chica
« Reply #2 on: October 05, 2020, 11:55:43 AM »

This is the view of the launch facility from the beach:



You can see in the middle the columns of what is going to be the launch pad for the full rocket. It will be used only during the testing phase, as regular launches will need to be done from a sea platform due to the noise levels. By the way,  you can walk about 5 km / 3 miles down the beach to get to the Rio Grande and then wade/swim to Mexico.

The fabrication and assembly facility is 2 miles up the road. SpaceX bought most of the small houses of the 2-street Boca Chica Village. You can tell that some houses are definitely used by SpaceX because they have Tesla cars charging or aluminum Airstream trailers parked on the front, but I think I also identified one of the holdouts residencies, with rocking chairs and seashells on the porch.
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Jeremy McCreary

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Re: Figaro to Mars? SpaceX at Boca Chica
« Reply #3 on: October 20, 2020, 12:59:13 PM »

Does seem kinda steampunk. Or maybe out of a Buck Rogers movie.

"Tested to failure" is something I can relate to. At least 10% of my top prototypes go right back to the parts bins -- often for disintegrating below critical speed.
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jim in paris

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Re: Figaro to Mars? SpaceX at Boca Chica
« Reply #4 on: October 20, 2020, 01:53:57 PM »

critical speed is better than critical time >:D
time has no speed (...../)

jim


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ta0

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Re: Figaro to Mars? SpaceX at Boca Chica
« Reply #5 on: December 09, 2020, 09:01:50 PM »

The Starship prototype above (with a nose cone) finally did it's test flight. Although it ended up in an spectacular way, it was a huge success, accomplishing something never done before  :o 8):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWuK-t5BVyo
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the Earl of Whirl

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Re: Figaro to Mars? SpaceX at Boca Chica
« Reply #6 on: December 09, 2020, 09:22:15 PM »

Wow!  That’s a crazy explosion!!!
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Jeremy McCreary

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Re: Figaro to Mars? SpaceX at Boca Chica
« Reply #7 on: December 10, 2020, 03:29:10 AM »

The Starship prototype above (with a nose cone) finally did it's test flight. Although it ended up in an spectacular way, it was a huge success, accomplishing something never done before  :o 8):

You mean to  make Buck Rogers spaceship fly without looking totally fake?
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ta0

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Re: Figaro to Mars? SpaceX at Boca Chica
« Reply #8 on: March 03, 2021, 07:14:13 PM »

Well, the third time was the charm (kinda . . .)  :-X

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODY6JWzS8WU
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ta0

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Re: Figaro to Mars? SpaceX at Boca Chica
« Reply #9 on: November 20, 2021, 02:26:11 PM »

Legendary Spanish spintop pioneer Pulpowsky (Jorge S.) is visiting me for just 3 days. He follows SpaceX through Youtube from Spain, so he was very interested in visiting it.





It has changed a lot in one year, including the tower with the "chopsticks" to catch the booster (1st stage) in mid-air when it comes back:




From South Padre Island we drove yesterday all the way to Austin for a Milonga, as tango replaced a few years ago spintops as his main hobby. But today it's spintops until I have to take him to the airport.
« Last Edit: November 22, 2021, 09:58:52 PM by ta0 »
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