SpaceX plans next Starship flight just days from now

SpaceX will make its next Starship launch attempt on November 18, if all goes to plan – and may also try another catch of the Super Heavy Booster, depending on conditions. The sixth flight of Elon Musk's monster rocket has a lot to live up to. The fifth flight test was an undeniably impressive spectacle as the Super Heavy …

[RegGuy1]

FAA to be rejigged?

Presumably they will have a buoy (boy) as before, but we'll get much better views of the Starship landing. I'm expecting now Trump is in place Musk will be pestering him to get the FAA to speed up its licence approvals for subsequent flights. He wants to fly the next test flight as soon as possible, which seems to be a couple of months from the last one and to think that Starhopper, that 'small' thing they've moved to the side of the road by the launch pads, only flew in 2019. Just incredible.

[Andy The Hat]

Re: FAA to be rejigged?

The FAA never considered such a rapid flight cadence for anything and need to change their methodologies to cope. They already appear almost out of their depth dealing with SpaceX but once Blue Origin start more than test flights, and perhaps one or two more small-fry begin rapid cadence development flights, the FAA will be desperately doggy-paddling in their own bureaucracy.

[Caver_Dave]

Re: FAA to be rejigged?

The FAA will have to move to a model like they use for aircraft when the rocket becomes reusable and the cadence is high. But still retaining the high levels of inspection for each flight for experimental rockets.

With the current SpaceX rockets, I believe it should be a mix - type certification for the reusable elements and higher levels of inspection for each of the major new parts.

The 'no go' zones for aircraft and ships will probably be the limiting factor on frequency of launches.

[stiine]

Re: FAA to be rejigged?

Time to make those exclusion zones permanent for aircraft, but perhaps voluntary for ships/boats.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: FAA to be rejigged?

Nope. A 10 ton interstage landing on someone's ship is just as bad a day as a Starship hitting a plane.

Hell, just being at the Cape having a returning Falcon 9 booster scream by overhead in normal circumstances is terrifying.

[Flocke Kroes]

Re: FAA to be rejigged?

The FAA have really stepped up to deal with 100-150 Falcon 9 launches per year compared to the dozen or so launches old space used to do. Licensing a repeat Starlink does not require much effort. The difficulty starts when SpaceX wants to trim down procedures to make Falcon launches a little cheaper. This was never of any interest to old space but is something SpaceX does continously. Licensing a new rocket takes much more work. There are several new rockets coming into operation and each Starship is significantly different from the last making each of them effectively a new rocket.

On top of that, the FAA is tasked with drafting the laws that will regulate rocket launches in future so much of licensing will be based on generalised law rather than one-off examinations for each design / change / launch. This was put on hold for years because no-one knew what the laws should be and the deadline was extended a few more years because new space is still new.

The FAA got into trouble for letting Boeing self regulate and the resulting deaths. As a result they are stricter about following procedure. This makes them open to politicians gaming of the system. For example, SpaceX changed the expected noise levels shortly before the anticipated launch of IFT5. The FAA was required by regulations to ask the FWS to assess the impact of the changes and allow them 60 days to do it. This was followed by people screaming on the internet about government regulations strangling innovation. In the middle of the screaming a SpaceX lawyer published some drivel about SpaceX being fined for not conducting a T-60 minute go/no go poll*. It was clear that the FWS was going to come back with a FONSI (finding of no significant impact) within a few days. Step forward a politician to summon the FAA for a scolding. The politician than accepted credit for expediting the IFT5 license. If the population of the internet were any more gullible politicians would take credit for making the sun rise.

* SpaceX did not conduct the poll and were fined but according to the lawyer there was no regulation requiring such a poll. In fact there was - and it was cited on the notice for the fine. The regulation was written by experts in launching Falcon 9s: SpaceX. To be fair, SpaceX had put in a change request and the FAA would likely have approved it given a bit more time. Perhaps without Boeing's help this might have gone by unremarked. Perhaps if SpaceX had not launched SN8 while the FAA was on the phone to them telling them they did not have a license they might have got away with a mild scolding. Part of the fallout for SN8 was that SpaceX was required to appoint a licensing officer with the authority to stop a launch if the license was not valid - and to phone the FAA and ask if he wasn't sure.

[Nik 2]

Re: FAA to be rejigged?

<quote> each Starship is significantly different from the last making each of them effectively a new rocket. </quote>

It is possible to imagine a regime that just considered the impact of each change. if the previous launch was considered safe and nothing happened to question that decision then a change to improve the thermal protection of flaps and additional structural rigidity oughtn't to be too hard to consider.

[MachDiamond]

Re: FAA to be rejigged?

"if the previous launch was considered safe and nothing happened to question that decision"

The booster came back on fire and it was later revealed through sloppy security (typical of Elon) that a second later it would have aborted and crashed into the site. The Starship, once again, came back on fire. "Mostly" safe in that it wasn't targeting itself at a city?

[Oneman2Many]

Re: FAA to be rejigged?

you actually believe that the 'leak' wasn't intentional ? Musk knew exactly what he was doing.

As for the booster, its still in test and no it won't have crashed into the site, the booster didn't target the tower until the manual go signal. Until then it was headed off shore.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: FAA to be rejigged?

No, they don't draft laws, only (federal) regulations.

[eldakka]

Re: FAA to be rejigged?

Most federal agencies like FAA, FTC, FCC, DEA, ATF, EPA and so on do draft (synonymns: formulate, plan, outline, propose, deliniate) federal laws.

Those drafts are then sent to a friendly congresscritter (assuming they were't actually asked to draft the laws in which case the congresscritter/committee who asked for a draft would sponsor it) who sponsors the draft legislation into the appropriate sub-committee who then asses the draft and either reject it, ask for changes, or endorse it to come out of committee to be put to the floor for a vote.

Anyone in the world, doesn't even have to be a US Citizen, could 'draft' federal laws. That doesn't mean they are federal laws. And most likley no congresscritter would give them the time of day let alone sponsor it.

Actual congresscritters rarely draft laws, they either come up with general ideas that they pass onto someone else to do the actual law drafting - federal agencies whose are of expertise it is, or staffers, or vested interests (e.g. thinktanks, societies, foundations, industry groups, actual industries) - or those other parties come to them with proposed - i.e. draft - laws, and they sponsor them (most likely not even understanding the draft, the level of understanding required is inversely proportional to the size of the donations or perks or promised future empolyment opportunities) into the appropriate sub-committee.

[heyrick]

Re: FAA to be rejigged?

"If the population of the internet were any more gullible politicians would take credit for making the sun rise."

Give it time...

[MachDiamond]

Re: FAA to be rejigged?

"Licensing a repeat Starlink does not require much effort."

The article states that software and hardware changes have been made. Have SpaceX spent the time to make sure those changes don't create unintended problems? Has the FAA been given complete documentation and the time to evaluate the changes as well? In general, the procedure should go faster with the same flight plan, but that doesn't mean there should be and waving off of reviews of those changes as trivial.

[Flocke Kroes]

Re: FAA to be rejigged?

The USA has a long delay between the election and presidential inauguration. The next inauguration will be 2025-01-20. The election threat was to put Musk in charge of stream lining government. Obvious first targets include the NTSB and FWS. OSHA and DOL also spring to mind. It gets even more interesting when Musk turns his mind to clearing out all the regulations preventing X from operating as a bank.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: FAA to be rejigged?

Don't forget easing the regulations regarding self-driving cars. If they can't make the cars good enough to meet the regulations, bring the regulations down to meet the level of the car.

[Dostoevsky]

Re: FAA to be rejigged?

It used to be much longer, but back then, we had to coordinate elections across half a continent by snail mail and courier.

[Paul Herber]

Re: FAA to be rejigged?

He'll be needing to start his own private army as well, let's call them the Elon Musketeers.

[Paul Herber]

Re: FAA to be rejigged?

or for the downvoters we can call them Starship Troopers. Just vote Yes.

[MachDiamond]

Re: FAA to be rejigged?

"The USA has a long delay between the election and presidential inauguration. "

It's a big country with a complicated election system so while tallies are being posted and winners announced, none of that is official yet. Time is given for everything to be counted as judges say it's ok for mail-in ballots postmarked days past must be counted and lawsuits requiring signatures to match are adjudicated to not matter. There's also a period after things are made official for a what should be a smooth handover since there will be confirmations required for appointed positions such as the Presidential Cabinet and agency heads.

[John Brown (no body)]

Re: FAA to be rejigged?

And not forgetting the 100+ pre-emptive lawsuits launched by the Rep before polling day even came around. They all need to be dealt with now. I suspect they'll all be quietly withdrawn as clearly there was no voting malfeasance sine the "correct" result was achieved. </sarc>

Are the Dems being as petty over the loss as Trump was last time around or is it just not being reported?

[Paul Herber]

Re: FAA to be rejigged?

"The USA has a long delay between the election and presidential inauguration. "

"It's a big country"

Яussia has nєvєr had a proыєm шith this! So manч morє timє zonєs!

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: FAA to be rejigged?

The FAA will be gone just like FEMA, NOAA, the EPA and the Department of Education (and others).

His Royal Highness Elon the magnificent will dismantle NASA and the people responsible for all those pesky Safety Recalls they issue for Tesla's.

At Emperor Trump the 1st has total immunity, he can do whatever he likes and to whoever says no to him.

As long as you tell him that he looks magnificent a 1,000 times an hour you might survive.

Meanwhile Musk, RFK Jnr, Hershel Walker will destroy government departments after sacking 100,000 government employees.

Time to plan your exit from the USA if you voted against Trump. He and his minions will find out... Get the hell out of the country if you can.

Oh, and one more thing. Elon will make the scrutiny of Boeing, NASA and Blue Origin launches 100,000 times more strict that for SpaceX launches.

Follow the $$$$$$ people, follow it and you will be rewarded.

[Boris the Cockroach]

Re: FAA to be rejigged?

With RFK jnr in charge of health, its will be "Hi measles nice to see you again... polio... welcome back after a such a long time away.. diptheria...haven't seen you in ages, hows rubella getting on.."

So for your trip to see a super heavy/starship launch, make sure your vaccinations are all upto date before you arrive in the US (and dont tell immigration either)

In any case trumpy does'nt view himself as a king or an emperor, he views himself like Don Corleone , wanting people to fear and respect him.... instead of a jumped up failed business man with stupid orange makeup he really is.

IT? possibly

[MyffyW]

Name Change

I've been doing a lot of skim reading in these last few days, so maybe I'd missed something - has the Orange Shit-Gibbon-Elect been renamed "The Super Heavy". If so I can suggest a configuration for the chopsticks and a method of insertion.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Name Change

Grow up & keep politics out of a Technical website.

[graeme leggett]

Re: Name Change

You can't isolate technical things from politics. Or any part of life. And you shouldn't try to do so.

[cornetman]

Re: Name Change

> You can't isolate technical things from politics. Or any part of life. And you shouldn't try to do so.

Yes you can, and you should as far as possible. There is a sector of the fringe left that advocates that "everything is political, including the personal". It is just not true and it shouldn't be.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2ONqFTrS8A

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Name Change

I fully agree but for some I guess the buzz of hatred overcomes the sanity of doing so.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Name Change

let me know when USA has got it's sanity back after electing a fucking criminal nazi.

in the mean while F OFF, trying to control free speech

[Ian Johnston]

Re: Name Change

Odd, because it is the right which most assiduously tries to politicise everything from women's reproductive rights to who sues which toilet or how high trousers are worn.

[graeme leggett]

Re: Name Change

So you have a technical discovery that can improve the health of the worst off in society.

"Great, let's roll that out" you say.

"Wait", says another, "that's too expensive to do right now. We need to spend money on [other thing] first"

'Politics' meaning the affairs of a city (polis), the art of government, and hence we have 'policy'

[heyrick]

Re: Name Change

Given that The Florida Man is besties with the biggest shithead techbro around, who also happens to be the top guy at SpaceX, who may soon have a position in The Orange One's government (and conflict of interest be damned), I think that as depressing as all this is, politics is relevant in this case.

Icon, 'cos getting rat-arsed might make the world make sense...

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Name Change

Does SpaceX as a company dabble in politics ?

Just be honest & say your disdain for Musk taints you view of SpaceX too much (perhaps you simply have MDS as well as TDS).

[graeme leggett]

Re: Name Change

Answer might well be "Yes"

"Dominguez is one of dozens of current and former public officials here whose finances, business relationships and political fortunes are enmeshed with the speedy growth of Starbase, as the Musk development is known. Starbase’s expansion has injected a dizzying influx of money into campaign coffers, business dealings and the personal finances of people elected to represent the public."

https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/spacex-texas-musk/

[Alex King]

Re: Name Change

Yes. They lobby continuously. How do you think this works?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Name Change

so you didn't notice the spacex BOSS promoting a fucking orange nazi bastard, which planet you just come from fucking mars?

please F OFF back there

[CowHorseFrog]

Its amazing how many losers cheer Starship instead of questioning why their government isnt actually helping them in their personal lives...eg giving them actual humanrights like workers rights, healthcare, instead they cheer for something that will never help them in anyway.

[Roj Blake]

Treating people like people? That sounds like communism. Are you a communist?

[CowHorseFrog]

Hollywood or reality ?

[Anonymous Coward]

We've seen these complaints since whitey on the moon.

The government wants to go to the moon. Other companies offered to to it for 10 ish billion. SpaceX offered 2.9

[Anonymous Coward]

Please send Elmo and Trump to Mars soon

One way ticket

[may_i]

Does anyone have a non-political comment?

I wish the Starship team the best of luck!

I'm looking forward to seeing another catch and more excitement.