Meanwhile Elon already has 3rd gen Raptors firing on the test stands.Don't get me wrong if they get the BE-4 going it could be a great engine but right now the safe money is on SpaceX and Raptor.
and flammable tape.
Chris Bergin - NSF@NASASpaceflightStarliner delayed again.Boeing has found two new issues via the latest review. 1) Parachute System - soft links (made of fabric) load limit data wasn't correct and restest showed failure at a loading point. 2) Wire harnesses covered in tape. The tape is now determined to be flammable. Boeing is standing down the preps for the CFT mission.
https://spacenews.com/dream-chaser-moves-a-step-closer-to-first-launch/Dreamchaser prototype is looking good. Headed to Plum Brook for vacuum testing, then off to Canaveral for integration and launch. Of course, that launch is scheduled on top of a ULA Vulcan... powered by Blue Origin BE-4 engines... both of which are experiencing severe and recurring delays.
SpaceX is targeting Sunday, June 4 at 8:20 a.m. ET (12:20 UTC) for a Falcon 9 launch of 22 second-generation Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. If needed, backup launch opportunities are available on Monday, June 5 at 5:44 a.m. ET (09:44 UTC), 6:23 a.m. ET (10:23 UTC), and 8:04 a.m. ET (12:04 UTC)
SpaceX is targeting Sunday, June 4 for Falcon 9’s launch of Dragon’s 28th Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-28) mission to the International Space Station from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The instantaneous launch window is at 12:12 p.m. ET (16:12 UTC) and a backup launch opportunity is available on Monday, June 5 at 11:47 a.m. ET (15:47 UTC) pending range approval.This is the fifth flight of the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-5, GPS III Space Vehicle 06, Inmarsat I-6 F2, and one Starlink mission. Following stage separation, Falcon 9 will land on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship in the Atlantic Ocean. CRS-28 is the fourth flight for this Dragon spacecraft, which previously flew CRS-21, CRS-23, and CRS-25 to the space station. After an approximate 42-hour flight, Dragon will autonomously dock with the orbiting laboratory on Tuesday, June 6 at approximately 6:15 a.m. ET (10:15 UTC).
Falcon 9 is launching Dragon's CRS-28 cargo resupply mission to the Space Station. Liftoff is scheduled for 12:35 PM EST (16:35 UTC) from LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The first stage is B1077, which will attempt to land on A Shortfall of Gravitas.
Gav Cornwell@SpaceOffshoreFuel loading is underway at SLC-41 as ULA prepares for the Vulcan Flight Readiness Firing. Venting is visible and the flare stack is active. Expected around/after 6pm ET tonight.Live: http://nsf.live/spacecoast
Boeing has been accused in a bombshell lawsuit of making knock-off versions of patented tools for work on NASA rockets, allegedly leading to the leaks that caused numerous embarrassing delays for the historic Artemis I mission.The federal lawsuit filed on Wednesday by Wilson Aerospace alleges that Boeing stole trade secrets for NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, and built components with 'critical' safety flaws that could endanger astronauts. The suit said that, after Boeing cancelled a contract with Wilson, the company made its own versions of Wilson's highly specialized tools, including one known as a Fluid Fitting Torque Device.Wilson alleges in the suit that 'the mismatched tools have caused some fluid leaks that have continually delayed the SLS launch, costing NASA hundreds of millions of dollars while unjustly enriching Boeing through its cost-plus contract with NASA.'The first NASA mission using the SLS, known as Artemis I, was repeatedly scrubbed last year due to a series of faulty sensor readings and errors in the fueling process, before launching successfully on November 16.
Vulcan Cert-1 Flight Readiness Firing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWn3v4j5aTg
NSF: No vans were damaged on this test
SpaceX is targeting Monday, June 12 for Falcon 9’s launch of the Transporter-8 mission to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The 57-minute launch window opens at 2:19 p.m. PT (21:19 UTC). If needed, there is a backup opportunity Tuesday, June 13 with the same window.The first stage booster supporting this mission previously launched NROL-87, NROL-85, SARah-1, SWOT, and four Starlink missions. Following stage separation, Falcon 9 will land on Landing Zone 4 (LZ-4) at Vandenberg Space Force Base.Transporter-8 is SpaceX’s eighth dedicated smallsat rideshare mission. There will be 72 payloads on this flight, including CubeSats, MicroSats, a re-entry capsule, and orbital transfer vehicles carrying spacecraft to be deployed at a later time. A live webcast of this mission will begin about 15 minutes prior to liftoff.
Chris Bergin - NSF@NASASpaceflightElon says the next Starship launch is in 6-8 weeks.And this is where the replies to that timeline are all "No chance, bruv!" 😅Not impossible. Pad mods are in the final stage now. Ship 25 is about to Static Fire. Install steel plates and deluge system, do some OLM testing. Get the Tank Farm ready to rock and roll. Rollout Booster 9. Static Fire B9. Stack the vehicles. More testing. FAA says "Ye!" Send it.Quote TweetElon Musk@elonmusk·9h
