For the second time in two weeks, SpaceX has rolled a ‘Starship-derived’ propellant to the first orbital launch pad of the next-generation rocket, continuing a recent burst of construction activity.
Just two weeks ago, SpaceX rolled the first of those massive ground support equipment (GSE) propellant tanks the 2.5 miles from its Boca Chica missile factory to a nearby launch complex. Built with the same parts, facilities and equipment as Starship’s flight-worthy prototypes, SpaceX’s plans to build grounded storage tanks from rocket parts went from a complete surprise to the first hardware delivery in less than two months.
Two weeks later, SpaceX has already completed the second of at least seven similar or identical tanks that should be able to store enough propellant for two back-to-back orbital Starship launches – and a third ‘GSE’ tank is only a week or so . behind it.
As discussed earlier on Teslarati, SpaceX’s decision to use a literal rocket plant to build custom propellant storage tanks is surprisingly revealing with a few reasonable assumptions.
SpaceX basically takes interchangeable Starship parts, slightly modifies a handful of them, and turns what could have been a rocket into a propellant storage tank. This is significant because compared to all other rockets in history, even including SpaceX’s own Falcon 9 and Heavy, it would be to build storage tanks with unmodified rocket parts on a rocket assembly line. roughly comparable to hiring Vincent van Gogh to paint lanes
The existence of self-built propellant storage tanks that are nearly identical to flight-worthy Starship hulls all but guarantees that SpaceX is already building spaceships for a few million dollars each – and possibly much less.
Teslarati.com – April 6, 2021
In addition to being potentially dirt-cheap bulk storage tanks that almost guarantee that SpaceX can produce Starship and its Super Heavy boosters for pennies on the dollar of any other rocket in history, SpaceX is quick to show that it can build a lot of them – and fast. Parts of Starship prototypes SN17 through SN20 and Super Heavy boosters BN2 and BN3 continue to slowly ooze out of SpaceX’s factory, and Starship SN16 is steadily progressing towards completion to take over where SN15 stops.
However, at least a majority of SpaceX’s focus appears to be on mass production of propellant storage tanks as soon as possible to prepare Starship’s orbital launch pad – deep in the structure – for flight testing with Super Heavy. Last month, CEO Elon Musk confirmed, following a report from NASASpaceflight.com, that SpaceX plans to try Starship’s first launch on a Super Heavy booster as early as July 2021 – just three months from now.
For obvious reasons, the odds are stacked tightly against SpaceX attempting Starship’s first orbital launch within months, although such an attempt would still be extremely impressive if it happens at all in 2021. To even attempt that extraordinarily ambitious feat, SpaceX will need to complete at least a ‘rough sketch’ of its planned orbital launch complex, including at least four Starship-style GSE tanks.
To that end, GSE tank # 3 (GSE-3) has already been more than half completed and parts of GSE-4 are in use, which likely means SpaceX will have enough propellant storage capacity for Starship’s orbital launch attempts within a month. now. It remains to be seen if SpaceX will power tanks 5 through 7 after 3 and 4 are completed, or if the focus will shift back to producing Starship and Super Heavy prototypes.
Regardless, SpaceX is not wasting time building a brand new super-heavy launch pad and tank park unlike anything seen before. For now, we’ll have to wait and see how long it will take for Starship and Super Heavy to catch up.