Space

A Rare And Spectacular Launch Phenomenon

There is a period of time when the sun has just set where conditions are perfect to illuminate a rocket high in Earth’s atmosphere as it ascends while it is nearly dark down on the ground where people are watching.

Conditions have to be perfect for this to happen: skies need to be relatively clear between you and the rocket, the Sun can’t be blocked by clouds between it and the rocket and it has to happen at just the right time of day. All that came together tonight here on the Space Coast, giving spectators a spectacular “jellyfish” that was the best in about two years. Rare indeed.

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Starlink 6-59 after staging. From L-R: Booster B1062, the two fairings used to shield the payload and the second stage.
Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT

In perhaps the most vivid launch for spectators so far in 2024, SpaceX launched another twenty-three Starlink Mini V2 satellites to orbit after successfully launching the Starlink 6-59 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station this evening.

Liftoff was at 08:32 PM EDT. Around 8.3 minutes after liftoff, the first-stage booster used for the mission, tail number B1062, touched down safely on ASDS ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas’, stationed downrange in the Atlantic Ocean. After landing, B1062 has now flown to space for a record-setting twenty-one times.

Tonight’s launch came one minute after the official end of civil twilight, meaning that when Falcon 9 gained enough altitude, it left Earth’s shadow and was brightly lit by the sun while it was nearly dark on the ground.

This effect is often referred to as a “jellyfish,” and for launch spectators, it is a spectacular yet rare sight to see. “This was probably the best “jellyfish” effect I’ve seen since Inspiration4,” said accomplished launch photographer and Polaris Program Content Director John Kraus on X.com this evening. Kraus is not one to exaggerate, and in any case, he was exactly right: this was a spectacular launch that wowed everyone who saw it in person.

What’s A “Jellyfish?”

There is a period of time when the sun has just set where conditions are perfect to illuminate a rocket high in Earth’s atmosphere as it ascends while it is nearly dark down on the ground where people are watching.

Conditions have to be perfect for this to happen: skies need to be relatively clear between you and the rocket, the Sun can’t be blocked by clouds between it and the rocket and it has to happen at just the right time of day. All that came together tonight here on the Space Coast, giving spectators a spectacular “jellyfish” that was the best in about two years. Rare indeed.

If you’ve ever been outside in the gloaming and seen a plane fly overheard still brightly lit by the Sun, you’ve seen the same thing. Some nights, the plane is leacing a contrail and it too is brightly lit. The sun is still above the the horizon from the plane’s perspective, but down below it has already set.

If that happens during a rocket launch, you get to see the rocket brightly lit as it climbs, and you also get to see a gaseous plume from the rocket’s engines brightly illuminated. The higher a rocket is, the lower the pressure of the atmosphere, so the exhaust plume expands to enormous proportions that can appear larger than your extended hand (or even two!) as you look up.

This diagram can help one understand the timing of a launch jellyfish,

Booster B1062.20

Booster 1062 completed its twenty-first mission today after it landed on ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas.’ The drone-ship and booster stage will return to Port Canaveral after several days, where it will be offloaded, transported to Hangar X at Kennedy Space Center and refurbished for its next flight.

Falcon 9’s flight path as seen from Cocoa Village
Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT
FlightMissionDate
1GPS III SV04
Sacagawea
November 05, 2020
2GPS III SV05
Neil Armstrong
June 17, 2021
3Inspiration 4September 16, 2021
4Starlink 4-5January 06, 2022
5Axiom-1April 08, 2022
6Starlink 4-16April 29, 2022
7Nilesat-301June 08, 2022
8Starlink 4-25July 24, 2022
9Starlink 4-27August 19, 2022
10Starlink 4-36October 20, 2022
11Starlink 5-1December 28, 2022
12Starlink 5-4February12, 2023
13OneWeb 17March 9, 2023
14ArabSat 7BMay 27, 2023
15Starlink 6-7July 28, 2023
16Starlink 6-23October 18. 2023
17Starlink 6-30November 28, 2023
18Starlink 6-38January 29, 2024
19Starlink 6-44March 15, 2024
20Starlink 6-49April 13, 2024
21Starlink 6-59May 17, 2024
Booster 1062 flight record as of May 17, 2024

Launch Replay

Interesting Stats

  • 52nd SpaceX launch this year
  • 24th launch from SLC-40 this year
  • 4 days, 23:39:00 turnaround for this pad
  • 363rd SpaceX launch all time
  • 309th Falcon Family Booster landing
  • 265th consecutive successful Falcon 9 launch (excluding Amos-6)
  • 1st booster to fly 21 successful missions
  • 71st landing on ASOG

Next Launch

Next Thursday, SpaceX plans to launch another set of satellites for Starlink Group 6. This will essentially repeat tonight’s mission, and Falcon 9 will travel on a well-flown path to the southeast as it delivers more members of its low-Earth orbit constellation that provides Internet access to underserved markets.

Mission: Starlink 6-62
Date: NET May 23, 2024
Organization: SpaceX
Rocket: Falcon 9
Launch Site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
Launch Window: 06:45 PM – 10:45 PM EDT
Payload: 23 communications satellites
As of May 17, 2024. Subject to change without notice.

Keep up with launch news and other space events that affect the local area by subscribing to alerts when we publish a new article by entering your email at the link at the bottom of this page, or by visiting Space Talk here on the website. It’s free and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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Starliner waits.
Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT

After a day of speculation and probably leaks of the information on background, NASA, Boeing and United Launch Alliance have announced that they are pushing the schedule back another four days for the Crewed Flight Test of Starliner. The launching will be “no earlier than 3:09 p.m. EDT Saturday, May 25, for the flight test carrying NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to the International Space Station,” according to a release from NASA.

As to the reason for the new delay, NASA stated:

“The additional time allows teams to further assess a small helium leak in the Boeing Starliner spacecraft’s service module traced to a flange on a single reaction control system thruster. Pressure testing performed on May 15 on the spacecraft’s helium system showed the leak in the flange is stable and would not pose a risk at that level during the flight. The testing also indicated the rest of the thruster system is sealed effectively across the entire service module. Boeing teams are working to develop operational procedures to ensure the system retains sufficient performance capability and appropriate redundancy during the flight. As that work proceeds, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program and the International Space Station Program will take the next few days to review the data and procedures to make a final determination before proceeding to flight countdown.

NASA, Boeing Now Working Toward May 25 Launch of Crew Flight Test

Reading between the lines, it seems that the leak has not been repaired but is instead “stable.” NASA and Boeing now have to “assess” whether this is an acceptable condition for flight. That decision will be made in the next few days and then everyone will have a better idea of when Starliner can launch with crew aboard for the first time.

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SpaceX plans to launch a Falcon 9 carrying the Starlink 6-59 mission to orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral on Friday night. The launch window is planned for 08:32 PM EDT and extends to 11:30 PM EDT. If the mission does not take place tomorrow, SpaceX says that the backup launch window is “Saturday, May 18 starting at 8:06 PM EDT.”

The first stage booster will land downrange around 8.5 minutes after liftoff, so there won’t be a sonic boom on the Space Coast.

Payload

23 Starlink satellites, to be used in SpaceX’s orbital-based Internet service. They are manufactured at SpaceX’s Starlink manufacturing facility in Redmond, Washington.

Deployment of Starlink satellites. Photo: SpaceX

Each Starlink V2 Mini weighs an estimated 800 kilograms, and is estimated to be 4.1 meters (13 ft) by 2.7 meters (8 ft 10 in) in size with a total array of 120 m2 (1,300 sq ft). Those numbers are estimates only, and SpaceX has not released the exact dimensions of the Starlink family of satellites.

According to Dr. Jonathon McDowell of Harvard’s Center for Astrophysics, roughly 6,000 Starlink satellites are in orbit. Starlink serves about 2.7 million customers in 75 countries worldwide.

Weather

 As summer begins on the Space Coast, the chance for weather complications to affect launches starts to rise and that is reflected in the 45th Weather Squadron’s forecast: “For Friday, models now suggest the boundary will return to the north with enough moisture for a few more showers and storms during the afternoon hours on the inland moving sea breeze. Though best chances will be inland of the Spaceport by the late afternoon, west-northwest steering flow will push some of this back towards the coast along with any associated anvil clouds.”

In other words, as Talk of Titusville publisher Michael Lynch says about launch forecasts, “It’s complicated.” That said, don’t be surprised if there are shifts in the L-0 time Friday evening, or in the event of a scrub, Saturday evening as well.

Sky Cover

The National Weather Center forecasts that roughly 45% of the sky will be covered by clouds at the beginning of tomorrow evening’s launch window. These estimates are often hit-or-miss and are highly local, but are interesting if you are planning to view the launch in person.

Via: NOAA

Trajectory

Falcon 9 will take a southeasterly direction tonight, as is customary for Group 6 Starlink missions.

Given that the flight is immediately offshore with no return to launch site, there will be no sonic boom from the launch on the Space Coast.

Booster: B1062

FlightMissionDate
1GPS III SV04
Sacagawea
November 05, 2020
2GPS III SV05
Neil Armstrong
June 17, 2021
3Inspiration 4September 16, 2021
4Starlink 4-5January 06, 2022
5Axiom-1April 08, 2022
6Starlink 4-16April 29, 2022
7Nilesat-301June 08, 2022
8Starlink 4-25July 24, 2022
9Starlink 4-27August 19, 2022
10Starlink 4-36October 20, 2022
11Starlink 5-1December 28, 2022
12Starlink 5-4February12, 2023
13OneWeb 17March 9, 2023
14ArabSat 7BMay 27, 2023
15Starlink 6-7July 28, 2023
16Starlink 6-23October 18. 2023
17Starlink 6-30November 28, 2023
18Starlink 6-38January 29, 2024
19Starlink 6-44March 15, 2024
20Starlink 6-49April 13, 2024
Booster 1062 flight record as of April 13, 2024

Countdown Timeline

There are key events in the countdown that you may hear called out.

SpaceX provides the following countdown milestones on their mission information page:

Hours:Minutes:SecondsEvent
00:38:00SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for propellant load
00:35:00RP-1 (rocket grade kerosene) loading begins
00:35:001st stage LOX (liquid oxygen) loading begins
00:16:002nd stage LOX loading begins
00:07:00Falcon 9 begins engine chill prior to launch
00:01:00Command flight computer to begin final prelaunch checks
00:01:00Propellant tank pressurization to flight pressure begins
00:00:45SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for launch
00:00:03Engine controller commands engine ignition sequence to start
00:00:00Falcon 9 liftoff
Typical SpaceX countdown timeline is presented for information purposes only.
A nighttime Falcon 9 liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40
Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT

Timeline of Falcon 9 Flight

SpaceX has published a timeline of expected events during the mission:

Hours:Minutes:SecondsEvent
00:00:00Liftoff
00:01:11Max-Q (Moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket)
00:02:261st stage main engine cutoff (MECO)
00:02:301st and 2nd stages separate
00:02:362nd stage engine starts (SES-1)
00:02:56Fairing deployment
00:06:091st stage entry burn begins
00:06:331st stage entry burn ends
00:07:591st stage landing burn begins
00:08:221st stage landing
00:08:412nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-1)
00:54:082nd stage engine starts (SES-2)
00:54:102nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-2)
01:05:17Starlink satellites deploy
via: SpaceX

All events up to the end of the 1st stage entry burn should be visible for launch spectators watching the launch in person, so long as clouds are not blocking the viewer’s line of sight. Fairing separation is generally only visible during daytime launches and then only using advanced optics like high-powered binoculars or a super-telephoto lens (500mm+).

Launch Viewing: In Person

This evening’s planned launch is from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral, which means that the best direct views of liftoff are: 

You can also view from these locations, as long as they are open. Call ahead to be sure:

  • The Space Bar (6245 Riverfront Center Boulevard, Titusville, FL 32780)
    • On top of the Courtyard by Marriott just off of Kennedy Parkway, the Space Bar has an elevated view of the launch pad as well as food and drinks available. TSB is run by the same company that operates the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Center and is across the bridge from KSCVC.
  • Shiloh’s Steak and Seafood (3665 S Washington Ave, Titusville, FL 32780)
    • Casual fine dining, with an outdoor deck overlooking the Indian River and launch pads beyond that.
  • New York New York (5401 Riveredge Dr, Titusville, FL 32780)
    • A local’s go-to for a casual tiki bar on the riverfront without a lot of fuss, but with a very friendly staff. Their kitchen closes at 6:30 PM EDT, so if you’d like to have dinner, get there before 6 PM or so.

Other Viewing Locations

Cocoa Beach, Cocoa Beach PierJetty Park Pier will have indirect views, meaning that liftoff will not be visible, but after the rocket clears the pad and any ground obstructions, you will be able to see Falcon 9 ascending clearly assuming there are no clouds between you and the rocket.

Be prepared for potential changes or pushbacks in the launch schedule, and keep up by monitoring the live stream links mentioned above.

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Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT

The target launch date for Boeing’s oft-delayed CST-100 Starliner capsule has been shifted again. The Crewed Flight Test of the vehicle is now targeted for May 21 at 4:14 PM EDT.

According to Boeing, “Starliner teams are working to resolve a small helium leak detected in the spacecraft’s service module traced to a flange on a single reaction control system thruster. Helium is used in spacecraft thruster systems to allow the thrusters to fire and is not combustible or toxic.”

Atlas V Valve Issue Has Been Repaired

This comes after a scrub on May 6 due to a valve issue with United Launch Alliance’s Centaur upper stage of the Atlas V booster. This necessitated the vehicle being rolled back from the launch pad to the Vertical Integration Facility (VIF) at Space Launch Complex 41. Boeing says that the valve repairs on the Centaur stage are now complete, which implies that the sole reason for the new delay is the new issue with Starliner.

“On May 11, the ULA team successfully replaced a pressure regulation valve on the liquid oxygen tank on the Atlas V rocket’s Centaur upper stage. The team also performed re-pressurization and system purges, and tested the new valve, which performed normally,” Boeing said in today’s release.

Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT

CFT Astronauts Are Back In Houston

Boeing also says that “NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, still in preflight quarantine, returned to Houston on May 10 to spend extra time with their families as prelaunch operations progress.”

 

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SpaceX placed another twenty-three Starlink Mini V2 satellites in orbit after successfully launching the Starlink 6-58 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station this evening.

Liftoff was at 08:53 PM EDT. Around 8.5 minutes after liftoff, the first-stage booster used for the mission, tail number B1073, touched down safely on ASDS ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas’, stationed downrange in the Atlantic Ocean. About roughly an hour after liftoff, the satellites were deployed in their intended orbits and the mission deemed a success.

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The view from New York New York in Titusville of tonight’s launch.
Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT

SpaceX placed another twenty-three Starlink Mini V2 satellites in orbit after successfully launching the Starlink 6-58 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station this evening.

Liftoff was at 08:53 PM EDT. Around 8.5 minutes after liftoff, the first-stage booster used for the mission, tail number B1073, touched down safely on ASDS ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas’, stationed downrange in the Atlantic Ocean. About roughly an hour after liftoff, the satellites were deployed in their intended orbits and the mission deemed a success.

According to Jonathon McDowell,“The reentry of S-2601 earlier today means that there are only 5999 Starlinks in orbit following today’s launch, not 6000 as some were predicting.” Still, 5,999 is an incredible number, with the 6,000 benchmark just over the horizon — SpaceX has Starlink missions slated in the next couple of weeks.

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A SpaceX Starship on its launch pad in Texas
Photo: SpaceX

The public will have their opportunity to learn more about the Environmental Impact Statement that is getting underway for SpaceX’s plant to launch its Starship rocket from Pad LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center.

During those meetings, people can learn more about the proposed activity in an open house information station format, where the FAA will provide information describing the purpose of the scoping meetings, project schedule, opportunities for public involvement, Proposed Action and alternatives summary, and environmental resource area summary. The meetings will not be hearings, instead, they are designed to provide information.

Meeting Information

June 12, 2024, 2pm-4pm and 6pm-8pm (Eastern)
IN-PERSON
Radisson Cape Canaveral, Jamaica Room
8701 Astronaut Blvd
Cape Canaveral, FL 32920

June 13, 2024, 6pm-8pm (Eastern)
IN-PERSON
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
Space Commerce Way
Merritt Island, FL 32953

June 17, 2024, 6pm-8pm (Eastern)
VIRTUAL / ONLINE
URL and call-in information will be provided prior to the meeting at https://www.faa.gov/space/stakeholder_engagement/spacex_starship_ksc

Opportunity For Written Comments

Submitting Written Comments:

According to today’s press relase, “The FAA invites interested agencies, organizations, Native American Tribes, and members of the public to submit comments to inform the FAA on the significant issues to be analyzed in depth in the EIS (e.g., range of actions, alternatives, environmental impacts). The public scoping period starts with the publication of the Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS in the Federal Register. To ensure sufficient time to consider issues identified during the public scoping period, comments should be submitted by one of the methods listed below no later than June 24, 2024. All comments will receive the same attention and consideration in the preparation of the EIS.”

“Comments, statements, or questions concerning scoping issues must be identified with the Docket Number FAA-2024-1395 and may be provided to the FAA as follows:

  • Federal E-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Retrieve the docket by conducting a search for “FAA-2024-1395” and follow the online instructions for submitting comments. Please note that the FAA will post all comments on the Internet without changes, including any personal information provided.
  • By U.S. mail to Ms. Eva Long, FAA Environmental Protection Specialist, c/o Leidos, 2877 Guardian Lane, Virginia Beach, VA 23452.”
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SpaceX Starship lifting off on the IFT-2 test from Boca Chica Texas. Photo: Richard P. Gallagher, Florida Media Now
SpaceX Starship lifting off on the IFT-2 test from Boca Chica Texas.
Photo: Richard P. Gallagher, Florida Media Now
SpaceX Starship lifting off on the IFT-2 test from Boca Chica Texas. Photo: Richard P. Gallagher, Florida Media Now

The Federal Aviation Administration, NASA and other parties have published a notice of intent to conduct an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for SpaceX Starship launches from Pad LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center, where it anticipates up to forty-four launches and landing at the facility.

A partially completed tower for those launches already stands at LC-39A, but construction was seemingly halted several months ago, and the launch pad was not finished. Now, it appears that plans are still very much active not only to launch Starship from Pad LC-39A, but also potentially from SLC-37 or a new launch pad, SLC-50, at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. An Environmental Impact Statement for the potential Cape Canaveral facility is already underway, with the initial public information portion already concluded. The draft for that study is expected late this year.

This Notice provides information to Federal, State, and local agencies; Native American tribes; and other interested persons regarding the FAA’s intent to prepare an EIS to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of issuing a commercial launch Vehicle Operator License to SpaceX for the Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle at Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida. SpaceX proposes to construct launch, landing, and other associated infrastructure at and in proximity to LC-39A. The proposal would also include Starship-Super Heavy launches at LC-39A; recoverable Super Heavy booster and Starship landings at LC-39A or on a droneship; and expendable Super Heavy booster and Starship landings in the ocean.

Via Federal Register

Starship tower under construction in 2022
Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT
Starship tower under construction in 2022 Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT

At this time, there has been no statement from any party as to whether this new EIS will affect the plans for the potential Starship facility being studied for Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. It could be one or the other, or most likely, both, given the high cadence of launches that SpaceX is planning for Starship.

Talk of Titusville contacted media officials at Kennedy Space Center regarding the timeline of the EIS, but they have not responded as of this time. Generally, an EIS period is between 6-12 months, but whether that is the case with the Starship EIS remains to be seen.

What Is An Environmental Impact Statement?

“The environmental impact statement (EIS) is a government document that outlines the impact of a proposed project on its surrounding environment. In the United States, these statements are mandated by federal law for certain projects. Environmental impact statements are meant to inform the work and decisions of policymakers and community leaders.”

“In the United States at the federal level, an EIS is a report mandated by the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), to assess the potential impact of actions “significantly affecting the quality of the human environment.” This requirement under NEPA does not prohibit harm to the environment, but rather requires advanced identification and disclosure of harm. Examples include building, clean-up, and infrastructure projects. But the NEPA mandate is broader. Development projects that constitute major federal action, as defined by law, including those that use federal land, federal tax dollars, or are under federal agency jurisdiction, are required to assess the impact of a proposed project on the physical, cultural, and human environments affected by the proposed project. “

American Bar Association

Today’s new filing adds some depth, “In September 2019, NASA completed a Final Environmental Assessment for the SpaceX Starship and Super Heavy Launch Vehicle at Kennedy Space Center to evaluate the potential environmental impacts resulting from construction and operations associated with the utilization of LC-39A for the SpaceX Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle in practical applications.”

Additionally, “SpaceX now proposes to construct additional launch infrastructure not previously contemplated in the 2019 EA: a Super Heavy booster catch tower, a natural gas liquefaction system and air separation unit for propellant generation, and stormwater/deluge ponds. SpaceX also proposes to launch an advanced design of the Starship and Super Heavy vehicle (up to nine raptor engines for Starship and up to 35 raptor engines for the Super Heavy booster), operate at a projected higher launch tempo (up to 44 launches per year), and land the Super Heavy booster at LC-39A in support of its reusability concept. Starship landings are no longer proposed to occur at Landing Zone 1 at CCSFS.”

Accompanying propellant storage and distribution pipelines would also need to be constructed, especially if the launch cadence cited in the notice comes to pass. That, and SpaceX will need to construct fabrication, storage and refurbishment facilities for both the booster (the “Super Heavy” first stage) and the Starship, the now-familiar spacecraft that at first glance resembles a rocket from a 1950’s science fiction film.

Altogether, that would mean a lot of construction, along with the personnel to do the work. Afterward, a substantial number of people would also need to launch and maintain the Starship systems. All told, this could lead to significant economic activity on the Space Coast.

Starship At a Glance

Starship in flight in 2023. Photo by Richard Gallagher / Florida Media Now
Starship in flight in 2023. Photo by Richard Gallagher / Florida Media Now

Currently under development near Brownville, Texas, Starship is the largest and most powerful rocket ever built. According to SpaceX, it will be fully reusable, and capable of lifting 150 tons of payload to orbit in a reusable configuration, and 250 tons when it is configured as a conventional expendable rocket.

Current Starship designs are 397 feet tall, and 29.5 feet in diameter, producing some 16.7 million pounds of thrust at liftoff.

By comparison, the Saturn V rockets used for the Apollo Program were 362 feet tall, and produced 7.6 million pounds of thrust. By any measure, Starship is a huge rocket with immense power, and its launches and returns will be heard across the Space Coast.

Similar to how SpaceX Falcon 9 completes in many of its launches today, the Starship booster would return to land at its launch site when its task for the mission has been completed. Unlike Falcon 9, which lands at a landing area close by, Starship would return to its pad, where it would be grappled by “chopsticks” as it completed its final approach.

Starship is planned to be a fully reusable vehicle, meaning that its second stage (often simply called “the ship” in SpaceX parlance) would reenter and return to land at its launch pad using the same chopsticks as the booster.

Starship is still somewhat early in its development, with three test launches so far, and a fourth on the plate for the next few weeks. Along with SLS, it is a vehicle integral to Project Artemis, this time in the role of being the Human Landing System. HLS is where astronauts will land, live and work on the lunar surface, with the forward plan being for extended stays.

NASA rendering of the Artemis Human Landing System — a Starship variant — on the lunar surface.
Credit: NASA

2024 Document

You can read the notification document released today in the Federal Register (original link is above) from the link below:

Final Environmental Assessment for the SpaceX Starship and 
Super Heavy Launch Vehicle at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) 

If you are interested in reading the 2019 EIS that is mentioned above, here it is:

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Artist’s rendition of Dream Chaser Tenacity on orbit.
Graphic: Sierra Space

The maiden flight of Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser is a step closer to happening, according to a statement released by the company today. In a press release, Sierra said that that Tenacity — the first flight model of Dream Chaser– ashieved “the successful completion of a rigorous environmental test suite on the Dream Chaser spaceplane, at NASA’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, Ohio.”

“Successful completion of an incredibly rigorous environmental testing campaign in close partnership with NASA is a significant milestone and puts Dream Chaser on track for operations later this year,” said Sierra Space CEO, Tom Vice. “This is the year that we transition from rigorous research and development to regular orbital operations and – in doing so – transform the way we connect space and Earth.”

Dream Chaser Tenacity
Photo: Sierra Space

Tenacity underwent shock, vibration, and thermal vacuum testing at Armstrong to verify its abilities to withstand the rigors of ascent aboard a United Launch Alliance Vulcan-Centaur rocket, as well as on-orbit operations after separation from the rocket that boosted it to orbit. The testing took several months and was recently completed, leading to the company’s announcement today.

Sierra Space said that, “The two vehicles were then stacked in launch configuration on the world’s most powerful spacecraft shaker table inside the test center’s Mechanical Vibration Facility. Sine vibration testing – conducted over a five-week period – simulated the intense conditions and environment of a launch on a Vulcan Centaur rocket.”

“After vibe testing concluded, the teams conducted another shock test – this time with the flight separation system between Dream Chaser and Shooting Star – to simulate the dynamic environment during separation of the two vehicles prior to de-orbit and re-entry.”

They added, “Next, the Sierra Space and NASA test teams transported the vehicles to the In-Space Propulsion Facility at Armstrong for thermal vacuum or “T-VAC” testing.

“Temperatures in space can range from the extremely cold – hundreds of degrees below freezing – to several hundred degrees Fahrenheit due to radiation from the sun. TVAC testing is a realistic thermal simulation of the flight environment and critical to ensuring mission success,” Sierra said.

“For more than five weeks, Dream Chaser and Shooting Star were subjected to multiple cold-hot cycles in a vacuum environment, between -150F to +250F, with teams conducting functional tests at temperature plateaus to verify system performance. “

Next, Tenacity will be transported to the Space Systems Processing Facility (SSPF) at Kennedy Space Center for integration and further preparations for launch. According to Sierra, “Remaining work on the thermal protection system will also be completed there.”

A Blue Origin BE-4 being mated to ULA’s second Vulcan Rocket, dubbed CERT-2 in April, 2024
Photo: Tory Bruno on X.

After those steps are completed, the launch campaign can begin in earnest. Sierra Space says that they remain on track for a 2024 launch of Tenacity, and for their part of the mission, United Launch Alliance is finishing assembly of the Vulcan-Centaur rocket that will deliver Tenacity to orbit.

If successful, this second flight will complete Vulcan’s certification for Department of Defense payloads, giving the mission additional importance above and beyond Dream Chaser’s debut. Currently, the launch is slated for late Q3 or early Q4 of this year.

Vulcan CERT-1 launching earlier this year.
Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT
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