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SpaceX Readies Starship for March Test Flight · Elon Musk Podcast

• 0:01
  Hey everybody, welcome back to the Elon Musk Podcast.
• 0:05
  This is a show where we discuss the critical Crossroads, The
• 0:08
  Shape, SpaceX, Tesla X, The Boring Company, and Neuralink,
• 0:13
  and I'm your host, Will Walden. If you want uninterrupted
• 0:17
  episodes of the Elon Musk podcast, please go to
• 0:20
  clubelon.supercast.com to find out how there's a link in the
• 0:26
  show notes. SpaceX is poised for a March
• 0:29
  launch of its Starship rocket, as revealed by company CEO Elon
• 0:33
  Musk. And this development comes after
• 0:35
  a period of intense preparation at Spacex's Texas facility,
• 0:39
  where the latest rocket, booster and ship was recently
• 0:42
  transported to the launchpad, marking a significant milestone
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  for the upcoming third test flight, known as Starship
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  Integrated Test Flight, or IFT 3.
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  Now, recent footage from local media and Spacex's social media
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  channels showcase the Starship Super Heavy rocket booster and
• 0:58
  its second stage position on the launchpad undergoing preliminary
• 1:02
  launch procedures following the assembly of the second stage
• 1:05
  atop the booster, the booster and the rocket were subsequently
• 1:09
  dismantled to facilitate work on the booster's upper segment near
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  the stage separation ring, which is that innovative feature
• 1:15
  introduced following a prior launch mishap.
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  Now the stage separation ring, a novel addition to the Starship
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  design was implemented after the inaugural test flight
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  encountered a critical failure during the separation of the 1st
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  and 2nd stages, culminating in an in flight explosion.
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  Now this incident underscored the importance of continuous
• 1:35
  enhancements in the raucous design to ensure the success of
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  future missions. Now, despite the anticipation
• 1:41
  that followed the 2nd Starship test, flight updates on testing
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  activities at Boca Chica Starbase have been sparse in
• 1:47
  2024. However, it is now confirmed the
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  SpaceX plan to conduct in space propellant transfer test later
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  this year in addition to 1/3 and subsequent test flight.
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  Now the succession of the test flight forms the core strategy
• 2:01
  of Starships program along SpaceX to gather valuable data
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  to refine and improve its rockets for forthcoming
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  missions. This iterative testing process
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  is crucial for the advancement of the program.
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  Now a resurgent of activity around a resurgence of activity
• 2:17
  around the Starship project has been noted, Elon Musk providing
• 2:20
  a new timeline for the third test flight.
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  Initially stated for February, the flight was postponed due to
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  the FA as disclosure the SpaceX had yet to submit certain
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  documents from the 2nd test flight indicating a potential
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  delay. Now Musk responded to an inquiry
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  from rapper Easy indicated that the next test flight is
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  scheduled to occur in about 3 weeks, confirming that February
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  will not see the starship's third flight attempt.
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  This time might suggest a launch in March, nearly a year after
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  the program's first Test flight of the installation of a new
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  water value system on the launchpad.
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  Of course, following the initial test flight significantly
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  impacted the testing schedule, resulting in only two flights in
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  2023. And despite this, Spacex's
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  commitment to a hardware rich program remains unwavering.
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  Speculation about the construction of an additional
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  launch site at Spacex's Texas facilities suggests that future
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  Starship launches could occur more frequently, contingent upon
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  FAA approval. Now the current regulatory
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  framework allows only one test per authorization, underscoring
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  the FA as cautious approach to certifying the world's largest
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  rocket flight. Now, Elon Musk's recent
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  statement on social media platform X, where he advised
• 3:32
  waiting for additional tests before boarding, highlights the
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  imminent nature of the third test flight.
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  This interaction with EZ reflects the long standing
• 3:41
  rapport between the two public figures and underscores the
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  broader interest in Spacex's endeavors.
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  Now Starship, which is designed to transport humans and cargo to
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  the Moon, Mars and beyond, comprises a super heavy first
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  stage and a 165 foot tall upper stage spacecraft, both powered
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  by Spacex's Raptor engines. The vehicle's design emphasizes
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  full and rapid reusability, which is a cornerstone of
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  Spacex's vision for the future of space exploration.
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  Now to date, Starship has completed two test flights with
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  the first ending and a controlled detonation due to
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  multiple issues including the failure of stage separation and
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  the second flight demonstrated improved performance, though it
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  ultimately resulted in the destruction of both stages.
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  Now, preparation for the third flight has been ongoing, with
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  recent activities including the rollout and assembly of both
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  Starship stages at the orbital launch mount.
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  However, the FAA's ongoing investigation into the previous
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  launches events leaves the timing the next license
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  uncertain. Buskas hinted at future
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  iterations of Starship, suggesting that the rocket will
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  grow in size by 10 to 15 meters in its third version.
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  This evolution reflects Spacex's ambition to continually enhance
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  the rocket's capabilities. Recent progress on the Third
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  Flight's readiness includes the Full Assembly Booster 10 and
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  Ship 28 on a launchpad, with upcoming Rd. closures indicating
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  a potential wet dress rehearsal for these components in the
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  coming days. Now, this step is crucial for
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  validating the rocket's readiness for flight, and the
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  assembly process for Booster 10 in Ship 28 was completed within
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  56 hours, and that shows that SpaceX has inability to maintain
• 5:19
  a rapid case in operations. There's a critical factor for
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  increasing the flight cadence of Starship for future launches to
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  the Moon and to Mars. Now modification to the liquid
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  oxygen, the Locks Tank and Booster 10, including the
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  addition of slosh baffles, demonstrates Spacex's responsive
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  approach to addressing issues encountered in previous flights,
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  such as the Booster 9 failure. And these wet dress rehearsals,
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  both partial and full, will test the rocket and its support
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  systems, including significant changes to the tank farm.
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  These rehearsals are essential for ensuring the rocket systems
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  function as intended for streamlining the loaded process.
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  Now, despite the temporary destacking of Ship 28 from
• 6:00
  Booster 10 to address potential clamp issues, the rapid
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  restacking indicates Spacex's efficiency in resolving
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  technical challenges, and this readiness sets the stage for the
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  WDR test campaign and moves the Starship program closer to its
• 6:14
  next major milestone. I FT3.
• 6:18
  Hey thank. You so much for listening today.
• 6:20
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