How SpaceX's Starship Chopsticks Work?

The Starship pad at Kennedy Space Center might be more different than you thought! Let’s dive right in!

#shorts #spacex #starship

Editing: Stefanie Schlang
Photography: Kevin Randolph, aka Chief

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Credit:

⭐SpaceX
⭐NASA
⭐SpaceX 3D Creation Eccentric on YouTube:

📄Links for this Episode:

[justkirt]

Next chopstick design: remove the entire mechanism, the best part is no part

[justRD]

The only comment I have on their accuracy is this…. The tower and chopsticks will be in the same place every time. The drone ships are moving and pitching on the ocean. I’m sure a non-moving target makes for easier feedback controls.

[DavidWWhite]

I forget who said it, I think it was you, but it makes sense that these chopsticks are shorter so that they can only be used for stacking a launch vehicle but that the landing will not take place at that same Tower. There was talk about a new landing Zone being built and more Tower segments being constructed for a second tower that will be specifically for catching the boosters and starships. If that's true, it makes perfect sense that they don't want the possibility of a ship or booster in the middle of landing to have a catastrophic failure and destroy that lunch area compromising our ability to get to space even with a falcon rocket.

[davelucas]

Maybe one megazilla with short chopsticks for launches and another, with longer chopsticks for landings?

[NorthernChev]

I think SpaceX is gonna crash a LOT of Boosters trying to figure this out.

[_MaxHeadroom_]

For me the whole catching Super Heavy idea is one of those I'll believe it when I see it deals. It's so hard to imagine being able to catch what amounts to a 20+ story building out of the air. Even if it did work, just one failure could shut down the launch stand for a bit until it's repaired.

[kenhazelbaker]

Felix, a great production today!
I especially enjoyed all the comparison graphics - keep up the great work.
You and Marcus are tops!

[ofekpearl]

Although I agree with you and don't think they will catch the boosters there, Falcon cannot hover, while Starship can, therefore may be more precise. Maybe.

[AndyOO]

depends if you want to try to catch with them or not, so long as you aren't trying to catch a rocket you are good with the Florida ones my bet is they saw the risk of dmg to the launch sight as more risk than it was worth and will build another with longer arms in a more explosion save area further away from the Falcon 9 launch pad

[crowguy]

The short sticks might instead be just easier to maneuver and hover around .If the booster does the work the sticks might just be an obstacle.

[jonny]

So here we are one year and 3 starship flights later and this video shows back up on my fyp

[sgfx]

The minor miscalculation in the rocket's landing on the barge is not due to an error in its trajectory, but rather the barge's attempt to remain in the correct location while contending with wind and currents. Contrary to popular belief, the arms don't need to be as long as one might assume, as the closer to the tower the rocket gets, the stronger the arms are. Landing any further out would be a weight-to-leverage issue, as longer arms are heavier arms, thus creating more problems. According to Elon Musk, the booster will be able to hover for a few moments, giving it time to accurately position itself.

[theguyfromsaturn]

The chopstick length reduction may be to reduce moments at the connection. The shorter the moment arm, the smaller the bending moment and stress on components. If you believe you can effectively control the position sufficiently, it can make sense. It still weird to do it without a first catch at Boca Chica

[hpolig]

Falcon 9 can not hover, Starship and booster can do it.

[Freederick]

At sea they are often times hitting a moving target

[LionLeatherworks]

I assume it’s easier to control on land vs the barge at sea. I think the landings on the ground are easier to control

[donjones]

Another indication Pad 39A will be used only for the launch of SH/Starship, not the return. Ergo, no need to install the longer catcher arms. Short ones are sized just right for lifting SH & SS. SH will land nearby on the second tower they're building.

[James-hpjo]

I surely hope it goes well but I wonder what happens if there is a missed catch? Is the tower and structure able to handle the aftermath?

[drakorez]

They really should just land on a pad like the F9. I know the legs weigh a lot and the pad would have to be insanely strong, but catching the boosters is just a bad idea.

[cn]

Theoretically, Starship should be able to bring landing accuracy variance down to almost nothing... Falcon Booster must 'hover-slam', which severely limits control in the last few seconds of flight. Starship Booster should be able to truly hover with full control authority and be pinpoint accurate. Arms don't have to do very much.