SpaceX Finally Lights Starship Engines Again! Is China Catching Up?

The FAA strikes again, and SpaceX is hit with another massive fine?!
SpaceX finishes its first block two ship. When will its first test be? Tower B is quickly taking shape, but is it better than Tower A? China successfully performs another hop test. Will they be able to catch Spacex?

#SpaceX #starship #starbase

Editing: John Young, Alex Potvin, Stefanie Schlang
Photography: Jordan Guidry, Sean Doherty, John Winkopp & Stefanie Schlang
3D Animation: Voop3D
Script & Research: Nathan, Felix Schlang
LIVE Production: Jonathan Heuer, Jordan Guidry
Host: Felix Schlang
Production: Stefanie & Felix Schlang
Graphics & Media Processing: Jonathan Heuer, Felix Schlang

Credit:

⭐SpaceX
⭐NASA
⭐VirtualSpace_3D on X: @Lolomatico3d
⭐The Ring Watchers on X: @RingWatchers
📄Links for this Episode:

[Whataboutit]

How Quick do you think will SpaceX be able to produce Starships at some point?

[dongreer]

Those are blast-proof walls, and there's no way it would survive an out-of-control Starship dipping on the roof. Those are hurricane-reinforced walls, made to survive 180 mph winds, seen those before at a chemical plant I used to work at in Bishop, TX. It's so that people can shelter there during a hurricane, because you can't have staff who must monitor security and chemical/pressure systems evacuate.
If this were to be used during launch, you'd see something more bunker-like, similar to the pumproom they built at the launch site.

[PaulTopping]

Felix, you are absolutely right to refer to China as motivation to streamline the FAA's approval processes. Hopefully that will get those politicians thinking hard.

[thehdgaming]

I'm a happy Starlink user... I've had it for over 3 years... I was a beta tester for my area and literally the first person to get a terminal in my area... Never had issues with it at all...

[MilBard]

The reinforcements of the Boca Chica office building may also be for operations up to category four or five Hurricanes.

[ohertzs]

The bumpers are a hard stop and the motion of the arms creates a massive moment along their length that is almost impossible to stop. We saw that in the way they would sway after stopping.
I do not know the details but I imagine they will use the hydraulic control to "stop" early and control the sway with active use of the hydraulics.

[the_stonemaster]

In the Intro:" will they be able to catch spacex?"
I lost my english for a second😂

[Meister]

I'm a child of the 1950's and witnessed a great many developments in the space industry having grown up in Woodland Hills, California. That was where Rocketdyne first developed the rockets that carried our first Astronauts into space. I've followed the space industry very closely and I can tell you that Space X is leaving Hawthorne for good. They are closing up whatever facilities that they have and moving to Texas and Florida. We are seeing Space X's new launch complex complete with control center and all the office space required to run the entire operation.

[keppscrossing]

Often the biggest hold up for permit approvals is a manpower shortage. I've worked in the fire marshal's office for two different departments. We are very conservative here, both the fire department employees in general, and also they mayors and city councils. None of us want to cause an undue burden on developers nor business owners, and at least in the two cities I've worked, nobody wants to use the fire department to generate revenue. I know this as an insider, knowing many of our politicians and fire chiefs quite well. The delays in us getting to things are all based on lack of manpower fir the amount of work. Politicians in our area want to keep taxes down, so we're overworked. I know the cynical won't be able to comprehend this, but it's true. For example, almost all of my lunches have been peanut butter and jelly sandwiches eaten either as I drive across town to my next appointment, or while writing reports at my desk. I doubt I take a real lunch break anymore than 5% of the time. I don't mind. I love the work.

Regarding the FAA, there is a reason that the phrase, "it takes an act of Congress" means it's really hard and takes a long time to get something done. Increasing the number of FAA inspectors actually does take an act of Congress. It's not surprising that lags several years behind the need.

That said, sometimes Federal agencies have been used for political purposes, such as the weaponizing of the IRS. I hope that's not the case here. If it is, I'm sure it's done to please political donors; the competitors to SpaceX.

[Ingens_Scherz]

This is such a high-quality channel for all of us space enthusiasts, and I've enjoyed it for several years now. I really think it should be up there around the million sub mark by now; if there was any justice in the world, it would be.
Tell you what, Felix, why not try doing more live stuff - or even live video releases with you online - and make it so that to comment in chat and maybe get a response from you (and not just in a superchat) we have to be subscribed. Could be a booster.
Anyway, I just wanted to offer a long-overdue sincere "thank-you!" to you, your family, and your team. You are the best :)

[JimmyRussell-cs]

Space X should file suits against the FAA for allowing Starliner to launch knowing it has helium leaks

[drfirechief]

Thanks for the indepth update of spaceship news Felix. But I have a question. Many, if not all of the delays for Starship come from the FAA. My question is why is the FAA regulating SpaceX but only NASA is regulating Starliner? They are both in the same phase of development and therefore should be on the same regulator path. The regulations state that NASA regulates during development then the FAA regulates once the rocket has been cleared for commercial operation. So why the difference? Can you explain?

[mre]

Don’t forget, they’re moving the Hawthorne location out of California to Starbase

[friendo]

Props to you Felix for your continued and unwavering support support of the most advanced and innovative rocket company on the planet which also operates with the most transparency out of the rocket industry field.

[tomkrehbiel]

You only need one launch control center per launch tower. On the other hand you need a Flight Control Center for every Starship that's in orbit. Spacex will need many more flight control centers for starships than they will need launch control centers.

[calc]

The Chinese are more tolerant of rocket parts and propellant falling over populated areas. Of course, we know the citizens have little say in these. I wouldn't want China's level of regulation.

[whaletune]

That actually looked like standard spacing on the wall segments. 8:47 But instead of a 2x4 in size, it might be 2x8 or 2x10. Perhaps to help against the vibration of Starship launches?

[stevebroome]

I’m the biggest Spacex fan and attended the first Starship launch but some of their ideas need reexamining. The Chopstick arms have the least leverage possible. Design should have hydraulics on the side of the carriage so it can exert more leverage and give arms more precise movement.
The Starship using small landing sockets used to insert small balls from chopsticks is asking for failure. They need to have pop out hooks and land in same manner as booster. Hinging the hooks underneath heat tiles could be extended in same manner as shuttle opened its landing gear thru heat tiles. Same with launch pad. We were told there couldn’t be a flame trench. Now pad two will have a flame trench. I hate to be negative but I would not want to land in a spaceship that had to hover to a ball and socket landing.

[monty]

At this rate, the FAA will allow Zimbabwe to catch up with Spacex

[Enigmatic..]

They used to tell you to turn off your phones and electronic devices when flying on planes, now they give you free wifi on flights.