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https://spacenews.com/spacex-wins-102-million-air-force-contract-to-demonstrate-technologies-for-point-to-point-space-transportation/

SpaceX wins 102 million air force contract to demonstrate technologies for point to point space transportation, to 'deliver the cargo anywhere on Earth to support humanitarian aid and disaster relief'

16 minutes ago, Flavio hc16 said:

if the wind doesn't cooperate this can spell disaster

I asked an insider and F9 usually a +-10 degrees and 1.3 meters accuracy, and that is while being much affected by winds than Superheavy and giving little importance to the angle it lands in. I'd be more worried about booster failures than recovery weather

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48 minutes ago, Beccab said:

I asked an insider and F9 usually a +-10 degrees and 1.3 meters accuracy, and that is while being much affected by winds than Superheavy and giving little importance to the angle it lands in. I'd be more worried about booster failures than recovery weather

It's not the same: superheavy is way less dense than a falcon 9 and it will come slower up to hover, so the "apparent wind" will be way more problematic for superheavy than falcon 9

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25 minutes ago, Flavio hc16 said:

It's not the same: superheavy is way less dense than a falcon 9 and it will come slower up to hover, so the "apparent wind" will be way more problematic for superheavy than falcon 9

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You don't have to trust my word, this is from a long time insider as well as engineer

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12 hours ago, Beccab said:

SpaceX wins 102 million air force contract to demonstrate technologies for point to point space transportation, to 'deliver the cargo anywhere on Earth to support humanitarian aid and disaster relief'

Interesting connection: last I heard they’re having trouble getting supplies into Tonga after the eruption specifically because the airports are all covered in ash, and the lingering airborne ash is really, really bad for airplanes. A bit overspecific but still a real-world use case for Starship P2P, all it would need was a clear, relatively flat LZ of sufficient size.

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23 minutes ago, CatastrophicFailure said:

Interesting connection: last I heard they’re having trouble getting supplies into Tonga after the eruption specifically because the airports are all covered in ash, and the lingering airborne ash is really, really bad for airplanes. A bit overspecific but still a real-world use case for Starship P2P, all it would need was a clear, relatively flat LZ of sufficient size.

Great idea, but, how does ash (both airborne and on the ground) affect the landing radar, IDK myself

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12 minutes ago, StrandedonEarth said:

Great idea, but, how does ash (both airborne and on the ground) affect the landing radar, IDK myself

Talking out my butt here but I don't know that it would, IIRC the 747 that flew into an ash cloud (at night) near Indonesia and became a temporary glided never saw it coming with their radar, so couldn't avoid it. 

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8 hours ago, CatastrophicFailure said:

Talking out my butt here but I don't know that it would, IIRC the 747 that flew into an ash cloud (at night) near Indonesia and became a temporary glided never saw it coming with their radar, so couldn't avoid it. 

That's because that 747 just had usual weather radar.  Not sure, but I think radars could be designed with a different frequency to maximize detection of volcanic ash, perhaps even part of a multiband weather radar.

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2 hours ago, RCgothic said:

I believe a little bit of ash in the air/in the ground isn't a big deal for landing radar. The main problem for airplanes is ash ingestion by air-breathing engines.

This is correct, the ash melt and stuck on the turbine blades. 
Radar should not be much interrupted as in rain is more interrupting, interesting if you could spot the ash on radar. 

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6 minutes ago, Flavio hc16 said:

huge plans in the future!!! Starship factory goes BRRRRRRR

People are speculating that the two secondary buildings are high bays for stacking given that they are the same exact configuration as the Boca Chica high bays, while the main building and its future expansion being basically the all tents but under a roof. The location also should be good for both 39A and the planned pad 49

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Full stack on the launch mount is currently targeting mid february, either before or in the middle of B4's static fire campaign depending on the time the tank farm adjustments take. After that destacking, wrapping up what is left of the test campaigns (S20 testing should be complete more or less) and final stacking before launch if that is to happen with B4/S20!

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B7 now has all the parts spotted and is mostly assembled, chances are it won't be a lawn ornament like B5

Edit: the bottom of the aft tank was stacked as well a couple hours ago, so there's only 2 stackings+grid fins until B7 is complete

Edited by Beccab
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