Starship ''Aircraft Carrier''! SpaceX New Landing Starship Method without Mechazilla Revealed...

in a remarkable development a massive carrier has been spotted passing through Starbase raising questions about its potential role in spacex's future operations could this platform be used for transporting Landing or even launching Starship let's take a closer look at Starbase preparations for the next flight have been progressing rapidly but earlier this month something unexpected caught everyone's attention at noon on February 2nd the USS johnf Kennedy aircraft carrier made its way past the Starship launch site the ship was headed for the port of Brownsville where it would be scrapped marking the end of its 60-year history and four Decades of service a bit about this legendary carrier it was laid down in 1964 launched in 1967 and decommissioned in 2007 its primary role was in military service operating under the US Navy measuring 321 m in total length or 300 M at the water line and standing 59 M tall from the Mast to the water line it had a payo capacity ranging from 22,000 to 82,000 tons depending on its Loadout it was powered by four steam turbines making it a true Powerhouse of Naval operations now while its fate is sealed with scrapping set to begin soon many including myself can't help but Wonder Could a platform like this be used for Starship operations and if not this specific vessel could SpaceX acquire a similar platform in the future for launch landing and transportation as far as Landing goes a massive platform like this could easily accommodate Starship whether it's the ship or super heavy booster in fact it could support two different Landing methods the first and most straightforward approach would involve start ship landing on legs with the platform functioning as a massive drone ship SpaceX has already mastered drone ship Landings with Falcon 9 and Falcon heavy but starship's greater size and power require a much more robust Landing structure a carrier sized platform could provide exactly that given the scale of the ussf JFK multiple Starship Vehicles could potentially land on it at the same time based on its Dimensions I estimate it could accommodate up to five star ship prototypes in a single Landing operation an insane prospect that would revolutionize recovery operations of course using this method would mean SpaceX would need to integrate Landing legs onto Starship stages something they have moved away from in favor of the mechazilla catching system however Landing legs could be necessary for future missions to celestial bodies like the moon or Mars making it a worthwhile design consideration alternatively SpaceX could install a simple catching tower on the platform itself this would allow for vertical Landings using the mechazilla arms similar to what is planned for Starbase given the platform's payload capacity it could theoretically support the weight of both a catching arm and the landing Starships however this approach would require significant additional infrastructure making the Drone ship style Landing the more practical choice for now regardless of the exact method the advantages of a cab based Landing platform are clear first it would eliminate concerns about the impact of Starship Landings on populated areas and infrastructure something that has been a major consideration for operations at Starbase the ability to land at Sea could make Starship recovery more versatile and efficient second landing on a c platform would optimize fuel usage Starship wouldn't need to expend additional propellant for a return to launch sites maneuver maximizing payload efficiency and overall flight performance third a mobile C platform would introduce flexibility to Landing operations instead of requiring pinpoint accuracy at a fixed location a carrier-like platform could adjust its position reducing the complexity of starship's descent trajectory clearly platforms of this scale are making the idea of drone ship Landings for Starship more feasible than ever and the efficiency benefits would be gamechanging Beyond Landing operations such a platform such a platform could also be adapted for Starship launch launches while a launch site would require additional infrastructure such as an orbital launch mount a tank farm and fuel lines the benefits would mirror those of a sea based Landing a mobile launch platform would provide flexibility in launch locations reduce risks to populated areas and free up valuable space at landbased launch sites like Starbase and Kennedy Space Center another compelling use case is Starship transportation in the near future SpaceX is likely to have two major operational bases Starbase in Texas and Kennedy Space Center in Florida if the Florida site lacks a production facility or if one of the locations experiences a temporary shortage of available Vehicles a platform like this could be used to transport Starship Hardware between the two while the vehicles would likely have to be laid down for transport I estimate that such a platform could carry at least five to six complete Starship prototypes at a time and let's not forget Starship is only going to get bigger with Starship V3 possibly reaching 150 meters in height SpaceX will need a massive infrastructure to support future launches and Landings in the past the company even purchased oil rigs for offshore Starship operations though they later sold them could we see SpaceX revisiting that idea with an even larger platform like a repurposed aircraft carrier given the pace of starship's development and spacex's willingness to push boundaries the idea of a dedicated seab based platform for launch landing and transportation seems more plausible than ever with the right modifications such a system could make Starship operations far more efficient flexible and scalable so what do you think should SpaceX acquire a platform like this for future Starship operations drop a let's use it in the comments if you agree and don't forget to like this video And subscribe to our Channel if you haven't already to stay updated on spacex's incredible journey toward the future of space flight next up let's turn our attention to an exciting update regarding NASA's Viper Rover just last year the future of Viper was in serious Jeopardy despite the fact that the Rover was nearly complete NASA had cited cost concerns as the primary reason for potentially cancelling the mission leading many to believe that Viper would never make it to the moon however in a surprising turn of events NASA has now taken steps to ensure that this critical lunar exploration Mission can move forward on February 3rd NASA issued an announcement for partnership proposal calling on us companies to submit proposals to collaborate on the Viper Mission and keep it operational in a statement Nikki Fox associate administrator of NASA's science Mission directorate emphasized the importance of this public private collaboration stating moving forward with a Viper partnership offers NASA a unique opportunity to engage with the private sector such a partnership provides the opportunity for NASA to collect Viper signs that could tell us more about water on the moon while advancing commercial lunar Landing capabilities and resource prospecting possibilities this means that NASA is now actively looking for a commercial partner to take responsibility for key aspects of Viper's Mission according to NASA's official statement any selected partner would need to handle the integration and successful Landing of the Rover on the moon oversee its science and exploration campaign and ensure that Viper generated scientific data is made available for analysis Kars Deputy associate administrator for exploration in the science Mission directorate reinforced the benefits of this partnership saying being selected for the Viper partnership would benefit any company interested in advancing their lunar landing and surface operations capabilities as for the timeline NASA has set a submission deadline of March 3rd for initial proposals following this organizations that pass the first round of reviews will be invited to submit more detailed proposals by the 2nd of May the final decision on Viper's future is expected to be made this summer if a suitable partner is chosen NASA will sign a Cooperative research and development agreement with the selected organization to fly Viper to the moon for those unfamiliar Viper which is short for volatiles investigating polar exploration Rover was specifically designed to search for water ice deposits near the moon's South Pole this region is of immense interest to NASA as the agency plans to build one or more lunar bases there as part of the Artemis program Viper would serve as a critical scouting tool helping scientists identify potential resources that could support future human missions originally Viper was scheduled to launch as part of the Griffin mission on a falcon heavy rocket late last year however due to delays in the development of the Griffin Lander and Viper's uncertain status the mission was pushed back to late 2025 with Viper now seeking a new operational partner it remains unclear whether the Rover will still be included in the Griffin Mission or if it will be reassigned to another flight regardless of these uncertainties the Revival of Viper is undeniably a positive development given that the Rover is already near completion there's a strong chance it will still launch aboard the Griffin Mission later this year and when it comes to executing to executing such a crucial Mission no company is more reliable than SpaceX their experience with Falcon heavy and their track record of success make them the most qualified organization to support Viper's Journey do you agree shifting our Focus to our last bit of updates let's take a look at China's ambitious plans to expand its use of commercial rockets for space station operations China is reportedly preparing to launch two cargo spacecraft to the tong gong space station using privately developed Rockets the goal is to introduce lowcost resupply Services increase operational flexibility IL and further integrate the commercial sector into China's Space Program according to official reports the two spacecraft involved in this plan are the howong cargo space shuttle developed by the changdu aircraft design Institute under the aviation industry Corporation of China and the Ching Joo cargo spacecraft developed by the innovation academy for micro satellites of the Chinese Academy of Sciences how long is expected to be launched aboard land space's jway 3 rocket which is to fly later this year while Ching Joo will be launched on Cas spaces Connecticut 2 rocket if all goes according to plan both missions could take place before the end of 2025 what makes this particularly interesting is that China is essentially following the same path that the US Aerospace industry took after the space shuttle was retired when NASA transitioned away from the shuttle program companies like SpaceX stepped in to provide commercial resupply and crew transport services to the International Space Station now China appears to be replicating that strategy integrating private space companies into the operations of the tong gong space station but here's the key difference while SpaceX innovated and introduced new technologies that revolutionized commercial space flight China's approach has been largely centered around replicating existing systems the Rockets being used for these upcoming missions juu 3 and Connecticut 2 are widely regarded as copies of SpaceX technology with this expansion into space station operations China is positioning itself self as a direct competitor to the us as well as SpaceX in the commercial space sector this marks the beginning of a new phase of competition between the two space Powers how will this Dynamic evolve only time will tell when and how will mechazilla catch the ship following flight 7 this question has sparked curiosity and it's time to revisit the timeline and explore surprise updates that make this Mission even more exciting the plan to catch the ship using mechazilla Chopsticks was originally scheduled for flight 8 but it now seems increasingly unlikely several key factors primarily steming from the outcomes of flight 7 suggest this ambitious Milestone might have to wait until flight 9 or Beyond flight 7 while a significant step forward left many critical objectives untested s33 demonstrated improvements in tile adhesion higher thrust engines and the forward flaps roll during Ascent however the flight was cut short leaving SpaceX unable to verify crucial systems such as satellite deployment engine reignition in space and the heat shield flap and engine upgrades during re-entry moreover a controlled vertical Landing into the ocean remains a prerequisite to ensure reliability for future catching attempts this incomplete testing strongly indicates that SpaceX may use flight 8 to address these unfinished tasks only after proving these capabilities can the team move confidently toward attempting to catch the ship even under optimal circumstances this pushes the catching attempt to flight 9 but there is more to this delay then meets the eye another key factor involves the surprising role of tower B heralding the era of the two towers while Tower a has been the focus so far Tower B appears to be specifically designed to catch the ship raising an interesting question why would SpaceX need two towers for this Milestone SpaceX enthusiast Brian Hansen recently offered an insightful analysis on this very topic shedding light on why Tower B may be more suitable for catching the ship credit is due to Hansen for his thorough research and thought-provoking observations and following his updates on X is highly recommended for any individual keen on spacex's progress the primary reason Tower B is favored lies in its design images of the catching system on s33 reveal a rectangular contact Point underneath the catching mechanism this design appears incompatible with Tower A's Chopsticks which are currently optimized for catching the super heavy booster the contact point on s33 seems too short to create the secure engagement needed with Tower A's Landing rail system attempting to catch the ship on Tower a could risk damage especially given the significant speed and mass involved in the ship's Landing the contrast becomes more apparent When comparing this with the catching system on on superheavy the booster's contact points are larger more robust and well suited to Tower A's Chopsticks while s 33's catching points may only be prototypes they hint at a future standard incompatible with Tower A's current configuration one might wonder why SpaceX doesn't simply upgrade the ship's system to align with Tower a however this approach would conflict with spacex's long-term goals evidence suggests that Tower be's chopsticks will feature a redesigned Landing rail specifically tailored to the catching points seen on s33 this makes s33 is designed not just a oneoff but a blueprint for future iterations thus using tower B for the ship catching attempt avoids the inefficiencies of constantly modifying systems it also aligns with a future in which each Tower is dedicated to catching a specific stage Tower a could remain optimized for super heavy while Tower B hand the ship streamlining operations for recovery refurbishment and reflight this division of roles also accounts for operational timelines even if Tower a were compatible with both stages the logistics of catching both super heavy and the ship with a single Tower would be extraordinarily demanding after catching super heavy it would need to be quickly lowered to the orbital launch Mount and moved to its stand to make way for the ship currently it takes SpaceX around 2 hours to complete these steps based on flight 7's performance considering the ship's return flight lasts about an hour this timeline doesn't leave enough room to catch both stages efficiently with one Tower additionally safety checks must follow each stages Landing to ensure reliability attempting to catch both stages on Tower a under these time constraints would increase operational complexity and risk another logistical consideration is the orientation of tower a and the olm which is optimized for super heav return from the Gulf of Mexico in contrast the ship will return from the opposite direction complicating coordination and increasing the chances of interference between the two stages Tower B positioned differently is expected to simplify these operations by handling the ship's return separately given these factors it's clear that Tower B will play a critical role in spacex's efforts to catch the ship its design compatibility and operational advantages make it The Logical choice for this ambitious Next Step while this means the first catching attempt may be delayed the groundwork being laid now ensures a more reliable and efficient future for Starship operations in the end the delay is a testament to spacex's meticulous approach to problem solving and Innovation by taking the time to refine their systems and processes they're setting the stage for even greater achievements the prospect of watching me gilla's Chopsticks catch a returning ship is an exciting Milestone one that will Mark a new era in reusable rocketry and the weight will undeadly be worth it with Tower B currently in its final stages of construction spacex's ambitious goal of creating a dual tower system for Starship operations has seen significant progress recent developments highlight the rapid pace of work being done on this critical infrastructure on the morning of the 18th of January water cooled pipes previously photographed at the Sanchez site were lifted and transported to the construction area earlier that same day the Chopstick Carriage one of the first key components of tower B's catching mechanism was also moved by noon The Carriage was lifted upright and placed into the red assembly frame system a structure erected adjacent to Tower B in late December later that evening a brief road closure signaled yet another Milestone the movement of additional Chopstick components to pad B by January 20th various arm sections had been relocated from the Chopstick assembly area to the launch site while reinforcement were continued on the Chopstick jig on Tower B itself Crews were busy preparing for the connection of the Chopstick sections a critical step in completing the tower's functionality given the current pace of construction it's possible that the Chopstick sections will be lifted and attached to the tower within the next week or two however challenges remain according to plans previously outlined by the FAA the construction of pad B was scheduled to be completed by the end of January while there is visible progress It's uncertain whether this timeline will hold unless SpaceX accelerates its efforts significantly even after construction is complete extensive testing of the new systems will be required to ensure reliability the Chopstick arms for instance will undergo weight pressure tests and operational evaluations including lifting lowering opening closing and rotating additionally several Landing support systems such as Landing rails Landing pins and the ship quick disconnect must still be installed these tasks are likely to extend well into February musk has suggested that flight 8 could launch as early as February but based on the timeline and current progress it is unlikely that Tower B will be ready for catching by then given the results of flight 7 SpaceX is expected to focus on completing critical tests and system verifications before attempting to catch the ship this makes flight 9 a more plausible candidate for the first catching attempt allowing additional time to ensure the reliability of the systems and infrastructure SpaceX is also advancing vehicle preparations alongside Tower B Construction S35 featuring upgrades like enhanced against catching systems is reportedly stacked in mega Bay 2 while B16 is also being readied lessons from flight 7 and the upcoming flight 8 will be crucial in refining these prototypes Tower B Marks a major step forward for spacex's fully reusable Rocket Vision by dedicating one Tower to the ship and the other to the booster SpaceX can streamline operations enhance efficiency and reduce launch turnaround times this coordinated approach between Tower B and the Starship prototype could revolutionize reusable space flight AS excitement builds key questions remain will the ship catching system debut in Flight 9 will the two tower system redefine Starship operations while the answers are still unfolding spacex's Relentless Innovation continues to inspire why don't you share your thoughts in the comments do you think the ship will be caught in Flight 9 will both Towers be fully utilized let me know with a yes or no and don't forget to like the video and subscribe if you haven't already to stay updated on spacex's groundbreaking Journey now for our last bit of news today let's dive into the ongoing debate surrounding spacex's Falcon 9 transporter 12 mission launched on the 14th of January from California this Mission delivered more than 13 small satellites to Sun synchronous orbit these payloads came from various customers but some of the most notable included vaa W-2 a capsule carrying the company's pharmaceutical reactor as well as payloads from NASA and and the US Air Force facilitated through the air force research laboratory this marked spacex's 12th dedicated small satellite R share Mission further solidifying its reputation as a leader in making space more accessible to small and medium-sized organizations Falcon 9 as the most frequently flown orbital rocket in operation today provides cost-effective and reliable launch services that are highly valued by customers worldwide one such customer EXO launch also had a payload aboard this Mission Robert sprouls exol launch's CEO expressed his appreciation for spacex's role in advancing small sat missions stating transporter 11 was a landmark mission for us and as we look ahead to transporter 12 we're excited to keep the momentum going we deeply appreciate the trust our customers place in us and extend our thanks to SpaceX for their outstanding support spacex's dominance has drawn criticism from competitors who claim Its Right share model stifles competition and consolidates market share while not unfounded these critiques Overlook the root issue slower Innovation and less competitive pricing from Rivals all while SpaceX continues to lead through Relentless Innovation and commitment SpaceX is revolutionizing the Aerospace industry and inspiring Limitless possibilities each Milestone brings us closer to a brighter future of exploration and Innovation let's go SpaceX this has been Kevin with great SpaceX thank you for joining me today and until next time keep looking up and reaching for the Stars