Image: NASASpaceflight on YouTube
A recently published YouTube video from NASASpaceflight showcases SpaceX lifting the Starship SN15’s nosecone and stacking it up onto its tank section, effectively completing the spacecraft’s initial assembly at the Boca Chica facility.
The SN15 is the latest in a line of Starship prototypes designed in working towards a reusable space transportation vehicle for both crew and cargo.
According to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, the SN15 brings a number of upgrades and improvements over its predecessors and implements major changes as compared to earlier designs.
Considering what happened with SpaceX’s most recent test flight and how the SN11 crashed and burned, that’s definitely for the best.
Starship SN15's nosecone was lifted onto its tank section. SN15 is an upgraded version of the previous Starship prototypes that implements some major changes according to Elon.
Video from Mary (@BocaChicaGal) and the NSF Robotic Camera Team
📺 https://t.co/azA8ORwPQZ pic.twitter.com/oeXgcKo8tv
— Brady Kenniston (@TheFavoritist) April 3, 2021
The timelapse video of the process showcases everything from the SN15’s new GSE tank being stacked and the nosecone being moved into the high bay to the crew working on the thrust ram and finally stacking the nosecone onto the SN15’s tank.
With initial assembly of the SN15 now complete, the crew can proceed with conclusive structural work and calibrations before organizing a test flight for the newest Starship prototype.
Last week, the Starship SN11 flight test failed to land and exploded, despite a successful launch and planned ‘bellyflop’ freefall.
