SpaceX has begun installing the first of numerous propellant storage tanks at its initial orbital South Texas launch centers – a mostly ordinary and expected step made outstanding by the fact that these tanks will be constructed out of Starship parts.
Labeled “GSE” for Ground Support Equipment, the initial signs of these self-built storage tanks began appearing at SpaceX’s Boca Chica Starship factory less than two weeks ago from mid-February. A matter of weeks later, the very first of these SpaceX-brand cryogenic storage tanks will be off to the launch site for setup (and insulation) while two more tanks are well on their way to end.
Even though a few ground starge tanks might seem as a diversion in the reach of a program tasked with constructing the planet ’s largest (and totally reusable) rocket, the occurrence of these tanks is far more important than it may initially appear.
Just dawned on me that this is a much bigger deal than it may seem. For SpaceX to design and construct its own customized made bulk product storage tanks rather than purchasing what is arguably a rather regular and affordable off-the-shelf technology, Starship manufacturing has to become DIRT CHEAP. https://t.co/u7KNDXWcuf
— Eric Ralph (@13ericralph31) April 6, 2021