Starbase Updates | December 2023

What's Happening at Starbase Texas in December 2023?

This page is a summary of the major highlights at Starbase Texas over the month of December in 2023. All updates are sourced from publicly available posts from the user /u/threelonmusketeers who updates the Starship Dev Threads on Lemmy and Reddit.

 

December 31st, 2023

• No major vehicle movement or testing.
• Minor work on the OLM, chopsticks, and tank farm, visible on NSF Starbase Live and LabPadre Rover 2.0.
• Zack Golden shared a sneak peek of what is likely Ryan Hansen’s computational fluid dynamics simulation project.

December 30th, 2023

• S30 moves to Massey’s to join B12 for cryo testing.
• B10 is removed from the launch mount; the chopsticks are rather noisy.
• SpaceRhin0 has identified the layout of engines on B10, and Zack Golden has some interesting thoughts on temporary sensors and booster plumbing.

December 29th, 2023

• B12 is moving to Massey’s.
• S26 mystery continues, as a second row of stringers is added.
• S29 moves out of the Highbay and into Megabay 2, where it is hooked up to a 2-point lifting jig.
• Preparations underway to move S30 to Massey’s.
• Tower segment and two (relatively small) horizontal tanks arrive in Brownsville Port.
• Main event: Static fires of both S28 and B10.
• S28 static fire was a single engine for roughly 6 seconds, simulating “flight-like startup for an in-space burn”), likely using the header tanks.
• B10 static fire was 33 engines for roughly 10 seconds. Zack Golden compares to B9 static fire.
• OLM pad looks in good condition, but a shipping container disappeared (and reappeared), and a small sign was damaged.
• Road delay posted for Dec 30th from 00:00 to 03:00.
• SpaceX posts another aspirational/inspirational video, similar to their original ITS video.
• CEO speculates hourly booster reuse, daily ship reuse, and stresses the importance of ship production rate.

December 28th, 2023

• Dec 28th early-morning road delay is used to transport the booster thrust simulator stand to the Megabay, likely to receive B12.
• 2-point ship lifting jig is transported to the rocket garden ahead of testing at Massey.
• Another horizontal tank arrives at the launch site, is transferred to a waiting SPMT, and is slotted neatly into the gap between the existing five horizontal tanks. (Timelapse of entire process)
• Road closure still scheduled for Dec 29th. Mary has received an overpressure notice, likely for B10 testing.
• Road delay posted for Jan 2nd from 06:00 to 09:00.

December 27th, 2023

• Today’s road closure was cancelled.
• No major testing took place, but there was venting and more venting from the tank farm, and LOUD venting from B10.
• B10’s SPMTs depart from the launch site, drop their counterweights at the storage yard, and head towards the Rocket Garden.
• Starfactory work continues.
• A horizontal tank arrives at the Port of Brownsville.
• Road closure posted for Dec 29th, with alternate dates on Jan 3rd and Jan 4th.

December 26th, 2023

• Chopsticks have been lowered.
• Road closure still possible for December 27th.

December 25th, 2023

• Christmas day delivery (LN2) to the orbital tank farm.
• Very quiet day otherwise.

December 24th, 2023

• Nice timelapse of the “SPACEX” letters being installed yesterday (2023-12-23), ending with a shot of them lit up alongside “GATEWAY TO MARS”.
• New Ringwatcher’s production diagram is posted.
• According to Zack Golden, the static fire testing infrastructure at Massey’s will include a large flame trench.

December 23rd, 2023

• B10’s transport stand rolls back to its storage area at the launch site. Possibly a sign that B10 is in good health?
• Following the recent “GATEWAY TO MARS” sign, a “SPACEX” sign is installed over the new entrance to the launch complex. Letters arriving, partway through installation ("SP CE "), ("SPACE "), (“SPACE^X”), (mostly) complete.

December 22nd, 2023

• Mary received an overpressure notice, but the road closure was ultimately cancelled, and no significant B10 testing took place.
• B10 transport stand moves next to OLM.
• Raptor installation stand rolls out to launch site.
• Dec 27th road closure is still possible.
• Road delay advisories posted for Dec 28th and 29th from 00:00 to 03:00 for transportation operations.

December 21st, 2023

• FireX is tested in the morning.
• Main event: B10 testing. LOx and methane are loaded, held for a while, and eventually detanked, but with a very delayed depress vent. This is unusual (Zack Golden tweet).
• Lots of ground work at Massey’s, likely for more cryo tanks.
• New possible road closure posted for Dec 27th.
• Kathy Lueders’ full post-launch conference is posted on YouTube. Zack Golden’s summary.
• Sub-scale mockup elevator for HLS is tested
• Sergio needs a new kidney. Please donate!

December 20th, 2023

• Overnight, BQD attaches to B10 and back shell of BQD hood is reinstalled.
• Main event: S28 performs a static fire at 13:37 CDT. SpaceX confirms all 6 engines ignited for the intended duration, and uploads some drone shots: Top down, slow-mo, additional angle.
• A small handful of S28’s tiles are lost/damaged.
• S28 tests payload door (open-close) after static fire.
• S26 has had lots of external stringers added to its payload section. The mystery of S26 continues.
• B10 grid fins are exercised.
• Mary receives overpressure notice for December 21st. B10 testing?

December 19th, 2023

• B10 lifted on to the orbital launch mount. Slight issue with some obstructing scaffolding, but ultimately fine. Stabilization pins release, and chopsticks release and move upwards.
• The raptors have protective covers
• B10 cable management is better than on B9
• FireX tested with B10 in place
• Two more raptor boost engines delivered behind mega bay
• New potential road closures posted for December 21st and 22nd.

December 18th, 2023

• Chopsticks were exercised overnight
• In the early morning, B10 rolls out to the launch site, accompanied by another holiday-themed escort. Both vehicles for IFT-3 (S28 and B10) are now at the pad.
• Chopsticks close around B10 and engage the lift points
• Rear cover of BQD returned to launch mount area. (video)
• GSE vertical tank #7 welds cleaned and inspected, possibly in anticipation of tank removal/scrapping.
• Back at the build site, new nosecone welding station set up in the Starfactory expansion
• December 18th and 19th road closures revoked, 20th still listed as possible.
• Workers reattach pressure hoses to B10. NSF commentary livestream for potential B10 lift overnight.
• Launch tower #3 segment 7 departs from the departs from the KSC Turning Basin

December 17th, 2023

• Starlink ground-station antennas installed at the Sanchez site.
• At least one lift observed near S28. Monday road closure still scheduled for potential static fire.
• Work on the OLM and chopsticks continues.
• Saturday’s drone show: Backstage
• Saturday’s drone show: Starship (video)
• Saturday’s drone show: SpaceX logo
• Excellent Ringwatchers article on booster propellant plumbing

December 16th, 2023

• SPMTs leave the launch site, taking S28’s transport stand with them.
• B13’s LOx tank is stacked
• Starkitty sighting.
• Megabay 2 is coming along. Outfitted with some sort of build stand deck.
• Main event of the day: S28 conducted a spin prime test. Full NSF livestream.
• D1 gate to the suborbital tank farm has been opened after a couple months of construction.
• A holiday drone show (sponsored by SpaceX) took place over South Padre.

December 15th, 2023

• The new horizontal tanks at the launch pad are getting connected up and tested
• New BQD hoses arrived at the launch site, and were installed later in the day
• B13 aft section was spotted and moved to Megabay 1
• S28 flaps were exercised
• Weird panels were welded to S26. Interesting speculation by Ringwatchers, but S26 remains a mystery.
• The SQD has festive lights now too

December 14th, 2023

• S28 rolls out to the pad in the early morning. Festive, festive, festive! (NSF livestream with commentary)
• Highbay ship shuffle: S29 rolls out of Highbay, S30 rolls back into Highbay, S29 rolls back into Highbay.
• S28 was lifted onto the remaining suborbital test stand (pad B) at the launch site, though not without some difficulty.
• New road closures posted for Dec 16th, Dec 18th, 19th, and 20th.
• Work on the OLM and chopsticks continues.

December 13th, 2023

• Cones were deployed in preparation of S28 rollout
• Road closure for Dec 14th was revoked, but a road delay for Dec 14th early morning was posted, likely for S28 transport.
• Pipe prefabrication building is being demolished.
• Today’s road closure was used for GSE testing at the launch site.
• Starfactory expansion continues.
• Work on the OLM and chopsticks continues.
• Two SPMTs enter the Highbay to move S30 out of the way of S28.
• Two more SPMTs are decked out with festive trimmings for S28 transport. Trimmings include a Santa, a Christmas tree, a reindeer, and Christmas lights. Additional festive photos.
• Demolition of suborbital pad A continues
• S30 rolls out of the Highbay
• Festive SPMTs are ready for S28 rollout

December 12th, 2023

• Today’s road closure was revoked, and new closures have been scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.
• At the launch site, test stand A appears to be being scrapped. Video of SQD being demolished.
• Some sort of plumbing test involving venting was conducted at suborbital pad B.
• Work on the OLM, chopsticks, and S28 continues.
• Back at the build site, Starfactory is being expanded.
• More horizontal tanks are on their way to Starbase from Florida.
• In other Starship news, Kathy Lueders (now general manager of Starbase) states that they are working to shift as much testing as possible from the launch site to Masseys: "Starbase itself is a hotbed of construction activity these days, she said, with a second orbital launch pad on tap as well as a million-square-foot factory, additional employee housing and office space all coming online, she said. The second pad is necessary for SpaceX’s goal of a faster launch cadence, while much of the engine testing is now taking place at SpaceX’s Massey test site on a former gun range west of Starbase, Lueders said. “That test site is very critical,” she said. “What it allows us to do is keep our test operations … away from the beach. We know that it’s a pain in the butt for everybody when we have to (be) close the beach. And so we’re moving more of our testing over there so that it doesn’t impact operations that are over near the beach.” She also confirms that the AFTS was triggered on IFT-2: "Lueders said Starship’s anomaly investigation team was still looking into why the Nov. 18 flight’s Automated Flight Termination Systems were activated."

December 11th, 2023

• Last night's road delay went unused and today's road closure was revoked.
• A couple cryo deliveries to the launch site.
• B12 moved from front left corner to back left corner of Megabay, where B10 was previously.
• Small(ish) cryo tank delivered to the launch site.
• S26 disconnected from crane. Perhaps it won't be scrapped after all?
• Quite a bit of activity at the SQD arm.
• The Booster Quick Disconnect (BQD) was also tested (Peekaboo!)
• Work on the OLM and the chopsticks continues.
• A couple lifts were observed near S28, so perhaps the ship isn't quite ready for rollout yet.

December 10th, 2023

• No observed changes to S26. Still connected to up to a crane in the rocket garden.
• Work on the OLM continues
• The SpaceX LR 11000 crane was rolled over to the launch tower. Later in the day, the crane was connected to the Ship Quick Disconnect arm. Looks like they're planning on lowering at least a portion of it. (Rover 2.0 Cam)
• For the first time in several days, no lifts spotted at S28. Perhaps this means it is ready for rollout tonight?

December 9th, 2023

• Chopsticks were lowered and the ship quick disconnect arm was exercised. The chopsticks were later closed.
• S26 still connected to the crane, not being scrapped, not being worked on.
• Work on S28 TPS and the OLM continues
• Two 10-axle SPMTs entered the High Bay, likely for shuffling the ships around in advance of S28's presumed rollout to the launch site on Sunday night.

December 8th, 2023

• S26 was hooked up to a crane last night, and remained connected throughout the day.
• Road closure for December 8th revoked.
• Temporary and intermittent road delay posted for the night of December 10th/11th.
• Road delay is likely for S28 rollout.
• Another horizontal tank heading to Masseys
• SQD arm was swung away, and the chopsticks were slowly raised.
• Work on S28 TPS and the OLM continues

December 7th, 2023

• Work on the OLM, chopsticks, Megabay 2, and S28 TPS continues
• Methane delivery occurred this afternoon.
• Road closure for December 8th is still possible, would likely be for S28 rollout/testing, not B10.

December 6th, 2023

• B10 moved to rocket garden (video)
• A better shot of the weird-looking ring section from yesterday. It has a denser arrangement of pins. Why? More pins per tile? Smaller tiles?
• Starbase gains a silly road sign.
• About a dozen Starlink ground stations spotted at the back of the Sanchez site today
• Work on the OLM, chopsticks, and Megabay 2 continues
• S28 TPS looks to be nearing completion

December 5th, 2023

• Weird-looking ring spotted. Purpose unclear.
• Booster transport stand moved to Megabay 1
• B10 loaded onto transport stand
• B10 exits Megabay 1
• B10 rolled out to the Sanchez site
• Chopsticks raised and lowered
• NASA astronauts spotted at Starbase

December 4th, 2023

• B10 hot stage ring was lifted and installed
• Forward section for unknown booster spotted in the Starfactory
• Progress on the Starfactory building itself is coming along nicely
• Megabay 2 window installation continues
• OLM booster clamps were swapped out and reinstalled
• “Gateway to mars” sign illuminated.

December 3rd, 2023

• Window installation continues on Megabay 2
• Concrete being torn up near the orbital tank farm, likely in preparation for constructing a new wall.
• Several boom lifts observed at the chopsticks

December 2nd, 2023

• Storage structure at the launch site was dismantled, likely to free up space for a new wall surrounding the orbital tank farm.
• Ongoing work on the chopsticks, OLM, and S28 TPS

December 1st, 2023

• Starkitty sighted
• Rear cover of Booster QD removed and placed on an SPMT (video)
• “Gateway to mars” sign illumination testing. At least the letters “TO MA” work.
• TPS work on S28 continues
• Chopstick work continues (4+ lifts working simultaneously, welding observed)