Starbase Updates | October 2024

What's Happening at Starbase Texas in October 2024?

This page is a summary of the major highlights at Starbase Texas over the month of October in 2024. All updates are sourced from publicly available posts from the user /u/threelonmusketeers who updates the Starship Dev Threads on Lemmy and Reddit.

 

October 31st, 2024

Other: RGV Aerial summary of Spaceflight Now interview with Dr. Kent Chojnacki, the deputy manager for NASA HLS program:

  • Ship to Ship prop transfer campaign planned to start in March 2025
  • Ship to Ship prop transfer test planned to be completed over the summer
  • NASA is looking for a bi-weekly cadence with only the Boca pads at first and then later getting 39a online
  • NASA helped SpaceX test their MMOD (Micro Meteoroids & Orbital Debris) tiles which will be used in space
  • NASA helped SpaceX improve cryogenic valves and other internal cryogenic cooling components
  • SpaceX uses testing capabilities at Glenn and Marshall and expanded that relationship
  • Design update in November, critical design review next year
  • Astronauts have a meeting with SpaceX once a month to improve the HLS design
  • There are HLS crew cabin, sleeping quarters, and laboratory mock ups at Boca Chica

October 30th, 2024

  • Oct 29th cryo delivery tally.
  • Pad B: CC800-1 crane disassembly continues. (ViX)
  • Build site: Three SPMTs carrying turntable parts depart from Sanchez, heading inland on Highway 4, destination unknown. (ViX)
  • Two new sections arrive for launch mount B. (ViX)
  • B16's A3 section enters Megabay 1. (ViX)
  • Massey's: S33 completes a full cryo test. Interesting venting action is observed. (LabPadre, ViX 1, ViX 2, Starship Gazer 1, Starship Gazer 2, NSF, Priel)
  • Visual comparison of propellant tank size between S31 (v1 ship) and S33 (v2 ship) by height of frost line. (LabPadre)
  • 2-hour road delays are posted for Nov 1st (01:00 to 04:00) and 2nd (00:00 and 03:00) for transport from Massey’s to factory. (Presumably S33 rollback)

October 29th, 2024

  • Oct 28th cryo delivery tally.
  • Oct 28th addenda: Concrete pour at Pad B. (ViX)
  • Timelapse of chopstick tests. (Priel)
  • Large diameter cryo-pipe is delivered to the launch site, likely for the new LOX subcoolers. (LabPadre)
  • Pad A: Work on the launch mount continues. (cnunez)
  • Pad B: CC8800-1 crane lowers, and the derrick winch line is retracted, and the derrick is removed. (ViX 1, ViX 2, ViX 3, ViX 4, ViX 5)
  • Construction on passage between Starfactory and offices continues. (Gisler)
  • Workers at Starhopper. (Gisler)
  • Build site: B16's LOX tank section is staged outside Megabay 1. (ViX)
  • Sanchez: The first section of the second level of launch mount B is slowly stacked. (ViX, Golden)
  • Massey's: S33 cryo test. (LabPadre, Starship Gazer, Gomez)
  • RGV Aerial post a comparison between 2023-04-20 and 2024-10-13.

McGregor:

  • Flame diverter for the new south Raptor vertical stand is lowered into its flame trench. (Swartz/NSF)

October 28th, 2024

  • Pad A: Chopsticks slew slewing tests. (ViX 1, ViX 2)
  • Pad B: CC8800-1 main boom is disassembled. (ViX 1, ViX 2, ViX 3, ViX 4)
  • Build site: B12 moves from Megabay 1 to Rocket Garden. (ViX, Priel, NSF)
  • A booster CO2 tank enters the Megabay. (ViX)
  • Booster quick disconnect hardware arrives. (NSF)
  • Massey's: Venting observed near S33. (Roger S)
  • RGV Aerial post another photo of the recovered B12 hotstage ring.

McGregor:

  • Another Raptor 3 is spotted, this time on a horizontal test stand. (Anderson/NSF)

October 27th, 2024

October 26th, 2024

IFT-5:

  • A post from Marcus House receives a reply from Elon, in regards to the nearly-aborted booster catch: "A second is a long time to a rocket. Said another way, it was 1000ms or ~50 control cycles away from hitting the tower. Not actually that close."

October 25th, 2024

IFT-5/IFT-6:

  • Elon shares Diablo gameplay... accompanied by audio of a conference call with Booster engineers. Landing burn came one second away from aborting due to an insufficient pressure reading from a sensor. The chine cover which blew off also exposed several single-point-failure valves. Flight 6 timeline will be dictated by "a reasonable balance of speed, and risk mitigation on the booster".

October 24th, 2024

McGregor:

  • "Another day, another multi firing test of a Raptor engine, this time 12 firings in around 3 minutes." (Priel)

October 23rd, 2024

Maritime:

McGregor:

  • Busy afternoon with two multiple firings tests of Raptor: 5 consecutive firings, followed by a test consisting of a record of 34 consecutive firings. (Priel, Prehis2oricman)

Other:

  • Elon: "Starship will lengthen in the next few years. 10 years from now, there will probably be a much wider diameter Starship too."

October 22nd, 2024

Maritime:

October 21st, 2024

  • Methane deliveries: 3 on Oct 20th, 20 total since IFT-5.
  • Build site: S34 common dome moves from Starfactory to Megabay 2. (ViX)
  • A ship flap is delivered. (ViX)
  • Booster transport stand enters Megabay 1. (ViX)
  • B13 is lifted onto transport stand. (ViX)
  • Pad A: Announcements for "booster QD blowdown", expect "loud venting" and "extremely loud venting". (ViX)
  • One of the new recondensers is lifted into position. (ViX)
  • Pad B launch mount renders Lewis Knaggs. (Tweet 1, tweet 2)
  • 1-hour road delays are posted for Oct 22nd (12:00 to 15:00) and 23rd (00:00 and 03:00) for transport from factory to pad.
  • Road closure is posted for Oct 23rd (18:00 to 00:00) for non-flight testing activities.

Other:

October 20th, 2024

  • Methane deliveries: 3 on Oct 19th, 17 total since IFT-5.
  • The LR11000 rises. (ViX)
  • Cable tray belt/chain is installed on Tower B. (ViX, Anderson 1, Anderson 2)
  • Booster transport stand moves from Sanchez to build site. (ViX)

October 19th, 2024

  • Methane deliveries: 3 on Oct 18th, 14 total since IFT-5.
  • LR11000 crane is lowered and raised. (ViX 1, ViX 2)
  • Pad A: Raining on the on launch mount. (ViX)
  • Cable tray belt/chain moves towards Tower B. (ViX)
  • Heatshield work continues on S31. (Doherty, NSF)

Maritime:

October 18th, 2024

  • Methane deliveries: 3 on Oct 16th, 8 total since IFT-5.
  • Pad A: Chopsticks rise a little, open wide and lower. (ViX)
  • Pad B: One of the CC8800-1 crane boom sections departs Starbase. (ViX)
  • Build site: Dome briefly spotted outside Starfactory. (ViX)
  • Cable chain for Tower B is loaded onto transport. (ViX)
  • Assembly of... something (lifting jig) commences in Megabay 2. (ViX 1, ViX 2)

IFT-5:

Maritime:

Other:

  • RGV Aerial post recent flyover photos of B12 catch and Pad B flame trench.
  • Sean Takacs (Booster Build Supervisor) comments on B12 aft build quality: "B12 was my first full Aft build after moving from the FWD/CMN line. We focused deeply on quality and workmanship, resuling in the lowest defect and lowest leak rate assembly at the time by many factors."

October 17th, 2024

  • Booster stabilization pins are reinstalled on launch mount A. (ViX)
  • Methane deliveries: 3 on Oct 17th, 11 total since IFT-5.
  • Pad A: Chopsticks bumpers sustained a few minor scratches during the B12 catch. Workers observed at the chopsticks hinge/carriage. (Gisler 1, Gisler 2, Gisler 3, Gisler 4, Gisler 5, Starship Gazer 1, Starship Gazer 2, cnunez)
  • Chopsticks are closed and lowered. (ViX)
  • Two new subcoolers and the Tower B cable tray belt/chain roll from Sanchez to the launch site. (ViX, NSF)
  • Build site: Ship lifting jig was assembled overnight in Megabay 2, then lifted and lowered. (ViX)
  • Recent photo of S31 in Highbay. (cnunez)
  • Test Tank 16 emerges from Starfactory and heads towards the Rocket Garden / Sanchez area. (ViX)
  • 1-hour road delays are posted for Oct 21st (12:00 to 15:00) and 22nd (00:00 and 03:00) for transport from factory to pad. These are currently crossed out on the main page, so it possible that these have been cancelled.

IFT-5:

October 16th, 2024

IFT-5:

Maritime:

Other:

October 15th, 2024

October 14th, 2024

  • Oct 13th addendum: Party in Megabay 2. (ViX)
  • Oct 14th road closure concluded.
  • 2-hour road delays are posted for Oct 15th (12:00 to 15:00) and 16th (00:00 and 03:00) for transport from pad to factory.
  • Pad A: Booster transport stand finally arrives at the pad after an apparent delay the previous day. (ViX, NSF, Fediverse Starbase Tracker)
  • Workers return to Pad A, and get to work removing the (unused) flight termination charges. (ViX, Starship Gazer, NSF)
  • Workers inspect damaged chine on B12. (Starship Gazer)
  • Coloured oxide layer visible at the top of B12. (Starship Gazer)
  • Raptor work platform arrives. (Hammer)
  • Build site: Parking garage mural closeup. (Gisler)
  • S34 forward dome spotted in the doorway of Megabay 2. (Gisler)

Other:

IFT-5:

October 13th, 2024

IFT-5:

October 12th, 2024

  • Oct 12th cryo delivery tally.
  • Pad B: Overnight, the CC8800-1 crane back mast and main body are relocated away from Pad A. (ViX)
  • LR11000 and CC8800-1 cranes are laid down. (ViX)
  • Pad A: Workers are spotted inside B12. (Starship Gazer)
  • A couple of igniter tests are conducted. (LabPadre)
  • S30 flaps are tested. (ViX)
  • Drones are spotted around the pad. (ViX)
  • B12 grid fins are tested. (ViX)
  • Build site: S34 forward dome emerges from Starfactory and enters Megabay 2. (ViX 1, ViX 2)
  • Car park mural reveal is completed. (ViX, Mary, Daniel B)
  • Oct 13th cryo delivery tally. Likely the final regular update of this type: (ViX 1, ViX 2, ViX 3, ViX 4)

IFT-5:

Other:

October 11th, 2024

IFT-5:

October 10th, 2024

IFT-5:

Other:

  • SpaceX clarifies that the water-cooled flame deflector uses potable water, and calls out the related lawsuit as "unwarranted and frivolous".

October 9th, 2024

IFT-5:

Other:

  • Launch mount B render is posted by ChromeKiwi.
  • Foust highlights comment by Bill Gerstenmaier (SpaceX VP of build and flight reliability), who stated B11 landed in the ocean "with half a centimeter accuracy". What this was measured with respect to is unclear. (Military GPS?)

October 8th, 2024

McGregor:

  • Some of B11's recovered engines have been spotted, further test fires unlikely. (NSF 1, NSF 2)

IFT-5:

  • Road closures for “flight testing” are posted for Oct 13th, 14th, and 15th, from 00:00 to 14:00. (And in the alternative, Sep 24th or 25th, likely erroneous)
  • Davenport: FAA approval by Sunday is possible, but not a certainty.
  • Beil: Latest FAA statement to NSF does not mention "late November", and instead states "once SpaceX has met all licensing requirements."
  • Berger: Surface-level weather forecast for Sunday looks good.

October 7th, 2024

IFT-5:

  • SpaceX announces IFT-5 is NET Oct 13, "pending regulatory approval". (Tweet, website, archive)
  • Davenport highlights that the booster catch attempt is contingent on "healthy systems on the booster and tower and a manual command from the mission’s Flight Director".

October 6th, 2024

October 5th, 2024

October 4th, 2024

Other:

  • Additional angles and closeups of B11 recovery at sea. (Joe Tegtmeyer)
  • NOTAM are posted for IFT-5 Ship reentry in Indian Ocean. (RGV Aerial)

October 3rd, 2024

  • Oct 2nd cryo delivery update.
  • Overnight, B14 and ship test stand move to Massey's. (ViX, Starship Gazer, Priel, Gomez)
  • Also overnight, some chopstick testing and cryo pipe cleaning. (ViX)
  • Pad A: Workers inspect S30. (LabPadre, House/Gisler)
  • Water bags are delivered for chopstick testing. (Mary)
  • Build site: Megabay 2's 4-point lifting jig is lowered (ViX). Another lifting jig arrives at Starfactory in the afternoon (LabPadre).
  • Massey's: The "top hat" portion of the "can crusher" testing rig is removed. (ViX)
  • Road closures for “non-flight testing” are posted for Oct 7th (10:00 to 22:00), and for Oct 8th and 9th (08:00 to 20:00).

October 2nd, 2024

Maritime:

  • Two more cryo tanks en route to Brownsville port. (Cornwell)

McGregor:

Other:

October 1st, 2024

  • Sep 30th cryo delivery update.
  • Sep 30th addendum: LabPadre and NSF timelapses of hotstage ring removal from B12.
  • Overnight, booster transport stand moves from the launch site to Sanchez. (ViX)
  • Crew lift goes up to the top of B12. (ViX)
  • Two corner segments for launch mount B arrive. One is lifted onto an assembly stand. (ViX 1, ViX 2, Starship Gazer, Mary)
  • Booster "puck shucker" test/transport stand moves from Sanchez to build site. (ViX)

Other:

  • All of S30's Raptor engines have now been identified. Centers are R269, R319, and R334. Vacuums are R368, R384, and R390. (SpaceRhin0)