Starbase Updates | September 2024

What's Happening at Starbase Texas in September 2024?

This page is a summary of the major highlights at Starbase Texas over the month of September 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.

 

September 30th, 2024

McGregor:

September 29th, 2024

Maritime:

  • HOS Ridgewind is back at the B11 splashdown site. (Cornwell)

Other:

September 28th, 2024

  • Pad A: S30 still stacked on B12, not launching. (Gisler, cnunez, clwphoto1)
  • S30 missing a couple tiles. Possibly intentional like last time? (Gisler)
  • S32 moves from the Rocket Garden. (Gisler)
  • Work on the passage between Starfactory and offices continues. (Gisler, BocasBrain)
  • Build site wide shot. (Gisler)

Maritime:

  • Hos Ridgewind heads back out into the Gulf. (Cornwell)

September 27th, 2024

Other:

  • SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell addresses the Texas House of Representatives. She highlights the investment SpaceX have put into their Texas sites and surrounding communities, stresses the importance of enhancing regulatory efficiency, and recommends "updating legislation and regulations in the state to protect individuals and the public from potential hazards associated with launch while allowing freedom and flexibility for us to continue operations safely and efficiently". She also clarifies that SpaceX have a good relationship with TCEQ, and that most of the regulatory issues they are encountering are at the federal level. (xdNiBoR)

September 26th, 2024

Other:

  • Why not salvage B10 in addition to B11? Probably too deep, 800 meters vs. 61 meters. (Golden)

September 25th, 2024

McGregor:

  • Raptor tests continue. (NSF)

September 24th, 2024

FAA:

Maritime:

September 23rd, 2024

September 22nd, 2024

Maritime activities:

September 21st, 2024

September 20th, 2024

September 19th, 2024

McGregor:

  • An 84-second Raptor test fire is observed, likely Raptor 3. (NSF)

September 18th, 2024

September 17th, 2024

Other:

September 16th, 2024

September 15th, 2024

September 14th, 2024

  • Quiet Saturday, not much action reported.
  • Pad A: Chopsticks work continues.
  • Massey's: S31 testing continues, no static fire yet.
  • RGV Aerial Photography completed a flyover.

September 13th, 2024

September 12th, 2024

Other:

September 11th, 2024

Other:

September 10th, 2024

Other:

September 9th, 2024

September 8th, 2024

September 7th, 2024

Other:

  • Elon update on Mars timeline: Uncrewed Starship NET 2026, crewed Starship NET 2029, which is pretty much the most ambitious timeline possible. I wouldn't be surprised if the uncrewed tests slip by one transfer window, and I'm expecting the crewed missions to slip by at least a two or three transfer windows. I'm glad they're setting ambitious internal goals though.

September 6th, 2024

  • No Sep 5th cryo delivery tally.
  • Sep 5th addendum: Compilation timelapses of chopstick tests, including a full launch rehearsal from BQD retraction to chopsticks catch. (ViX, NSF 1, NSF 2) When the chopsticks are at the top of the tower, their momentum causes a noticeable amount of tower sway. (Anderson)
  • Build site: Overnight, S31 moves to Massey's. (LabPadre, ViX, Starship Gazer photo, Starship Gazer video, NSF, NSF video, Beyer, Gisler, Doherty)
  • Pad A: Chopsticks testing continues. Chopsticks close, landing rails rise, landing rails lower.
  • Pad B: The CC8800-1 crane is laid down. (ViX, Hammer)
  • Massey's: Crews were spotted at Test Tank 16. (Hammer)

September 5th, 2024

September 4th, 2024

  • Sep 3rd cryo delivery tally.
  • Sep 3rd addendum: Starhopper relocation timelapse. (ViX)
  • Overnight, chopstick rails are tested again. (ViX)
  • Chopsticks work continues. (cnunez) Ship lifting pin is reinstalled on the port-side chopstick. (ViX 1, ViX 2)
  • Starboard-side pin may have been reinstalled. (ViX)
  • Welding on chopstick bumpers. (Hammer)
  • Documentary interview being filmed on chopsticks? (Hammer)
  • Starhopper's new home. (ViX)
  • SPMTs arrive at the build site, likely for S31.
  • 2-hour road delay is posted for 2024-09-06 between 00:00 and 03:00 for transport from Megabay to Massey's.

September 3rd, 2024

September 2nd, 2024

September 1st, 2024

  • Aug 30th addendum: B15 final forward section (part of the methane tank) moves to Megabay 2. (ViX 1, ViX 2)
  • Chopsticks work continues. (cnunez)
  • The full complement of 17 bumper pads on each chopstick has now been installed. (LabPadre 1, LabPadre 2)
  • Scaffolding spotted on the exterior of Tower A. (clwphoto1 1, clwphoto1 2)
  • Video tour of new hardware on Starhopper. (ViX)