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

• Sep 29th cryo delivery update. (clarification)
• Pad A: Ship quick disconnect retracts from S30 (ViX, NSF), work platform deploys and ship ports are sealed, and work platform retracts.
• Ship quick disconnect arm retracts (ViX, NSF), and S30 is destacked from B12. (LabPadre, ViX, Starship Gazer, Priel, Beyer, NSF 1, NSF 2, NSF 3, Gisler 1, Gisler 2)
• S30 not "ready-to-roll". Purpose of destack is potentially for B12 access. (ViX)
• Load spreader arrives, the LR11000 crane rolls towards the launch mount, the load spreader is attached, and the hot stage ring is destacked from B12.
• Pad B: Safety netting removal begins. (ViX)
• Build site: More launch mount parts are delivered. (Beyer)
• Construction on passageway between Starfactory and offices continues. (Gisler 1, Gisler 2, Gisler 3)
• Scaffolding has been erected around the chopsticks carriage destined for Pad B. (Gisler)
• 2-hour road delays are posted for Oct 2nd and 3rd between 00:00 and 03:00 for transport from factory to Massey's.

McGregor:

• The longest duration Raptor engine test (897 seconds, ~15 minutes) is performed. (NSF)
• Previous record was 330 seconds, set on 2023-06-04.

September 29th, 2024

• Pad A: S30 still stacked on B12, still not launching yet. (Beyer, LabPadre, Ansuini, clwphoto1)
• S30 transport stand moves towards the launch mount. (ViX)
• Build site: New road markings are painted. (ViX)
• Second set of chopsticks are receiving the same reinforcements as the first set. (Anderson)
• S32, S26, and S20 are still in the Rocket Garden. (cnunez)
• RGV Aerial post recent photos of Sanchez, Massey's, launch site, B11 aft section, and Pad B flame trench construction.

Maritime:

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

Other:

• Lewis Knaggs speculative renders of Pad B launch mount. Zack Golden's thoughts.

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

• Not too much action reported today.
• Overnight, the recovered B11 aft section is transported to Massey's. (Starship Gazer, Gisler, RGV Aerial (flyover closeups!))
• Pad A: Third consecutive daily photo from SpaceX of B11/S30 not launching.

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

• Overnight, B11 remains are offloaded from Hos Ridgewind, and transported to Massey's. (Beyer 1, Beyer 2, Beyer 3, Carson Phillips, Hammer)
• Sanchez: SpaceX begins lifting possible Pad B OLM hardware. (Beyer)
• Pad A: Chopsticks close around S30, 'murican flag is flown from tower. (Starship Gazer, NSF, Hammer, SpaceX official)
• Road delay is posted for Sep 27th from 00:00 to 03:00 for transport from Brownsville Port to Massey’s.

Other:

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

September 25th, 2024

• B12 and S30 are still stacked at Pad A. (Starship Gazer)
• Booster alignment pins are removed. (Anderson 1, Anderson 2)
• SpaceX post a photo of technicians posing on the chopsticks. (alternate angle from Hammer)
• HOS Ridgewind arrives at Brownsville port. (LabPadre 1, LabPadre 2, Beyer 1, Beyer 2, NSF 1, NSF 2, NSF 3, Gisler 1, Gisler 2, Gisler 3, interstellargw, Jordan Guidry, Hammer)
• Roof of the passage between Starfactory and the new offices looks complete now. (Gisler)
• Road delay is posted for Sep 25th between 22:00 and 02:00 for transport from Brownsville Port to Massey's. (Offloading B11 remains?)

McGregor:

• Raptor tests continue. (NSF)

September 24th, 2024

• Mary spots some more potential hardware for Pad B launch mount. Zack Golden's thoughts: Tweet 1, tweet 2, tweet 3.
• S34 is back in Starfactory. (cnunez)
• Roof of the passage between Starfactory and the new offices is mostly complete. (Gisler)
• B12 and S30 still looking beautiful. (LabPadre, Gisler, Doherty 1, Doherty 2, clwphoto1, )
• Chines have a slightly wrinkled appearance.

FAA:

• SpaceX Global Government Affairs refutes comments made in Congress by the administrator of the FAA.

Maritime:

• HOS Ridgewind departs after a brief stop in Altamira, Mexico, and is now heading for Brownsville, likely to delivery the recovered portions of B11.

September 23rd, 2024

• Main event: Partial tanking test on B12 and S30. (NSF full livestream, LabPadre full livestream, NSF timelapse)
• Road is closed (NSF), tower vent (NSF), propellant loading (NSF), depress vent. (NSF), detanking (NSF, LabPadre).
• SpaceX tweet: "Propellant load test and preflight checkouts complete ahead of Flight 5"
• Sep 23rd closure is concluded, and the Sep 24th and 25th closures are cancelled.
• S30 thermal protection system looks very clean. (NSF closeup)
• Build site: S34 nosecone and payload bay, now stacked, move from Highbay to Starfactory. (NSF, Planatus666)

September 22nd, 2024

• Sep 21st addenda: Starship Gazer timelapse of S30 stacking on B12. RGV Aerial photo 1 and photo 2 of stacking. NSF timelapse comparison of all six stackings so far.
• Not too much Starbase activity reported on Sep 22nd.
• Recent RGV Aerial photos of the launch site, Massey's, Pad B flame trench construction, and build site.
• Road "clossure" still in place for Sep 23rd from 08:00 to 20:00 for non-flight testing activities. (Wet dress rehearsal)

Maritime activities:

• Elon posts a photo of B11 remains from IFT-4.
• Gisler photo of the vessel (Hos Ridgewind), Interstellar Gateway video on the recovery operations and satellite photos.
• Zack spots some potential filter mounting brackets.

September 21st, 2024

• Overnight, hotstage ring is stacked on B12. (Hammer, NSF timelapse)
• S30 is stacked on B12. (NSF full livestream, Starship Gazer, Mary, cnunez, NSF 1, NSF 2, NSF timelapse, Gisler 1, Gisler 2, Gisler 3, Gisler 4, Gisler timelapse, Doherty 1, Doherty 2, Hammer closeup 1, Hammer closeup 2, RGV Aerial, Beyer, SpaceX official photos)
• Ship quick disconnect is tested. (NSF)
• Recent photo of S35 in Starfactory. (cnunez)

September 20th, 2024

• Another busy day!
• Overnight, B12 and (separately) hotstage ring roll out to Pad A. (NSF full livestream, NSF 1, NSF 2, NSF timelapse, Ramirez, Hammer 1, Hammer 2, Hammer 3)
• Also overnight, S31 rolls from Massey's to Megabay 2. (NSF, Gomez, Hammer)
• S31 is transferred from static fire stand to SPMTs and moves to Highbay. (Ramirez, cnunez, Planatus666)
• S34 nosecone is stacked on its payload bay. (Planatus666)
• B12 is lifted onto the launch mount. (Starship Gazer, cnunez wide, cnunez closeup, Doherty, Hammer 1, Hammer 2, Ramirez 1, Ramirez 2, NSF 1, Ramirez 3, Ramirez 4, NSF 2, NSF 3, NSF timelapse)
• SpaceX official photos
• During the lift, the chopsticks are raised to the top of the tower (expected catch height). The extra high lift may have been some form of structural verification test. (Zack Golden)
• S30 rolls out to Pad A as well. (NSF full livestream, NSF 1, NSF 2, NSF 3, NSF timelapse, Beyer, Ramirez 1, Ramirez 2)
• SpaceX official photos
• S30 rolls close to the launch mount. (NSF)

September 19th, 2024

• Sep 18th addendum: S31 static fire (Gomez).
• Busy Sep 19th.
• Pad A: Chopsticks have received a coat of primer zebra-stripes, and are tested. (Gisler, Ramirez, NSF 1, NSF 2, NSF 3, Hammer)
• Pad B: The CC8800-1 crane rises. (Gisler)
• Starhopper's weather station is removed. (Gisler)
• Build site: S34 moves into the Highbay. (Starship Gazer, NSF, Planatus666)
• B12 emerges from the Megabay with some new stringers. (Ramirez, Booster_13soon, Starship Gazer, NSF)
• Some work is done on B12's quick disconnect ahead of rollout. (Hammer)
• Potential parts for the new orbital launch mount are delivered. (NSF, Ramirez)
• RGV Aerial post recent photo of S31 at Massey's and comparison photo of Pad A and Pad B construction.
• Amended road delay (2-hour) is posted for Sep 20 between 00:00 and 04:30. Likely for B12 rollout (NSF livestream)
• Road "clossures" are posted for Sep 23rd, 24th, and 25th from 08:00 to 20:00 for non-flight testing activities.

McGregor:

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

September 18th, 2024

• Sanchez: Tower B ship quick disconnect arm hinge arrives. (Starship Gazer, Beyer, Hammer 1, Hammer 2)
• Massey's: S31 static fire. (Starship Gazer 1, Starship Gazer 2, Beyer, Mary, NSF, Hammer, Gomez 1, Gomez 2, SpaceX, House, full NSF livestream)
• Starhopper work continues.
• 1-hour road delay is posted for Sep 20 between 00:00 and 03:00 for transport from Production to pad.

September 17th, 2024

• Gisler posts Starfactory photos from the last night: Nosecone, doors.
• Starhopper outer layer is being removed. (cnunez (before), NSF 1, NSF 2, NSF 3, Marcus House, Gisler, Ramirez)
• RGV Aerial post a recent flyover photo of launch site.
• S33 right aft flap is lifted into Megabay 2 for installation on ship. (Thanks, u/Planatus666)
• B12 hot stage ring is removed. (Thanks, u/Planatus666)

Other:

• Zack and ChromeKiwi further speculate on new launch mount designs. (Golden, Killip 1, Killip 2)
• Ryan Hansen speculates on whether S24 ignited its engines (IFT-1).
• mcrs987 notes that the vessel Hos Ridgewind might be attempting to recover portions of Booster 11 (IFT-4). (mcrs987 1, mcrs987 2, mcrs987 3, mcrs987 4, mcrs987 5, mcrs987 6, mcrs987 7)

September 16th, 2024

• Pad A: Chopsticks work continues. Hard stops are reinstalled (Anderson/LabPadre). Bumpers are extended (Hammer).
• Pad B: CC8800-1 crane reconfiguration continues. (Gisler)
• Build site: New entrance to Starfactory looks mostly completed. Roof work is coming along on the passage between Starfactory and offices. (Gisler 1, Gisler 2)
• Massey's: S31 cryo testing continues, still no static fire.
• Road delays for Sep 17th and 18th appear to have been cancelled.

September 15th, 2024

• Quiet Sunday, not much action reported.
• Overnight, the first of S33's aft flaps enter Megabay 2. (reported by u/Planatus666, Planatus666 1, Planatus666 2)
• Pad A: Chopsticks work continues. Landing rails were tested.
• Zack Golden speculates on the possibility of a mobile launch mount for Pad B. (Golden 1, Golden 2, Golden 3, Golden 4)
• RGV Aerial post recent photos of the build site, Pad A (chopsticks work), launch site, and Pad B and its flame trench.

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

• Sep 12th cryo delivery update.
• Pad A: Chopsticks work continues.
• Pad B: Commodity pipes are installed at the tower base.
• Build site: Megabay 2 window washing. Starfactory door installation completed.
• 2-hour road delays are posted for Sep 17th and 18th between 00:00 and 03:00 for transport from Massey’s to production pad.

September 12th, 2024

• Sep 11th cryo delivery update.
• A gecko was spotted overnight.
• Quiet Sep 12th, not much action reported.
• Build site: Work on Starfactory door continues.
• Nice photos posted of Starhopper at her new home. (Mary, RGV Aerial)

Other:

• ChromeKiwi posts a render of the possible layout for the pedestals which were delivered the previous day.

September 11th, 2024

• Sep 10th cryo delivery tally.
• Pad A: Chopsticks work continues. (Starship Gazer, Gisler 1, Gisler 2)
• Pad B: Reconfiguration of the CC8800-1 crane continues. (ViX, Gisler)
• Office construction continues, nearly connected to Starfactory.
• Build site: Glass panels are installed on Starfactory door.
• A couple of pedestals are delivered.
• Rocket Garden: Crew lift observed at S30.
• Massey's: S31 at the flame trench. Work continues on Test Tank 16.

Other:

• FAA confirms November timeline for IFT-5. (NASASpaceFlight)

September 10th, 2024

• Sep 9th cryo delivery tally.
• Sep 9th addendum: Timelapse of Test Tank 16 cryo test. (LabPadre)
• The wet continues. (LabPadre, Gomez)
• Workers begin reconfiguring the CC8800-1 crane. (ViX)

Other:

• SpaceX complains about regulatory hurdles. (full post is worth a read for context and details)
• A scale model was tested in a transonic wind tunnel at the NASA Ames Research Center.

September 9th, 2024

• Sep 8th cryo delivery update.
• Sep 9th is a wet day at Starbase. (Gomez, Cooper_Hime, Garza)
• Build site video tour, including an interesting delivery, plausibly an HLS airlock prototype article. (ViX 1, ViX 2, ViX 3, TheSpaceEngineer 1, TheSpaceEngineer 2)
• Massey's: Test Tank 16 undergoes testing.

September 8th, 2024

• Sep 7th cryo delivery tally.
• Chopsticks work continues. A coat of "something" has been applied to both bumpers. (Hammer)
• Massey's: S31 begins cryo test, but aborts. (ViX 1, ViX 2, NSF)
• RGV Aerial post recent flyover photos of the launch site, Massey's, and office construction.

September 7th, 2024

• Sep 6th cryo delivery tally.
• Overnight, lay down of CC8800-1 crane is completed.
• Quiet Saturday, no significant action is reported.

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

• Sep 4th cryo delivery tally.
• Build site: Overnight, ship test stand arrives at Megabay 2. Ship lifting jig enters Megabay 2 and is attached to bridge crane. (ViX)
• Counterweights are moved to the rear of the two SPMTs, which then transport S31 from Highbay to Megabay 2. Ship is then transferred from transport stand to test stand. (ViX 1 (Shadow is the black LTR1220), ViX 2, Starship Gazer, DeffGeff, cnunez, Gisler, Gisler (tile closeup), Hammer)
• Office and passageway construction continues. (Gisler 1, Gisler 2)
• Pad A: Chopsticks work continues. Both ship lift pins are now installed. (ViX, Hammer)
• In the morning, chopsticks are raised.
• Simulated catch test. Ship quick disconnect swings away, chopsticks close. (LabPadre, ViX, Doherty)
• Landing rails are tested. (ViX)
• Additional chopstick testing. (ViX 1, ViX 2, ViX 3, ViX 4, NSF 1, NSF 2, Anderson (compilation))
• Chopsticks are lowered. (ViX)
• Launch mount has been repainted. (Starship Gazer)
• Massey's: Frost is observed on Test Tank 16. (ViX)

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

• Sep 2nd cryo delivery tally.
• Starhopper is relocated from launch site to parking lot. (LabPadre, Starship Gazer 1, Starship Gazer 2, Gomez 1, Gomez 2, Ramirez 1, Ramirez 2, Ramirez 3, Hammer, NSF 1, NSF 2, NSF full livestream)
• Pad A: The LR11000 lifts and lowers scaffold basket. (ViX)
• Chopsticks work continues. Ship lifting pin arm is retracted. Landing rail and stick movement are tested.

September 2nd, 2024

• Morning build site video tour.
• Chopsticks work continues. Ship lifting pins are tested. (LabPadre, ViX 1, ViX 2 (closeup), Hammer)
• Booster quick disconnect is tested. (ViX)
• RGV Aerial post another recent photo of Pad B construction.

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)