Portions of this thread copied from a Starship Dev thread on r/SpaceX.
FAQ
- When next launch? (IFT-5) Booster catch is now NET late November, per SpaceX.
- When previous launch? (IFT-4)? Booster 11 and Ship 29 launched on 2024-06-06.
- What was the result? Both booster and ship make it to landing burn and splashdown. Ship flaps took a beating on reentry, but remained in control of the vehicle.
Quick Links
RAPTOR ROOST | LAB CAM | SAPPHIRE CAM | SENTINEL CAM | ROVER CAM | ROVER 2.0 CAM | PLEX CAM | NSF STARBASE
Starship Dev 56 | IFT-4 launch thread | Starship Dev 55 | IFT-3 launch thread | Starship Dev 54 | Starship Dev 53 | Starship Dev 52
Official SpaceX Starship Update Video (2024-04-06)
Status
Road Closures - @bocaroad Mastodon bot
| Type | Start (CDT) | End (CDT) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Date | 2024-07-09 08:00 | 2024-07-09 20:00 | Possible Closure. |
| Backup Date | 2024-07-10 08:00 | 2024-07-10 20:00 | Possible Closure. |
| Backup Date | 2024-07-11 08:00 | 2024-07-11 20:00 | Possible Closure. |
| Backup Date | 2024-07-10 12:00 | 2024-07-11 00:00 | “Clossure” Scheduled. |
| Backup Date | 2024-07-11 12:00 | 2024-07-12 00:00 | Possible “Clossure”. |
| Primary Date | 2024-07-12 08:00 | 2024-07-12 20:00 | Possible “Clossure”. |
Up to date as of 2024-07-11
Vehicle Status
As of 2024-08-23
Follow Ring Watchers on Twitter and Discord for more.
| Ship | Location | Status | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| S20 | Rocket Garden | Pending scrapping? | |
| S26 | Rocket Garden | Pending scrapping? | Static fire Oct. 20. No fins or heat shield, multiple mysterious changes. Completed 3 cryo tests, latest on Oct 10. Rolls to Massey’s May 8th, cryo test May 24th, static fired Jun 3rd, rolls to rocket garden Jun 12th. Moves to Megabay 2 Aug 13th, raptors removed Aug 14th. |
| S30 | Stacked on B12 | Static fired Jul 26th | 2x cryo: Jan 3rd and Jan 5th. Engines installed ~Apr 9th. Static fired May 8th. Heatshield replacement completed by Jul 20. Static fired Jul 26th. Raptor replacement Aug 3rd. Spin prime Aug 6th. |
| S31 | Highbay | Resting | Cryo tested May 12th, suffers small electrical fire. Underwent repairs in the Highbay, rolls back to Massey’s Jul 1. Cryo tested Jul 2nd and 3rd. Engines installed by Jul 26th. Rolls to Massey’s Sep 6th. Partial (aborted) cryo test Sep 8th. Static fired Sep 18th. |
| S32 | Rocket Garden | On the move | Fully stacked, fore flaps installed but not aft flaps |
| S33 | Megabay 2 | Pending flaps install | First V2 Starship. Nosecone spotted Jul 14th. Forward section spotted Jul 27th. Stacking completed Aug 23. |
| S34 | Starfactory | Stacking | Methane header tank spotted Aug 14th. Nosecone stacked on payload bay Sep 20th. |
| S35 | Starfactory | Parts spotted | Parts spotted Sep 20th. |
| Booster | Location | Status | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| B12 | Launch Mount A | Pending hot stage ring install | Cryo x2, Static fire Jul 15th. |
| B13 | Megabay 1 | Testing | Cryo tests Apr 26th (methane tank) and Apr 29th (LOX tank) |
| B14 | Megabay 1 | Pending cryo | Stacked Apr 26th |
| B14.1 | Sanchez | Resting | Multiple catch simulation “slap tests” performed on Jun 26th and 27th. |
| B15 | Build Site | Assembly | Potential aft end, common dome section, aft tank section, and forward dome spotted. |
| B16 | Build Site | Assembly | Parts spotted |
| B17 | Build Site | Assembly | Parts spotted |
Resources
- LabPadre Channel | NASASpaceFlight.com Channel
- NSF: Booster 7 + Ship X (likely 24) Updates Thread | Most Recent
- NSF: Boca Chica Production Updates Thread | Most recent
- NSF: Elon Starship tweet compilation | Most Recent
- SpaceX: Website Starship page | Starship Users Guide (2020, PDF)
- FAA: SpaceX Starship Project at the Boca Chica Launch Site
- FAA: Temporary Flight Restrictions NOTAM list
- FCC: Starship Orbital Demo detailed Exhibit - 0748-EX-ST-2021 application June 20 through December 20
- NASA: Starship Reentry Observation (Technical Report)
- Hwy 4 & Boca Chica Beach Closures (May not be available outside US)
- Production Progress Infographics by @RingWatchers
- Raptor 2 Tracker by @SpaceRhin0
- Acronym definitions by Decronym
- Everyday Astronaut: Starbase Tour with Elon Musk, Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
- Everyday Astronaut: 2022 Elon Musk Interviews, Starbase/Ship Updates | Launch Tower | Merlin Engine | Raptor Engine
- Everyday Astronaut 2024 Elon Musk Interviews: Starfactory tour | Pad tour and post-IFT-4 interview
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Starbase activities (2024-08-24):
- Aug 23rd cryo delivery tally.
- Aug 23rd addendum: B14.1 is outfitted with two load point arms. S33 is connected to aft section and heads towards welding station. (LabPadre timelapse, Starship Gazer closeup)
- Not too much action reported on the 24th.
- Test Tank 16 still at Massey’s. (cnunez, Gisler)
- Pad A: Work on chopsticks continues. (Gisler)
- RGV Aerial post photos of the build site and Pad B flame trench construction from their recent flyover.
Starbase activities (2024-08-30):
- Aug 29th cryo delivery tally.
- Aug 29th evening addendum: S33 is moved to the centre work stand in Megabay 2. (cnunez closeup)
- Pad A: Chopsticks work continues. (Gisler 1, Gisler 2)
- Construction of passageway between Starfactory and offices continues. (Gisler)
- Partially tiled nosecone in Starfactory has been turned around. (Gisler)
- B15 final forward section still outside Megabay 1.
- Zack Golden’s thoughts on the upcoming booster catch tests. (TL;DR: “be patient”)
- 1 hour road delay is posted for 2024-09-04 between 00:00 and 03:00 for transport from pad to parking lot.
Starbase activities (2024-09-04):
- 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.
Starbase activities (2024-09-03):
- 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.
Starbase activities (2024-08-31):
- Not too much action reported today.
- Chopsticks work continues. (NSF (lightning!))
- New attachments added onto Starhopper prior to potential relocation. (Mary, RGV Aerial, Hammer)
- RGV Aerial post recent photos of Test Tank 16 at Massey’s, Rocket Garden (labelled), Pad A (chopsticks work), and Pad B (flame trench).
Other:
- New CSI Starbase episode: How To Prevent Raptors From Destroying Superheavy Pt.2
Starbase activities (2024-08-29):
- Aug 28th cryo delivery tally.
- Aug 28th evening addendum: Pad A chopstick rails are raised and lowered.
- In the morning, a curved reinforcement piece is installed on the top of the starboard chopstick.
- The 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th bumper pads are installed on the port chopstick. Bumper #12 is lifted but then lowered.
- In the afternoon, further chopstick and rail movements are observed.
- Starship Gazer photo of chopsticks work.
- Pad B: The CC8800-1 crane rolls away from the tower.
- Build site video tour. A new doorway is cut in Starfactory (closeup), and plants have been planted along the highway.
- The final forward section of B15 moves from Starfactory to Megabay 1.
- Closeup of new load points on B14.1. (Hammer)
Starbase activities (2024-08-23):
- Aug 22nd cryo delivery tally.
- S33 aft section moves from Starfactory to Megabay 2, notably very little heat shielding. (LabPadre, ViX, Mary)
- Aft section is mated with rest of ship. (Starship Gazer, Golden)
- New stringers observed on the nose of S33. (Golden)
- Raptors #349, #373, #348 and #366 are delivered. (Mary)
- Pad B: The
LR11000CC8800-1 crane working on assembly and installation of a catch net on Tower B. (ViX) - Some large pipes are delivered. (clwphoto1)
Other:
- 1-hour reflight turnaround time for Starship is still the goal. Unclear if this is for the booster, the ship, or both. Booster would probably be easier.
Edit: Fixed incorrect crane at Pad B.
Starbase activities (2024-08-27):
- Aug 26th cryo delivery tally.
- Overnight, three gas tanks were replaced on the chopsticks at Pad A. (ViX)
- In the morning, the ship quick disconnect is tested. (ViX, Gisler (humans for scale))
- At Pad A, the first new catch bumper block is installed onto the port-side chopstick, then removed, then reinstalled.
- At Pad B, a skate rail plate is lifted and lowered, likely for a fit check. Also visible in the timelapse are several crew lifts over at the Pad A chopsticks. (clwphoto1)
- Office construction continues. (Gisler)
- ENNEPS posts a timelapse compilation of Tower B stacking.
- Also the 5th anniversary of Starhopper’s 150 metre flight.
McGregor activities (2024-08-27):
- Starship V2 methane header tank is spotted at McGregor.
Starbase activities (2024-08-28):
- Aug 27th cryo delivery tally.
- Aug 27th addendum: 4 more catch bumper pads are installed on the port-side chopstick, bringing the total to 5.
- Starkitty spotted :)
- Pad A chopsticks work continues. (NSF, Gisler)
- Pad B flame trench work continues. (Gisler)
- Office construction continues. (Gisler 1, Gisler 2, Gisler 3)
- Nice photo of the Rocket Garden and Sanchez site, with S??, S32, S26, S30, B14.1. (Hammer)
- Test Tank 16 is in the “can crusher” testing apparatus at Massey’s. (Gisler)
Starbase activities (2024-09-01):
- 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)
Starbase activities (2024-09-02):
- 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.
Starbase activities (2024-09-06):
- 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)
Starbase activities (2024-09-05):
- 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 (Shadow is the black LTR1220), 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)
Starbase activities (2024-09-28):
- 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)
Curious to see what happens in the Gulf given Zack Golden’s speculation from a few days ago. Are they really going to retrieve a booster that’s hundreds of meters below sea level? Feels hard.
Yeah, retrieving B10 seems too difficult. My guess would be that there are some additional bits of B11 that they didn’t/couldn’t retrieve on the previous excursion. Either way, we’ll find out over the coming days!
Starbase activities (2024-09-30):
- 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.