Portions of this thread copied from the Starship Dev thread on r/SpaceX.
FAQ
- When next launch? IFT-3 is NET Mid-March, and after completion of the IFT-2 mishap investigation. Candidate vehicles are Booster 10 and Ship 28.
- When previous launch? (IFT-2)? Booster 9 and Ship 25 launched on 2023-11-18.
- What was the result? Successful lift off with minimal pad damage. Successful booster operation with all engines to successful hot stage separation. Booster destroyed by AFTS after attempted boost-back. Ship fired all engines to near orbital speed then destroyed by AFTS. No re-entry attempt.
- Was IFT-2 a complete failure? No. As part of an iterative test programme, many milestones were achieved. Perfection is neither expected nor desired at this stage.
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Quick Links
RAPTOR ROOST | LAB CAM | SAPPHIRE CAM | SENTINEL CAM | ROVER CAM | ROVER 2.0 CAM | PLEX CAM | NSF STARBASE
Starship Dev 52 | Starship Dev 51 | Starship Dev 50 | Starship Dev 49 | Starship Dev 48
Official SpaceX Starship Update Video (2024-01-12)
Status
Road Closures
Type | Start (CDT) | End (CDT) | Status |
---|---|---|---|
Primary Date | 2024-02-15 08:00 | 2024-02-15 20:00 | Closure revoked. |
Backup Date | 2024-02-16 08:00 | 2024-02-16 20:00 | Closure scheduled. |
Backup Date | 2024-02-20 08:00 | 2024-02-12 20:00 | Possible closure. |
Up to date as of 2024-02-19
Vehicle Status
As of 2024-02-20
Follow Ring Watchers on Twitter and Discord for more.
Ship | Location | Status | Comment |
---|---|---|---|
S24 | Gulf of Mexico | Destroyed | April 20th (IFT-1): Destroyed by flight termination system after successful launch. |
S25 | Atlantic Ocean | Destroyed | Mostly successful launch and stage separation |
S26 | Rocket Garden | Mysterious | Static fire Oct. 20. No fins or heat shield, multiple mysterious changes. Completed 3 cryo tests, latest on Oct 10. |
S28 | Suborbital test stand | Awaiting testing | Static fired Dec 29th. Stacked on B10 on Feb 13th. Partial WDR conducted Feb 14th and 16th. Destacked Feb 18th. Spin prime Feb 26th. |
S29 | High Bay | Pending engine install | 3x cryo |
S30 | High Bay | Pending engine install | 2x cryo: Jan 3rd and Jan 5th |
S31 | High Bay | Aft flaps installed | |
S32 | Rocket Garden | Resting | Fully stacked, fore flaps installed but not aft flaps |
S33-34 | Build Site | Parts spotted | To be scrapped in preparation for Starship V2 |
Booster | Location | Status | Comment |
---|---|---|---|
B7 | Gulf of Mexico | Destroyed | Destroyed by flight termination system after successful launch. |
B9 | Gulf of Mexico | Destroyed | Successfully launched, destroyed during Boost back attempt. |
B10 | Megabay 1 | Awaiting testing | Static fired Dec 29th. Hotstaging ring installed Jan 26th. Partial WDR conducted Feb 14th and 16th. |
B11 | Megabay 1 | Finalizing | Completed 2 Cryo tests. |
B12 | Megabay 1 | Finalizing | Cryo x2 |
B13 | Megabay 1 | Fully stacked | Chine installation underway |
B14 | Build Site | Assembly | Assorted parts spotted |
B15 | Build Site | Assembly | Potential aft end spotted Jan 5th |
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
Starbase activities (2024-01-22):
- Overnight, workers struggled to undent the OTF shells. Pop!
- First beam for the new launch tower arrives, 4th piece overall. Piece #1, piece #2, and piece #3 were spotted last November.
- Seems like the black LR11000 could be removed from the launch complex soon. I wonder where it is needed?
Starbase activities (2024-01-09):
- Weather improves.
- At the launch site, the LR11000 removes the first of the vertical inner tanks (GSE #8) and scrapping begins.
- At the build site, an unknown nosecone with only a few TPS pins emerges from a tent.
- S26 disconnected from LR1750 again. S26 mystery continues.
- At Massey’s, S30 moves a tiny bit, possibly in advance of transport back to build site.
Other:
- IFT-3 is NET February, as per Jessica Jensen, VP of Customer Operations and Integration at SpaceX. (Reported by Eric Berger and Jeff Foust)
- Not too surprising, but Artemis II officially slips to 2025-09, and Artemis III slips to 2026-09.
Starbase activities (2024-01-10):
- GSE-8 scrapping continues, tank base removed as well. Workers inspecting remaining tank shells. Unclear if this indicates further removals in the coming days.
- Cement truck delivery to the launch site, likely replacement Fondag for test stand B.
- S30 moves from Massey’s to Rocket Garden, then to High Bay.
- S31 receives her 2nd aft flap and emerges from the High Bay.
- B12 cryo test at Massey’s.
- Tent #3 shutting down and contents being emptied. Demolition likely coming soon, ahead of further Starfactory expansion.
- Big lifting machine lifts a smaller lifting machine.
Starbase activities (2024-01-11):
- S26 lifted onto engine installation stand.
- S30 in High Bay.
- S31 moves back into High Bay.
- S32 moves to Rocket Garden.
- Tent #3 stripping and emptying continues.
- Workers observed on SQD.
- Following yesterday’s unusual lift of a boom lift, and excavator follows.
- Black LR11000 then moves away from the OTF, likely implying the end of GSE tank removal for now.
- Potential location identified for the upcoming Starship update, but I could not find any confirmation that an update took place. The CEO may have had a prior engagement today.
Acronyms, initialisms, abbreviations, contractions, and other phrases which expand to something larger, that I’ve seen in this thread:
Fewer Letters More Letters GSE Ground Support Equipment NET No Earlier Than OTF Orbital Tank Farm SPMT Self-Propelled Mobile Transporter TPS Thermal Protection System for a spacecraft (on the Falcon 9 first stage, the engine “Dance floor”)
[Thread #29 for this sub, first seen 13th Jan 2024, 05:40] [FAQ] [Full list] [Contact] [Source code]
Starbase activities (2024-01-12):
- Tent #3 demolition commences.
- Short stubby tank is delivered to launch site. Purpose unclear at this point.
- Long SPMT arrives at launch site, likely in anticipation of more horizontal storage tanks arriving.
- B12 performs a 2nd cryo test at Massey’s.
- Potential road “cosssures” posted for Jan 16th, 17th, and 18th.
Starship update video released. Some highlights:
- S25 failure: Intentional LOx venting caused an unintentional fire and explosion.
- IFT-3 flight plan includes a deorbit burn from header tanks.
- 2nd launch tower at Starbase confirmed.
- Full stack could eventually stretch to 150 m, with an aspirational goal of 200 tonnes to orbit, fully reusable.
Sorry for missing a day! I had a busy weekend.
Nitter links
RIP
nitter.freedit.eu
instance.nitter.esmailelbob.xyz
is still limping along, but it’s only a matter of time before it too falls.Starbase activities (2024-02-17):
- Not much action, but some Starfactory progress status.
Starbase activities (2024-02-18):
- Coyote sighted. Starkitty sighted.
- Minimal Starfactory progress.
- Nice aerial photo of S28/B10.
- Tanker deliveries to OTF.
- SQD retracts work platform extends, workers disconnect the lines near SQD plate, and work platform retracts.
- Crews spotted at the ship lift jig, which is now connected to the black LR11000.
- S28 destacked from B10.
- Feb 20th road delay still scheduled and road closure still possible.
𝕏 links
Starbase activities (2024-02-17):
- Not much action, but some Starfactory progress status.
Starbase activities (2024-02-18):
- Coyote sighted. Starkitty sighted.
- Minimal Starfactory progress.
- Nice aerial photo of S28/B10.
- Tanker deliveries to OTF.
- SQD retracts work platform extends, workers disconnect the lines near SQD plate, and work platform retracts.
- Crews spotted at the ship lift jig, which is now connected to the black LR11000.
- S28 destacked from B10.
- Feb 20th road delay still scheduled and road closure still possible.
Starbase activities (2024-01-13):
- Overnight, B12 completes its 2nd cryo test at Massey’s. Detanking audible from RocketRanch.
- A 10-axle SPMT visits the launch site to retrieve booster stand.
- Tent #3 demolition completed.
- New vapourizers arrive at launch site.
- Two more horizontal tanks arrive in Brownsville port.
- No more GSE tank removals any time soon. Load spreaders leave the launch site, and the black LR11000 boom is lowered.
Other:
- SpaceX to build a restaurant, grocery store, and other shops near Starbase.
Starbase activities (2024-01-14):
- 7th horizontal tank is delivered to launch site and slotted into position alongside the others.
- Hole is repaired on Megabay 2.
- The black LR11000 is partially disassembled, possibly for maintenance.
Starbase activities (2024-01-15):
- Either not too much action today, or action shrouded in fog.
- No vehicle transports or tank deliveries.
- Hotstage ring spotted exiting Megabay 1.
Other:
- New Ringwatchers article detailing changes/upgrades with B10 and S28.
Starbase activities (2024-01-16):
- B13 methane tank stacking begins.
- 8th horizontal tank is delivered to launch site and slotted into position.
- Not sure who’s keeping track, but there have apparently been 400 LN2 deliveries to the launch site since IFT-2.
Starbase activities (2024-01-16):
- Multiple lifts observed near OLM and chopsticks.
- Tank shell of GSE-2 receives reinforcements. (timelapse)
- Road closed for unspecified testing, likely related to OTF.
- Starkitty sighted :)
Other:
- SpaceX looking to swap 43 acres of the nearby state park for 477 acres of land elsewhere.
- SpaceX also looking to make the Starbase name official.
Starbase activities (2024-01-18):
- Overnight testing included OTF and tower venting.
- BQD and SQD are worked on.
- Reinforcment stringers two through six are installed on the OTF.
- S26 is worked on. The mystery continues.
- Starfactory expansion coming along nicely.
- Another slightly silly-looking excavator lift.
- Road delay scheduled for the morning of Jan 19th.
Starbase activities (2024-01-19):
- B12 moves from Massey’s back to the build site. (video)
- 7th stringer installed on shells at the OTF.
- 420th LN2 delivery since IFT-2.
- Starfactory expansion continues with some excavation today.
- Concrete issue with the new building next to the deluge tanks. Is it known what this building will be for?
- Steel plates are installed to protect the base of the launch tower. More photos from Starship Gazer and LabPadre.
Starbase activities (2024-01-20):
- 8th stringer installed on the OTF shells.
- Cross-bracing installation begins on the OTF shells.
- Zack Golden’s thoughts on the concrete issue: “If you pour too quickly, pressure will continue to rise at the bottom as additional material is added. Eventually this head pressure can reach a point where it becomes too great for the form work to handle, resulting in a collapse.”