Additional Preparations Undertaken Following Aborted WDRs Flight 3

SpaceX continues to make progress in its preparations for Flight 3 of the Starship, despite encountering some setbacks. After two Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR) aborts, the company decided to destack Ship 28 before removing Booster 10 from the Orbital Launch Mount (OLM). Booster 10 has since been rolled back to the Production Site, while Ship 28 conducted standalone testing on Pad B, beginning with a Spin Prime test on Monday.

The WDRs on February 14 and 16 were unsuccessful, with liquid oxygen being loaded into Ship 28 before being detanked shortly into the process. Observations made during these attempts revealed that the significant change was the Ship loading first rather than the Booster. The reason for the two aborts is unclear, but the fact that Booster 10 was rolled back to the Mega Bay and placed on a work stand suggests a vehicle issue rather than a tank farm issue.

Following the destacking of Ship 28 and Booster 10, teams installed vaporizers and tanks to replace the water tanks that were removed. These new tanks are part of the Orbital Tank Farm (OTF) pressurization system, which uses water and heat exchangers to heat cryogenic storage tanks filled with LOX, LCH4, or Liquid Nitrogen (LN2). The LOX and LN2 gas are vented off during detanking, while the LCH4 gas is recondensed back into liquid.

Ship 28 has been placed on Suborbital Pad B for further testing. Teams have begun working inside the methane tank while the ship is still hooked up to the crane. It’s uncertain whether Ship 28 has new engines or if the engines were reinstalled, but teams plan to test the connections with a spin prime test and possibly a static fire. Road closures for testing are scheduled for February 26-28, from 8 am – 8 pm CST.

In addition to the preparations for Flight 3, SpaceX has submitted a request to convert a small portion of wetlands near Suborbital Pad B for the construction of a second orbital launch pad. This request aims to minimize environmental impact and expedite the construction process, as groundwork has already been completed at the suborbital site. The public comment period is open until March 25, after which the Army Corps of Engineers will evaluate the proposal.

While there are no released plans on the exact location of the second launch tower or tank farm, SpaceX has already destroyed a parking lot near Suborbital Pad B, indicating that construction may be starting soon. The company has also applied to purchase additional land next to the suborbital site.

Once all upgrades and repairs are completed, SpaceX will attempt another WDR, with a target launch window in mid to late March. The company continues to make progress towards the successful launch of Flight 3 and the advancement of its ambitious Starship program.