Pad B Rises Ahead of Booster 12 Static Fire

Booster 12, which has been in Mega Bay 1 since January 23, is possibly set to roll out to the Orbital Launch Mount (OLM) as early as July 8 or 9. However, depending on Hurricane Beryl, this could be pushed back a few days if Highway 4 is flooded.

Along with intermittent closures, SpaceX has requested testing closures for July 9, 10, and 11, with each closure lasting from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

This rollout would involve Booster 12 performing a 33-engine static fire, and it will probably roll back while waiting for its other half (the Ship) to be ready for full-stack testing. SpaceX most likely won’t place the Hot Stage Ring on Booster 12 for this static fire rollout and instead will use the new white booster cap to help keep the forward dome clean and covered.

Over the past few weeks, SpaceX has been hard at work replacing the heat shield on Ship 30 and applying new ablative materials and stronger heat tiles. The upgrades aim to imropve the vehicle’s ability to withstand the intense heat experienced during atmospheric re-entry.

From the observations, it appears that the tank sections of Ship 30 will now feature four layers of protective materials. The innermost layer comprises Pyron, a carbon fiber material designed to act as an ablative layer, providing an additional safeguard in case the primary heat shield tiles fail. Overlaying the Pyron are two layers of felt blankets and mesh material, which have been part of the heat shield design thus far. These layers offer insulation and a stabilizing surface for easier tile installation.

The outermost layer consists of the primary heat shield tiles, which have undergone improvements. While the new tiles do not exhibit noticeable visual changes, they are expected to perform better than their predecessors. This multi-layered approach ensures that even if tiles are lost during re-entry, Ship 30 will have a backup layer to protect the primary structure.

In addition to the Pyron ablative layer, SpaceX has introduced new gap fillers for the tiles on the nosecone and flaps. These include what appears to be stainless steel tape and a blue RTV (room-temperature vulcanizing) silicone adhesive. RTV silicone can withstand temperatures up to 650 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on the mixture, making it suitable for filling gaps and enhancing tile adhesion.

While SpaceX still has work to complete on Ship 30’s heat shield upgrades, the progress made thus far demonstrates the company’s commitment to continuously improving the thermal protection system. Once the upgrades are finished, Ship 30 will be transported to the new static fire stand at Masseys to test the recently installed Raptor Vacuum engine.