SpaceX Elevates Second Starbase Tower for Flight Five

SpaceX’s test site at Starbase, Masseys, is picking up the pace, with Ship 26 conducting a Static Fire test on June 3. This marked Ship 26’s first-ever multi-engine static fire and the inaugural first lighting of the Massey’s test stand. After nearly two hours from the first signs of venting, Ship 26 lit its engines for six seconds. With this test, Ship 26 has completed four cryogenic proof tests, one preburner test, and two static fires since its first cryogenic test in February of 2023.

The brand-new test stand held strong under the grueling power of the Raptor engine, projecting the steam and exhaust away from the vehicle and pad and out towards the Rio Grande River. As a bonus, Highway Four stayed open while the static fire roared on, proving that static fire tests no longer require a road closure. This change will result in faster turnaround times for vehicle testing and launches.

Massey’s tank farm is continuing to be upgraded. Foundation work has been spotted to the right of the current liquid oxygen (LOX) tanks for a new expansion of the LOX supply. These new tanks will feed into the Ship static firing test stand and double with the cryogenic testing area, allowing SpaceX to test new vehicles more commonly.

Not far from the new LOX tanks, a more permanent structural test stand is being assembled for test tanks like B14.1. This prototype tank section is designed to withstand the stresses the booster must endure when landing on the chopsticks. Gaining this data before flight five is imperative so SpaceX knows the limits of a catchable vehicle and does not make a haphazard attempt.

To the left of the Rocket Garden and Ship 26 resides the Sanchez site. The site’s current main goal is staging the tower pieces to be rolled out to the launch site. Seven tower pieces are nearly ready to be stacked, with only small additions like plumbing left to be included before transport.

Between Sanchez and the production site is the new parking garage. This structure has the entire exterior completed with only the interior requiring additional work. Concrete is being poured on the ground floor of the garage, and finishing touches such as lights still need to be added. Once this garage comes online it will be open to all SpaceX employees creating safer road conditions along Highway Four.

Mega Bay 2 has received many useful upgrades. It is now attached to the Starfactory, meaning that any ring sections to be stacked will no longer have to leave the factory. Also, Mega Bay 2 is currently gaining permanent work platforms. This will reduce the time spent building scaffolding around each of the vehicles prepared in the building.

On the adjacent side of the Starfactory from Mega Bay 2, SpaceX’s new office building is being constructed, with the footprint already completed. The first walls have begun to go up on the north side of the building, and all of the flooring has been installed. Once completed, the office building will be attached to the Starfactory, allowing workers to walk the entire way from the office building to Mega Bay 2 without ever stepping outside.

Ship 30 continues to receive upgrades, preparing it for Flight Five. With most of the older tiles removed, new similar-sized tiles are being tied down to Ship 30. These tiles potentially have a different formula, making them more resistant to heat while maintaining a similar size.

Additionally, an ablative pyron layer is being added to the hot spots where Ship 30 is most likely to be infiltrated by plasma during entry. Pyron, a material SpaceX is familiar with and trusts, is used in the Falcon 9’s engine bay.

Along with removing and adding 18,000 tiles, SpaceX also removed and added a Raptor Vacuum (R-VAC) engine from Ship 30. They decided to remove R-VAC 378 and install R-VAC 390 into Ship 30 the old-fashioned way. Workers lifted the Ship using a crane and removed the engine while it was still hanging; they then added the new R-VAC the same way. This was likely a one-off occurrence due to Mega Bay 2’s current revamp. With this engine swap, a second static fire of Ship 30 will probably be required before launch.

Work continues on the orbital launch mount (OLM). The OLM’s hold-down clamps were changed out, as is normally done after every flight. New clamps were then reinstalled into the OLM soon after, and the system will be recertified before Booster 12’s stack. Moving up the tower, the Ship’s quick disconnect (SQD) arm received refurbishment on June 18. It was noticeably straightened into its normal position, but work on the actuators has yet to begin.

The chopsticks have been testing their systems on the tower to prepare for Flight Five’s catch attempt. The chopstick landing rails have shock absorbers, which have been tested to help soften Booster 12’s future landing. The Booster stabilization pins have also been reinstalled on the OLM deck. These will stay on until close to flight, when they will again be removed about a week before launch.