• 1.38K Posts
  • 5.12K Comments
Joined 2 years ago
cake
Cake day: June 10th, 2023

help-circle
  • 2025-11-07 Starbase activities:

    • Build site: Overnight, S39 is lifted and placed over the transfer tube install jig. (ViX)
    • The aft and forward sections of test tank 39.1 move from Starfactory to Megabay 2 for stacking. The V3 quick disconnect design is visible. (ViX, Starship Gazer)
    • Gigabay construction continues. (ViX)
    • The second mystery white box moves from Sanchez to Starfactory. (ViX)
    • Another mystery delivery. Possibly a ship aft flap? (Gisler)
    • Pad 1: Launch mount demolition continues. (ViX)
    • The booster quick disconnect is removed from the launch mount. (NSF, ViX 1, ViX 2)
    • The Drawworks is removed from the rear of Tower 1, and departs from the launch site. (ViX 1, ViX 2)
    • Pad 2: The LR11000 crane is lowered, then raised. (ViX 1, ViX 2)
    • The clamp testing jig for is installed on the launch mount. (ViX, TrackingTheSB)
    • Two tests of the flame trench deluge system are performed. (NSF)
    • Trees and shrubs are install along the road. (ViX)

    2025-11-07 Florida activities:

    • Storage tanks are offloaded from the barge at the KSC turn basin, and moved to LC-39A. (NSF, Priel 1, Priel 2)

    2025-11-08 Starbase activities:

    • Build site: Test tank 39.1 moves from Megabay 2 to Starfactory. (ViX)
    • Pad 1: The bottom of the booster quick disconnect door mechanism is removed. (ViX)
    • A large segment of the launch mount ring is removed. (ViX)

    2025-11-09 Starbase activities:

    • Build site: S39 is back on a work stand, and the transfer tube installation jig is empty, presumably indicating that the transfer tubes have been installed. (ViX)
    • Transfer tube installation jig moves from Megabay 2 to Starfactory. (wvmattz)
    • Pipe cleaning is performed on the Pad 2 ship quick disconnect arm. (ViX)
    • One of the tower cranes goes for a spin, likely not under human control. (ViX 1, ViX 2, ViX 3)
    • Pad 1: Some photos from RGV Aerial of the pieces removed from the launch mount. (ViX)
    • The deluge plate has been covered with dirt. (Anderson)
    • Pad 2: Drawworks photo. (Sorensen)
    • RGV Aerial post recent flyover photos of Pad 1 and Gigabay.








  • 2025-11-06 Starbase activities:

    • Massey’s: New design Starship V3 quick disconnect is visible. (Starship Gazer)
    • Build site: Test tank 39.1 moves from Starfactory towards Megabay 2. (ViX)
    • S43 common dome briefly emerges from Starfactory. (ViX)
    • Transfer tube installation jig for S39 moves from Starfactory to Megabay 2. (ViX)
    • Gigabay construction continues. (ViX)
    • S40 nosecone section is lifted onto a stand inside Starfactory prior to being stacked onto the payload section. (LabPadre, ViX)
    • Launch site: Mystery structure labelled “ibeproofin’”, thought to be the breakover fixture for boosters, moves from the build site to Pad 2. (NSF, ViX, Killip)
    • The LR11000 crane is raised, lowered, and raised again for the first time in a few weeks. (NSF, ViX 1, ViX 2, ViX 3, CeaserG33)
    • Pad 1 demolition continues. (Gisler)
    • Decorative trees are relocated. (Gisler 1, Gisler 2)

    2025-11-06 McGregor activities:

    • Four Raptor-3 engines depart from the test area. R5-, R56, R-2, and R30. (Rhin0 1, Rhin0 2)
    • Four Raptor-3 engines arrive at the test area. R47, R-0, R-9, and R-2. (Rhin0 2)

    2025-11-06 Florida activities:

    • Storage tanks arrive by barge at the KSC Turn Basin. (NSF, Cornwell)
    • Gigabay construction continues. (Bergeron)




  • 2025-11-04 Starbase activities:

    • Pad 1: Launch mount cladding is removed. (NSF 1, NSF 2, ViX 1, ViX 2, ViX 3, ViX 4, ViX 5, ViX 6, Golden)
    • Pad 2: Testing of the top deck water cooling system continues. (NSF, ViX)
    • Build site: The tower cranes refuel each other. (ViX)
    • Gigabay construction continues. Tower crane 4 of 4 is nearing completion. (ViX)
    • Mystery item, possibly a shroud for a conveyor belt is delivered. (ViX, cnunez)

    2025-11-04 McGregor activities:

    • R3.54 (new highest serial number) and three other Raptor 3 engines are spotted. (Rhin0)
    • Five LOX subcoolers are delivered, presumably the ones removed from the Starbase Pad 1 tank farm. (wvmattz)

    2025-11-04 Florida activities:

    2025-11-05 Starbase activities:

    • Build site: Overnight, S39 aft barrel (A3:4) moves from Starfactory to Megabay 2. (LabPadre, ViX, NSF, Golden)
    • Pad 1: Booster quick disconnect and housing are removed. (ViX 1, ViX 2, ViX 3)

    2025-11-05 McGregor activities:

    • R3.30, labelled “DEV ONLY” leaves the testing area at McGregor. (Rhin0)

    2025-11-05 Florida:

    • LC-39A: The launch mount is hooked up to the LR13000 crane and lifted into position. (NSF, LabPadre, ViX, Golden)
    • KSC Turn Basin: SPMTs are assembled, suggesting that more propellant tanks may arrive soon. (NSF)

    Flight 12:

    • NET January, per Kiko Dontchev via Jeff Foust. B18 will be rolling out to the pad for tests in “days to weeks”. (Foust 1, Foust 2)





  • 2025-11-03 Starbase activities:

    • Overnight, the roof of the Pad 1 drawworks structure is removed. (ViX, NSF)
    • Pad 1: All eight LOX subcoolers from the tank farm have been removed, and have departed from the launch site. (ViX)
    • Launch mount demolition continues. (ViX)
    • A small fire breaks out inside the launch mount, and is quickly extinguished. (Hayden)
    • Pad 2: The water-cooled top deck of the launch mount is purged for the first time. (ViX, rocketjunkie94, lewisknaggs42)
    • Other: "Raptor 3 will probably be 2 to 4 times better than Merlin in $/ton of thrust and will exceed Merlin in thrust to weight ratio. Raptor 4 should beat Merlin by >10X in $/ton of thrust, with further improvement in TWR and ISP. (Elon)

    Florida:

    • Harry Stranger posts recent satellite images of LC-39A and SLC-37. LC-39A gains more Starship infrastructure, SLC-37 demolition appears complete.