Huzzah!

Additional note from Adrian Beil of NASASpaceflight: https://x.com/BCCarCounters/status/1844848026197921830

Also on Oct. 11, FAA closed the SpaceX-led investigations for the Falcon 9 mishaps that occurred with the Starlink 9-3 (July 11) and Starlink 8-6 (Aug. 28) missions.

Starlink 9-3 was the upper stage relight failure, Starlink 8-6 was the booster landing leg failure.

Starbase activities (2024-10-11):

• Oct 10th cryo delivery update.
• Pad A: Crews close up flight termination system boxes on B12. (ViX)
• S30 is restacked on B12. (ViX 1, ViX 2, LabPadre, DeffGeff, Starship Gazer 1, Starship Gazer 2, Starship Gazer 3, Starship Gazer 4, NSF 1, NSF 2, NSF 3, NSF 4, Mary, Evans 1, Evans 2, Kraus, Cosmic Perspective, Hammer, clwphoto1 1, clwphoto1 2)
• Ship transport stand is removed from launch complex. (ViX)
• LR11000 crane is on the move, likely pending lie down prior to IFT-5. (ViX)
• Additional cladding is installed on Tower A. (ViX 1, ViX 2, Anderson / Starship Gazer)
• Build site: Test tank 16 moves from Massey’s to Starfactory. (ViX)
• Car park mural reveal continues. (ViX)
• Bridge crane parts arrive at Starfactory. (ViX)
• RGV Aerial post photos from their previous flyover: Pad A, Pad B

IFT-5:

• SpaceX post photos, and state that they “expect regulatory approval in time to fly on October 13”.
• Davenport and Berger corroborate.
• “Booster Integration Team is ready for a RTLS”, per Alijah Bailey, Supervisor, Build - Booster Integration at SpaceX.
• Tim Dodd posts How SpaceX Plans To CATCH A Rocket From Space!.
• Ryan Hansen Space posts How SpaceX Will Catch Super Heavy | Explained.

Starbase activities (2024-10-10):

• Oct 9th cryo and water delivery updates.
• Pad A: Chopsticks tests overnight. (ViX, NSF 1, NSF 2, NSF 3)
• S30 moves between the chopsticks. (LabPadre, ViX, Starship Gazer 1, Starship Gazer 2, NSF, Gisler, cnunez, Kraus)
• Multiple cameras mounted on tower A. (ViX)
• Raptor access platform departs from the launch site. (ViX)
• Pad B: CC8800-1 disassembly continues. (ViX)
• New 'murican flag on Tower B. (LabPadre, ViX, Gisler)
• Build site: Garage mural reveal continues. (ViX, LabPadre, Starship Gazer, Mary, Gisler)
• Slight aurora visible at Starbase. (Evans 1, Evans 2)

IFT-5:

• Cameron County post sonic boom safety information on their SpaceX page.
• BingoBoca publishes summary of changes and infographic.
• Marine Safety Information Bulletin (MSIB)/ Notice to Mariners (NOTMAR) has been posted.
• A fast crew boat which supported offshore operations for IFT-1 and IFT-2 (not used on 3 & 4) is en-route to Starbase. (Cornwell)

Other:

• SpaceX clarifies that the water-cooled flame deflector uses potable water, and calls out the related lawsuit as “unwarranted and frivolous”.

To clarify the headline a bit, the connectivity is for “T-Mobile customers in Florida who may lose cellular service due to Hurricane Milton”, not connectivity for the hurricane itself, which I assume is doing just fine.

Starbase activities (2024-10-09):

• Oct 8th cryo delivery update.
• Pad A: B12 flight termination system is installed. (ViX 1, ViX 2, ViX 3, Starship Gazer 1, Starship Gazer 2, NSF 1, NSF 2)
• S30 flight termination system is installed. (ViX 1, ViX 2, ViX 3, Starship Gazer 1, Starship Gazer 2, Starship Gazer 3, Tank Watchers, Evans)
• New test tiles spotted on the port side of S30. (Starship Gazer)
• Chopsticks are tested. (NSF)
• Pad B: CC8800-1 crane disassembly continues. (ViX 1, ViX 2, Gisler)
• Build site: Parking garage cladding is revealed to be a mural. (LabPadre, Starship Gazer, Gisler, Hammer)
• Massey’s: Test tank 16 is lifted out of the test stand. (Gisler)
• 2-hour road delay is posted for Oct 11th between 00:00 and 03:00 for transport from Massey’s to factory.

IFT-5:

• Oct 13th 00:00 to 14:00 road closure is scheduled.
• Temporary flight restrictions are posted.
• Isla Blanca County Park and boat ramp will close one hour earlier on Saturday, Oct 12th.

Other:

• Launch mount B render is posted by ChromeKiwi.
• Foust highlights comment by Bill Gerstenmaier (SpaceX VP of build and flight reliability), who stated B11 landed in the ocean “with half a centimeter accuracy”. What this was measured with respect to is unclear. (Military GPS?)

Good point. Would the upcoming Falcon Heavy for Europa Clipper have the same exception?

Also, John Insprucker was spotted during the livestream:

Always nice to see him :)

Starbase activities (2024-10-08):

• Oct 7th cryo delivery update.

• Pad A: Deluge tests overnight, seemingly rehearsing for launch and landing. (ViX, NSF 1, NSF 2, Beyer)

• S30 is destacked from B12. Ship quick disconnect retracts (ViX, NSF), arm retracts, ship is destacked (ViX, LabPadre, NSF 1, NSF 2), arm extends, chopsticks open and lower (ViX, LabPadre), and ship moves off to one side. NSF timelapse.

• Stack/destack photos: Starship Gazer 1, Starship Gazer 2, Starship Gazer 3, Starship Gazer 4, Starship Gazer 5 (engine bay closeup), Starship Gazer 6 (ship closeup), Gisler 1, Gisler 2.

• Possible (unconfirmed) flight termination system installation on S30. (cnunez)

• Build site: S34 nosecone moves from Starfactory to Megabay 2. (LabPadre, NSF)

• Two more large launch mount pieces are delivered. (ViX, Beyer, Gisler 1, Gisler 2)

• RGV Aerial photos,

• Mockup diagrams of launch mount B. (Anderson 1, Anderson 2)

• Car park cladding layer nearly completed. (Gisler)

McGregor:

• Some of B11’s recovered engines have been spotted, further test fires unlikely. (NSF 1, NSF 2)

IFT-5:

• Road closures for “flight testing” are posted for Oct 13th, 14th, and 15th, from 00:00 to 14:00. (And in the alternative, Sep 24th or 25th, likely erroneous)
• Davenport: FAA approval by Sunday is possible, but not a certainty.
• Beil: Latest FAA statement to NSF does not mention “late November”, and instead states “once SpaceX has met all licensing requirements.”
• Berger: Surface-level weather forecast for Sunday looks good.

Starbase activities (2024-10-07):

• Oct 6th cryo delivery update.
• Overnight, B14 moves from Massey’s to Megabay 1. (Priel, ViX 1, ViX 2)
• Booster stand moves from Megabay 1 to Sanchez. (ViX)
• Pad A: B12 and S30 perform another cryo test. Highway is cleared, road is closed. Crews briefly return to the pad to troubleshoot an issue with the FireX pressure relief system. Chopsticks open and landing rails are raised. Tank farm venting, followed by launch mount and tower venting, followed by cryo load on ship (ViX, NSF) and booster (ViX, NSF) tanks. Partial cryo load, then detanking.
• LabPadre timelapse, NSF timelapse, LabPadre full livestream, NSF full livestream.
• Oct 7th road closure scheduled and concluded, Oct 8th and 9th closures revoked, hopefully indicating a successful test.
• Following road reopening, cryo deliveries resume. (ViX, Gomez)
• Sanchez: Construction of launch mount B continues. (ViX)

IFT-5:

• SpaceX announces IFT-5 is NET Oct 13, “pending regulatory approval”. (Tweet, website, archive)
• Davenport highlights that the booster catch attempt is contingent on “healthy systems on the booster and tower and a manual command from the mission’s Flight Director”.

deleted by creator

Hera spacecraft separation confirmed!

SECO-2 confirmed! Nominal orbital insertion.

Spacecraft separation scheduled for T+1:16:02.

SES-2 confirmed!

Norminal launch, MECO, stage separation, M-vac ignition, fairing separation, and SECO-1.

Farewell B1061!

Next up is SES-2 at T+52 minutes.

Starbase activities (2024-10-06):

• Oct 5th cryo delivery update.
• Pad A: Overnight, S30 is restacked on B12. (LabPadre, ViX, Starship Gazer, Priel, Gisler, Hammer 1, Hammer 2)
• Chopstick testing equipment leaves the launch site. (ViX)
• Build site: Water-cooled “top deck pancake” plates for the new launch mount are delivered. (Mary/NSF, ViX)
• A large launch mount piece is delivered. (Starship Gazer, Beyer)
• Golden concludes that the launch mount will still have 20 hold-down clamps, but no raptor quick disconnects.
• Brownsville Port: Salvaged aft dome from B11 is offloaded and transported. (Beyer 1, Beyer 2, Gomez)
• Summary of recent B14 cryo tests. (Priel, cnunez)

Starbase activities (2024-10-05):

• Oct 4th cryo delivery update.
• Oct 4th addenda: NSF timelapse of B14 methane tank cryo test at Massey’s. NSF timelapse of chopstick testing with water bags.
• Pad A: Overnight, hot stage ring is restacked on B12. (LabPadre)
• Water bags are removed from the chopsticks. (ViX)
• S30 flaps are deployed, ship is positioned between chopsticks, and stabilizer pins are deployed. (ViX 1, ViX 2, LabPadre, ViX 3, Hammer (closeups))
• S30 is restacked on B12. (NSF 1, NSF 2, NSF 3, NSF 4, NSF full livestream)
• Massey’s: B14 performs another cryo test, filling the LOX tank this time. (ViX 1, ViX 2, Rocket Ranch full livestream)
• Brownsville Port: HOS Ridgewind arrives, presumably with another load of salvaged B11 hardware. (Cornwell)

Starbase activities (2024-10-03):

• Oct 2nd cryo delivery update.
• Overnight, B14 and ship test stand move to Massey’s. (ViX, Starship Gazer, Priel, Gomez)
• Also overnight, some chopstick testing and cryo pipe cleaning. (ViX)
• Pad A: Workers inspect S30. (LabPadre, House/Gisler)
• Water bags are delivered for chopstick testing. (Mary)
• Build site: Megabay 2’s 4-point lifting jig is lowered (ViX). Another lifting jig arrives at Starfactory in the afternoon (LabPadre).
• Massey’s: The “top hat” portion of the “can crusher” testing rig is removed. (ViX)
• Road closures for “non-flight testing” are posted for Oct 7th (10:00 to 22:00), and for Oct 8th and 9th (08:00 to 20:00).

Starbase activities (2024-10-04):

• Oct 3rd cryo delivery update.
• Pad A: Telehandler unfurls large water bags, which are then mounted on the chopsticks. (Phillips, LabPadre 1, LabPadre 2, Starship Gazer, Hammer)
• Bags are then filled. (ViX 1, ViX 2, ViX 3, Starship Gazer, Hammer 1, Hammer 2, Ramirez)
• Chopstick deflection comparison and weight estimates (ViX, Anderson 1, Anderson 2).
• Bags are placed further out on the lever arm than in 2022. (Anderson)
• B12 grid fin photo with humans for scale. (Gisler)
• Evening preparations underway to lift hot stage ring back on B12. (Anderson)
• Pad B: Disassembly of the CC8800-1 crane continues. (ViX)
• Build site: 4th and final corner of launch mount 2 is spotted heading to Sanchez. (ViX)
• Pez dispenser emerges from Starfactory and moves to Megabay 2. (ViX 1, ViX 2)
• New cladding is being added to the garage. (Gisler)
• Massey’s: B14 is cryo tested. (ViX, cnunez)
• 1-hour road delays are posted for Oct 6th and 7th between 00:00 and 03:00 for transport from Brownsville Port to Massey’s.
• Oct 7th road closure (10:00 to 22:00) is scheduled.

Other:

• Additional angles and closeups of B11 recovery at sea. (Joe Tegtmeyer)
• NOTAM are posted for IFT-5 Ship reentry in Indian Ocean. (RGV Aerial)

Starbase activities (2024-10-02):

• Oct 1st cryo delivery update.
• Build site: Overnight, booster “puck shucker” test/transport stand moves into Megabay 1 and B14 is lifted onto it, likely in preparation for transport to Massey’s. (ViX, LabPadre, Starship Gazer 1, Starship Gazer 2, NSF, Gisler)
• Sanchez: Gisler posts a photo. Chopsticks carriage is still surrounded by scaffolding.
• Pad A: Chopstick wiggle tests performed in the early morning and afternoon.
• Tank farm active in the evening, chopsticks rise, and drones are spotted. (Anderson)
• Pad B: The CC8800-1 crane is laid down, and dismantling begins (ViX, NSF).
• Load spreader for chopsticks testing moves to the launch site. (Anderson 1, Anderson 2)

Maritime:

• Two more cryo tanks en route to Brownsville port. (Cornwell)

McGregor:

• Possible HLS thruster test spotted. (NSF/Nerdplysgames)

Other:

• NOTMAR for “rocket launching activities near Boca Chica” are spotted for Oct 12th through 19th. These are likely just placeholders, as the official word from the FAA is still NET November. Berger has heard rumours to the contrary, but nothing is finalized. A NASA WB-57 is listed for imagery support in mid-October, but those are also just placeholder dates.

This thread is no longer being updated, and has been replaced by:

Starship Development Thread October 2024

Starbase activities (2024-10-01):

• Sep 30th cryo delivery update.
• Sep 30th addendum: LabPadre and NSF timelapses of hotstage ring removal from B12.
• Overnight, booster transport stand moves from the launch site to Sanchez. (ViX)
• Crew lift goes up to the top of B12. (ViX)
• Two corner segments for launch mount B arrive. One is lifted onto an assembly stand. (ViX 1, ViX 2, Starship Gazer, Mary)
• Booster “puck shucker” test/transport stand moves from Sanchez to build site. (ViX)

Other:

• All of S30’s Raptor engines have now been identified. Centers are R269, R319, and R334. Vacuums are R368, R384, and R390. (SpaceRhin0)