| Date | Location | Source | Headline | Activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30th |
Boca Chica |
NSF |
Stage Separation Mechanism Tested Between Booster & Ship Sections....view. |
In preparation for the Orbital Test Flight, crews appear to test the stage separation mechanism between the Booster and Ship sections outside the tents. Meanwhile, the seventh Launch Tower section prepares to be stacked....What next? |
| 29th |
Boca Chica |
NSF |
Super Heavy Booster 3 Stacked....view. |
Booster 3 was lifted onto a transport mount, and then stacked in the High Bay. Meanwhile, work on the Orbital Launch Site continued. |
| 28th |
Boca Chica |
NSF |
7th Launch Tower Section Rolled Out....view. |
The seventh launch tower section rolled to the launch site, work on the cryo tank shells continued, and the next elevator shaft piece was added to the launch tower. |
| 27th |
Boca Chica |
NSF |
Vacuum Raptor Engine Delivered to Starbase....view. |
A Vacuum Raptor engine, likely to be used on the first Orbital Test Flight, was spotted arriving at the Production Site. Three vacuum engines will likely accompany three sea level engines on Ship 20. Meanwhile, crews stack the sixth section of the Orbital Launch Tower. |
| 26th |
Boca Chica |
NSF |
Pad A Prepared for Super Heavy Testing....view. |
As the BN2.1 Test Tank leaves the Launch Site, its Test Stand Adapter is lifted on top of Suborbital Pad A as SpaceX prepares to test the prototype Super Heavy Booster 3. Meanwhile, Booster 3's Forward Tank Section appears to be coming together quickly. |
| 25th |
Boca Chica |
NSF |
Super Heavy Booster 3 Rings Spotted - BN2.1 Test Tank Rolled Back....view. |
The BN2.1 test tank was rolled back from the launch site, and a section of Booster 3 was spotted at the production site. Work on the Orbital Launch Mount continued. |
| 24th |
Boca Chica |
NSF |
Super Heavy Test Tank Removed from its Stand....view. |
The Super Heavy Test Tank was removed from its test stand today for rollback to the Production Site. Meanwhile, Booster 3 was moved within the High Bay and the next Launch Tower section is prepared for stacking....What next? |
| 23rd |
Boca Chica |
NSF |
Starship SN16 is Worked On Again....view. |
Starship SN16 is worked on, potentially for its move to a display stand or even a hypersonic flight as stated by Elon. Meanwhile at the Launch Site, the Liebherr LR 11350 is still attached to the Launch Tower as a new tower section stands by to be lifted at a later date. |
| 22nd |
Boca Chica |
NSF |
Super Heavy's Hot Gas Thrusters Spotted....view. |
Hot Gas thrusters were installed on the Super Heavy Booster forward dome sleeve, which was then mated with a booster forward dome. Work on Launch Tower section 8 continued. |
| 21st |
Boca Chica |
NSF |
Pieces of 8th Orbital Launch Tower Section Delivered....view. |
Pieces of Launch Tower Section 8 were delivered, and assembled. Parts of the LR 1600/2 "Tankzilla" crane were loaded onto trucks and left the launch site. Work on the orbital tank farm and launch site continued. |
| 20th |
Boca Chica |
NSF |
New Cryo Tank Shell Grows Taller as the Launch Site Prepares for Windy Days....view. |
After the Liebherr LR 11350 lifted the NOV ADS-30Q hoist onto the Launch Tower base, it was reattached to the top of the tower. Meanwhile, crews add and align new ring sections to a Cryo Tank Shell. |
| 19th |
Boca Chica |
NSF |
Huge Hoist for the Orbital Launch Tower Installed....view. |
A NOV ADS-30Q drawworks hoist was delivered to the Launch Site and promptly installed on the Orbital Launch Tower base. It appears this will be used either for the Tower's crane or the booster catch system. |
| 18th |
Boca Chica |
NSF |
Sixth Launch Tower Section Rolled Out....view. |
Just days after the fifth section was stacked, SpaceX crews roll out the sixth Launch Tower section to the Launch Site. Only one to two sections remain after the sixth is stacked. |
| 17th |
Boca Chica |
NSF |
New Launch Tower Section Prepped for Transport....view. |
As the BN2.1 Test Tank is tested to flight temperatures and pressures, crews add work platforms to one of the Launch Tower sections as they prepare to roll it out to the Launch Site. |
| 16th |
Boca Chica |
NSF |
Starship SN16 Removed from the High Bay....view. |
Starship SN16 was moved from the High Bay to a display area near SN15. SpaceX appears to be making a full push toward the first orbital test flight using Starship SN20. |
| 15th |
Boca Chica |
NSF |
Engine Section Mated to Super Heavy BN3....view. |
Super Heavy BN3 is stacked on its engine section in the High Bay. Meanwhile, the 7th Launch Tower section is started and the Orbital Launch Site buzzes with activity as SpaceX prepares for the first orbital test flight. |
| 14th |
Boca Chica |
NSF |
Strange New Section Spotted - Crane Disconnected from Launch Tower....view. |
A strange new three ring barrel with large holes was spotted outside at the build site. Meanwhile, the LR 11350 "Frankencrane" was disconnected from the launch tower. |
| 13th |
Boca Chica |
NSF |
Launch Tower Now Halfway Complete with New Section Stacked....view. |
The Liebherr LR 11350 “Frankencrane” lifts the fourth Launch Tower section into place at the Orbital Launch Site. With this new section attached, the Launch Tower is believed to be halfway complete. |
| 12th |
Boca Chica |
NSF |
Raptor Engines SN72 & SN74 Delivered....view. |
As a new Cryo Shell was rolled and lifted at the Orbital Launch Site, two new Raptor engines, SN72 "Philosoraptor" and SN74 "Plaid Mode" are delivered to the Production Site. It is unclear which vehicles these engines will be mounted to. |
| 11th |
Boca Chica |
NSF |
Starship SN20 Aft Dome Sleeved - Orbital Launch Tower Section Rollout....view. |
SN20's Aft Dome was sleeved, and another Launch Tower section was rolled to the Launch Site. |
| 10th |
Boca Chica |
NSF |
LR 11350 "Frankencrane" Extended Boom Raised for Next Launch Tower Lift....view. |
As a new Launch Tower section waits to be stacked at the Orbital Launch Site, the Liebherr LR 11350's boom is raised in preparation. Meanwhile, the GSE 5 tank's Aft Dome was spotted at the Production Site. |
| 9th |
Boca Chica |
NSF |
BN2.1 undergoes testing, water tank and tower section rollout....view. |
The BN2.1 booster test tank performed a cryogenic proof test on Tuesday evening in Boca Chica. The next morning, SpaceX conducted a double rollout with a water tank and a launch tower section heading to the orbital launch pad. |
| 8th |
Boca Chica |
NSF |
New Radar Will Predict Upper Level Winds....view. |
A new MST (Mesosphere/Stratosphere/Troposphere) radar is spotted at Starbase. This new wind radar will help SpaceX measure and predict upper level winds for future launch attempts. Meanwhile, Test Tank BN2.1 is prepared for its first cryogenic proof test. |
| 7th |
Boca Chica |
NSF |
Rollout Imminent for Fourth Launch Tower Section....view. |
The fourth Launch Tower section has completed assembly and is ready to roll out to the Orbital Launch Site. The Liebherr LR 11350, aka "Frankencrane", was lengthened in preparation to lift the next sections. |
| 6th |
Boca Chica |
NSF |
Super Heavy BN3 Methane Downcomer Lifted into High Bay....view. |
Super Heavy Booster BN3's methane downcomer was lifted into the High Bay for integration with the vehicle. Launch Tower, Cryo Shell, and Orbital Launch Site construction continued. |
| 5th |
Boca Chica |
NSF |
Orbital Launch Site Preps Continue as SN20 Aft Dome is Spotted....view. |
The continued push towards an orbital test flight has seen work continue at pace on the Orbital Launch Site, while the aft dome of SN20 - potentially the Starship to fly on the test mission - was spotted. |
| 4th |
Boca Chica |
NSF |
Frankencrane's Extension Continues as More Tower Sections Prepare for Roll Out....view. |
Crews work to extend Frankencrane's boom in preparation for more Launch Tower sections to be rolled to the Launch Site. Meanwhile, more Super Heavy sections are spotted outside. |
| 3rd |
Boca Chica |
NSF |
Super Heavy Test Tank BN2.1 Moved to the Launch Site for Testing....view. |
The Super Heavy BN2.1 test tank was rolled to the launch site. Meanwhile, the fourth extension to the Orbital Launch Mount was added, and then removed. GSE Tank 6 Mid Section #1, and Booster Aft Tank Section #5 were spotted. |
| 2nd |
Boca Chica |
NSF |
LR 11350 "Frankencrane" Prepared for Boom Extension....view. |
The LR 11350 "Frankencrane" was prepared for a boom extension, Orbital Launch Tower and Tank Farm construction continued, and what appeared to be a header tank assembly jig was spotted. |
| 1st |
Boca Chica |
NSF |
Super Heavy BN2.1 Test Tank on Structural Test Stand....view. |
The Super Heavy BN2.1 test tank was spotted on the modified nosecone test stand, presumably for pressure testing. Several large diesel generators and other sets of parts were delivered, and the third extension was added to the orbital launch mount. |
NSF = Nasa Space Flight....view. Tes = Teslarati....view. Key Dates in yellow