Daily News Updates for SpaceX Starship

Hot Topic: Why did Starship prototype SN4 explode? The best answer yet comes from Elon Musk himself who believes it was caused by issues with Starship’s ground support equipment (GSE)....This link here from Teslarati explains the proceedure required to upload and download propellants between the ground storage tanks and the vehicle.
May 31st: Boca Chica - A bright furure - New Starships Prepare during Launch Site clearing....view. SN4 did not fly but its remains are now resting in peace on earth. The site is being prepared for SN5 which will be moved to the site pending rebuilding of the launch mount.
May 30th: Boca Chica - Starship SN4 Aftermath - Successors Line Up....view. Following the loss of Starship SN4 during its fifth Static Fire test, work has begun on clearing the launch site of debris. At the production area, the successors are being prepared to take their turn at testing.
May 28th: Boca Chica - SpaceX fires up Starship’s Raptor engine hours before huge regulatory milestone....view....The Federal Aviation Authority's (FAA) Office of Commercial Space Transportation launch license to SpaceX can be viewed....here
-do- Boca Chica - At 19.49 BST, Starship SN4 experienced a 'rapid unscheduled disassembly (RUD) and is no more. We await information....R.I.P. SN4. SN4 was the most successful Starship prototype to date....view.
May 26th: Boca Chica - Starship SN6 Bulkhead Sleeving....view. Work continues on SN6 prior to stacking while a nosecose succumbs to strong winds. SN4 is still holding at the launch site.
May 27th: Boca Chica - Starship SN4 Mass Simulator Installed....view. SN4 was never adapted to have a nose cone fitted as it was not needed for a hop test but the addition of a simulator shows that SN4's work is far from done.
May 25th: Boca Chica - Up to four and counting....view. An amazing sight as four Starships are now outdoors in various phases of production. SN4 at the pad. SN5 in the High Bay with SN6 section alongside and now SN7's first rings have been spotted near the big tents.
May 24th: Boca Chica - Big Crane in operation....view. Work continues on SN4 with renewal of testing due to continue on the 28th....view.
May 23rd: Boca Chica - Multi tasking....view. At the launch site a 2nd launch stand is being erected while delicate work continues on SN4 holding up a queue paying no rent. At the shipyard, sections of SN6 at being prepared in the Vertical Assembly Building (VAB) alongside the already stacked SN5. Most importantly, a food truck arrives!
May 24th: Boca Chica - Big Crane in operation....view. Work continues on SN4 with renewal of testing due to continue on the 28th....view.
May 22nd: Boca Chica - Re-tuning Starship SN4....view. Refurbishment is under way on SN4 so more testing can be expected. It's clealy not ready to be a lawn ornament just yet. Over at the shipyard there is great focus on the SN5 nosecone, a major piece in starship development.
May 21st: Boca Chica - Aftermath of the static fire test on the 18th: No obvious damage but no news on resumption of testing with no new road closure notices in place....view. For the purist nose cone enthusiast there is plenty of work going on at the shipyard to get one ready for fitting on SN5. At least there is progress here.... view.
May 20th: Boca Chica - New 4K slow mo footage of the test firing yesterday of SN4 reveals that there was and anomaly which is worse than first thought causing SpaceX to cancel further testing this week. We await more news....view.
-do- Boca Chica - Starship nosecones learn their fate....view. While Starship SN4 continues safing operations, SN5 is gaining its nosecone section at the same time as another nosecone was moved for dismantling.
May 19th: Boca Chica - Starship SN4 fires up as SN6 makes an appearance....view. The static fire seems to have been successful although a fire around the engine skirt will need investigation. Three more days of testing are planned with at least one more test firing....view. No hop expected atm.
May 18th: Boca Chica - With two aborted static fire tests for SN4 carried out at the launch site, SpaceX has filed for further road closures over the next few days....view. These are for 19th -21st May between 12.00pm-6.00pm. In addition new notifications to airmen (NOTAMs) indicate additional static fire testing on Starship Tuesday and/or Wednesday, then the 16000' NOTAM Thursday for a possible 150m hop....view.
May 17th: Boca Chica - Starship SN4 Preburner Test in Boca Chica (Recorded Live)....view. The test helped verify that Raptor SN20 is functioning properly on the launch vehicle ahead of a planned static fire.
May 16th: Boca Chica - Starship testing cancelled for today due to high winds and heavy rain....view.
May 15th: SpaceX appears to be targeting May 18 for Starship SN4's hop, per a new NOTAM filing....view.
-do- Boca Chica - Starships line up for their test days....view. SN4 Preps continue at a busy Starship Facility....view. Still no test fire for SN4.
May 14th: Boca Chica - Final preps underway ahead of Starship SN4's third static fire.....view.
May 13th: Boca Chica - Starships SN5 stacking....view. While we wait for the static fire test of Raptor SN20, Starship SN05 is stacked apart from the nosecone. Parts are seen arriving for the completion of a second test stand.
-do- Boca Chica Beach - Temporary road closure has been issued for the 13th (primary date), 14th and 15th (backup dates). These are in force between 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. local time. Closure notice has also been issued for 16th (primary date), 17th and 18th (backup dates). These are in force between 6:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. local time
May 12th: Boca Chica Beach - Temporary road closure has been issued for the 11th (primary date), 12th and 13th (backup dates). Time of closure is between 9am.-9pm. local time.
-do- Boca Chica - Meanwhile, production of Starships SN5 and SN6 continues at a pace. The SN5 test vehicle is waiting for final stacking and fitting its nose cone, the first in the series to have one fitted....view.
-do- Boca Chica - Static fire pushed back to 13th May (primary date)....view.
May 11th: Boca Chica - Latest Raptor SN20 delivery for Starship SN4 ahead of 150 meter hop....view.
May 10th: Boca Chica - Elon Musk: SN4 passed high pressure (7.5 bar) and engine thrust load at cryo (cryogenic pressure)....view.
May 9th: Boca Chica - Starship SN4 prepares for next cryo test....Purpose - to pressure test for orbital flight (6 bar is needed for orbital tests but the vehicle must withstand in excess of 8 bar for manned spaceflight)....view.
-do- Boca Chica - SpaceX Releases Massive LN2 (liquid nitrogen). Possible Cryo Test Abort....view.
May 7th: Boca Chica - Starship SN-4 Slow Motion 4K Static Fire Test (2nd test)....view. Result - Success; header tank pressurised.
May 8th: Boca Chica - Raptor Removed following Second Starship SN4 Static Fire....view.
May 6th: Boca Chica - Starship SN6 build-up begins amid SN4 testing and SN5 stacking....view.
-do- Boca Chica - Starship SN4 Static Fire Test....view. Result - Success; main tank pressurised to 4.9 bar.