Daily News Updates for SpaceX Starship
30th: SpaceX Boca Chica - Starship SN9 Prepared for More Tests Before Flight....
view. Starship SN9 looks to be in great shape after yesterday's tanking tests. More testing will follow as it prepares for its first flight. At the Production Site, new nosecones are outfitted and SN10 is readied for final stacking.
29th: SpaceX Boca Chica - SN9 Passes Cryogenic Tank Test - Fires RCS Thrusters....
view. Starship SN9 was loaded with liquid nitrogen and pressurized to confirm its tanks can withstand flight pressures. Reaction control system thrusters are also fired.
--do-- SpaceX Boca Chica - Starship SN10 Nosecone Ready to be Stacked - SN11 Aft Section Mated....
view. While SN9 was cryogenically tested, SN10's nosecone was moved into the High Bay for final stacking. At the same time, SN11's tank sections have been mated in the Mid Bay.
28th: SpaceX Boca Chica - Starship SN9 Completes Ambient Temperature Pressure Test....
view. Starship SN9’s tanks are pressurized to confirm their strength before they are cryogenically tested with liquid nitrogen. Once these tanking tests are complete, SpaceX will perform a static fire test of the three Raptor engines. If successful, SN9 will be ready to fly a profile similar to SN8, though hopefully sticking the landing this time.
27th: SpaceX Boca Chica - Starship SN11 ready to complete Stacking Operations....
view. With Starship SN9 at the launch site, SN10 in the High Bay, SN11 gets the Mid Bay all to herself and is about to complete stacking operations. Includes facility drive-past.
26th: SpaceX Boca Chica - Starship SN10 Nosecone Flap install - High Bay crane action....
view. Starship SN10's nosecone aero surface installation takes place ahead of mating operations inside the High Bay, with the latter also seeing crane action at its roof level.
24th: SpaceX Boca Chica - Starship SN9 receives Raptor SN49....
view. With Starship SN9 now on the launch mount, the third Raptor (SN49) was received ahead of testing. Starship SN10 is now into High Bay processing, ahead of nosecone installation.
23rd: SpaceX Boca Chica - Starship SN9 Rolls Out to the Launch Pad....
view. Starship SN9 rolls out to Launch Pad B ahead of its cryo-proof, static fire, and flight testing in the coming weeks. Freshly repaired from its encounter with the High Bay wall, SN9 will carry out a similar flight to SN8, hoping for a successful landing this time around.
21st: SpaceX Boca Chica - Huge Crane Rolled to Launch Site as a prelude to Starship SN9's arrival....
view. The massive LR1600/2 crane rolled to the Launch Site on Monday, ready to receive Starship SN9 in the coming days. SN9 - as the first integrated Starship stack - will be lifted on to the launch mount by "Tankzilla".
20th: SpaceX Boca Chica - Starship SN9 Gets a New Forward Flap - Tankzilla Prepared for move....
view. Starship SN9 got a shiny new forward flap to replace its damaged one, Super Heavy BN1's common dome section was still outside, Tankzilla, the LR1600/2 crane was disconnected from SN9 and prepared for a move to the Launch Site and we get a classic driving tour of the entire facility thanks to Mary.
19th: SpaceX Boca Chica - Starship SN10 nosecone mate, while SN9 steals a flap....
view. Starship SN10's nosecone was stacked in the windbreak on Saturday, although it was missing a flap, potentially donated to SN9, which was watching on during her own repairs.
18th: SpaceX Boca Chica - First Super Heavy lining up sections for stacking....
view. With attention between Starship SN8's amazing test flight and the upcoming test of SN9, the first Super Heavy booster (mostly known as BN1) is vying for attention, lining up sections for stacking in the High Bay.
--do-- SpaceX Boca Chica - SpaceX’s first Starship booster a step closer as custom parts arrive....
view. While SpaceX remains focused on Starship flight testing as the dust settles from SN8’s launch debut, the company continues to make slow but steady progress building the first Super Heavy booster prototype.
17th: SpaceX Boca Chica - From Super Heavy to Starship SN17 - new vehicles point to exciting future....
view. Just your average Thursday at SpaceX's South Texas site, with Starship SN8 clear up ops, SN9 repairs ahead of rollout, vehicles through to SN17 being prepared and Super Heavy BN1 section sleeving!
16th: SpaceX Boca Chica - SN10's Nosecone Gets its Flaps - Large Pieces of SN8 Cleared for Next Flight....
view. Starship SN10's nosecone has a flap mounted, bringing it closer to final stacking. Large pieces of SN8 cleared from the landing pad in preparation for SN9's rollout and flight.
15th: SpaceX Boca Chica - Starship SN14's Nosecone Section Spotted - LOX Delivered to the Launch Site....
view. With Starship SN9 secured, work continues toward fully stacking SN10. SpaceX is still cleaning up of the landing pad while liquid oxygen is delivered for future Starship testing. Finally, SN14's nosecone section has been spotted outside of the tents.
14th: SpaceX Boca Chica - Starship SN9 leaves High Bay before being secured on new mount....
view. Starship SN9 was lifted out of the High Bay on Monday, prior to returning and being remounted/secured for repair work. A new - potential replacement - flap was spotted nearby. Work is also continuing on removing the remains of SN8 at the landing pad.
13th: SpaceX Boca Chica - Starship SN9 stabilized, amid SN8 clean up, future nosecone preps....
view. Starship SN9 is now mostly level and secure in the High Bay, as work continues to clean up the remains of the successful SN8 vehicle. New nosecones (one likely for SN10) are also being prepped.
12th: SpaceX Boca Chica - Tankzilla secures Starship SN9 as future vehicles continue preps....
view. The impressive Liebherr LR1600/2 Crawler Crane (dubbed "Tankzilla") has secured the leaning Starship SN9 inside the High Bay ahead of potentially moving it on to a new stand. Meanwhile, work on future Starships continued at the Production Site.
11th: SpaceX Boca Chica - Starship SN9 Takes a Tumble - SN8 Wreckage Cleanup....
view. Starship SN9 falls into the High Bay walls after its aft supports fail. No one was injured in the mishap and damage appears to be minimal. Crews continue to clean up SN8's wreckage after its hard landing in the final seconds of the 12.5KM flight.
10th: SpaceX Boca Chica - Starship SN8 Remains Inspected After Historic Test Flight....
view. Starship SN8 cleanup begins as Elon Musk and the SpaceX Team take a closer look at its remains. Starship SN9, next in line to fly, is ready to roll out to the launch pad for its test campaign culminating in a flight test similar to SN8's.
9th: Starship SN8 Soars for Groundbreaking Test Flight from SpaceX Boca Chica....
view. SpaceX Starship SN8 nearly sticks an unprecedented landing after its successful test flight over Boca Chica, TX. From launch to landing Mary & Jack take you up close to witness the power of Starship's Raptor engines and its graceful fall back to Earth.
8th: SpaceX Boca Chica - Starship SN8 ABORTS Raptor engine ignition T- 1.3 seconds before 12.5km liftoff....
view. Starship Serial Number 8 aborts seconds before 12.5km flight due to Raptor engine issues. SpaceX scrubbed this attempt, saying they plan on targeting other launch opportunities Wednesday Dec. 9 & Thursday Dec. 10.
7th: SpaceX Boca Chica - Starship SN8 Flap Testing and Final Wet Dress Rehearsal Before Launch....
view. Starship Serial Number 8 underwent some body flap testing, as well as a wet dress rehearsal ahead of its first attempt at a high altitude test flight.
--do-- SpaceX Boca Chica - Starship SN8 readies for launch as Production Site presses on....
view. With Starship SN8 set to launch on a test flight Tuesday, a final day of activities took place amid continued preparations of future Starships at the Production Site.
6th: SpaceX Boca Chica - Starship Mk1 Dismantled - Work on SN8 and SN9 Continues....
view. The final remaining forward flap was removed from Starship prototype Mk1, another step in its dismantling. Meanwhile, SN8 continued to be worked on ahead of its 12.5km flight, now scheduled for no earlier than Tuesday, December 8 - and SN9 appears close behind in the production flow.
5th: SpaceX Boca Chica - Starship SN8 preps in the rain ahead of flight....
view. Starship SN8 is continuing preparations at the launch site, in challenging conditions, while the test flight target is no sooner than Monday. Future Starships continue preps at the Production Site.
4th: SpaceX Boca Chica - SN16 Common Dome Flipped - Work On SN8 Continues....
view. SN16’s Common Dome was flipped, new flaps were delivered, work on SN8 and SN9 continued and a piece of mystery equipment was delivered.
3rd: SpaceX Boca Chica - Starship SN8 Wet Dress Rehearsal - Pre-flight Work on SN8 Continues....
view. Starship SN8 conducted a successful Wet Dress Rehearsal (wdr) on Wednesday night, another milestone on the way to its 12.5km flight. On Thursday, work on SN8 continued, and one of Mk1's Forward Flaps was removed.
2nd: SpaceX Boca Chica - New Starship Production as SN8 gains FAA clearance to launch....
view. Numerous Starships - and nosecones - continue to push through production tasks as SN8 gets ever-closer to her test launch, with the FAA clearing a window that opens on Friday.
1st: SpaceX Boca Chica - Starships wait - Dual SPMT taken for a test run....
view. Ahead of more Starship SN8 pre-launch testing, a new dual SPMT set up was tested, likely ahead of its role transporting Starship SN9 to the launch site.