Tag: Starbase
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Ship 39 and Booster 19 Both Complete Full Engine Static Fires
Following the successful return of Orion, attention for the Artemis program has now shifted to SpaceX and Blue Origin to prepare a crewed lander in time for Artemis III. For SpaceX, this means getting Starship Block 3 flying and fully operational so that teams can begin building and launching the Human Landing System (HLS) variant.…
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SpaceX continues refinements at Starbase Pad 2 ahead of Booster 19 return
SpaceX’s Pad 2 at Starbase is continuing to refine its preparations for the return of Booster 19, with deluge testing and even load testing the Ship Quick Disconnect (SQD) arm. This time, Flight 12’s booster will be sporting its full complement of 33 engines, with the subsequent Static Fire test the biggest milestone for the…
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Progress on Starbase Pads ahead of Block 3 Starships
In a flurry of ground activity that underscores SpaceX’s relentless drive for launch cadence, engineers at the company’s Starbase facility are overhauling Launch Pad 1 while putting the finishing touches on Pad 2. These parallel efforts—centered on a massive new flame trench, an on-site Air Separation Unit (ASU), expanded propellant storage, and critical tower testing—are…
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Booster 19 concludes initial test campaign on Pad 2
Starship Flight 12 took another step toward launch, with Booster 19 completing an initial test campaign on the newly commissioned Pad 2 at Starbase, Texas. Culminating in a short Static Fire test, the series of tests was a first for Pad 2, the Block 3/V3 Super Heavy Booster, and for the upgraded Raptor 3 outside…
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SpaceX’s Enters a new era with Booster 19 Testing on Pad 2
For the first time since Flight 11 on Oct 13, 2025, 147 days ago, SpaceX has a vehicle back at the launch site. However, instead of a Block 2 booster on Pad 1, this is Booster 19, a Block 3 booster, mounted on SpaceX’s newest launch pad, Pad 2. This launch pad has been under…
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Flight 12: Ship 39 rolls out to Masseys to begin testing
After spending a few months in Mega Bay 2 fully stacked, Ship 39 – the first V3 Ship – has rolled to Masseys for cryogenic proof testing. This is a key milestone ahead of Flight 12, with its partner, Booster 19, also in preparations, with engine installation currently taking place. Ship 39 Since stacking was…
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Starbase Pad 2 prepares to receive Booster 19 ahead of Block 3 milestones
SpaceX conducted a successful full test of the water-cooled top deck on the Orbital Launch Mount (OLM) at Pad 2 on Monday, marking a significant milestone in preparing the facility to handle the immense thrust of 33 Raptor 3 engines on the next-generation Super Heavy Booster. The test demonstrated the system’s ability to manage extreme…
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FAA Approves Starship Launches From Kennedy Space Center’s LC-39A
The Federal Aviation Administration has approved SpaceX’s plans to launch its Starship system from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, potentially enabling the first mission from the site before the end of the year. Until now, all Starship test flights have been conducted from SpaceX’s Starbase facility near Boca Chica, Texas. The…
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Starbase’s launch site lays groundwork to double in size
While pushing for Flight 12, SpaceX has received approval to nearly double the launch site’s size at Starbase. With this approval, SpaceX will be able to complete the redesign of Pad 1 and add additional capabilities to the Starbase launch site. Pad 1 Redesign Shortly after Flight 11, SpaceX began the long process of converting…
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Booster 19 Rolls out to Masseys for Cryogenic Proof Testing
Following Booster 18’s failure during a pressure test, SpaceX went ahead and set a new record for stacking a booster in the Starship Program, to try and get Block 3 and the program at large back on track. And this weekend, crews rolled Booster 19 out to Masseys for cryogenic proof testing to hopefully kick…