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.

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)

Starbase activities (2024-10-19):

• Methane deliveries: 3 on Oct 18th, 14 total since IFT-5.
• LR11000 crane is lowered and raised. (ViX 1, ViX 2)
• Pad A: Raining on the on launch mount. (ViX)
• Cable tray belt/chain moves towards Tower B. (ViX)
• Heatshield work continues on S31. (Doherty, NSF)

Maritime:

• HOS Ridgewind is 10 km offshore from Starbase, likely for B12 hotstage ring recovery. (Cornwell 1, Cornwell 2, Hayden)

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 (2024-10-15):

• Oct 14th addendum: First section of B16 is spotted at Starfactory. (ViX)
• Pad A: Overnight, booster transport stand moves toward launch mount. (ViX)
• Booster quick disconnect retracts, chopstick stabilizer pins engage. (LabPadre, ViX)
• B12 is lifted from the launch mount onto the transport stand. (LabPadre, ViX 1, ViX 2, Starship Gazer, Priel, Evans 1, Evans 2 (pi engine), Evans 3 (pi engine closeup), NSF, clwphoto1)
• B12 moves from the launch site to the build site. (ViX, LabPadre, Starship Gazer, Priel, Evans 1, Evans 2, NSF livestream, NSF 1, NSF 2 (chine closeup), NSF 3, NSF 4, Mary, Beyer, Gisler 1, Gisler 2 (chine damage), Gisler 3, Gisler 4, Gisler 4, Doherty, Gomez 1, Gomez 2. clwphoto1, Fediverse Starbase Tracker 1, Fediverse Starbase Tracker 2)
• Crews back at the launch mount and chopsticks. (Gisler 1 (B12, not B11), Gisler 2)
• The Raptor work platform moves to the Pad A launch mount. (ViX)
• Pad B: The CC8800-1 crane’s derrick is raised (ViX). Contract until January (Gisler)
• Build site: Ship 30’s transport stand returns to the rocket garden. (ViX)
• Following Pez dispenser integration with S34, the Pez jig moves from Megabay 2 towards Starfactory. (ViX)
• B12 enters Megabay 1. (ViX)
• B16’s common dome and A2 sections move from Starfactory to Megabay 1. (ViX)
• S33 nosecone in Megabay 2 (Space Sudoer). Elon comments on new flap design.
• Sanchez activities. (Gisler)

Starbase activities (2024-10-16):

• Oct 15th methane delivery tally: 5
• Pad A: Overnight, crews back at the launch mount and chopsticks. (LabPadre, ViX, clwphoto1)
• Workers back on ship quick disconnect. (clwphoto1)
• Pad B: The LR11000 crane rises. (ViX)
• Build site video tour.
• RGV Aerial post a photo of S31 in the Highbay.

IFT-5:

• More photos from SpaceX.
• Landing burn slowmo from Cosmic Perspective.
• Landing as viewed from helicopter. (Doug Kelly)
• Post-catch RGV Aerial flyover photo.

Maritime:

• Expedition is still working offshore, likely to locate the hotstage ring impact site and look for species impacts. Map from TheSpaceEngineer.

Other:

• Ship catch scheduled for “hopefully early next year”, Elon Time.
• Elon on aspirational marginal cost per ton: “Full & immediate (no mandatory refurbishment) reusability with low cost propellant (almost 80% liquid oxygen, no helium pressurant) will mean a marginal cost per ton ~100 times better than Falcon, which is already >10 times better than the Shuttle.”
• Brief video from the top floor of Megabay 2. (Steve Jurvetson)

Starbase activities (2024-10-22):

• Methane deliveries: 3 on Oct 21st, 23 total since IFT-5.
• Oct 21 addendum: S31 heatshield closeups video. (Starship Gazer)
• B13 emerges from Megabay 1, and performs a grid fin wiggle test. (ViX 1, ViX 2, Starship Gazer, Gisler, NSF 1, NSF 2, NSF livestream)
• B13 rolls out to Pad A, and is lifted onto the launch mount. (SpaceX, Gisler 1, Gisler 2, Gisler 3, cnunez, Doherty, ViX 1, ViX 2, ViX 3, Mary, Starship Gazer, Ramirez 1, Ramirez 2, Ramirez 3, NSF 1, NSF 2, NSF 3, Priel, NSF livestream, LabPadre)
• Pad B: Flame trench construction continues. (Gisler)
• Starfactory: Awning is installed on the main door, and window installation begins on the passage between Starfactory and offices. (Hammer, Gisler)
• Sanchez: GMK 7550 is deployed behind the fence, presumably assembling launch mount B. (Gisler)
• Road closures are posted for Oct 24th and 25th (08:00 to 20:00) for non-flight testing activities. Oct 24th closure is scheduled.

Maritime:

• HOS Ridgewind heads back out to sea and recovers B12’s hotstage ring. (Cornwell 1, NSF, Starship Gazer, Priel, Cornwell 2, Cornwell 3)

Starbase activities (2024-10-13):

• Busy day for some reason.
• Overnight, pad is cleared. (LabPadre)
• Chopsticks open up and landing rails are deployed. (LabPadre)
• Tank farm spools up. (ViX)
• A helicopter briefly lands at the road closure. (ViX)
• Starbase village is evacuated. (ViX)
• Surrounding waters are evacuated. (Cornwell 1, Cornwell 2)
• NASA WB-57 plane is in position. (Manley)
• Launch mount and tower venting, followed by propellant load. (ViX 1, ViX 2, Evans, NSF)
• Frost lines on B12 and S30. (ViX 1, ViX 2)
• A few wayward boats push T-0 from 08:00 to 08:25. (Cornwell 1, Cornwell 2, Summer Wise)
• IFT-5 occurs. B12 returns to launch site and is caught by the chopsticks at Tower A. S30 survives reentry and landing burn for an on-target splashdown in the Indian Ocean.
• Minor burn-through on one flap, but a marked improvement over IFT-4. (TankWatchers)
• Minor damage on a chine is spotted. (Interstellar Gateway, Tibininin)
• Residual propellant / frost. (Golden)
• Chopstick conveyor belts move B12 outwards. (Golden)
• B12 is lowered back down onto the launch mount, despite the absence of stabilizer pins. Booster quick disconnect connects. (Golden, ViX, NSF 1, NSF 2, Priel, )
• B12 is refilled with a small load of cryogens? (LabPadre)
• Booster stand pending rollout to the launch site. (LabPadre, ViX)
• Party observed in the high bay. (NSF)
• Elon report on B12 health: “A few outer engine nozzles are warped from heating & some other minor issues, but these are easily addressed.”
• Flight-proven raptor engines to be sent to McGregor, confirmed by Elon.
• Road closure is amended to include the period from Oct 13th 14:00 to Oct 14th 14:00. (ViX 1, ViX 2)

IFT-5:

• Launch: SpaceX 1, SpaceX 2, NSF 1, NSF 2, NSF 3, NSF 4, Priel, Evans 1, Evans 2, Beyer, Cosmic Perspective, RGV Aerial 1, RGV Aerial 2
• Catch: SpaceX 1, SpaceX 2 (slowmo), LabPadre, SpaceX 3, Space Sudoer 1, Space Sudoer 2, ViX, Starship Gazer, Mary, Evans 1, Evans 2, Evans 3, Evans 4, Beyer, D Wise, Priel, NSF 1, NSF 2, NSF 3, NSF 4, Reed, Golden, Elon 1, Elon 2, Kimbal, RGV Aerial 1, RGV Aerial 2, RGV Aerial 3, RGV Aerial 4, RGV Aerial 5, Cosmo_556, Kraus 1, Kraus 2, John William Cargile, Beff, Austin Barnard, Cosmic Perspective, John Pisani, clwphoto1, EverydayAstronaut, Redline Helicopter Tours
• Reentry and splashdown: SpaceX 1, SpaceX 2, NSF 1, NSF 2, NSF 3, Berger, Cornwell 1, Cornwell 2
• Miscellaneous: SpaceX 1, SpaceX 2, SpaceX 3, Gomez, Kraus

Starbase activities (2024-10-14):

• Oct 13th addendum: Party in Megabay 2. (ViX)
• Oct 14th road closure concluded.
• 2-hour road delays are posted for Oct 15th (12:00 to 15:00) and 16th (00:00 and 03:00) for transport from pad to factory.
• Pad A: Booster transport stand finally arrives at the pad after an apparent delay the previous day. (ViX, NSF, Fediverse Starbase Tracker)
• Workers return to Pad A, and get to work removing the (unused) flight termination charges. (ViX, Starship Gazer, NSF)
• Workers inspect damaged chine on B12. (Starship Gazer)
• Coloured oxide layer visible at the top of B12. (Starship Gazer)
• Raptor work platform arrives. (Hammer)
• Build site: Parking garage mural closeup. (Gisler)
• S34 forward dome spotted in the doorway of Megabay 2. (Gisler)

Other:

• Elon on advantages of tower catch over landing legs: Tweet 1, tweet 2.
• “Good chance” of full stack reuse in 2025 (Elon Time).

IFT-5:

• Additional liftoff media: SpaceX wide shot, SpaceX tower view (liftoff), Evans hotstage ring, cnunez 1, cnunez 2, Pauline Acalin, Sen (view from ISS).
• Additional landing media: SpaceX wide shot, SpaceX onboard load point closeup, SpaceX tower view 1, SpaceX tower view 2, (https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1845977050592723312), Elon, Evans, cnunez 1, cnunez 2, cnunez 3, cnunez 4, cnunez 5, RGV Aerial, Kennedy, Beil, Schlang, Nathan Moeller, Kraus, Doherty.
• Launch and landing media: [SpaceX], D Wise, Elon, Jay L. DeShetler, Richard P Gallagher.
• Post-launch media: Starship Gazer B12, Starship Gazer miscellaneous, Starship Gazer B12 again, Mary B12, Evans B12, Gisler B12, Gisler chine closeup, Golden B12, RGV Aerial B12,
• Grid fin comparison gif from Anderson, highlighting slight warping.

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”.

Starbase activities (2024-10-17):

• Methane deliveries: 3 on Oct 16th, 8 total since IFT-5.
• Pad A: Chopsticks rise a little, open wide and lower. (ViX)
• Pad B: One of the CC8800-1 crane boom sections departs Starbase. (ViX)
• Build site: Dome briefly spotted outside Starfactory. (ViX)
• Cable chain for Tower B is loaded onto transport. (ViX)
• Assembly of… something (lifting jig) commences in Megabay 2. (ViX 1, ViX 2)

IFT-5:

• Gisler video of launch, flight, and landing. (Full video on YouTube)
• Cosmic Perspective photo of pressure waves during reentry.
• LabPadre highlights B12 swing oscillation immediately after landing.
• NSF compilation highlights water deluge activity during landing.
• Hammer photo.
• Interstellar Gateway spherical video.
• Video from Mexico. (Waa Sop)

Maritime:

• HOS Ridgewind is en route to Brownsville to pick up divers. (Cornwell 1, Cornwell 2)

Other:

• RGV Aerial post recent flyover photos of B12 catch and Pad B flame trench.
• Sean Takacs (Booster Build Supervisor) comments on B12 aft build quality: “B12 was my first full Aft build after moving from the FWD/CMN line. We focused deeply on quality and workmanship, resuling in the lowest defect and lowest leak rate assembly at the time by many factors.”

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 (2024-10-09):

• 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?)

Starbase activities (2024-10-18):

• Oct 17th addendum: Booster stabilization pins are reinstalled on launch mount A. (ViX)
• Methane deliveries: 3 on Oct 17th, 11 total since IFT-5.
• Pad A: Chopsticks bumpers sustained a few minor scratches during the B12 catch. Workers observed at the chopsticks hinge/carriage. (Gisler 1, Gisler 2, Gisler 3, Gisler 4, Gisler 5, Starship Gazer 1, Starship Gazer 2, cnunez)
• Chopsticks are closed and lowered. (ViX)
• Two new subcoolers and the Tower B cable tray belt/chain roll from Sanchez to the launch site. (ViX, NSF)
• Build site: Ship lifting jig was assembled overnight in Megabay 2, then lifted and lowered. (ViX)
• Recent photo of S31 in Highbay. (cnunez)
• Test Tank 16 emerges from Starfactory and heads towards the Rocket Garden / Sanchez area. (ViX)
• 1-hour road delays are posted for Oct 21st (12:00 to 15:00) and 22nd (00:00 and 03:00) for transport from factory to pad. These are currently crossed out on the main page, so it possible that these have been cancelled.

IFT-5:

• SpaceX buoy video of S30 landing and splashdown. Sir_Benedict_S syncs the onboard and buoy angles.
• Cosmic Perspective slowmo video of B12 reentry shockwaves.

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.

Really looking forward to tomorrow! I’ll set my expectations low and think that they won’t attempt a catch, so that I can be pleasantly surprised if it happens. Also, I hope the work on the ship’s TPS will be enough to avoid any burn-through this time!