22.09.2025

As SpaceX presses on with attempts to complete static fire testing with Ship 38 ahead of Flight 11, the company continues to repair its Masseys test site and build large amounts of infrastructure at Starbase.

Following the anomaly with Ship 36, which destroyed the methane tank farm and damaged the infrastructure related to the static fire stand, SpaceX has made significant progress in rebuilding the test stand. Crews have nearly rebuilt the entire Methane tank farm, upgrading storage capacity with the addition of a new horizontal tank.

SpaceX is also using its own valve skids for both the Liquid Oxygen (LOX) and Liquid Methane (LCH4) sides of the tank farm.

These were first introduced with Pad 2(B)’s tank farm system and are going to be used for all of SpaceX’s tank farm systems moving forward. This allows for a modular design and ease of maintenance in the future. Another addition first seen at the new tank farm will be a box fan vent to dilute the Liquid Nitrogen (LN2) into the air that comes from the LOX subcoolers.

For this new tank farm, instead of having all of the cryo lines above ground, SpaceX has created a new trench for the LCH4 and LOX systems that go to a new concrete fluids bunker. All of these lines will be covered with either steel or concrete, which will protect them in case of another explosion. Only the lines going from the bunker to the ship umbilical structure will be exposed.

In addition to the new concrete fluids bunker, crews have also designed a new control and electrical bunker for the static fire stand. As a layer of protection for the new methane tank farm, a new blast wall will be constructed between the static fire stand and the tank farm.

As for the trench, SpaceX appears to have either repaired the flame deflector or is in the process of doing so; however, the crab stand itself remains unrepaired.

The rest of Masseys has a lot of work going on as well, B18.1, which is the Block 3 booster aft test tank, recently completed its 10th cryogenic test. However, the horizontal actuator port might have failed, which caused a jet of LN2 to vent from the tank. If it did fail, it is unclear if this was intentional or an accidental failure.

Recently, SpaceX also rolled test tank B18.3 out to Masseys. This test tank is designed to evaluate the hot stage truss, new grid fin cavities, and the rest of the forward section of the Block 3 booster. Currently, it is parked next to the structural test cage on the old can crusher stand.

At the entrance to Masseys is a new electrical and control bunker for the entire test site. This is to help prevent the problems that SpaceX faced when Ship 36 blew up. Currently, the cryogenic test stands are operating on generators until the building is completed and operational. However, this timeline has been slightly delayed due to an issue with the initial concrete pour of the walls.

Luckily, SpaceX doesn’t need the cryogenic test stands anytime soon since there are no Block 3 vehicles currently completed. The new booster cryogenic test stand appears to be ready for Booster 18 whenever it is prepared. The ship thrust simulator stand is presently in Sanchez, undergoing work, and the umbilical for the cryogenic stand hasn’t been touched since Ship 38 completed its cryogenic proof testing.

Production Site

Gigabay construction has made significant progress recently, with crews completing seven concrete pours so far and leaving three more to be completed before the foundation is completed. Since it is near completion, tower cranes should start to show up shortly and begin building this bay one steel beam at a time.

Once complete, SpaceX can move to Block 4 of Starship and stretch the booster and ship. Starbase has nearly caught up to the Gigabay construction at Roberts Road in Florida.

n terms of vehicles, Booster 18 finally got its aft section rolled into Mega Bay 1 on Sep 19 and was stacked on Sep 20. With this now in the bay and stacked, SpaceX can finish the LOX tank of Booster 18 and move on to the methane tank with the new integrated hotstage truss. Crews started stacking Booster 18 on May 20, four months ago. With all the changes, it was expected that this stacking would take longer; luckily, Boosters 19 and up are likely to take much less time to stack.

Ship 39 is still in the starfactory, where its heat shield is being completed for the stacked nose cone and payload bay. It is unknown when stacking will start in Mega Bay 2. But, there is currently a test tank on the Mega Bay 2 turntable that is waiting for a possible Block 3 ship aft for testing.

Launch Site

SpaceX has nearly finished Pad 2(B) after almost 18 months of construction. Shielding is covering over half of the service structure at this point as the installation of high-pressure, cryogenic, hydraulic, and electrical components is nearly completed.

As a demonstration of the pad’s construction progress, SpaceX has recently conducted four tests with the flame trench deluge systems. The first three tests used the buckets, while the third used the ridge cap. To empty the trench of water, SpaceX has installed sump pumps, which can return some of this water to the tanks for reuse in future activations of the system.

Currently, the top deck is not connected to any pressurization systems and has just been equipped with a third smaller tank. Also, there is still a lot of work going on inside the Launch Mount and on the deck; likely, a test of that system won’t be for a while longer.  As for Pad 2(B)’s tank farm, nearly all components are complete, except for a single LCH4 pump, the Ship Quick Disconnect arm, and the final cryogenic hoses for the Booster Quick Disconnects.

Over at Pad 1(A), Ship 38 is mounted and ready for static fire testing. However, Ship 38 has had two aborted attempts at a static fire. On Sep 18, the issue was related to the makeshift umbilical plate. On Sep 19, it might have been a ship issue, as crews rolled over the launch mount dance floor to access the ship’s engine section.

Currently, there are two new closures on Sep 22 and 23, which run from 7 am to 5 pm Central Daylight Time. Considering the propellant load SpaceX was loading during the second attempt, crews may be trying for just a six-engine static fire on Ship 38 to get it to flight readiness faster.

Launch Site Expansion

With Flight 11 set to be the final flight of Block 2, it will also be the final flight from Pad 1(A) in its current configuration. To fly Block 3 and later from that location, SpaceX must upgrade the pad to the newer design. Additionally, to meet the desired launch cadence, teams will need to develop their own method for generating Liquid Methane.

To accomplish all of these changes to the launch site, SpaceX needs permission to build on the wetlands, tidal flats, and uplands that they own south of the current launch site.

This is property that SpaceX has owned for years, but has not had permission to build on, and won’t until they have the land swapping credits to do so. Currently, the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has a proposal put forth by SpaceX to expand the launch site to the south and upgrade Pad 1(A), as well as build the facilities to support the launch site fully.

The plan includes adding a new water deluge system and isolation and purging systems similar to those in Pad 2(B)’s systems; these will be for the upgraded Pad 1(A). Additionally, SpaceX will expand the current tank farm to increase capacity, as well as add liquid natural gas liquefaction plants and LCH4 generation capabilities.

These additions, along with the air separation unit currently under construction, will enable SpaceX to produce LN2, LOX, and LCH4 on-site, significantly reducing the number of trucks needed to refill the tank farm.

Currently, this proposal isn’t approved, as a comment period is open until Sep 25. After this period, the USACE will review the public comments and determine if any adjustments are needed to the proposal. It is noteworthy that this expansion to the launch site does not currently require an environmental impact statement, according to USACE.

If this gets approved, SpaceX is expected to have the required land swap credits by early 2026, which would mean that is when construction could begin on this massive expansion.

Quelle: NSF