this post was submitted on 02 Jan 2025
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Starship Development Thread January 2025 (self.spacex)
submitted 5 days ago* (last edited 15 hours ago) by threelonmusketeers to c/spacex
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SpaceX Starship page

Portions of this thread copied from a Starship Dev thread on r/SpaceX.

FAQ

  1. When next launch? (Flight 7) NET Jan 10th, per Elon. Advisories posted for Jan 10th through 16th. (ViX, Starship Gazer 1, Starship Gazer 2, NSF, WatchersTank)
  2. When previous launch? (Flight 6)? Booster 13 and Ship 31 launched on 2024-11-19.
  3. What was the result? Booster catch attempt aborted, performed soft splashdown in the Gulf. Ship performs in-space raptor relight, survives reentry, and makes an on-target splashdown.

Quick Links

Nerdle Cam | Lab Cam | Sapphire Cam | Sentinel Cam | Rover Cam | Rover 2.0 Cam | Rocket Ranch Cam | Plex Cam | NSF Starbase Live

Starship Dev December | Starship Dev November | IFT-6 launch thread | Starship Dev October | IFT-5 launch thread | Starship Dev 57

Official SpaceX Starship Update Video (2024-04-06)

Road closures and road delays

Cameron County website - @bocaroad Mastodon bot

*As of 2025-01-01

  • None scheduled

Vehicle Status

*As of 2025-01-01

Follow Ring Watchers on Twitter and Discord for more.

Ship Location Status Comment
SN2 Rocket Garden Pending scrapping?
S20 Rocket Garden Pending scrapping?
S31 Indian Ocean Successful splashdown Cryo tested May 12th, suffers small electrical fire. Underwent repairs in the Highbay, rolls back to Massey's Jul 1. Cryo tested Jul 2nd and 3rd. Engines installed by Jul 26th. Rolls to Massey's Sep 6th. Partial (aborted) cryo test Sep 8th. Static fired Sep 18th. Preflight checkouts completed Nov 17th. Launched as IFT-6 on Nov 19th. In-space raptor relight was successful, ship survived reentry and performed soft splashdown in the Indian Ocean.
S32 Rocket Garden Pending scrapping? Fully stacked, fore flaps installed but not aft flaps
Test Tank 16 Rocket Garden Pending scrapping? Cryo tested four times between July and September.
S33 Megabay 2 Pending rollout First V2 Starship. Nosecone spotted Jul 14th. Forward section spotted Jul 27th. Stacking completed Aug 23. Cryo tested Oct 29th (partial), 30th (full), and 31st (full). Raptor installation begins Nov 9th. Spin prime Dec 12th. Static fired Dec 15th and 16th.
S34 Megabay 2 Pending cryo test Methane header tank spotted Aug 14th. Nosecone stacked on payload bay Sep 20th. Stacking completed around end of November.
S35 Megabay 2 Assembly Parts spotted Sep 20th. Forward flap installation Dec 3rd. Nosecone stacked on payload bay Dec 11th.
S36 Starfactory Assembly Parts spotted in December.
S37 Starfactory Assembly Parts spotted in December.
S38 Starfactory Assembly Parts spotted in December.
Booster Location Status Comment
B12 Megabay 1 Post-flight inspection Cryo x2, Static fire Jul 15th. Full stack cryo tests Sep 23rd and Oct 7th. FTS installed Oct 9th. Launched as IFT-5 on Oct 13, returned to launch site for successful chopstick catch. Moved to Megabay 1 Oct 15th.
B13 Gulf of Mexico Successful splashdown Cryo tests Apr 26th (methane tank) and Apr 29th (LOX tank). Static fired Oct 24th. Preflight checkouts completed Nov 17th. Launched as IFT-6 on Nov 19th. Chopsticks catch attempt was aborted, performed soft splashdown in the Gulf.
B14 Launch Mount A Pending wet dress rehearsal Stacked Apr 26th, Cryo tested Oct 4th and 5th. Static fired Dec 9th. FTS installed Jan 3rd.
B14.1 Sanchez Resting Multiple catch simulation "slap tests" performed on Jun 26th and 27th.
B15 Megabay 1 Pending engine install Stacked from July to September. Methane tank cryo test Dec 27th, full cryo test Dec 28th.
B16 Megabay 1 Pending cryo test Stacking completed by Dec 26th.
B17 Build Site Assembly Parts spotted. First two sections moved to Megabay 1 Jan 4th.

Resources

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[–] threelonmusketeers 4 points 15 hours ago

Starbase activities (2025-01-06):

  • Jan 5th cryo delivery tally.
  • Quite a bit reported on Jan 6th.
  • Build site: Mystery flat-packed delivery to Starfactory. (ViX)
  • Ten Starlink simulators are spotted in Starfactory. (Starship Gazer photo, Starship Gazer video)
  • The black LTR1220 crane slightly reconfigures the ship transport SPMTs. (ViX 1, ViX 2)
  • Explosion warning signs are spotted on Megabay 2, suggesting that S33 flight termination system is being installed. (ViX 1, ViX 2, Starship Gazer)
  • Ship lifting jig stand arrives outside Megabay 2. (ViX)
  • Ship transport stand enters Megabay 2. (ViX)
  • S33 is lifted onto the transport stand in Megabay 2. (ViX, LabPadre)
  • Megabay 2 door opens, revealing S33 with new catch point tiles, an open Pez door, and Crew Dragon stickers on the flaps. (LabPadre 1, LabPadre 2, Starship Gazer 1, Starship Gazer 2, TheRedstoneHive)
  • Launch site: The transport stand for the hot staging adapter moves from the build site to the launch site. (ViX, NSF)
  • An afternoon attempt to remove B14's hot staging adapter is aborted, likely due to wind conditions (LabPadre, ViX). Another attempt is made in the evening (NSF).
  • The yellow LR11000 crane moves towards Pad B, where it will likely lie down prior to Flight 7. (ViX)
  • Parts for a new crane begin arriving at the launch site, and are assembled. (ViX 1, ViX 2)
  • A small crane is also delivered. (ViX)

Other:

KSC:

  • Expansion of the Roberts Road facility continues. (Stranger)
[–] threelonmusketeers 4 points 1 day ago

Starbase activities (2025-01-05):

Flight 7:

  • Infographic from Vikranth Jonna summarizing new objectives and changes.

KSC:

[–] threelonmusketeers 4 points 2 days ago

Starbase activities (2025-01-04):

  • Jan 3rd cryo delivery tally.
  • Build site: The first two sections (common dome and aft 2) of B17's LOX tank enter Megabay 1. Shorter stringers are observed. (LabPadre, ViX 1, ViX 2, ViX 3, NSF)
  • Pad A: B14 closeup from Starship Gazer.
  • Pad B: The upper crossbeam of the chopsticks assembly jig is removed. (ViX)
  • Two excavators perform a choreographed rebar-shifting ballet. (ViX)
  • Golden's thoughts on Starship's launch cadence in 2025.
  • Beil comparison of Falcon Heavy and Starship launch cadence.
[–] threelonmusketeers 4 points 3 days ago

Starbase activities (2025-01-03):

Flight 7:

  • Mexican NOTAM is posted. (ViX 1, ViX 2, RGV Aerial, FAA (PDF))
  • NASA5, the Gulfstream V, is scheduled to fly to Brisbane. (ViX, rocketjunkie94)
  • Lars Blackmore is excited to see the results of the forward flap redesign.
  • SpaceX publish an update on their website (current, archive). Highlights:
  • "Starship will deploy 10 Starlink simulators, similar in size and weight"
  • Multiple metallic test tiles on S33, including one with active cooling.
  • "non-structural versions of ship catch fittings are installed"

Flight 6:

  • SpaceX post a recap video, including a brief drone shot of S31 after splashdown.
  • Cause of Flight 6 booster offshore divert: Sensors on the tower chopsticks were damaged at launch. Additional protections to the sensors have been added.
[–] threelonmusketeers 3 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Starbase activities (2025-01-02):

  • Jan 1st cryo delivery tally.
  • Build site: An interesting cart is spotted leaving Starfactory. (LabPadre)
  • Pez dispenser installation jig exits Megabay 2, likely implying that the S35 pez dispenser is installed. (ViX)
  • Launch site: Booster transport stand moves from the launch site to the build site. (ViX 1, ViX 2)
  • B14 performs grid fin wiggle tests. (ViX)
  • Launch mount closeup from cnunez.

Flight 7:

  • Elon confirms that Raptor 314 which flew on B12 during flight 5 will be reflown on B14 for flight 7. (spacesudoer, Elon)
[–] threelonmusketeers 4 points 5 days ago

Starbase activities (2025-01-01):