this post was submitted on 02 Mar 2025

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Starship Development Thread March 2025 (self.spacex)

submitted 1 week ago* (last edited 1 day ago) by threelonmusketeers to c/spacex

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SpaceX Starship page

FAQ

When next launch? (Flight 8) NET April, "4 to 6 weeks" after Flight 8. (Elon)
When previous launch? (Flight 7)? Booster 15 and Ship 34 launched on 2025-03-06.
What was the result? Booster lands on chopsticks, ship experiences an RUD shortly before SECO.

Quick Links

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

Road closures and road delays

Cameron County website - @bocaroad Mastodon bot

Vehicle Status

*As of 2025-03-08

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.
Test Tank 16	Massey's	Testing	Cryo tested four times between July and September. Sliding plates added to the catch points on Jan 27th.
S34	Caribbean	Destroyed	Methane header tank spotted Aug 14th. Nosecone stacked on payload bay Sep 20th. Stacking completed around end of November. Cryo tested Jan 17th. Static fired Feb 11th. FTS installed Feb 24th. Launched Mar 6th, experienced an RUD shortly before SECO.
S35	Megabay 2	Pending flap install	Parts spotted Sep 20th. Forward flap installation Dec 3rd. Nosecone stacked on payload bay Dec 11th. Stacked by Feb 7th.
S36	Megabay 2	Stacking	Parts spotted in December. Moved to Megabay 2 Feb 12th.
S37	Starfactory	Nose cone tiling	Parts spotted in December.
S38	Starfactory	Nose cone tiling	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.
B14	Megabay 1	Post-flight inspection	Stacked Apr 26th, Cryo tested Oct 4th and 5th. Static fired Dec 9th. FTS installed Jan 3rd. Wet dress rehearsal performed Jan 10th. Launched and landed Jan 16th.
B15	Launch site	Pending rollback	Stacked from July to September. Methane tank cryo test Dec 27th, full cryo test Dec 28th. Static fired Feb 9th. Launched and landed Mar 6th.
B16	Masseys	Cryo test underway	Stacking completed by Dec 26th. Cryo tested Feb 28th.
B17	Build Site	Assembly	Parts spotted. First two sections moved to Megabay 1 Jan 4th.
B18.1	Build site	Assembly	Likely a test article for Block 2 boosters. Parts spotted Feb 24th.

Resources

LabPadre Channel | NASASpaceFlight.com Channel
NSF: Booster 7 + Ship X (likely 24) Updates Thread | Most Recent
NSF: Boca Chica Production Updates Thread | Most recent
NSF: Elon Starship tweet compilation | Most Recent
SpaceX: Website Starship page | Starship Users Guide (2020, PDF)
FAA: SpaceX Starship Project at the Boca Chica Launch Site
FAA: Temporary Flight Restrictions NOTAM list
FCC: Starship Orbital Demo detailed Exhibit - 0748-EX-ST-2021 application June 20 through December 20
NASA: Starship Reentry Observation (Technical Report)
Hwy 4 & Boca Chica Beach Closures (May not be available outside US)
Production Progress Infographics by @RingWatchers
Raptor 2 Tracker by @SpaceRhin0
Acronym definitions by Decronym
Everyday Astronaut: Starbase Tour with Elon Musk, Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
Everyday Astronaut: 2022 Elon Musk Interviews, Starbase/Ship Updates | Launch Tower | Merlin Engine | Raptor Engine
Everyday Astronaut 2024 Elon Musk Interviews: Starfactory tour | Pad tour and post-IFT-4 interview

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[–] threelonmusketeers 2 points 15 hours ago* (last edited 15 hours ago)

Starbase activities (2025-03-08):

Mar 7th cryo delivery tally.
Build site: Starkitty is sighted :) (ViX)
Overnight, B15 rolls back to Megabay 1 and is transferred to a work stand. (LabPadre, Reed / NSF, ViX, ViX 2)
Launch site: - Three of six vapourizers are removed. (ViX 1, ViX 2)
The black LR11000 crane is laid back down. (ViX)
Steel sections are delivered for Pad B flame trench. Explanatory diagrams from AshleyKillip.

Flight 8:

R-vac nozzle was lost prior to shutdown of other engines. (Truthful_ast)
Preliminary info on S34 failure, anonymous source, veracity not verified. (halcyonhypnotic)

[–] threelonmusketeers 5 points 1 day ago* (last edited 16 hours ago)

Starbase activities (2025-03-07):

Launch site: Overnight, the booster transport stand and the launch mount work platform roll out to Pad A. (ViX 1, ViX 2)
B15 is transferred from launch mount to transport stand. (NSF, LabPadre, ViX 1, ViX 2)
B15 aft end, post flight. (Beyer)
Both the yellow and the black LR11000 cranes are rise. (ViX)
Some damage to the tank farm vapourizers is noted. (before and after, (thanks Planatus666), Interstellar Gateway)
Build site: In Megabay 2, the downcomer assembly moves towards S36 for final install, followed by "some kind of cap/bracket" and the LOX header tube. (ViX)
Mar 7th and 9th road closures are revoked.
2-hour road delays are posted for Mar 10th and 11th, between 00:00 to 04:00 for transport from factory to Massey's, likely for S35.

Flight 8:

Scott Manley posts his analysis.

Flight 9:

"The next ship will be ready in 4 to 6 weeks." (Elon)

Maritime:

Cryo tanks cross the Gulf from KSC to Texas, but are likely destined for McGregor, not Starbase. (Cornwell)

[–] threelonmusketeers 6 points 2 days ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Starbase activities (2025-03-06):

Mar 5th cryo delivery tally.
Launch site: Ship stand rolls back from the launch site. (ViX)
Detonation suppression system is tested. (ViX)
Helicopters refuelling near the roadblock. (ViX 1, ViX 2, ViX 3)
Tank farm venting. (ViX)
Pad is clear. (LabPadre)
Chopsticks open. (NSF, LabPadre)
Chopsticks are tested. (ViX)
Fast Ship Hannah Ray is on duty. (Cornwell)
Tower and launch mount venting. (ViX)
Propellant is loaded. (SpaceX, ViX)
Helicopters on duty. (ViX)
Flight 8 happens.
B15 is caught and lowered onto the Launch Mount A. (Priel)
Road is reopened, booster transport stand rolls out to the launch site. (ViX)
Build site: S36 downcomer is lifted in Megabay 2, likely moved onto a fitting jig for later installation. (ViX)
Three smaller transfer tubes are also lifted into the installation jig. (ViX 1, ViX 2, Golden, Astronomy Live (tracking with an 11" telescope))

Flight 8:

Nominal liftoff and staging. (NSF 1, NSF 2, SpaceX 1, SpaceX 2)
Only 11/13 engines on the boostback burn, but landing burn and chopsticks catch is successful. (Golden, NSF, SpaceX)
S34 experiences multiple engine failures/shutdowns and spins out of control. (NSF, ViX, Golden Cdtj3 (engine skirt view), SpaceX 1, SpaceX 2)
S34 breaks up near Florida and reenters near Turks and Caicos and the Bahamas. (Mahlmann, briancjackson, NStewWX, MrGilyard, SeeClickFlash, VictorOnX, NorcrossUSA, GeneDoctorB, )
Update on SpaceX website. (Current, archive)
FAA to require a mishap investigation, as expected. (Beil)
Ryan Hansen speculates that the engine failures may have been due to an issue with a glowing orange area on one of the regenerative cooling manifolds. (Tweet 1, tweet 2, tweet 3, tweet 4)

McGregor:

A raptor engine is tested to destruction. (NSF)

[–] threelonmusketeers 4 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Starbase activities (2025-03-05):

Mar 4th cryo delivery tally.
Launch site: A restack of S34 on B15 is attempted. (NSF 1, NSF 2, NSF 3)
A piece of the hot staging adapter clamp falls off of S34 just before it was lowered onto B15. (NSF, Starship Gazer)
S34 is lowered. (NSF 1, NSF 2, Starship Gazer, explanation from Hansen)
B15 hot staging adapter is inspected. (Golden)
During the stack attempt the chopsticks rail system lost a bearing. (Elinana Sheriff / Joe Tegtmeyer, NSF livestream)
S34 is successfully restacked on B15. (NSF, ViX, Starship Gazer)
Build site: High bay is being emptied, potentially prior to demolition. Golden
Massey's: Overnight, B16 cryo testing continues. (NSF)
A 2-hour road delay is posted for Mar 7th, between 00:00 to 04:00 for transport from Massey's to factory. (Presumably B16 rollback)

Flight 8:

SpaceX are now targeting NET Mar 6th.
Mar 6th road closure is scheduled.
S34 features a strip of smaller tiles. (cnunez)
A 1-hour road delay is posted for Mar 8th, between 00:00 to 04:00 for transport from pad to factory. (Presumably anticipating B15 rollback after successful catch)

[–] threelonmusketeers 4 points 4 days ago

Starbase activities (2025-03-04):

Mar 3rd cryo delivery tally.
Launch site: Ship stand rolls out to the launch site. (ViX 1, ViX 2)
Ship quick disconnect is retracted, crews tape up the ports on S34. (ViX 1, ViX 2)
S34 is destacked. (NSF, LabPadre, ViX)
Gisler posts some newly visible angles of the tank farm. (Gisler 1, Gisler 2, Gisler 3, Gisler 4, Gisler 5)
Build site: Mystery delivery to Starfactory. (ViX)
S36's A:3 section enters Megabay 2. (ViX)
Cnunez posts status photos of S37 and S38 nosecone tiling.
Massey's: B16 performs a second cryo test. (NSF, ViX 1, ViX 2, ViX 3, cnunez)

Flight 8:

SpaceX are now targeting NET Mar 5th.
Road closure for Mar 4th is revoked.
Road closures are posted for Mar 5th, 6th, 7th, and 9th (Sunday!), from 10:30 to 23:30 for flight testing activities. Mar 5th closure is scheduled.

[–] friek 14 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I just wanted to say thanks for running this community, and not by just linking to the other place. Much appreciated.

[–] threelonmusketeers 8 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Thanks for your comment, it's nice to know my efforts are appreciated! Hope to see you around. Sometimes I feel like I'm shouting into the void...

not by just linking to the other place

Of course. I link from The Other Place to here :)

[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 days ago

@threelonmusketeers @friek Not a void, just a very small room in comparison where people don't shout as much. +1 for appreciation of the content.

[–] threelonmusketeers 5 points 5 days ago

Starbase activities (2025-03-03):

Mar 2nd cryo delivery tally.
Hot staging adapter stand and lifting jig arrive back at the build site, followed by both the ship and booster transport stands. (ViX)
A booster downcomer arrives, and a stand enters Megabay 1. (ViX)
A 1-hour road delay is posted for Mar 5th, between 00:00 to 04:00 for transport from pad to factory.

Flight 8:

Tower camera lens covers are removed. (NSF, Starship Gazer)
Road closure in place and helicopter on duty. (ViX 1, ViX 2, ViX 3, ViX 4, NSF)
Chopsticks open and rise. (ViX 1, ViX 2, NSF)
Detonation suppression system is tested. (ViX)
CEO arrives.
Tank farm spools up. (ViX)
Launch mount and tower venting. (ViX, NSF)
Following multiple holds at T-40 seconds, launch is scrubbed. (NSF 1, NSF 2, SpaceX 1, SpaceX 2)
Destack is planned: "Too many question marks about this flight and then we were 20 bar low on ground spin start pressure. Best to destack, inspect both stages and try again in a day or two. (Elon)
Ship transport stand rolls out to the launch site. (NSF / Keegan)

Florida:

SpaceX post info on the Gigabay production facility and pads LC-39A and SLC-37. (current, archive)

[–] threelonmusketeers 4 points 6 days ago

Starbase activities (2025-03-02):

Mar 1st cryo delivery tally.
Overnight, four Starlink simulators are loaded into S34. (ViX, Starship Gazer)
Non-structural catch pins are installed on S34. (Starship Gazer)
S34 rolls out to Pad A. (NSF, LabPadre 1, LabPadre 2, ViX 1, ViX 2, ViX 3, ViX 4, ViX 5, Starship Gazer 1, Starship Gazer 2, Huot, SpaceX)
S34 is stacked on B15. (ViX, NSF full livestream, Evans, Starship Gazer 1, Starship Gazer 2)

Flight 8:

Infographic by BingoBoca.
Closeups of S34 heatshield, with (presumably intentional) missing tiles. (cnunez, Kraus)
"about a hundred experiments running simultaneously on that heat shield, which is part of why it looks so patchy" (Elon)
"Thousands of changes" to S34 vs S33. (Elon)
Launch mount legs have not been repainted. (Golden)

Flight 9+:

Ship catch attempt is contingent on completing a perfect ship reentry. (Elon)

KSC:

Cryo tanks arrive at Port Canaveral, possibly for SpaceX. (Cornwell)

[–] threelonmusketeers 6 points 1 week ago

Starbase activities (2025-03-01):

Feb 28th cryo delivery tally.
Overnight, B16 cryo tests continue at Massey's. (NSF, ViX 1, ViX 2)
Build site: S34 is transferred to the transport stand. (NSF, LabPadre, ViX 1, ViX 2, ViX 3, ViX 4, ViX 5)
Miscellaneous closeups of S34. (ViX, Starship Gazer 1, Starship Gazer 2, Starship Gazer 3, cnunez 1, cnunez 2, Evans)
Starlink simulators are loaded onto S34. (NSF 1, NSF 2)
Car park mural has been removed. (cnunez)
S37 tile work is progressing in Starfactory. (cnunez)
Launch site: Another tank arrives for the Pad B water deluge system. (ViX)
A stop block on the Pad B chopsticks is removed and reinstalled, then removed again. (ViX 1, ViX 2)

Flight 8:

Both LR11000s have been lowered, as is typical prior to launches. (ViX)

Maritime:

Two cargo ships carrying cryo tanks are en route to Canaveral and Brownsville ports. (Cornwell)