SpaceX progress on Starship Pad realignment for the future
Date:
Wed, 12 Nov 2025 13:44:36 +0000
Description:
SpaceX has intensified demolition efforts at Starbases Pad 1, in tandem with making significant steps The post SpaceX progress on Starship Pad realignment for the future appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com .
FULL STORY ======================================================================
SpaceX has intensified demolition efforts at Starbases Pad 1, in tandem with making significant steps toward constructing an advanced launch
infrastructure for its Starship program at Starbase and the Kennedy Space Center. Eventually, all three pads are expected to be near mirrors of each other, hosting the next generation Starship launches.
Over at Starbases Pad 1, crews have removed large sections of the launch mount, including the protective shielding around the walkway and portions of the launch ring itself, as the site undergoes a comprehensive overhaul.
The demolition has progressed rapidly. The booster quick disconnect assembly was dismantled after being cut into manageable sections, with most external piping on the Orbital Launch Mount (OLM) now cleared. It is understood that once the upper launch ring is fully removed, internal hardware will follow, leaving only the OLM legs intact. The process was not without challenges. At least one fire erupted inside the launch mount during operations but was swiftly extinguished. Ironically, Pad 1 supported 11 launches of the worlds most powerful rocket without incident, yet demolition sparked the blaze. See Also SpaceX Starship Program L2 SpaceX Section NSF Store Click here to Join
L2
Concurrently, retention ponds south of the pad have been filled with soil, likely sourced from the removal of the tank farm berm. The deluge plate has been buried under debris from the mount, raising expectations that its
removal could begin soon.
Although future Starship pads will employ a traditional flame trench, the deluge plate did prove its worth as a mitigation measure against the rock tornado observed during Flight 1.
It should also be stressed that the teardown is not the end for Pad 1 but a prelude to upgrades. SpaceX aims to rebuild with enhanced designs, including improvements to the launch tower.
While the tower structure remains, outdated systems are being targeted for replacement. For instance, the rear base housing the drawworksfor elevating the chopsticks catch armshas been removed to accommodate a reinforced version seen on Tower 2. The drawworks unit was transported out of Starbase for refurbishment.
Additional tower work includes new maintenance lines for platforms along the columns, facilitating upgrades to rails and steel. The damping system on the chopsticks landing rails has also been dismantled for enhancements.
Tank farm operations have seen further stripping, with subcoolers and pipes removed from Pad 1s side. At least six subcoolers were shipped to SpaceXs McGregor test site, though their exact purpose remains unclear.
Shifting focus to Floridas Space Coast, Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) achieved
a key milestone with the installation of its new Starship launch mount. Up close and personal with 39A's OLM for Starship via Max Evans ( @_mgde_ )
https://t.co/fCW6lZAX18 pic.twitter.com/oEVVQWRR8z
NSF NASASpaceflight.com (@NASASpaceflight) November 4, 2025
On November 4, the mount was transported from the Roberts Road Operations
Area to the pad in a four-hour operation. The following day, a single LR
13000 crane lifted and positioned it atop the flame trench, requiring
rotation and clearance from one chopstick arm.
Compared to Starbases Pad 2where a similar mount was installed in MayLC-39As version arrived more complete, featuring pre-installed deluge manifolds, booster quick disconnect brackets, and a methane hood.
However, LC-39As tank farm lags behind, with recent deliveries including a vertical tank and four water deluge tanks by barge to Kennedy Space Centers Turning Basin, joining three already on site. SpaceX targets Starship
launches from Florida in 2026, potentially aligning with Pad 2s timeline despite the six-month gap. However, when exactly in 2026 remains an open question.
Back at Starbases Pad 2, finishing touches dominate. The service structure
now boasts thick steel cladding and a vault-like blast door on one entrance, with another expected soon. Additional shielding protects interfaces with the mount and flame trench, alongside more covers on vents. Launch mount activities included gas purging of the water-cooled top deck to clear debris, preceding full water tests. Flame trench deluge systems were retested this week.
A highlight was the rollout of a test adapter dubbed I Be Proofin on November 6, designed to simulate a fully fueled Starships weight on hold-down arms. Echoing a 2023 test on Pad 1, this setupfeaturing SpaceX Development Test markingswill verify arm strength, adapted for Pad 2s flame trench.
Other Pad 2 developments include high-speed retraction tests of booster quick disconnects, mysterious frames on their hoods, and progress on the ship quick disconnect arm at the Sanchez lot, now fitted with pipework. Heavy lifting gear, including the reactivated LR 11000 crane, signals imminent
installation. Tank farm testing continued, focusing on liquid oxygen supply
to the tower. This amid the resumption of piling work across the road for the Air Separation Unit, though full facility details are pending. In a lighter note, trees planted near the launch site wall raise eyebrows about their longevity amid operations.
Currently, they will be in the firing line for what is expected to be a big increase in launch cadence with the Block 3 Starship in 2026.
(Lead Image: NSF imagery of SpaceXs three Starship pads).
The post SpaceX progress on Starship Pad realignment for the future appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com .
======================================================================
Link to news story:
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/11/spacex-starship-pad-realignment-future /
--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 (Linux/64)
* Origin: tqwNet Science News (1337:1/100)