This SpaceX Status Report is updated throughout the day.
Boca Chica Testing Schedule
Based on Cameron County, Texas road closures.
- 11/30/2020 – 7:00 am to 6:00 pm
- 12/01/2020 – 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
- 12/02/2020 – 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
News and Commentary
NASASpaceflight
SpaceX Boca Chica – ‘Major Upgrades’ Starship SN15’s Common Dome Flipped.
SpaceX Boca Chica – SN9 Nosecone Stacked – SN8 Prepared for 15 km Flight
Starship Construction Status
- SN8 – Test Stand A
- 11/24/2020 – Static fire test completed successfully.
- 11/16/2020 – Raptor SN42 installed.
- 11/14/2020 – Raptor SN32 was removed.
11/12/2020 – Static fire test completed with propellant from the header tanks. Unusual molten metal material is seen pouring from the thrust section after the test. - 11/10/2020 – Static fire test completed with propellant from the header tanks. Unusual material discharged from the launch area during the test.
- 11/9/2020 – Static fire test scrubbed.
- 10/26/2020 – Starship SN8 unhooked from the “TankZilla” crane.
- 10/22/2020 – Milestone – Nosecone assembly installed. This is the first Starship prototype to have a nosecone permanently installed.
- 10/21/2020 – Nosecone assembly moved to Test Stand A.
- 10/20/2020 – Milestone – Static Fire Test Successful. The first concurrent firing of three Raptor engines
- 10/19/2020 – Nosecone stacked on a barrel section in the Low-Bay.
- 10/19/2020 – Preburner test completed.
- 10/16/2020 – Tested the RCS thrusters.
- 10/15/2020 – Static fire attempt was re-run that progressed thru engine chill.
- 10/14/2020 – Static fire attempt – This was to be the first time SpaceX attempted a static fire of three Raptor engines. This did not amount to much as the road to the launch site was never closed.
- 10/13/2020 – Nosecone with the forward aerodynamic surfaces moved to low-bay.
- 10/12/2020 – Forward aerodynamic surfaces being installed on a nosecone in Fabrication Tent 3.
- 10/12/2020 – Raptor engine SN30 installed.
- 10/12/2020 – Raptor engine SN39 installed.
- 10/11/2020 – Raptor engine SN39 removed.
- 10/11/2020 – Raptor engine SN39 installed.
- 10/11/2020 – Raptor engine SN32 installed.
- 10/11/2020 – Forward aerodynamic surfaces moved into the nosecone fabrication tent.
- 10/09/2020 – Cryogenic proof test – Passed
- 10/08/2020 – Cryogenic proof test.
- 10/07/2020 – Cryogenic proof test to 7 bar absolute. Leak detected near engine mounts. Perhaps due to differential shrinking per Elon Musk.
- 10/06/2020 – Cryogenic proof test attempt.
- 10/05/2020 – Tested RCS thrusters
- 10/05/2020 – Ambient Testing Complete. Cryogenic proof test aborted.
- 10/04/2020 – Actuated its aft aerodynamic surfaces under its own power.
- 09/30/2020 – Lifted onto launch mount after wind delay.
- 09/26/2020 – Transported to Test Stand A.
- 09/22/2020 – The second rear aerodynamic surface installed.
- 09/22/2020 – Milestone – First rear aerodynamic surface installed!
- 09/22/2020 – Moved out of the Mid-Bay into the shipyard.
- 09/15/2020 – Aft aerodynamic surface cover installed.
- 09/13/2020 – Aft aerodynamic surfaces delivered to Mid-Bay.
- 08/29/2020 – Tank section stacked to the usual “full” level.
- 08/27/2020 – Stacking thrust section in the Mid-Bay.
- 08/21/2020 – Thrust section and top section stacked.
- 08/15/2020 – The thrust section was flipped.
- SN9 – High-Bay
- 11/25/2020 – Nosecone assembly stacked on thrust assembly in the High-Bay.
- 11/21/2020 – Nosecone stacked on a five ring stack in the Low-Bay 11/29/2020 – Forward aerodynamic surfaces installed.
- 11/02/2020 – Aft aerodynamic surfaces were installed.
- 10/29/2020 – Aft aerodynamic surface attachment parts spotted in the shipyard.
- 10/26/2020 – Aft aerodynamic surfaces delivered to the worksite.
- 10/20/2020 – Aft aerodynamic surface cover installed.
- 10/16/2020 – Aft aerodynamic surface mounts installed.
- 10/03/2020 – Tank section stacked to the usual “full” level.
- 10/03/2020 – The thrust section was moved into the Mid-Bay for stacking.
- 09/27/2020 – Forward dome stacked.
- 09/20/2020 – Forward dome with Tesla batteries, stacking guides, and other hardware installed spotted in the shipyard.
- 09/13/2020 – Note: I see no evidence of external “plumbing” on SN8 as of yet.
- 09/13/2020 – Three-ring stack probably part of the tank section with heat tile mounting points spotted.
- 09/13/2020 – The thrust section was flipped.
- 09/13/2020 – First ring section moved into the Mid-Bay for stacking.
- 09/04/2020 – Trust dome has been sleeved.
- 08/28/2020 – Forward dome sleaved with a ring stack that includes heat shield tile mounts.
- 08/26/2020 – Forward aerodynamic surfaces spotted in the shipyard.
- 08/26/2020 – Nosecone five-ring stack spotted in the shipyard.
- 08/15/2020 – Common dome has been sleeved.
- SN10 – Mid-Bay
- 11/02/2020 – Tank section stacked to the usual “full” level.
- 10/23/2020 – Aero covers spotted in the shipyard.
- 10/22/2020 – Thrust dome stack moved to the Mid-Bay.
- 10/16/2020 – Common dome section has now been stacked on the mid LOX ring section in the Mid-Bay.
- 10/14/2020 – Stacking began in the Mid-Bay.
- 10/03/2020 – Trust section mated to leg skirt in the shipyard.
- 10/03/2020 – Thrust section spotted in the shipyard.
- 10/03/2020 – Leg skirt spotted in the shipyard. WO: 133 7367
- 09/08/2020 – The forward dome was sleaved with a four-ring stack. All of the previous upper bulkheads have been sleeved with a three-ring stack.
- 09/03/2020 – Thrust puck and fuel downcomer delivered.
- SN11 – Mid-Bay
- 10/29/2020 – Landing legs on the thrust section tested.
- Forward dome sleeved.
- 10/26/2020 – Common bulkhead flipped.
- 10/24/2020 – Common dome sleeved in the shipyard.
- 10/24/2020 – Aft dome section with the skirt installed spotted in the shipyard.
- 10/23/2020 – The thrust section is being prepared for stacking at the Mid-Bay.
- 10/18/2020 – Forward dome stack spotted in the shipyard.
- 10/07/2020 – Thrust section flipped
- 10/05/2020 – Trust dome has been sleeved.
- 10/03/2020 – Methane Header tank spotted
- 09/20/2020 – Common Bulkhead spotted
- 09/14/2020 – Thrust puck and fuel downcomer delivered.
- 09/09/2020 – Aft dome section spotted in the shipyard.
- SN12 – Under construction
- Forward dome sleaved
- 11/11/2020 – Thrust section mated to leg skirt.
- 11/02/2020 – Thrust section flipped.
- 10/31/2020 – Thrust section spotted in the shipyard.
- 10/29/2020 – Forward dome spotted in the shipyard.
- 10/27/2020 – Nosecone skirt moved to Low-Bay.
- 10/17/2020 – Common dome and header tank awaiting integration in the shipyard.
- 09/20/2020 – Leg Skirt spotted in the shipyard.
- SN13 – Under construction
- 11/20/2020 – CH4 header tank spotted in the shipyard.
- SN14 – Under construction
- Forward dome sleeved
- SN15 – Under construction – Major upgrades slated for SN15 – Elon Musk.
- 11/26/2020 – Common dome flipped.
- 11/18/2020 – Common dome sleeve spotted in the shipyard.
- SH1 – Super Heavy Booster – High-Bay
- 11/08/2020 – Milestone – LOX Stack 4 begins Stacking in the High-Bay.
- 11/08/2020 – Lox Stack 3 spotted in the shipyard.
- 10/07/2020 – Lox Stack 2 spotted in the shipyard.
- 10/02/2020 – Lox Stack 1 spotted in the shipyard.
- 10/01/2020 – Fuel Stack spotted in the shipyard.
- 10/01/2020 – Forward dome was sleeved with a four ring stack labeled “FWD BARREL ASSY BOOSTER”.
- 09/28/2020 – Lox Stack 4 spotted in the shipyard.
- 09/22/2020 – Milestone – First Super Heavy booster Common Dome Assembly spotted in the shipyard.
- 09/02/2020 – The first Super-Heavy booster (Per Elon Musk).
- HLS – Under Construction – Southwest Shipyard – NASA Human Landing System (HLS) – Lunar lander mockup.
- Nasa logo added to HLS mockup
- Painted white
- Moved to the Southwest Shipyard
Cape Canaveral, Florida
Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A), Kennedy Space Center
NROL-108 – National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)
- NET 11/18/20 – Launch window TBD.