Starbase Pad 2 Deluge Test & FAA FONSI: Starship Weekly Update

Starbase Pad 2 Deluge Test

• 💧 Pad 2 at Starbase successfully completed its long-awaited full deluge test, a major milestone before booster static fire and full stack testing for Starship Version 3.
• 🚀 The test involved activating the detonation suppression system (DSS), which uses a mist of water and nitrogen to prevent explosions.
• 🛠️ Chopsticks were raised, and the quick disconnect arms retracted, simulating real launch conditions.
• 🌊 The deluge system erupted from the trench and top deck, sending massive walls of water, though the full power of the trench geyser vents may not have been reached.
• ✅ Crews painted the tower's corner pillars for protection against the salty air, a lesson learned from Pad 1's corrosion issues.

FAA Environmental Assessment

• 📜 The FAA issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for SpaceX's updated launch and reentry profiles.
• 🛰️ This approval paves the way for expanded Starship trajectories and eventual orbital returns to Starbase.
• ⚠️ The assessment addresses environmental implications of orbital missions, including potential debris risk and noise from hypersonic re-entry sonic booms.
• 📈 As Starship proves more reliable, exclusion zones for re-entry may decrease, enabling more frequent flights and data collection.

Starship Production and Infrastructure

• 🏗️ Ship 40 continues stacking in Megabay 2, with multiple sections added this week, bringing it closer to completion.
• ⚙️ Booster 19 is likely undergoing engine installation in preparation for static fire testing.
• 🏗️ Gigabay is progressing with its fourth level being added, moving closer to its role in ship and booster production.
• 🎯 A new truss structure at Massey's appears designed to stress-test a ship's catch points and flaps, crucial for vehicle reliability and reusability.
• 💨 Composite Overpressure Vessels (COPVs) are undergoing verification testing at Starbase to ensure structural integrity before installation.

McGregor Engine Testing and Florida Expansion

• 🔥 SpaceX's McGregor test site is actively testing Raptor engines, including sea level and vacuum variants.
• 💯 Raptor engines are hitting triple-digit serial numbers, with Raptor 100 being a vacuum engine.
• 🚀 SpaceX is preparing Launch Complex 39A for Starship operations, with a new barge (Marmarmac 31) to transport vehicles from Starbase.
• 🏗️ Space Launch Complex 37 in Florida is being acquired and will feature two launch towers, two catch towers, and an air separation unit, significantly boosting operational capacity.

Starship Program Progress

• ⏳ With Pad 2's deluge system tested, final preparations for Starship Version 3 vehicle testing are underway, bringing Flight 12 closer.
• 📅 SpaceX is pushing for a quick turnaround, aiming for Flight 13 soon after Flight 12, requiring rapid production of ships and boosters.