SpaceX has accomplished a successful Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR) of Ship 25 and Booster 9 and other systems tests ahead of an upcoming test flight. Now destacked and awaiting regulatory approval for flight, SpaceX continues to expand and improve the production site for future vehicle cadence.
On Oct. 17, SpaceX destacked Ship 25 off of Booster 9 as a result of issues between the the ship and booster. Then, on Oct. 20, SpaceX restacked Ship 25 after troubleshooting and readied for a Wet Dress Rehearsal.
SpaceX then conducted a rare Sunday test when the complete stack was twice loaded with Liquid Nitrogen (LN2) and Liquid Oxygen (LOX).
This also allowed for the testing of subsystems, equivalent to the Ship engine chill down, grid fins, Response Control System (RCS) thrusters, and Booster engine purge. The FireX system and the water dulge were also tested on the bottom side.
Starship holding a bellyful of prop.https://t.co/KkFieN73zJ pic.twitter.com/WoXppLiMbK
— Chris Bergin – NSF (@NASASpaceflight) October 24, 2023
That is the primary time SpaceX tested the water deluge with the brand new tank installed, and the deluge was noticeably greater and barely longer in duration.
Then on Oct. 24, SpaceX conducted a full WDR on Ship 25 and Booster 9. SpaceX fully loaded the stack with nearly 5,000 tons of LOX and Liquid Methane (LCH4) during this. The complete stack was then run through the complete launch countdown right until activation of the FireX, which activates just seconds before engine startup. Once SpaceX had mostly detanked one other test of the water deluge.
With full stack testing accomplished, SpaceX is now waiting for the US Fish and Wildlife Service to finish its review. Then, the Federal Aviation Administration will give the ultimate sign-off.
In spite of everything the complete stack testing was accomplished, SpaceX destacked Ship 25 on Oct. 26 – followed by the removal of the Hot Staging Ring the next day.
With this destack Ship 25 ties Ship 24 for many stacks and restacks. Nonetheless, for Ship 25, this must be the ultimate time until regulatory approval and the arming of the Flight Termination System (FTS).
On Oct. 20, Ship 26 accomplished a single engine static fire that, based on SpaceX, was a simulated deorbit burn. After this test, the launch site LR11000 was rolled over to Ship 26 and attached to the ship. Then Ship 26’s transport stand with Self Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMTs) configured for a ship move was moved next to Suborbital Pad B.
Jack (@thejackbeyer) with an addition and funky cam view: https://t.co/g2HuVSaAsa pic.twitter.com/cKDfRu1XDE
— Chris Bergin – NSF (@NASASpaceflight) October 20, 2023
Ship 26 was then transported back to the Production Site on Friday.
SpaceX moved the Human Landing System Prototype Noscone from the village to behind Mega Bay 1. The complete purpose of this prototype remains to be unclear. The remaining of SpaceX’s future vehicles have been pretty quiet recently.
As seen via NSF’s latest flyover of Starbase and Masseys, and there are a couple of recent things to notice.
SpaceX has continued to rebuild the Ground Service Equipment (GSE) constructing over at Sanchez, adding insulation under the outer steel wall to assist control the within temperature. This may allow the GSE team to be nice and funky while with the ability to do more accurate welds on equipment.
![](https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Sanchez-Flyover-scaled.jpg)
Sanchez Site (Credit: Jack Beyer for NSF)
A trench has also been dug along the eastern border of Sanchez to permit for the laying of conduit, which can have electrical cables running through to the substation behind Sanchez.
An enormous change to notice is the dismantling of the Propellant Production plant at Sanchez. SpaceX has been slowly removing piping and huge equipment and trucking them out. It’s unclear if SpaceX is doing upgrades or has given up on propellant production at Starbase in the interim.
![](https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Production-Site-Flyover-scaled.jpg)
Boca Chica Shipyards (Credit: Jack Beyer for NSF)
On the Production Site, work on the brand new Starfactory continues because the roof for the taller sections is sort of complete. The footings for the following phase, positioned where Tents 1, 2, and Midbay were, must be poured as soon as SpaceX finishes laying the conduit. SpaceX has also begun installing the elevator shafts within the back corners of the brand new High Bay and has began putting within the truss work for the roof.
SpaceX has removed the complete solar farm in Boca Chica Villiage since their production site now runs off of the local power company. Also, foundations have been began so as to add recent houses to the village. These will probably be for SpaceX employees to live in.
Over at Masseys Booster 11, has undergone two cryogenic proof tests with the booster thrust ram stand. There are also several test tanks over at Masseys; the brand new Elliptical Dome (Edome) test tank is currently on the burst pad and able to be destroyed. S27’s Aft has since been faraway from the cage and will soon get replaced by S24.2, which is ready to check the brand new payload bay design.
![](https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Masseys-Flyover-scaled.jpg)
Masseys (Credit: Jack Beyer for NSF)
Then, on the launch site, there may be a pleasant and glossy recent car parking zone just behind Suborbital Pad B. This may help keep cars off of the side of the road and provides SpaceX employees a greater place to park. SpaceX has also began constructing the pipe stands for the brand new tanks that will probably be installed where the old landing pad was.
Starbase is continuously changing and being improved as SpaceX figures out learn how to construct and maintain Ships and Boosters going forward.
Lead Image: Launch Site Overview. Credit: Jack Beyer for NSF