Eye on the future, as SpaceX prepare Pad 2 and Block 3 at Starbase

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As SpaceX prepares for Flight 11 of Starship, the company is also making significant strides at its Starbase facility in South Texas, with an eye to the future. Pad 2 at the launch site is edging closer to operational readiness, and the first Block 3 vehicle is set to fly from this pad on Flight 12.

Pad 2:

Recent observations highlight progress on critical systems, including the deluge suppression setup and mechanical stabilizers, signaling that the infrastructure could soon support Starship launches.

One of the most notable developments involves the deluge system, designed to protect the pad from the extreme heat and erosion caused by the Super Heavy booster’s 33 Raptor engines.

Engineers recently activated one of the gas generators that powers this high-pressure water system, which forces water through pipes to shield surrounding hardware.

This powerful demonstration was audible from a distance, with the generators spinning up loudly.
Unlike Pad 1’s simpler setup, where water flows upward through a base plate, Pad 2 features a more advanced configuration. Water emerges from a large, diverter-shaped structure within the flame trench, which directs the flow outward to manage exhaust plumes more effectively.

It is anticipated that this will lead to distinct differences in launch plume behavior once operational, with the goal of improving efficiency and pad turnaround.

However, the test represents just one component in a larger puzzle. Full operational certification will likely require a comprehensive trial at target flow rates and pressures to ensure seamless integration.

Progress isn’t limited to the deluge system. Crews also installed a new component on the launch tower’s “chopsticks”—the mechanical arms used for stacking and catching Starship stages.

This addition is part of the stabilizer system, which enhances precision by providing additional points of contact, akin to gripping an object securely along multiple axes to prevent wobbling.
Detailed imagery captured by NSF photographers reveals ongoing work around the chopsticks, where scaffolding remains extensive.

Although both stabilizers are yet to be fully installed, the arms themselves have already demonstrated functionality through movements, like opening and closing. This positions the chopsticks as one of Pad 2’s most advanced features at this construction phase.

The launch tower still awaits a key element: the Ship Quick Disconnect Arm (SQD), currently under fabrication at a production site. Its installation is essential for full operations, though preliminary booster testing could potentially proceed without it.

Beneath the scaffolding on the pad deck, teams are integrating vital infrastructure, including Booster Quick Disconnects (BQDs) and extensive plumbing networks. The deck could soon shed its temporary coverings, providing for a clearer view of the completed structure.
Construction is also underway on a new support bunker adjacent to Pad 2, featuring two levels directly accessible from Highway 4. Dubbed the “Megabunker”, this facility’s ultimate role remains unclear, but it could bolster ground operations or storage capabilities.

Block 3:

Pad 2 will debut SpaceX’s next generation of Starship design via the Block 3 upgrade. Recent activities inside the Starfactory and surrounding yards reveal key advancements in structural validation and vehicle assembly.

A focal point of these efforts is Booster 18.3, a specialized test tank designed to replicate the intense forces on the vehicle’s new integrated hot staging ring.

Close-up imagery from the facility shows the tank undergoing preparations for cryogenic testing, followed by mechanical stress trials, likely employing the can-crusher system at the company’s Massey’s test site to simulate flight loads.

During hot staging—where the upper stage engines ignite while still attached to the booster—this ring must endure significant structural demands, and Booster 18.3 will provide critical data to confirm its durability.

This mirrors ongoing tests on Booster 18.1, where vertical straps connected to the can-crusher pull on the lower section to mimic axial forces, while base pistons emulate Raptor engine thrust.
The tank made its public debut late last week, rolling out to the Ring Yard. Comprising five standard rings—each about two meters tall—topped by a nearly four-meter hot staging ring, the assembly reaches approximately 14 meters.

Side openings facilitate propellant line connections and internal access for instrumentation, echoing features on Booster 18.1.

Notably, the upper section includes slots for grid fins, complete with alignment pins to guide installation, ensuring the test article closely mimics flight hardware even if fins aren’t fitted. These cutouts also allow evaluation of structural integrity under simulated conditions.
Detailed photos reveal the hot staging ring’s robust steel struts, engineered to bear the weight of the full Starship upper stage, alongside a reinforced top dome. Welds in plume-exposure areas are protected, a key requirement to protect the top of the booster during hot-staging.

Shifting to the upper stage, Ship 39—the inaugural Block 3 Starship—is advancing inside the Starfactory.

Currently, the nose section and payload bay barrel are encased in scaffolding as teams integrate the thermal protection system (TPS).

While other components remain in production elsewhere, the pace suggests rapid closure of gaps in the production flow. By the time this section moves to Mega Bay 2 for further stacking, TPS application should be well underway, incorporating insights from recent flights that have yielded valuable performance data.

In parallel, Booster 18 is taking shape in Mega Bay 1, awaiting mating of its aft section to the LOX tank and completion of the methane tank stack.
Observations also included the transfer of sizable hardware from the Starfactory to the yard, resembling a loadspreader beam potentially tailored for the updated booster design.

These developments illustrate SpaceX’s methodical progression toward Block 3, set to be the workhorse for the early phase of operational flights. SpaceX is already planning a Block 4 version of Starship as the roadmap moves towards the ultimate goal of this vehicle, the creation of a self-sustaining city on Mars.

Featured Image: Pad 2 (and Pad 1) (Credit: Max Evans for NSF)

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