SpaceX is making significant strides in developing its Starship infrastructure at the Roberts Road facilities. NSF aerial photography has revealed rapid progress on key components, including the LC-39A launch mount, chopstick arms for a new launch tower, and the expansive Gigabay manufacturing facility.
Starship is set to debut from the Space Coast in 2026, initially from the historic 39A, all while two launch pads are built at SLC-37.
The Starship launch mount for 39A was fully visible during the latest NSF flyovers, as its protective construction tent was opened to accommodate heavy crane work.
Typically shielded from Florida’s harsh weather and sunlight, the mount is now undergoing final installations essential for supporting Super Heavy boosters equipped with 33 Raptor engines.
Cranes were observed installing one of four water manifolds on the mount’s top deck, a feature designed to provide enhanced protection through a water-cooled steel system—similar to the mounts at Starbase’s Pad 2 in Texas.
This manifold is positioned in the staging area for ships and boosters, incorporating a structural “kink” to avoid contact with the ship’s aft flaps during lift and stacking operations.
On the opposite side, another crane was lowering what appears to be an actuator for the hold-down system. This component is part of the mechanism that stabilizes and releases Super Heavy boosters. Drawing from Starbase precedents, where four hold-down arms were pre-installed before pad rollout, SpaceX may be preparing a similar approach for LC-39A.
Additional details include welded supports for the twin Booster Quick Disconnects (BQDs), with their carriages already staged nearby.
Inside the tent, teams have been assembling the methane Quick Disconnect’s lower hood assembly, which will protect piping from the pad service structure. Cryogenic pipework also appears to be installed or nearing completion on the Quick Disconnect arm.
With these elements aligning closely to completed setups at Starbase, experts anticipate an imminent rollout. Supporting this, the land south of the tent has been prepared, and three Self-Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMTs)—used previously for Pad 2’s mount relocation—have been positioned nearby.
A major requirement for Starship operations, tank farm hardware for the 39A remains staged adjacent to Hangar X2, further indicating ongoing site preparations.
Progress also extends to the new Starship launch tower being staged at Roberts Road. The chopstick arms, previously in disassembled pieces, have now been almost fully welded together. Brackets for plumbing, cables, hydraulics, and electrical systems have been installed, readying the arms for integration.
Tower modules 1 through 7 are now complete, with early sections receiving outfitting. Modules 1 and 2 feature internal paneling for the elevator shaft, while Modules 1, 2, and 3 include an internal stair system as a backup for emergencies. This pre-installation strategy mirrors approaches used for the existing 39A tower and Starbase’s Tower 2, optimizing efficiency before relocation.
Two shorter columns are staged beside Module 7, likely for Module 8. At this rate, all nine modules could be assembled and await final outfitting by the next observation. Notably, these tower sections lack the larger gusset plates commonly found in some prior designs, suggesting advancements in structural engineering.
North of the launch infrastructure, the Florida Gigabay—a massive manufacturing and storage facility—has seen accelerated development. In just five weeks, two tower cranes have been erected and are actively assembling beams and columns, with construction reaching two floors in some areas.
Intriguingly, efforts are concentrated on the western half of the building, adjacent to the planned Starfactory 2.0 site, based on SpaceX renders. The eastern half’s floor remains incomplete, and no cranes are present there. This asymmetric approach contrasts with Starbase, where all four required tower cranes for a similar Giga Bay are being assembled simultaneously.
SpaceX may intend to operationalize the western section first, providing interim storage and processing space for Starship vehicles. Currently, Florida lacks dedicated bays for boosters or ships, unlike Starbase. With plans to transport initial vehicles from Texas via barge for launches from 39A, a partial Giga Bay could serve as a crucial staging area. Initial plans to utilize a vacant bay in NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) no longer appear to be of interest to SpaceX.
Additional site observations include numerous Cybertrucks parked in new dirt lots and indications of smaller doorways on one side of the Giga Bay. These could accommodate six workstations for rolling in vehicle sections for stacking, with temporary columns currently in place.
Lead Image: D Wise for NSF. Full sets of photos (100s of hi-res photos added each week) are available to all L2 Members.
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