Starbase Pad 2 prepares to receive Booster 19 ahead of Block 3 milestones

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SpaceX conducted a successful full test of the water-cooled top deck on the Orbital Launch Mount (OLM) at Pad 2 on Monday, marking a significant milestone in preparing the facility to handle the immense thrust of 33 Raptor 3 engines on the next-generation Super Heavy Booster.

The test demonstrated the system’s ability to manage extreme heat and acoustic forces during launch, a critical upgrade for the Block 3 version of Starship, which will debut during Flight 12.

This water deluge system is designed to protect infrastructure from the booster’s 33 Raptor 3 engines at liftoff, and is a major upgrade to the deluge system that was installed on Pad 1 to mitigate the issues experienced during the concrete tornado of Flight 1.

Signs that the main testing was set to occur started with workers removing the scaffolding from the top deck of Pad 2’s Orbital Launch Mount (OLM).

Following five DSS (Detonation Suppression System) tests, the deluge was initiated late on Monday, with the top deck spewing water high into the air in an impressive display of how much pressure SpaceX has installed into the system.

The upgraded Pad 2 will face its first major vehicle-integrated challenge later this month when Booster 19 rolls to the pad for a static fire test. Booster 19, the Block 3 Super Heavy designated for Starship Flight 12, recently completed rigorous cryogenic proof testing at the Massey’s test site.

After multiple full cryo cycles without incident—addressing issues that led to the scrapping of its predecessor, Booster 18—the booster returned to Mega Bay 1 for installation of its 33 Raptor 3 engines.

Final preparations at Pad 2 continue, including refinements to the ship quick disconnect arm. Additionally, a Buckner-owned LR11000 crawler crane is scheduled to install a new protective roof on the launch tower, likely to shield equipment during future ship catch attempts.
Federal Aviation Administration Obstruction Evaluation/Airport Airspace Analysis (OE/AAA) filings indicate this roof work will occur between February 13 and March 16.

Pad 2 has yet to flow cryogenic propellants into a vehicle, a key step remaining before full operations. This has sparked discussion within the space community about whether SpaceX will conduct a full-stack wet dress rehearsal (WDR)—a comprehensive propellant loading test with both the booster and ship stacked on the pad.

A WDR would provide invaluable data on how the new V3 vehicles interact with Pad 2’s ground systems, potentially uncovering issues before an actual launch. Skipping it could lead to discoveries during high-stakes testing or flight.

Given the introduction of two brand-new vehicle variants on a brand-new pad, a WDR makes strong operational sense, departing from SpaceX’s more streamlined approach in recent campaigns.

Beyond Pad 2, SpaceX is pushing to reactivate Pad 1 as a second operational launch site. With Pad 2 assuming primary responsibility for upcoming flights, crews have advanced the redesign of Pad 1 to match the latest standards, including a new water-cooled launch mount, flame trench, and chopstick catch system.
Continuous Flight Auger (CFA) piling for the flame trench appears complete, with teams now driving sheet piles to contain soil and groundwater—challenging work given the site’s proximity to the water table, reminiscent of historical issues NASA faced at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center pads.

At the tank farm, venting from both oxygen and methane sides this week signals ongoing pre-vehicle shakedowns of valves and connections. These activities are expected to intensify as SpaceX refines the setup for higher launch cadence.

Site expansion efforts to the south show steady progress, with groundwork focusing near Pad 1 to support new commodities trenches and service structures.

The Air Separation Unit (ASU), vital for on-site propellant production, saw slower progress this week. Scaffolding remains around modules, and work continues on air compressors and motors, though plumbing and wiring connections have not yet begun.
Notably, the SpaceX-owned LR11000 crane—previously used for heavy ASU lifts—has been laid down with its boom removed, likely in preparation for relocation to the launch site. Its next task may involve removing older, smaller horizontal methane storage tanks to make way for larger ones, further evolving the tank farm.

As Booster 19’s engine installation proceeds and Pad 2 nears readiness, the coming weeks will be pivotal in determining when Flight 12—the debut of Starship Block 3/V3—will lift off from Starbase.

Lead photo: Ceaser G for NSF.

The post Starbase Pad 2 prepares to receive Booster 19 ahead of Block 3 milestones appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.



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