Progress on Starbase Pads ahead of Block 3 Starships

Key Points:

• SpaceX is simultaneously overhauling Launch Pad 1 and finalizing Pad 2 at its Starbase facility to reduce turnaround times and prepare for the upcoming Starship Flight 12 launch within the next month or two.
• A major upgrade at Pad 1 includes excavating a dedicated flame trench and installing sheet piles to prevent groundwater intrusion, aiming to replace the previous design that required extensive repairs after each launch.
• The ground support equipment is being redesigned with a hardened bunker to house tanks and connections, enhancing safety and maintenance efficiency, alongside an expanded propellant tank farm with new liquid methane tanks.
• A new on-site Air Separation Unit (ASU) is being installed to produce liquid oxygen and nitrogen on demand, eliminating reliance on daily tanker deliveries and supporting a future weekly launch cadence.
• Pad 2 has completed critical testing of its Orbital Launch Mount hold-down clamps and installed a protective roof structure on the tower, preparing infrastructure for complex ship recovery operations and rapid reusability goals.