Starbase activities (2025-02-24):

• Feb 23rd cryo delivery tally.
• Launch site: A third water tank for the Pad-B deluge arrives. (ViX)
• Closeup of new cladding on Tower A. (ViX)
• A second new LOX pump motor is installed at the tank farm. (ViX 1, ViX 2) The construction of the Pad B booster quick disconnect gantry begins. (ViX 1, ViX 2)
• Build site: Booster transport stand arrives in the ring yard, and eventually emerges from Megabay 1 with B15. (ViX 1, ViX 2, ViX 3, ViX 4, ViX 5, LabPadre, Starship Gazer)
• S32 scrapping continues. (ViX)
• S37 and S38 progressing in Starfactory. (cnunez)
• The final section of B17 moves from Starfactory to Megabay 1. (ViX)
• Hardware spotted for “18.1 fwd ring flange”, likely a test article for Block 2 boosters. (Starship Gazer)
• 2-hour road delays are posted for Feb 25th and 26th, 00:00 to 04:00 for transport from Brownsville Port to pad.

SpaceX post a review of flight 7 (archive):

• Cause of engine-out during boostback: “a low-power condition in the igniter system. Raptor engines on upcoming flights have a pre-planned igniter upgrade to mitigate this issue.”
• S33 FTS did trigger: “Post-flight analysis indicates that the safety system did trigger autonomously, and breakup occurred within Flight Termination System expectations.”
• Cause of S33 failure: “The most probable root cause for the loss of ship was identified as a harmonic response several times stronger in flight than had been seen during testing, which led to increased stress on hardware in the propulsion system. The subsequent propellant leaks exceeded the venting capability of the ship’s attic area and resulted in sustained fires.”
• “Findings from [S34’s 60-second] static fire informed hardware changes to the fuel feedlines to vacuum engines, adjustments to propellant temperatures, and a new operating thrust target that will be used on the upcoming flight test.”
• They also beefed up the ship fire suppression systems… again.
• SpaceX post a highlights video of flight 7.

Flight 8:

• Road closures are posted for Feb 28th, Mar 1st, and Mar 3rd, from 10:30 to 23:30 for flight testing activities. Feb 28th closure is scheduled.
• Mission page is up (archive).

Starbase activities (2025-02-01):

• Jan 31st cryo delivery tally.
• Pad A: Refurbishment continues. (cnunez 1, cnunez 2)
• Pad B: The travelling block is installed on the chopsticks. (ViX, Starship Gazer, Priel, Golden)
• Starship Gazer posts 4k video and photo slideshow of concrete pouring and work at the launch site.
• Build site: S36 tile application is still in progress. (cnunez)
• Sanchez: Pipe installation continues on the flame bucket for Pad B. (ViX)

Starbase activities (2025-02-13):

• Feb 12th cryo delivery tally.
• Build site: S34 moves from Massey’s to Megabay 2. (NSF, LabPadre, ViX, Gisler 1, Gisler 2)
• Launch site: A tank moves from Brownsville Port to the launch site. (ViX)
• Movement of ship quick disconnect arm, chopsticks, and landing rails. (ViX 1, ViX 2, ViX 3)
• Trench excavation continues. (Gisler)
• Starship Gazer posts recent 4k video of the launch complex and S34. (Starship Gazer)
• Shaun Gisler posts videos of the Pad B chopsticks installation and (S34’s static fire).

Starbase activities (2025-02-14):

• Feb 13th cryo delivery tally.
• Feb 13 addendum: Chopsticks movement timelapse. (ViX)
• Launch site: The second vertical methane tank is erected at the tank farm. (ViX)
• Concrete forms to extend the blast wall which protects the tank farm are installed. (Anderson)
• Build site: A welding robot moves from the Highbay to Starfactory. (ViX)
• Other: TCEQ approves the water deluge permit after thorough analysis and finding of no significant impact. (TCEQ, Anderson)
• SpaceX propose to build a roundabout at the end of Highway 4. (Anderson)

Starbase activities (2025-02-17):

• Launch site: The tethers on the chopsticks at Pad B are disconnected. (ViX 1, ViX 2, Gisler, cnunez)
• First movement of chopsticks at Pad B is observed. (LabPadre, ViX, Canton)
• New plumbing at the tank farm is underway. (Gisler 1, Gisler 2)
• A truckload of cladding for Tower B arrives. (Golden 1, Golden 2)
• Build site: Starlink simulators for flight 8 are delivered to Starfactory. (Starship Gazer)
• Nosecones (S37 and S38?) in Starfactory. (Gisler)
• S32 has been scrapped. (Gisler)
• Assembly of the flame diverter for Pad B continues. (Gisler)
• Test Tank 16 still at Massey’s. (Gisler)
• RGV Aerial post labeled diagrams of Massey’s and Sanchez.

KSC:

• Five of seven tanks are loaded onto a barge. (NSF, Cornwell, ViX)

Starbase activities (2025-02-18):

• Feb 17th addendum: Pad B chopsticks timelapse. (ViX)
• The first of the new pumps is installed at the tank farm. (ViX)
• S36 forward section moves from Starfactory to Megabay 2. (ViX)
• S32 sections are moved to the scrap yard. (ViX)
• 2-hour road delay is posted for Feb 20th, 00:00 to 04:00 for transport from Brownsville Port to pad.

KSC:

• All seven cryo tanks are loaded on the barge. (ViX, Priel)

Starbase activities (2025-02-19):

• 2-hour road delay is posted for Feb 21st, 00:00 to 04:00 for transport from Brownsville Port to pad.
• Another S32 section is moved to the scrap yard. (ViX)
• S35 is being retro-fitted with doubler plates over the catch points. (ViX 1, ViX 2)
• A hotstage adapter, presumably for B15, moves from Starfactory towards Megabay 1. (NSF, ViX)
• A pink crane is delivered to the launch site. (ViX)

KSC:

• The barge loaded with seven cryo tanks departs the turn basin. (NSF)

Starbase activities (2025-02-20):

• Launch site: Overnight, another tank is delivered. (ViX 1, ViX 2)
• In the late morning, the lifted into position. (ViX)
• The Pad A chopsticks are raised to max height and opened wide. This usually precedes Booster rollout, but no road closures have yet been scheduled. (NSF, ViX)
• Build site: The hot stage adapter stand, now empty, moves from Megabay 1 to Starfactory. (ViX)
• S32 scrapping continues. (ViX)

Flight 8:

• FAA advisory indicates NET Feb 26th. (NSF, cadenaois.org (archive))

Starbase activities (2025-02-21):

• Launch site: Feb 20th cryo delivery tally.
• NSF post a timelapse of chopsticks activity. (NSF)
• Another vertical tank is delivered to the tank farm. (ViX)
• Another pump is installed at the tank farm. (ViX)
• The yellow LR11000 crane moves away from the launch towers. (ViX)
• Build site: B15’s hotstage ring moves from Megabay 1 back to Starfactory. (ViX)
• 2-hour road delays are posted for Feb 21st and 22nd from 00:00 to 04:00 for transport from Brownsville Port to pad.

Flight 8:

• Road closures are posted for Feb 26th, 27th, and 28th from 10:30 to 23:30 for flight testing activities. Feb 26th closure is scheduled.
• Mexican NOTAM is posted. (ViX)
• Australian NOTAM is posted. (VIX)

Flight 9:

• FCC document includes the option of the Ship returning to the launch site. (NSF, FAA)

Other:

• New episode of CSI Starbase: Why SpaceX Was Forced To Completely Redesign Stage Zero! | Part 2

Starbase activities (2025-02-22):

• Feb 21st cryo delivery tally.
• Pad B water deluge tank arrives. (ViX)
• LOX pump motor is installed at the tank farm. (ViX)
• More chopsticks testing at Pad A. (ViX 1, ViX 2, ViX 3, LabPadre)

Flight 8:

• Flight 8 is now listed on the FAA’s Current Operations Plan Advisory (archive). (Thanks u/Planatus666)
• Recovery vessels for Starship are en route to the offshore landing position. (mcrs987 1, mcrs987 2, mcrs987 3)

Starbase activities (2025-02-23):

• Feb 22nd (mislabeled as 21st) cryo delivery tally.
• Launch site: A second water tank for the Pad-B deluge arrives. (ViX)
• The yellow LR11000 crane returns to work at Pad B. (ViX)
• Additional cladding is installed on Tower A. (ViX)
• Gisler posts recent photos of pump installation at the tank farm. (Gisler 1, Gisler 2)
• Build site: Flight termination system is being installed on S34. (NSF)
• Flight termination system for B15 has arrived. (NSF)
• Hot staging adapter moves for Starfactory to Megabay 1, then back to Starfactory. (ViX 1, ViX 2)
• Gisler posts recent photos of garage repair and S32 scrapping.

KSC:

• The barge with the tanks from LC-39A has made it through the locks of Port Canaveral and is headed out to sea. (NSF 1, NSF 2, Cornwell)

Flight 8:

• Now targeting “Friday” (presumably Feb 28th), per Elon.

Starbase activities (2025-02-15):

• Feb 14th cryo delivery tally.
• Star factory video tour. A few new pieces of hardware are visible. (ViX)
• Another section (F3:3) of B17’s methane tank moves from Starfactory to Megabay 1. (ViX)

KSC:

• SpaceX move four large cryo tanks from LC-39A to the KSC turn basin for loading onto an awaiting barge. (Cornwell 1, Cornwell 2, Cornwell 3, NSF)

Starbase activities (2025-02-10):

• Launch site: B15 is transferred from the launch mount to the transport stand. (NSF, ViX 1, ViX 2)
• Build site: S34 is transferred to the static fire stand and transported to Massey’s. (NSF, ViX, Starship Gazer 1, Starship Gazer 2)
• S32 scrapping continues. (ViX)
• B15 moves from the launch site to Megabay 1. (NSF, Tyler Gray, LabPadre, ViX 1, ViX 2)
• 12-hour road closures for Feb 10th and 11th are revoked.
• 2-hour road delays are posted for Feb 12th and 13th, 00:00 to 04:00 for transport from Brownsville Port to Pad.

Florida activities:

• Comparison of synthetic aperture radar images of LC-39A between Jan 26th and Feb 10th. (Harry Stranger)
• Pile driver working near the launch tower. (Kai Blaschke)

Starbase activities (2025-02-12):

• Feb 11th cryo delivery tally.
• Feb 11th addendum: Additional video and info of S34’s static fire. (SpaceX 1, SpaceX 2, Interstellar Gateway)
• Launch site: Another tank is delivered to the launch site and erected by the black LR11000 crane. (ViX 1, ViX 2)
• Mystery “ruhRPumpen” is delivered. (Gisler)
• Trench digging continues. (ViX)
• The second chopstick actuator is installed by the yellow LR11000 crane at Pad B. (ViX, Anderson 1, Anderson 2)
• Build site: S32 scrapping continues. (cnunez)
• S36 emerges from Starfactory. Catch hardware is visible. (LabPadre, ViX)
• Work on launch mount B continues. (cnunez, RGV Aerial)
• Massey’s: S34’s flaps are folded and secured. (ViX 1, ViX 2)
• 2-hour road delay is posted for Feb 12th, 20:00 to 00:00 for transport from Massey’s to factory.
• 2-hour road delays are posted for Feb 13th and 14th, 00:00 to 04:00 for transport from Brownsville Port to Pad.

Starbase activities (2025-02-27):

• Feb 26th cryo delivery tally.
• Pad A: Overnight, B15 hotstaging adapter is removed, and an SPMT rolls out to the launch site. (NSF, ViX)
• Another tank arrives at the launch site. (ViX)
• Workers observed near B15 flight termination system location. No confirmation of installation yet. (ViX 1, ViX 2, Starship Gazer)
• B15 hotstaging adapter is reinstalled. (NSF, ViX 1, ViX 2, Starship Gazer)
• Pad B: Chopsticks testing continues, rising higher than previous tests. (ViX 1, ViX)
• 5-hour road delay is posted for Feb 28th from 00:00 to 04:00, and a 4-hour road delay is posted for Mar 1st, both for transport from Brownsville Port to pad.
• Build site: In Megabay 2, the ship lifting jig is raised and positioned over S34. (ViX)
• S32 scrapping continues. (ViX 1, ViX 2)
• S35 tile work continues. (Planatus666 1, Planatus666 2)
• S36’s A2:3 section moves from Starfactory to Megabay 2. (ViX)
• Booster transport stand arrives and enters Megabay 1, likely in preparation for B16 transport to Massey’s. (ViX 1, ViX 2)

Flight 8:

• Feb 28th and Mar 1st road closures are revoked.
• Road closures are posted for Mar 3rd, 4th, and 5th, from 10:30 to 23:30 for flight testing activities. Mar 3rd closure is scheduled.
• The FAA have issued the launch license modification. (NSF, FAA)
• Temporary flight restriction for the Gulf of Mexico is published.

McGregor:

• Possible cryo test of a Block 2 booster test tank. (Anderson 1, Anderson 2)