Starbase Pad 1 Retrofits Progress as Block 3 Flights Start

Date:
Fri, 31 Jul 2026 21:14:22 +0000

Description:
While SpaceX has now flown two flights out of the newly designed Pad 2, crews The post Starbase Pad 1 Retrofits Progress as Block 3 Flights Start appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com .

FULL STORY ======================================================================

While SpaceX has now flown two flights out of the newly designed Pad 2,
crews continue to press on with the retrofit of Pad 1. This retrofit will bring the launch pad up to spec with Pad 2, LC-39A, and the still-under-construction SLC-37 pads.





Pad 1

As stated in the past, this retrofit started shortly after the end of Flight 11 and Block 2 of Starship. Since then, crews have made good progress with
the trench and are now just starting construction of the launch mount itself. As for the trench, most of it has been excavated, as the south side has already received its rat slab layer of concrete and the center likely has it by now as well.

A rat slab layer of concrete is used as a hard working surface so crews dont have to walk on mud while laying the rebar for the primary floor concrete pour. Before that can happen, crews also need to break the concrete off the tops of all of the Continuous Flight Auger piles used to help support the trench and the launch mount into the ground.

Once crews have all the rebar and embed plates for the trench walls set up on the floor of the trench and the ramps, the next step will be to pour the concrete on the floor first, and then the ramps of the trench.

The next step will be to install the flame trench walls; this is where construction will be different compared to Pad 2 and LC-39A. Currently, crews are preassembling the middle sections of the flame trench walls off to the side of the trench.

Using the yellow Buckner LR11000 crane, these prewelded sections will be lifted into place and have their final welds completed. Completing these in parallel with excavating the trench should help save time for the pad
retrofit down the line.

Once most of the flame trench wall sections are installed, crews can then install the A-frames, which help support the pair of flame diverter buckets
on either side of the trench. These flame buckets are also about to start assembly over in Sanchez, with several prefabricated sections having arrived over the last several months. Once the buckets and the ridge cap are
installed inside the trench, then the launch mount can be installed as well.

SpaceX also preassembled sections of the launch mount service structure bunker, and a few weeks ago these were lifted into place and will begin to be fitted out with all the hardware required for the pad. This hardware includes all of the electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and cryogenic components
required to run the launch mount.

The launch mount itself is a bit behind where Pad 2 trench progress was during construction. For several months, SpaceX has had all four sides of the first level of the launch mount for Pad 1, but crews couldnt start construction until the four corners of the mount arrived as well, which some just started arriving this week. With these arriving, and depending on other components arriving, the launch mount could be finished in the next five to six months.

In terms of the Pad 1 tower, recently crews removed the old Ship Quick Disconnect (SQD) elbow and arm, then scrapped both. Several parts for a new SQD arm are already in Sanchez to be assembled. The rest of the tower hasnt had much work completed on it since crews cut the chopsticks in half and removed the back side of the tower base, and gutted all of the commodities lines on the inside.

Eventually, the back side of the base will be rebuilt with speed core columns, and all other systems will get an overhaul, but so far this has not started yet.

There are also a few other points of progress for the Pad 1 retrofit; the cryogenic propellant trench is getting started near the current pump and subcooler systems, and water deluge pipe fabrication is well underway at the launch site as well.

Alongside the Pad 1 retrofit, SpaceX has also been adding even more tanks to the tank farm at the launch site. Recently, SpaceX added two more Liquid Nitrogen (LN2) tanks next to the Liquid Methane (LCH4) tank farm. Both tanks are hooked into the tank farm specifically to supply subcooling LN2; one is for Liquid Oxygen (LOX) and the other is for LCH4. There are spots for two more LN2 tanks to be added, one of which will help LOX subcooling, and the other LCH4.

SpaceX also appears to be adding spots for another four tanks to the tank farm, but it is unclear which commodity these will store. So far, not
counting the addition of the two LN2 tanks that have yet to arrive, SpaceX
has about ~13,740 metric tons of LOX storage, ~6,136 metric tons of LN2 storage, and ~ 3,268 metric tons of LCH4 storage onsite at Starbase. This storage capacity gives SpaceX about 3.2 stacks worth of LOX and 2.5 stacks worth of LCH4.



Gigabay

Gigabay at Starbase has been under construction since June 2025, and the
main structural steel is nearly complete. Most of the final level has been finished, with the biggest item left being the roof trusses. Cladding on the outside of the bay is also nearly complete, as crews try to finish concreting the floors before cladding is added.

Based on the Roberts Road Gigabay, the next big step will be adding the roof itself, plus the extra flooring on the top level of the bay. Next will be the installation of the transfer aisle bridge cranes, which have yet to arrive in Starbase. Other large components will be the fabrication and installation of the newly designed ship and booster stands.

Currently, crews are fabricating a new ship stand in Sanchez. Unlike the stands in Mega Bay 2, the ship will not sit on the ring itself, but on six extended arms, and one part of the ring will be raised to likely allow clearance for the Raptor Vacuum engines during installation and removal.

So far, there is no sign of the turntables needed for the six stacking cells next to the Starfactory, but lots of hardware should start to show up soon,
as SpaceX will want to get Gigabay operational as soon as possible.

Featured Image: Launch Site at Starbase (Credit: Ceaser G for NSF)



The post Starbase Pad 1 Retrofits Progress as Block 3 Flights Start appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com .



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Link to news story: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2026/07/pad-1-retrofits-block-3-flights/


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