SpaceX ramps up Starship launch preparations in Florida as Texas site awaits upgrades

While launch activities have temporarily halted as SpaceX transitions to the Block 3 version of its Starship, the company is actively preparing for a robust launch schedule from its base at Starbase in Texas and its facilities on the East Coast. In Florida, the Starship will be launched from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) and Space Launch Complex 37 (SLC-37), with operations at LC-39A anticipated to commence later this year.

At the historic LC-39A, which previously served as a launch site for Apollo missions and Space Shuttle flights, teams are working on the installation of critical infrastructure. Recently, they placed the shoulder section of the Ship Quick Disconnect (SQD) arm on the integration tower. This component plays a vital role by facilitating propellant loading and connecting the necessary umbilicals for the Starship upper stage, with efforts to integrate it into the tower’s systems currently underway. Due to public access restrictions, the site is not easily viewable, but ground cameras from NSF’s Space Coast Live have captured deliveries and the installation of hold-down arms essential for securing the Super Heavy booster during countdowns. Additionally, protective hoods for booster quick disconnects (BQDs) and shielding doors for umbilical retraction have also been delivered.

A high-resolution image from an Airbus Pleiades NEO satellite, contributed by Harry Stranger, provided a rare bird’s-eye view of LC-39A, showing newly installed components like pump assemblies and subcoolers at the northern tank farm. The image also highlighted propellant lines leading to the tower and indicated the presence of several empty storage tanks. Notably, the photograph revealed a repurposed spherical tank, originally constructed for liquid hydrogen during the Apollo program, which has since been adapted for methane storage, suggesting its potential return to operational status.

Additional enhancements are visible at the complex, including new propellant pipes and staged flame suppression systems. Construction mirrors what has been achieved at Starbase’s Pad 2, although progress in Florida has been slightly delayed.

At SLC-37 on Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, preparations are underway for what is projected to be another major launch facility for the Starship, potentially featuring two launch pads. This development follows initial demolition and setup at Starbase’s Pad 1. Although visibility is limited within the military installation, recent Falcon 9 Starlink launches from SLC-40 have provided glimpses of ongoing activities.

A substantial LR13000 crane, previously used at LC-39A, is being reassembled for new construction, while drilling operations are laying concrete foundation piles, mirroring techniques used at Starbase.

While Florida’s launch infrastructure is currently behind that of Texas, the progress of SpaceX’s Gigabay manufacturing facility in Florida is noteworthy. Construction at this site is advancing more rapidly than its counterpart at Starbase. Weekly updates from NASASpaceflight’s Julia Bergeron have shown significant progress at the Florida Gigabay, now reaching Level 4 on its western section, which will eventually connect to the future Starfactory, while the eastern section is approaching Level 3.

At Starbase, the Gigabay remains at Level 3, with ongoing work primarily focused on the rear sections. Once completed, these new facilities are intended to dramatically enhance SpaceX’s Starship production capabilities, allowing for more workstations than the current Mega Bays and supporting a greater flight rate.

Florida’s accelerating construction outlook highlights its growing significance in the Starship enterprise, complementing launch operations at LC-39A and SLC-37.