After 11 flights, numerous static fires, tanking tests, cryogenic proof tests, and several wet dress rehearsals, Pad 1(A) at Starbase has completed its operations in its current configuration. Flight 11, featuring Booster 15-2 and Ship 38, lifted off on October 13 at 6:23:45 CDT. This launch provided a fitting farewell to Pad 1(A) and the Block 1 and 2 vehicles, delivering a flawless mission.
Flight 11 began with Booster 15-2 and Ship 38 taking off from Pad 1(A) at Starbase, Texas, at 6:23:45 CDT on October 13. The booster ignited all 33 engines at liftoff and maintained full power throughout ascent. For the final time with this particular ship and booster configuration, the hotstaging process was executed perfectly. This staging system, introduced after the first flight, has now completed 10 flights without any issues.
Following stage separation, the boost-back burn commenced. The only minor problem occurred when a single Raptor engine failed to relight for the boost-back burn. However, that engine successfully relit during the landing burn, leading the flight computer to consider it healthy. Booster 15-2 then reduced from 13 engines to five for the Block 3 landing burn. Subsequently, it further throttled down to three engines and entered a hover phase.
Once the hover was achieved, the engines shut off, and Booster 15-2 descended into the Gulf of Mexico, where it exploded. This booster leaves behind a legacy of remarkable reliability as SpaceX transitions to Block 3. Ship 38 also performed admirably at Pad 1(A), aiming to overcome the four ship failures experienced earlier this year. After a perfect ascent burn, Ship 38 coasted and completed a simulated Starlink deployment and an in-space burn. The engine chill line issue that caused Ship 37’s explosion did not recur, and Ship 38 reentered the atmosphere without any apparent problems.
During the belly flop maneuver, SpaceX executed what the teams called the dynamic banking maneuver. This maneuver simulates the trajectory that future returning ships will follow to turn and align with the tower for capture. Flight 11 met all of SpaceX’s expectations, serving as an ideal send-off for Pad 1(A) and the Block 1 and 2 vehicles. Now, the focus shifts to Block 3 and Flight 12, which will launch from Pad 2(B).
Flight 11 marks the final Starship flight test from Pad 1(A) and the last flight for Block 1 and 2 vehicles in the program. This farewell may be bittersweet, as the previous 10 flights have created many memories, and Pad 1(A) has played a vital role in advancing the program to this stage.
Pad 1(A) has undergone several transformations over the past few years. It began as a booster test stand, enabling SpaceX to conduct cryogenic tests on Booster 4 and Booster 7, as well as static fire tests on Booster 7. Unfortunately, Booster 4 never completed a static fire on this pad because SpaceX did not properly clean the lines before cryogenic testing, which damaged the installed engines and plumbing.
During Flight 1, Pad 1(A) suffered significant damage because SpaceX had not yet installed the water-cooled steel plate and was relying solely on concrete beneath the engines. This caused a volcano-like explosion of concrete as the engines dug into the foundation.
The pad hosted several more launches until Flight 5, when the chopsticks successfully caught Booster 12, an event that will be remembered in spaceflight history. It later caught two more boosters, Booster 14 and Booster 15, and hosted their reflights. Additionally, Pad 1(A) supported a pair of Ship static fires after Masseys was severely damaged due to Ship 36’s explosion.
Overall, Pad 1(A) has had its share of challenges and has caused engineers and technicians some headaches. Nevertheless, the Starship program would not be where it is today without this pad. So, farewell to Pad 1(A), and thank you for your service.
The vehicles for Flight 11 were Booster 15-2 and Ship 38, the last Block 2 Starship vehicles to fly in this program. Block 2 has been a mixed experience for SpaceX. The boosters have performed nearly flawlessly, with Boosters 14, 15, and 16 all completing their missions. Booster 14 has been reflown, and Booster 15 was scheduled to refly on this mission.
The Block 2 ships, however, have had a more troubled history. Ships 33, 34, 35, and 36 all experienced failures in various ways, and Ship 36 never reached flight. Ship 37 redeemed the Block 2 ships with a very successful mission on Flight 10. The hope was that Ship 38 would continue this success and conclude this era of the program on a high note.
Ship 38 showed few significant external differences compared to Ship 37, except for patches of missing tiles used for testing and separate tiles on the leeward side of the aft flaps for additional testing. Booster 15-2 had not changed much compared to Booster 16 and was on its second flight. It first flew on Flight 8 with Ship 34 and completed a near-perfect mission. For Flight 11, Booster 15-2 carried 24 flight-proven Raptor engines. It is unclear whether these engines were from Booster 15’s first flight or some from Booster 14 on Flight 7.
The mission objectives for Flight 11 remained consistent with the previous four flights, with an additional test goal for the ship and booster. The booster was to complete ascent, hotstaging, and boost-back burn as usual. During the landing burn, Booster 15-2 would start with the normal 13-engine burn, then reduce to five engines, and finally down to three. This was a test of the landing burn planned for Block 3 boosters. The purpose was to provide extra engine redundancy during the final landing burn phase, where the booster makes fine adjustments to its landing profile. After these adjustments, it would throttle down to three engines before shutting off in a hover above the Gulf and then dropping into the water.
The ship aimed to complete the same objectives set for all Block 2 ships: reach the coast phase, deploy dummy Starlinks, perform a quick in-space burn, and attempt a splashdown in the Indian Ocean. As usual, SpaceX removed tiles from specific heat shield areas to test the effects of tile loss during flight. This time, the missing tiles were patches of four on the starboard side, while the port side had an almost complete heat shield. SpaceX sought to determine how many missing tiles would cause a tank wall failure and lead to ship loss during reentry.
Finally, during the subsonic phase after reentry, Ship 38 performed the dynamic banking maneuver to test subsonic guidance algorithms before the landing burn. This maneuver could help bleed off speed by increasing drag through banking turns or serve as a test of the alignment maneuver needed to line the ship up with the tower before the flip and burn.
The timeline for propellant loading and in-flight activities remained largely unchanged from Flight 10, with only minor timing adjustments and shifts in vehicle propellant load times over recent flights. SpaceX targeted October 13 at 6:15 pm CDT for Flight 11’s launch, with a window lasting one hour and fifteen minutes. Backup windows were available from October 14 to 19, all at 6:15 pm CDT. Unlike Flight 10, the weather forecast looked excellent for launch, with sunny skies, a high of 87°F, and low winds, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
This flight was bittersweet, marking the last use of Pad 1(A) in its current configuration. However, the future of Starship is promising, with two new upgraded pads expected to come online sometime next year.