SpaceXs new Starship pad readies for first launch

Date:
Wed, 13 May 2026 17:27:44 +0000

Description:
Over the last two years, SpaceX has been constructing a completely redesigned launch pad for The post SpaceXs new Starship pad readies for first launch appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com .

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

Over the last two years, SpaceX has been constructing a completely
redesigned launch pad for Starship, drawing on lessons learned from the first 11 flights. The new pad alongside Block 3 of Starship is a clean-sheet design that should help SpaceX move toward a much more reusable launch pad.





Flame Trench

Pad 2 is a completely redesigned launch pad from the ground up. This pad no longer has six exhaust exits between the six legs, but rather two exits via a flame trench and a split flame deflector. This flame deflector is the same kind of design as Masseys flame trench and the newer McGregor test stand.

It comprises many separate pipes welded together with holes drilled in a pattern based on where the exhaust plume will hit the deflector.

The main part that sits atop the deflector is the ridge cap, which also has many holes drilled inside to spray high-pressure spray to help suppress the exhaust and protect the trench itself.

This system is a major departure from the single-plate design of the old launch pad, and, as shown in the 33-engine full-thrust static fire, it can handle longer-duration static fires, even at full thrust. Full duration and full thrust 33-engine static fire with Super Heavy V3 pic.twitter.com/vUJTqoHEZy

SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 7, 2026



To reduce refurbishment time and extend the pads lifespan, the entire flame trench is coated with either stainless steel or painted steel.

To accomplish this, the flame trench walls are composed of speed cores, which are steel plates held together by interior steel bars and Nelson studs. Once built up, they are then filled with concrete for more structural strength.

Exposed concrete was a major issue on Pad 1 and has been a greater issue on older launch pads like LC-39A during the shuttle days. Being covered with steel allows SpaceX to repair only cracks or replace entire plates on the trenchs exit ramps.

One last major component of the flame trench, and the entire pad, is the much-improved and robust foundation. This uses many continuous flight auger piles, sheet piles with tiebacks, and deep soil mixing to help keep the
launch pad much more stable.

Launch Mount

The launch mount itself is a complete redesign with newly designed hold-down arms, a new clamp system, and all critical propellant, hydraulic, pneumatic, and electrical hardware into a service structure or bunker off to the side.

The new hold-down arms are much thicker to withstand a heavier stack, as SpaceX continues to add more fuel and will eventually extend the booster to ship even more. The new clamp-and-ball-socket alignment system helps
eliminate the need for stabilizer pins, which were previously mounted on the deck. Pad 2 Launch Mount (Credit: SpaceX)

The service structure on the side now allows isolating all critical hardware and protecting it from the boosters exhaust plume. Coming out of this service structure is a new split Booster Quick Disconnect (BQD) system, where the Liquid Oxygen (LOX) and Liquid Methane (LCH4) systems are now separate, allowing for two smaller BQDs.

This allows them to be smaller and less complex, thereby improving reliability. In addition, the BQDs were moved to the opposite side of the tower, which will prevent the booster exhaust plume from blasting the hoods
on liftoff.

The service structure is fully clad in stainless steel to protect all components inside and has several vents to purge the interior of any
explosive gases.

Lastly, for the mount itself, the launch deck is now a water-cooled plate, like Pad 1s water deluge plate. This will protect the deck of the launch mount, the BQDs, the tower base, and the hold-down arms from the booster exhaust plume during liftoff.

These improvements, along with newly designed hold-down arm hoods, help keep the entire interior sealed from the exhaust plume.



Water Deluge Farm

There are now three separate water deluge components: the two buckets or diverters, the ridge cap between them, and then the launch mount top deck plate. Each system has its own water tank supply and pressurization systems.

This new system is very different from what was used on Pad 1. The old system used banks of high-pressure gas tanks and then opened a valve to pressurize the system.

Pad 2 uses sets of gas generators that use an oxygen-and-methane burner to turn Liquid Nitrogen into gas, which then enters the water supply tanks to pressurize each system. This then pushes water out at a high enough pressure to counteract the exhaust plumes pressure and protect the launch pad and
flame trench.

SpaceX has had issues nailing down the pressures in this system, but with the successful static fire of Booster 19, it seems the teams have finally done
so. Pad 2 Water Deluge Farm Mid April 2026

Launch Tower

Next to the launch mount is the launch tower, which features newly designed, shorter chopsticks, a completely redesigned Ship quick-disconnect arm, a new base, and other upgraded systems.

The tower itself has some major improvements over Pad 1s and even LC-39As;
the interior of the sections is more organized with the high-pressure, electrical, and main propellant lines. This comes after the ad hoc setup of Pad 1s tower since SpaceX was still learning how to build a Starship launch pad. Pad 2 Mid April 2026 With Booster 19

This tower also has a new roof covered with cladding to protect the top of the tower once SpaceX begins attempting ship catches. This was added very
late in construction, and SpaceX is already planning to add it to Pad 1s
tower as well.

This is needed because during the ship flip and burn, the Raptor engine exhaust could hit the top of the tower, and it is best to protect the chopstick cables running through it.

As for the Chopsticks, they are much shorter than the ones originally used
on Pad 1, which were cut after Flight 11. SpaceX has removed two full truss sections on the chopsticks. This leaves SpaceX with much less room to catch ships and boosters.

However, teams have already proven that the extra area is unnecessary, as SpaceX caught Boosters 12, 14, and 15 on the inner part of the chopsticks, closest to the tower. These newer chopsticks also have changed stabilizer
arms and are missing the ship lifting pins, since Block 3 ships no longer use that system to lift.

Another major upgrade to the chopsticks is the actuators, which for Pad 2
are electromechanical, having previously been hydraulic. These will help improve speed, redundancy, and reliability.

The base of the tower is a complete redesign over Pad 1 and LC-39A; instead of using formwork to build a concrete base and then cladding it with steel
for protection, SpaceX started with steel. The new construction method uses speed cores, like those that make up the flame trench walls, which better protect the tower base than adding steel on top of concrete.

And finally, for the tower, the next-biggest change is the newly designed ship quick-disconnect arm. The shoulder or part that connects to the tower
has some structural changes compared to Pad 1s arm, and added reinforcements to help the arm withstand a quicker retraction. And with the redesign, the
arm also rotates farther away from the stack during a launch to better
protect the propellant lines. Pad 2 SQD Attached to Ship 39

In addition, the innards of the arm are completely redesigned for a simpler, more compact design. Unlike the older arm, the QD plate itself isnt raised in a janky way because of constant mods over the years.

Tank Farm

Lastly, the tank farm itself, the pumps, supply lines, and subcooling
systems have been completely changed compared to Pad 1. Starting with the pumps, SpaceX, beginning with Pad 2, has adopted a fully modular design for all of its pump and valve skids across its launch pads, Masseys, and
McGregor. This is a stark change from Pad 1, where the entire thing was a bespoke one-off design that had many problems to start with. Pad 2 Tank Farm Mid April 2026

Part of the changes includes adding more cryogenic pumps and subcooling capacity. On the LOX side, booster pumps have gone from four to five, and subcooling capacity has increased about 75%. For the Ship, the number of
pumps has increased from one to four, and the subcooling capacity has increased by nearly 300%.

For the Methane side, Booster pumps went from three to four, and subcooling capacity increased about 100%. And for ship the pumps went from one to four, and the subcooling went up 300% as well. Now, these upgrades, along with doubling the radius of the supply pipes, are allowing SpaceX to reduce their load times from 49 mins to 38 mins for both the booster and the ship
combined.

In addition, the methane reclaim systems have been upgraded, and methane storage has been increased.

All of these changes are set to help SpaceX push the envelope with the
worlds most powerful rocket and, hopefully, achieve rapid reusability for launch pads.

Featured Image: Ship 39 and Booster 19 Stacked on Pad 2 (Credit: Max Evans for NSF)



The post SpaceXs new Starship pad readies for first launch appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com .



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Link to news story: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2026/05/spacex-starship-pad-first-launch/


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