SpaceX Boca Chica - Preparing Launch Site for Starship SN4

Preparations to ready SpaceX's Boca Chica launch pad for the arrival of Starship SN4 are continuing as the engine section prepares for stacking.

L2 Boca Chica (more clips and photos) from BC's very early days to today.

[NASASpaceflight]

A lot of groundwork going on right now ahead of the imminent milestone of the engine section being stacked with the rest of Starship SN4. Includes night ops footage from Mary with the engine section and day time footage of the ongoing busy Boca Chica facilities and the launch site where SN4 will undergo its main test regime.

[sphaera]

I think the safest bet is to believe sn6 or 10 is gonna be the first to fly. Then you can only be pleasantly surprised when sn4 or 5 make it.

[peterbarratt]

Gets the juices flowing knowing the next test is not so far away ! Thanks BCGal & team. Another exciting chapter!

[dgretlein]

I love the style of keeping the audio “normal” and speeding up the visuals. BocaChicaGal gets some rockin’ video!
Isn’t America Great?!

[Aceb_k]

I get so happy when I see a new video, thank you.

[wesplybon]

Rolling out the big crane :D Looks like they're getting ready to stack on top of the thrust section! Could be having more testing mid next week? So exciting!!

[TetrologyGamingBattlefield]

and in like two weeks SN4 is already completed, like a whole week faster then SN3 I think? Crazy they keep moving and making these things faster and faster and more efficiently and better products in the end too.

[pipersall]

Thank you for another great video! It must be maddening to work in all that wind.

[Voyager_AU]

So I am guessing the permanent building will be the new place where they will make rings. They will probably be able to pump them out faster.



I can't wait until the raptors are attached. Even if we can get just a static fire out of SN4, I will be happy.

[duster]

Way to go rocket boys and girls. They are getting better. This morning I watched them fit that ring to the thrust section with pry bars. I made my typical poor humor joke about hammers and chisels as the video ended. But right there that ring is welded in place and looks like good work. Plus the reason why, that jig they removed from the completed job. They are learning. That seam doesn't look like it took very many hammer and chisel blows to fit it. They have taken another step towards all of them being labeled "...steely eyed missile man!"


This moon child is all in with this project. I want to be a Mars geezer before I go.


Fly water tower fly!!

[petrokansis]

Thanks Mary!!
Looks like new crane showed up just in time.

[davidmiller]

Thank you! Love my daily Boca Chica fix!

[akiotatsuki]

Wasnt SN3 tested like 5 days ago?? They soo fast

[ahabkapitany]

I love the industrial look of this operation. It's like an old shipyard: rust, heavy machinery, iron and steel everywhere.
Normal rocket assembly has a high tech cleanroom look -> this one is the brutalist school :D

[brandonalexander]

To the woman take these amazing video thanks and be safe

[demej]

Just seeing these videos and what SpaceX is accomplishing makes me get up and do stuff. It is inspiring and motivational - better than any motivational speaker I have ever heard.

[michaelgian]

As ever, thank you, Mary.
Cameron county is reporting infections at the top of South Texas counties reporting.
Understanding that you work solitary, I hope some "do-good" deputy sheriff doesn't get into your personal space trying to "educate" you about the dangers of being outside of your home. ;<)

[elcamino]

They need to build a permanent flipper machine inside the tent. This is way to labor intensive for hundreds of ships. Henry Ford would have. I can’t wait to see this place in another five short years.

[ChristianBlueChimp]

Thanks again Mary - you work really is appreciated! Can't wait to see that giant crane in action.

[digi]

I haven't seen the reused skirt from SN3 anywhere recently. Must have been in a tent being cleaned up and prepped. Hopefully now its being welded to the rest of the thrust section.

I'm sticking with my guess of SN4 being finished by Friday. Now it seems like a better guess might be the weekend, though.

Either way I can't wait to see this thing tested and then some raptors bolted to the bottom of it 😉