Booster 11 (B11) was a Super Heavy booster prototype. Stacking began on the 19th of March 2023 and was completed on the 3rd of June 2023. Booster 11 flew with Ship 29 (S29) on Starship Flight Test 4. It was located in Mega Bay 1 from the 19th of November 2023 to 3 April 2024, where both CO2 tanks were installed alongside 33 Raptor Engines. B11 successfully completed the first ever soft splashdown of a Super Heavy booster during its flight, and some pieces of its debris were recovered.
On 30 July 2023, a test article was spotted with the old B11 forward dome section "that was reassigned to become a test article for this, seemingly back in January of this year".[1] On top of it, there is a hot staging ring, or a "hot stage load head". More information about this test article can be found here: B11 Hot Staging Test Article.
Recovery of pieces of B11 in September 2024. c Elon Musk
Timeline[]
- 7 March 2023: B11 forward dome section spotted.
- 19 March 2023: B11 stacking began with common dome lifted onto a LOX tank barrel; first operational stacking of the 2nd Mega Bay turntable and robot welder.
- 30 March 2023: B11 LOX tank lifted overnight and stacked on a 4-ring section, now 16/24 rings tall, next section moved to Mega Bay staging area.
- 2 April 2023: B11 LOX tank: another 4 ring section had its stiffener removed and moved into the Mega Bay for possible stacking (would be 20/24 rings tall).
- 7 April 2023: B11 downcomer/transfer tube installed.
- 28 April 2023: B11 aft section moved to Mega Bay at 09:51; B11 LOX tank stacked onto its aft section, LOX tank now 24/24 rings tall; CH4 tank stacking not yet started.
- 24 June 2023: B11 moved to the Rocket Garden (Probably waiting for testing at Massey's).
- 6 July 2023: Old B11 fwd dome section moved into tent 1 (add: later hot staging test article).
- 30 July 2023: B11 Hot stage test article and its components arrived at Massey's.
- 12 September 2023: B11 moved from rocket garden via Highway 4 into Mega Bay from 3:20-5:35; B11 lifted off its transport stand onto B10's old transport stand in the back right of Mega Bay 1. B11's transport stand then was moved to the Sanchez site.
- 12 October 2023: B11 moved to Massey's. Outfitted with CO2 tank mounts and the 18 fire suppression vents during its stay in Mega Bay 1.
- 13 October 2023: B11 underwent cryo testing at Massey's.
- 18 October 2023: B11 undergoes cryo test once again at Massey's.
- 19 November 2023: B11 returned to Mega Bay 1.
- 27 November 2023: Both CO2 tanks installed on B11.
- 3 April 2024: Roll out to the Starbase Launch/Testing Site
- 5 April 2024: Static fire test.
- 7 April 2024: Roll back to Mega Bay 1.
- 24 April 2024: B11 Hot Stage Ring has been moved inside Mega Bay 1
- 22 Sep 2024: B11’s pieces are recovered from the gulf of Mexico
Booster 11 received a Structural Reinforcements as explained by The RingWatchers.
Testing Campaign[]
| Date | Test type | Outcome | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 October 2023 | Cryogenic Proof Test | Success | Booster 11 conducted a cryogenic proof test of the CH4 tank. |
| 18 October 2023 | Cryogenic Proof Test | Success | Booster 11 conducted a cryogenic proof test of the LOX tank. |
| 5 April 2024 | Static Fire | Success | Booster 11 conducted a Static Fire test of all 33 Raptor engines |
| 14 May 2024 | Unknown / Aborted | Unknown | There was a road closure |
24 June 2023 - Move to Rocket Garden[]
Timeline according to LabPadre discord:
- 07:42 Left Mega Bay 1
- 07:52 Entered hwy 4
- 11:53 Arrived at rocket garden after a stroll though Sanchez
11/12 October 2023 - Roll out[]
Timeline according to LabPadre discord:
- 17:01 Lifted onto Puck shucking stand
- 00:41 Has entered hwy 4 towards Massey's test site
13 October 2023 - Cryo Proof Test #1[]
Booster 11 was cryo proof tested on the CH4 tank with the whole tank being filled at Massey's Outpost.[2] Timeline according to LabPadre discord:
- 18:11 Cryo loading already underway
- 19:17 CH4 tank fully filled with LN2
- 21:33 Detank underway
18 October 2023 - Cryo Proof Test #2[]
Booster 11 was cryo proof tested on the LOX tank with the whole tank being filled. The test at Massey's Outpost started in the afternoon and went well into the evening.[3]
19 November 2023 - Roll Back[]
Booster 11 was rolled to the Mega Bay 1 for Raptor engine installation.
03-04 April 2024 - Roll out and lift[]
Timeline according to LabPadre discord:
- 17:43 B11 lifted off work station in back right corner of Mega Bay 1
- 17:48 Lowered onto booster transport stand inside Mega Bay 1
- 17:58 Chopsticks raised and QD arm retracted
- 20:47 Left Mega Bay 1
- 21:22 Entered hwy 4
- 22:29 Arrived at launch site
- 00:19 Arrived between chopsticks
- 05:55 Lift had started
- 06:23 Touched down on OLM
- 07:13 Chopsticks released B11
05 April 2024 - Static Fire[]
B11 static fire (c SpaceX)
The scaffolding on the OLM was only removed on the morning of the test day. For this static fire test, no issuing of an overpressure notice was reported. Timeline according to LabPadre and NSF streams:
- 02:24 Work platform raised
- 05:15 Scaffolding removed
- 05:18 OLM raptor installation platform moved from the back edge of the OLS to the offloading area in front of the OLS tank farm
- 07:59 OLM work platform lowered
- 08:14 Pad Clearing; PA: "The entire pad is now clearing for Booster 11 static fire"
- 09:19 OLM work platform parked in front of OFT vertical tanks along with the raptor installation platform
- 10:03 Road Closed
- 12:45-58 Chopsticks rising to launch configuration
- 12:53 OLS tank farm venting at LOX side
- 13:04-08 Chopsticks opened
- 13:32 CH4 vent stack
- 14:06 Pad clear and tank farm venting
- 15:10:40? OLM vent
- 15:46:20-25 OLM vent stopped (small after vents continued for some more time)
- 15:49 Frost on LOX tank visible
- 15:57 Frost on CH4 tank visible
- 16:11 Engine chill vent, looks stronger than on previous tests
- 16:23 Siren reported by Mary
- 16:27:29 OLM vent restarted, LOX tank nearly fully filled
- 16:29:09-15 FIREX system primed
- 16:30:00 FIREX started
- 16:30:14-18 Deluge spooled up
- 16:30:15.5-26.5 Static Fire test
- 16:32 Vent
- 18:10 SQD arm retracted
- 18:50 Road opened
07 April 2024 - Lift and roll back[]
Booster 11 was rolled back to Mega Bay 1 after completing a static fire test. Timeline according LabPadre discord:
- 07:15 BQD retracted
- 10:16 Chopsticks closed
- 11:25 B11 lifted
- 21:48 B11 started moving
- 23:12 B11 arrived at the build site
- 00:05 Rolled into Mega Bay 1