The LR11000 crane (with the wiki addition -X) is a SpaceX owned Liebherr crane in a custom black and white design. The crane is located at the launch site and is the biggest crane owned by SpaceX. Currently, numerous the cranes sections are away for heavy maintenance, and potentially a repaint and so the crane has been operating with replacement standard yellow sections for Lieberr alongside another LR11000 loaned from Liebherr for Orbital Launch and Integration Tower 3 (OLIT-3) pad work.
History[]
On the 29th of October 2021, parts for a new Liebherr LR11000 crane were delivered to the Starbase Launch/Testing Site with a custom SpaceX livery. Assembly followed quickly after delivery, and the crane was finished by the 4th of November.
The LR11000 then remained active for over 2 years, working across the launch site on a variety of assignments before being disassembled in January 2024 for heavy maintenance. After a few weeks of, work it was put back together and began operating again.
Over a year later In March 2025, the LR11000 was layi down again ,but this time dismantled and trucked away from Starbase. It returned to service on the 24th of May 2025, but this time featuring a shorter configuration with temporary replacement sections while the other sections were worked on away from Starbase.
Timeline[]
- 29 Oct 2021: New LR11000 parts in SpaceX custom design delivered to the launch site [to be called LR11000-X on this wiki or some suggested the community name BBC for "big black crane”]
- 29 Oct 2021: Assembly of LR11000-X began
- 30 Oct 2021: More parts delivered to launch site, ballast unloaded from a truck; assembly continued
- 02 Nov 2021: More parts (counterweights, boom and jib sections) delivered to launch site and unloaded; stacking continued
- 03 Nov 2021: More parts delivered; assembly continued
- 04 Nov 2021: Assembly continued
- 05 Nov 2021: Assembly finished; counterweights added; boom and jib lifted
- 06 Nov 2021: LR11000-X moved
Specs[]
The specs according to Liebherr[1]:
| Max. load capacity | 1,000 t |
| Max. hoist height | 220 m |
| Max. radius | 184 m |
Configurations[]
According to Liebherr, the following crane configurations are possible:
LR11000 standard boom system
LR11000 extended boom system
LR11000 powerboom system