Ship 29 (S29) was a Starship second stage prototype which flew on Starship Flight Test 4 on top of Booster 11 (B11). It was the first ship to successfully survive re-entry heating, the first to complete a soft splashdown from a full stack flight test and the first powered landing of a Ship since SN15.
History[]
Ship 29 was first spotted around July 2022. It began stacking in May 2023, being the 5th full-scale Starship to be built for orbital flight after Ship 28. It became the first ship to use the improved two point lifting jig on the 21st of September 2023 while being prepared for transport in the High Bay. It was subsequently rolled out to Massey's in the late hours of the same day into the early morning hours of the 22nd of September 2023 for its cryo test campaign. It performed its 1st cryo proof test a few days later on the 26th of September. The following day, Ship 29 underwent its second cryo test uneventfully, detanking after the test was complete. Another cryo test was conducted on the 4th of October being shorter than usual, which could indicate an abort.
On the 13th of October 2023, Ship 29 was returned to the Rocket Garden ahead of its engine installation. On the 20th of November 2023, S29 was moved back to the High Bay and then to Mega Bay 2 to begin engine installation on the 29th of December. After this was most likely completed completed, S29 was moved back to High Bay on the 25th of February 2024 for temporary storage prior to transport to the Starbase Launch/Testing Site for engine testing on the 29th of February 2024. After completing a spin prime successfully on the 11th of March after a failed attempt on the 7th, S29 was rolled back to the production site on the 13th of March. On the 14th S29 was then rolled back into High Bay and lifted onto the front right turntable. On the 21st of March S29 was lifted off the turntable and on the 22nd rolled to the Launch Site. It then underwent a static fire on March 25 of all 6 engines. On March 27 a single sea level engine static fire was conducted using the header tanks to simulate the in space re-light. The prototype was then rolled back on March 29. Between March 29 and April 4 many of S29's heatshield tiles were removed across the ship, particularly around the header tanks at the very top.
Timeline[]
- 8 August 2022: S29 AS:4 moved from ring yard to dome yard.
- 6 September 2022: S29 AD in dome yard.
- 14 October 2022: NC31 'na9' for S29 spotted in Tent 3, S29 P:5 moved to Tent 3.
- 6 December 2022: S29 nosecone attached to crane in windbreak.
- 9 December 2022: S29 NC 'nc31' has hinge hardware.
- 14 January 2023: S29 or S30 PEZ dispenser installed outside tent 3.
- 21 January 2023: Nosecones worked on near and in tent 3; likely S29 TPS tiles being added.
- 6 February 2023: S29 CX:4 seen assembled, with TPS pins. Then presumably moves to T2. (We hadn't even seen the sleeve prior to this). S29 FX:3 seen assembled.
- 28 February 2023: PEZ door installed in S29 PL 'Quinton X'.
- 8 March 2023: Port Fwd flap Confirmed to be installed on NC32 (S29).
- 21 March 2023: S29 PL:5 peeks out of T3.
- 22 March 2023: Starb fwd flap confirmed on S29 NC. 22 Mar: S29 PL:5 in T2.
- 27 March 2023: S29? nosecone in tent 3 TPS installation, one flap installed at least.
- 28 March 2023: S29 NC leaves Tent 3.
- 7 April 2023: S29 and S30 AX:4's fully tiled.
- 25 April 2023: S29 nosecone moved from in front of windbreak to ring yard at 09:55.
- 27 April 2023: S29 nosecone moved into High Bay for stacking.
- 28 April 2023: S29 payload bay section moved into High Bay for stacking.
- 1 May 2023: S29 nosecone stacked onto payload bay section; this marked the first operational stacking on the new turntable on the left side of High Bay.
- 4 May 2023: S29 fwd dome moved into High Bay for stacking.
- 5 May 2023: S29 stacked onto its fwd dome section.
- 11 May 2023: S29 CX:4 rolls into the High Bay.
- 16 May 2023: S29 N:8 stacked on CX:4 to create S29 N:12.
- 18 May 2023: S29 ML:4 moved into High Bay for stacking.
- 19 May 2023: S29 N:12 stacked on ML:4 to create S29 N:16. Lift point covers confirmed installed on 4 windward lifting points on S29. (Will have happened a few days ago).
- 30 May 2023: S29 N:16 lifted back to High Bay turntable.
- 2 June 2023: S29 AX:4 moved to High Bay.
- 6 June 2023: S29 fully stacked.
- 15 August 2023: S29 moved out of the High Bay.
- 18 August 2023: S29 first aft flap installed, S29 payload bay door removed at around 22:00, S29 new payload bay door installed at 22:30.
- 21 September 2023: S29 lifted onto the ship puck shucker.
- 22 September 2023: S29 transported to Masseys whilst sitting on the Ship puck shucker.
- 13 October 2023: S29 moved back to the build site.
- 20 November 2023: S29 rolled back to the High Bay.
- December 29, 2023: S29 moved from High Bay to Mega Bay 2
- February 25, 2024: S29 moved from Mega Bay 2 to High Bay
- February 29, 2024: S29 moved from High Bay to the Launch Site and Suborbital Pad B
- March 12, 2024: S29 removed for Pad B
- March 12, 2024: S29 rolled back to the production site
- March 13, 2024: S29 moved into High Bay and lifted onto the turntable
- March 21, 2024: S29 removed from the turntable
- March 22, 2024: S29 rolled to the Launch Site
- March 29, 2024: S29 rolled back to High Bay
Testing Overview[]
Date | Test | Outcome | Details |
---|---|---|---|
26 September 2023 | Cryogenic Proof | Success | Ship 29 conducted a cryogenic proof test of both tanks. |
27 September 2023 | Cryogenic Proof | Success | Ship 29 conducted another cryogenic proof test of both tanks. |
4 October 2023 | Cryogenic Proof | Unknown | Ship 29 conducted its 3rd cryogenic proof test of both tanks. However, this test was considerably shorter than the previous ones, which may indicate an abort may have occurred. |
7 March 2024 | Spin Prime | Aborted | Ship 29 began cryo loading and engine chill however after a depress vent the spin prime was aborted. |
11 March 2024 | Spin Prime | Success | Ship 29 completed a spin prime. |
25 March 2024 | Static Fire | Success | Ship 29 completed a static fire test of all 6 engines. |
27 March 2024 | Static Fire | Success | Ship 29 completed a static fire with a single sea level engine using its header tanks. |
21/22 September 2023 - Roll out[]
On 21/22 September 2023, S29 was moved from High Bay to Massey's Outpost to start the testing program. Timeline according to LabPadre discord:
- 22:23 Left High Bay
- 01:22 Arrived at Massey's
26 September 2023 - Cryo Proof Test[]
Timeline according to LabPadre discord:
- 19:16 Cryo loading has started with frost lines clearly visible
- 19:46 LOX tank completely filled, CH4 partially
- 22:02 Detanking underway
27 September 2023 - Cryo Proof Text[]
Both tanks were partially filled with LN2. Timeline according LabPadre discord:
- 18:10 Cryo loading of LOX tank has started
- 18:15 Cryo loading of CH4 tank has recently started
- 19:49 Both tanks were partially filled with LN2, now detanking
04 October 2023 - Cryo Proof Test[]
Ship 29 conducted its 3rd cryogenic proof test of both tanks.[1] However, this test was considerably shorter than the previous ones, which may indicate an abort may have occurred.
13 October 2023 - Roll back[]
Timeline according to LabPadre discord:
- ?? Roll back started at Massey's Outpost
- 03:22 Arrived at Sanchez site
- 05:17 2-point lifter and LR1750 attached to S29
- 10:02 Lifted off Ship thrust simulator
- 10:25 Set down onto a transport stand
- 16:12 Moved to the rocket garden
29 February - 02 March 2024 - Roll out, move and lift[]
Timeline according to LabPadre discord:
- 29 February
- 19:52 Exited High Bay
- 21:50 Rolled out to hwy 4
- 22:29 Arrived at launch site
- 22:45 Arrived next to Pad B
- 1 March
- 01:17 LR11000X attached to the 2-point ship lifter
- 16:15 Rolled from Pad B over next to OLIT
- 21:19 Rolled back to Pad B
- 22:00 LR11000X attached to S29
- 23:55 Temporary press plate removed
- 2 March
- 01:33 Lift on Pad B started
- 01:48 Touched down on Pad B
7 March 2024 - Spin Prime Attempt[]
SpaceX attempted a Spin Prime test. During a vent from the nosecone, 3 tiles were lost.[2]
Timeline according to LabPadre Stream:
- 08:02 Siren and PA: "entire pad is now clearing"
- 08:24 Road closed
- 09:00 Pad Clear
- 13:11 Cryo Load
- 13:51 Engine Chill
- 14:15 Depress
- 16:55 Road opened
11 March 2024 - Spin Prime Test[]
Timeline according to LabPadre Discord:
- 05:06 PA "Pad is now closed for operations"
- 06:01:52 Siren and PA "Entire pad now clearing"
- 06:13 Road Closed
- 07:31 Pad Clear
- 08:11 Suborbital Tank Farm Venting
- 08:54 Cryo Load Started
- 09:36 Engine Chill Started
- 10:06:15 Spin Prime
- 12:25 Road opened
12 March 2024 - Lift and roll back[]
SpaceX lifted S29 off Pad B using a 2-point lifter to which it was attached on the previous evening (21:35) and rolled the ship back to the build site ahead of IFT-3. Timeline according to LabPadre Discord:
- ~04:40 Lift by LR11000X started
- 05:12 Set down on transport stand
- 12:27 Detached from 2-point lifter
- 14:15 Started to move at launch site
- 14:52 Started to roll back
21-22 March 2024 - Roll out and lift[]
Timeline according to LabPadre discord:
- 23:07 Roll out started
- 00:02 Entered hwy 4
- 00:47 Entered launch complex
- 07:17 Lifted onto Pad B
25 March 2024 - Static fire #1[]
Full-duration static fire of all six Raptor engines on Flight 4 Starship (S29)
Timeline according to LabPadre livestream:
- 8:10 Road closed
- 8:34 Pad clear klaxon
- 10:13 Pad clear
- 10:25 OP notice delivered to Mary
- 11:09 Suborbital tank farm start up
- 11:59 Frost on LOX tank
- 12:42 Engine Chill started
- 13:03 Siren in village sounded
- 13:12:16 Static fire
- 13:20 Detanking started
- 15:29 Cars drove back to pad
- 15:31 Road open
27 March 2024 - Static fire #2[]
As with S28, following the full 6-engine static fire test, SpaceX conducted a single Raptor engine test using the header tanks.[3]
Static fire of a single Raptor engine using the header tanks on S29.
Timeline according to LabPadre and NSF livestream:
- 7:59 Road closed
- 11:15 Pad Clear
- 12:08 Suborbital tank farm start up
- 12:50 Frost on LOX tank
- 13:30:50 Static fire
- 15:14 Road opened
29 March 2024 - Roll back[]
Timeline according to LabPadre discord:
- 00:05 Roll back started
- 00:51 Arrived at build site, moved towards High Bay
01 June 2024 - Stacking on B11[]
Timeline according to LabPadre discord:
- ?? Pressure hose and QD plate removed[4]
- 10:50 Lift underway
04 June 2024 - Destacking from B11[]
Timeline according to LabPadre discord:
- 04:10 Transport stand moved to OLM
- 09:02 SQD detached
- 09:58 Lift started
05 June 2024 - Stacking on B11[]
Timeline according to LabPadre discord:
- 06:30 SQD arm retracted
- 06:35 Lift started
- 07:53 Stacking completed
- 09:25 SQD cover opened
- 09:41 SQD connected to S29
- 10:41 Transport stand left launch site, arrived at build site