Starbase activities (2024-05-24):

• Overnight: GSE tank load spreader is removed from the launch site. One load spreader remains, and hooks up to the base of GSEC-5 (outer tank for GSE-1 (or maybe GSE-2 as per santa?)). Looks like there is still a small bit left.
• Booster transport stand and raptor installation platform also leave the launch site.
• Also overnight, tower section 5 of 5 moves from Brownsville to Sanchez (Cargile, Doherty). Benedikt thread on how this segment fits into the overall tower: Tweet 1, tweet 2, tweet 3.
• Suborbital site dismantling continues: Last remaining large horizontal tank is removed (Doherty).
• Tile work on S29 continues. Tile work on forward flap.
• Build site video tour: Parking garage construction progresses quickly.
• Massey’s: Small cryo test with S26.
• Floating truck :)

Other:

• Suborbital tank farm components arrive at KSC.
• Classic “pending regulatory approval” tweet from SpaceX. IFT-4 now NET Jun 5th.
• SpaceX posts mission page for IFT-4 and report on IFT-3. Highlights:

six engines that shut down early in the boostback burn were disabled from attempting the landing burn startup, leaving seven engines commanded to start up with two successfully reaching mainstage ignition. The booster had lower than expected landing burn thrust when contact was lost at approximately 462 meters in altitude

likely root cause for the early boostback burn shutdown was determined to be continued filter blockage where liquid oxygen is supplied to the engines, leading to a loss of inlet pressure in engine oxygen turbopumps. SpaceX implemented hardware changes ahead of Flight 3 to mitigate this issue, which resulted in the booster progressing to its first ever landing burn attempt. Super Heavy boosters for Flight 4 and beyond will get additional hardware inside oxygen tanks to further improve propellant filtration capabilities

Several minutes after Starship began its coast phase, the vehicle began losing the ability to control its attitude

likely root cause of the unplanned roll was determined to be clogging of the valves responsible for roll control. SpaceX has since added additional roll control thrusters on upcoming Starships to improve attitude control redundancy and upgraded hardware for improved resilience to blockage

• Also notable: IFT-4 flight test timeline lists “landing burn”. I wonder if this will be a soft-water or a hard-water landing?
• Comparison of IFT-3 and IFT-4 flight timelines.
• Zack’s thoughts on the recent info: Tweet 1, tweet 2, tweet 3, tweet 4.