Launch site expanding at Starbase: here’s what you need to know
Written by Magnum and Raptor Engine
Credit for the main article picture goes to Mary and the NASASpaceflight team, taken on a flyover and used in their Pad 2 article
The 2 pads: what are the updates?
Expansion plan. Credit: link at the bottom
The upgraded plans for Starbase’s launch site include some interesting details on the 2 launch pads, which are denominated as Pad 1 and 2 instead of Pad A and B.
Pad 1: Pad 1 (A) is currently the only launch pad to have supported Starship launches, but that will soon come to an end, as SpaceX progresses onto Block 3, making the pad incompatible for that version. This means Pad 1 will only be used for Flight 11 before being changed, and here’s where things get interesting, because there were several theories: some thought it would become a catch tower, while others thought it would’ve been converted to an operational launch pad. After today, we finally have an answer:
The updated plans indicate that Pad 1 will be reconverted to a launch pad able to support Block 3+ launches and catches! It looks like the tower will remain the same, but the current OLM (Orbital Launch Mount) will be demolished and replaced by the same OLM design that is currently in development at Pad 2 (B) and LC-39A.
Against most predictions, a flame trench will be added below to allow for the exhaust gases from the Raptor engines to safely divert away. This is the same design that is being developed at the other pads and will greatly increase the safety of launch operations, reducing damage and refurbishment times.
Pad 2: Pad 2 (B) is currently an in-development pad at Starbase, a few hundreds meters away from Pad 1, and is set to host its first launch in early 2026. It features several big upgrades, including the new OLM, flame trench, chopsticks, and more. All of these upgrades have been informed by Pad 1’s learning throughout its life and will now lead in the development of the updated Pad 1 design! There isn't a whole lot of information that came out with the new plan, though, as most was focused on Pad 1.
Staging pads 1 & 2: the new plan features 2 “testing/staging” pads, for both pads 1 & 2. It is currently very unclear what purpose these will serve, but we will find out. They seem to be too far from the pads to be stopping points for transport stands or lifting points, and we can’t find any other reason for what they’d be.
Deflector farm: a new “deflector farm 1” label has appeared on the new plan! This looks to be a group of storage tanks for the water that will be used in the deflector to reduce damage and redirect the exhaust gases. There is already such a farm in development at Pad 2, which includes 4 big tanks and 5 smaller tanks, and this design could be similar.
Water storage 2: a water storage farm for Pad 2, in the corner, has appeared. This might be the location where additional water is stored ahead of the next launch.
Isolation and purging: it’s quite unclear what this area is needed for, but we will have to see as we do not have any additional information.
HEX + tank farm expansion: this label is slated for Pad 1, and it means there will be additional heat exchangers installed, along with an expansion of the existing tank farm. Even if it’s unclear what kind of tanks will be installed, we will see when further info comes out.
Blast walls: there will be several blast walls added to protect critical equipment: a blast wall will shield Pad 1’s tank farm by the exhaust gases coming off one end of the flame trench. The other hand of the flame trench will direct the exhaust towards a road, so no worries about hardware getting damaged there.
Another wall will shield the “Isolation & Purging” and deflector farm for Pad 1 from the exhaust gases from one end of the Pad 2 flame trench. The same items at the Pad 2 tank farm are getting shielded by another blast wall.
Methane and Natural Gas: Keys for the Starship Vehicle.
One of the big deals of this expansion is the construction of at least two facilities for liquefying natural gas into liquefied natural gas, or LNG. We need it in a liquid state, but how?
This process involves cooling natural gas to about -162°C (-260°F) and transforming it from a gaseous state to a liquid state for easier storage and transport.
• The process starts with the elimination of impurities such as dust, water, hydrogen sulfide, and carbon oxides, among other contaminants.
• Delete the humidity to prevent ice formation.
• Remove the possible mercury.
This ends by the fractionation and liquefaction by cooling the gas through multi-stage refrigeration cycles until it becomes liquid.
The exact machinery is unknown, but it could contain:
• Units for removing acid gases and dehydration (such as absorbers and molecular dryers).
• Mercury removal units such as cryogenic heat exchangers for rapid cooling.
• Compressors to maintain pressures in the refrigerant cycle.
• Turbo expanders to reduce temperature through expansion.
• Advanced refrigerant systems (e.g., mixed refrigerant cycles such as propane, ethylene, or methane).
At the end, this would presumably eliminate the necessity of multiple trucks carrying this commodity. It would reduce the amount of traffic on Highway 4, lowering the costs of operating Starship by reducing the amount of money invested in buying this commodity and transporting it to the launch complex while eliminating in part the inherent logistics.
On the other hand. SpaceX needs rocket-grade liquid methane, but how do we obtain it from liquid natural gas?
One of the benefits of starting with LNG is that it already consists of a high concentration of methane, around 85 to 99%, depending on the source, but it also contains multiple impurities, such as Co2 which are critical to remove.
The exact process is unknown, but we can have an idea of the start of the process:
• Feed Preparation and Pre-Cooling: the liquid natural gas is fed into the system at around 20 to 25 MPa, then is chilled down using return flows or a refrigeration cycle to prepare for deeper cryogenic processing. This step removes any residual moisture or CO2 (to <50 ppm) via adsorption. As we need a very high purity, these facilities could use the rectification or fractional distillation process:
• LNG is fed into rectification columns (RC-1 and RC-2) for mass/heat exchange between liquid and vapor phases; the cooled LNG is pressurized into 3.0 MPa and is sent into RC-1, where heavy hydrocarbons such as ethane and propane are withdrawn from the bottom.
Vapors from the top (purified methane) are regulated to 1.5 MPa and fed into RC-2, where light impurities (nitrogen) are removed.
The product, high-purity LCH4, is withdrawn from RC-2, regulated to 0.2 MPa, separated, and further regulated to 0.14 MPa for storage.
The equipment and machinery used with this complex process could consist of:
• Compressors: For pressurizing the highly purified LNG.
• Heat exchangers: For cooling and heat recovery using return flows.
• Refrigeration units: For pre-cooling to -35°C or lower depending on the customer, in this case, SpaceX.
• Ejectors and pressure regulators: For pressure reduction and vapor pumping.
• Rectification columns: Packed or tray columns for distillation.
• Absorption units: Molecular sieves for drying and CO2 removal.
• Storage tanks: Cryogenic vessels (e.g., BSHP-50/0.6 type) with insulation to maintain low temperatures.
SpaceX needs thousands of tankers just for the methane. With this process of purification, SpaceX should have more control and trust in the methane used by their Raptor engine, while removing the need for numerous trucks to transport the commodity, decreasing traffic on Highway 4, and cutting Starship operating costs by minimizing expenditures on purchasing and shipping it to the launch site, while partially streamlining logistics.
With the growth of infrastructure, new access gate and roads will be constructed. SpaceX will add two new access gates called D3 and D5, joining the others D1-D2 and D4; D3 will be built next to the high power and commodities offload zone, and D5 will be built in one of the roundabout exits, The roads inside the launch complex will pass next to both pads 1 and 2 and along the perimeter of the west security wall while passing through the deflector farm 1, the hex, and one of the tank farm expansions, this ensure a smooth movement along the launch complex.
Starship is growing, not just in size but also in the amount of propellant it uses; expanding the launch complex ensures a bright future. As Starships are meant to fly, SpaceX must secure the propellant supply.
References
https://www.swg.usace.army.mil/Portals/26/docs/regulatory/PN%20August/SWG-2012-00381_20250819_PN%20Figures.pdf?ver=i9Rsv7tp2WlwwnZ5RwUOeA%3d%3d
