BFR Developments

**Yazata** · Nov 20, 2025 08:11 AM

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**Yazata** · Nov 21, 2025 01:13 AM

Today they continued toppling that Pad 1 Launch Mount legs. As of now, only one remains standing.

Another big development was them shortening the left 'chopstick' arm on the Pad 1 tower. They cut off a portion and lowered it with a crane.

https://x.com/Blobifie/status/1991551484790821266

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**Yazata** · (This post was last modified: Nov 21, 2025 06:00 AM by Yazata.)

The Last Leg:

This looks like the propellant flex lines that led to the Booster Quick Disconnect (BQD)

(Photo by Carlos Nunez)

Pad 1 launched eleven Starship flights... it's sad to see it end like this... Sad

But it's easy to see how cooked it is. It wouldn't have lasted much longer.

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**Yazata** · (This post was last modified: Nov 21, 2025 10:53 PM by Yazata.)

Big setback at Starbase!

B18, the first Version.3 booster, is at the Masseys test site for structural testing. And last night they were pressure testing it with ambient temperature nitrogen gas, when B18's LOX tank burst explosively, ripping the vehicle wide open. There were no injuries to any personnel or damage to the facilities at the test site, but B18 is a total loss.

The question now is why this happened. Was it a manufacturing defect? Or was it a design defect inherent in the V.3 design itself? Either way, it's not good.

Everyone is saying that the expected Flight 12 launch in January 2026 will almost certainly be pushed back as they get to the bottom of this and rectify it. Given the ambitious goals set for 2026 (ship catch, extended orbital fuel storage and orbital refueling demonstrations for HLS) this could be a major setback.

And everyone is exclaiming that B18 didn't crumple and is still standing. That's being attributed to the much bigger and beefier fuel transfer tubes in the V.3 LOX tank.

(Helicopter photo by Jordan Guidry of WAI)

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Here's what Eric Berger thinks:

https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/11/ne...ly-friday/

**Yazata** · Yesterday 04:40 AM

(Helicopter photo by Jordan Guidry)

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