January 20, 2026, SpaceX Ship 39 is in the final stages of outfitting in Mega Bay 2 at Starbase. Recent progress includes the installation of aft flaps. This is one of the last major steps before testing. Starship 39 and Booster 19 are needed to be completed and stacked to launch Starship Flight 12. What About It? and other sources provide updates. Pad 2 at Starbase will be used, with Florida sites (LC-39A, SLC-37) progressing for future launches.
Ongoing cryogenic proof testing on the Ship 39.
Heat shield work largely complete, with no major re-tiling needed.
Booster 19 is also advancing, with cryo testing completed and preparations for rollout. Sources target February or March.
Cryogenic proof testing and static fires for Ship 39 are needed. Booster 19 must be rolled out and tested.
Pad 2 needs commissioning and work. Reconfiguration is nearly complete, with clamp arms, quick disconnects tested, and final hardware in place.
Integrated vehicle testing and regulatory approvals are needed.
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It usually takes a couple of years to get a large Air Separation Unit (ASU) permitted and built.
I am curious to see what War Secretary Hegseth and SpaceX are working on to speed up multiple /government+civilian+commercial/ -use launchpads for Starship rockets. Military plus economic potential is staggering…
air separation plant starbase texasAir Separation Plants at Starbase, Texas
Starbase, SpaceX’s rocket development and launch facility in Boca Chica, Texas, relies heavily on liquid oxygen (LOX) and liquid nitrogen (LN2) for Starship testing, propulsion, and operations. To meet these needs and reduce dependency on external suppliers (which currently involve hundreds of truck deliveries per launch), two major air separation plants are being developed in the area. These facilities use cryogenic distillation to separate atmospheric air into its component gases. Here’s a breakdown of each:
As I’ve pointed out many times in the past, we’ll know if SpaceX is serious about Starship rapid launches when they build infrastructure for producing large amounts of liquid oxygen (LOX). They are building two air separation plants right now:
1. Linde’s Air Separation Plant in Brownsville
Overview: Global industrial gases company Linde is constructing a $100 million facility in Brownsville’s North Industrial Park (off FM 511), approximately 45 minutes from Starbase. It will produce LOX and LN2 specifically to support SpaceX’s Starship program, shortening supply chains from over 500 miles to under 50 miles.
Status: Construction began in mid-2025, with groundbreaking around June-August 2025. It’s expected to become operational in 2026, potentially producing up to 700 tonnes of LOX per day (enough for a Starship launch every six days at full capacity)
2. SpaceX’s On-Site Air Separation Unit (ASU) at Starbase
Overview: SpaceX is building its own ASU directly at the Starbase launch site, near the orbital launch pads (Pads A and B) and across from the tank farm for safety. The 1.66-acre facility includes about 20 structures, with a main tower up to 159 feet tall (shorter than the 480-foot launch tower).
Status: Cameron County approved the project in July 2025, and construction started shortly after, with foundation work visible by late July and ongoing into December 2025. Recent updates show progress on the site, including the coldbox tower. As of early January 2026, it’s still under development but aims to support high launch cadences (e.g., 63+ launches per year).