Latest at Starbase with LabPadre: April 21

BOCA CHICA, Texas (ValleyCentral) — This week at Starbase, Booster 14 is prepped and crowned for Flight Nine.

Let's dig into this week's update.

The Pad A launch tower was put through a test on Monday, starting with the ship quick disconnect retraction.

The chopsticks were raised up to the base of the arm. The catch arms were then swung around before being raised up to their launch position then set in the catch position with the landing rails up.

The chopsticks full range of motion were checked and they performed a simulated booster catch.

Once the test was over, the arms were swung left and lowered to the stop block at the base of the tower.

Booster 17 was rolled back to the build site on Tuesday after finishing up its test campaign at the Massey outpost.

Once the booster reached the front gates, it was brought in and staged outside of Mega Bay One.

Starship 37 aft section was brought out of Starfactory and moved into Mega Bay Two.

Ship 36 was moved off the center stand at some point and set down on a different stand inside the bay.

The front walkway window and balcony section were cut and lifted away from the high bay.

The eighth and ninth liquid oxygen pump sumps were lifted into place at the pumping station, leaving just three pumps and four motors left to install.

The intake control valve was lifted off the supply skid for liquid oxygen pump four.

Ahead of its replacement, Booster 17 didn't stay in Mega Bay One for long. It was rolled out and set up on Highway 4, taking the long path to the rocket garden through the most distant Sanchez gate while the booster was moving.

The booster test stand was also sent to the Sanchez site.

The replacement control valve for pump four was installed in the evening, joining the pump four control valve.

The long absent valve for pump three was installed after sunrise on Wednesday morning.

Back at the build site, the hot stage adapter was lifted up for installation.

On Booster 14 inside of Mega Bay One, workers had a 30 minute notice to clear Pad B in the flame trench for chopstick testing and 30 minutes later, testing of the Pad B chopsticks began as they swung out and the arms were slew to check and characterize their behavior.

For continued live coverage and other detailed Starbase content, visit the LabPadre YouTube channel.