Pad 40 has been the main site for Falcon 9 launches for a long time. Pad 39A has also been key, especially for crewed flights and handling the increasing number of launches by SpaceX. Last year, Falcon 9 had an impressive 165 missions, but it seems this pace might be slowing down as SpaceX focuses more on Starship projects. Despite that, they have successfully reduced the time needed to prepare Pad 40 between launches; it now takes less than 48 hours.
SpaceX can quickly reinstall the crew arm at Pad 39A if they need it for Dragon missions.
However, there’s another reason the crew arm has been removed from Pad 39A. According to Bill Gerstenmaier, SpaceX’s vice president of build and flight reliability, the bearings that connect the arm to the launch tower need fixing. “To get to those, we must remove the arm,” he explained.
Gerstenmaier noted, “Those bearings need to be taken out and reinstalled. We’ll handle that work at Kennedy Space Center.” He assured that there’s enough time to put the arm back up whenever it’s needed for a mission.
Despite ongoing construction for Starship, Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches from Pad 39A continue without disruption. Gerstenmaier said, “That doesn’t impact our ability to launch from the pad.” However, as Starship testing ramps up, Pad 39A may face more closures for safety reasons.
Gerstenmaier emphasized the importance of replacing the bearings properly. “The best approach is to fix them on the ground, make necessary upgrades, and then we can reattach the arm when it’s time to fly,” he noted. This careful planning reflects SpaceX’s commitment to maintaining safety and efficiency as they expand their operations.
Recent statistics show a significant rise in public interest in space travel. A recent survey by the Pew Research Center revealed that 72% of Americans think space exploration is a priority for the U.S., highlighting the growing enthusiasm for missions like those planned by SpaceX.
As SpaceX advances, it’s clear that both the Falcon 9 and Starship projects will shape the future of space travel and exploration.
