SpaceX Boeing 737 Touches Down in Los Angeles After Starbase Run

SpaceX's Boeing 737-800, registration N154TS, landed at Los Angeles International Airport late on May 4, 2026, after a 4-hour-25-minute flight from near Brownsville, Texas. Departing at 7:31 p.m. UTC, the aircraft reached a maximum altitude of 30,000 feet and a ground speed of 462.9 knots before arriving at 11:57 p.m. UTC. Acquired from Air China in August 2023, this grey-livered jet serves primarily as a high-capacity shuttle for SpaceX employees, ferrying staff between the company's Hawthorne headquarters and remote sites like Starbase.

The flight originated from coordinates close to SpaceX's Starbase facility in South Texas, where the company is advancing preparations for Starship Flight 12, including launch pad tests and vehicle assembly. This route—LAX to Brownsville and back—runs several times weekly, supporting the workforce at the rocket development site amid a busy 2026 schedule that includes potential launches and infrastructure expansions. Recent activity at Starbase underscores the relentless pace, with a second launch tower nearing completion.

In 2024 alone, N154TS logged 116 flights and over 276 hours airborne, consuming more than 225,000 gallons of fuel and emitting around 2,000 metric tons of CO2. The shuttle's rooftop antennas and distinctive livery continue to draw attention from aviation enthusiasts tracking SpaceX's logistical footprint. As Starbase pushes boundaries in space travel, these routine hops highlight the grounded efforts keeping the operation aloft.