[p1necone]

How much testing can you do with a launch tower without actually launching anything? Surely any launch would have to be cleared by the FAA right?

(I could totally be wrong and there's good reasons to build this, but my initial assumption is that the only real reason to build a launch tower would be to launch stuff with it)

[Rebelgecko]

In theory it could used for payload integration tests, dress rehearsal, or even static fires. But it seems odd to do those at a different pad than you'd actually launch from

[weezin]

I believe the goal is to have a launch tower catch falcon 9 rockets, then take a starship, rotate it around the tower 180 degrees and put it on top of the rocket that just landed to refuel and launch again.

edit: super heavy not falcon 9 here is the youtube video I was remembering https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdU9RzlHm-o

[sprayk]

"integration" means putting it together/assembling it. At Cape Canaveral, they have the Vehicle Assembly Building for this.

[admiral33]

At the very least it's good for show.

[wmf]

Technically the tower may not be used for launches; it's only used for putting the stack on the launch pad. During the launch itself the stack may not be touching the tower at all.