diff --git a/pylabrobot/liquid_handling/backends/hamilton/STAR_backend.py b/pylabrobot/liquid_handling/backends/hamilton/STAR_backend.py
index 4fe23b32afa..42a63aa6cb6 100644
--- a/pylabrobot/liquid_handling/backends/hamilton/STAR_backend.py
+++ b/pylabrobot/liquid_handling/backends/hamilton/STAR_backend.py
@@ -1193,6 +1193,7 @@ def __init__(
 
     self._iswap_parked: Optional[bool] = None
     self._num_channels: Optional[int] = None
+    self._channel_minimum_y_spacing: float = 9.0
     self._core_parked: Optional[bool] = None
     self._extended_conf: Optional[dict] = None
     self._channel_traversal_height: float = 245.0
@@ -1470,6 +1471,9 @@ async def setup(
     async def set_up_pip():
       if (not initialized or any(tip_presences)) and not skip_pip:
         await self.initialize_pip()
+      self._channel_minimum_y_spacing = (
+        9.0  # TODO: identify from machine directly to override default
+      )
 
     async def set_up_autoload():
       if self.autoload_installed and not skip_autoload:
@@ -4172,8 +4176,13 @@ async def core_check_resource_exists_at_location_center(
 
     center = location + resource.centers()[0] + offset
     y_width_to_gripper_bump = resource.get_absolute_size_y() - gripper_y_margin * 2
-    assert 9 <= y_width_to_gripper_bump <= round(resource.get_absolute_size_y()), (
-      f"width between channels must be between 9 and {resource.get_absolute_size_y()} mm"
+    assert (
+      self._channel_minimum_y_spacing
+      <= y_width_to_gripper_bump
+      <= round(resource.get_absolute_size_y())
+    ), (
+      f"width between channels must be between {self._channel_minimum_y_spacing} and "
+      f"{resource.get_absolute_size_y()} mm"
       " (i.e. the minimal distance between channels and the max y size of the resource"
     )
 
@@ -9968,8 +9977,12 @@ async def clld_probe_y_position_using_channel(
       channel_idx_plus_one_y_pos = 6
       # Insight: STAR machines appear to lose connection to a channel below y-position=6 mm
 
-    max_safe_upper_y_pos = channel_idx_minus_one_y_pos - 9
-    max_safe_lower_y_pos = channel_idx_plus_one_y_pos + 9 if channel_idx_plus_one_y_pos != 0 else 6
+    max_safe_upper_y_pos = channel_idx_minus_one_y_pos - self._channel_minimum_y_spacing
+    max_safe_lower_y_pos = (
+      channel_idx_plus_one_y_pos + self._channel_minimum_y_spacing
+      if channel_idx_plus_one_y_pos != 0
+      else 6
+    )
 
     # Enable safe start and end positions
     if start_pos_search:
@@ -10050,7 +10063,9 @@ async def clld_probe_y_position_using_channel(
       else:  # next channel
         adjacent_y_pos = await self.request_y_pos_channel_n(channel_idx + 1)
 
-      max_safe_y_mov_dist_post_detection = detected_material_y_pos - adjacent_y_pos - 9.0
+      max_safe_y_mov_dist_post_detection = (
+        detected_material_y_pos - adjacent_y_pos - self._channel_minimum_y_spacing
+      )
       move_target = detected_material_y_pos - min(
         post_detection_dist, max_safe_y_mov_dist_post_detection
       )
@@ -10061,7 +10076,9 @@ async def clld_probe_y_position_using_channel(
       else:  #  previous channel
         adjacent_y_pos = await self.request_y_pos_channel_n(channel_idx - 1)
 
-      max_safe_y_mov_dist_post_detection = adjacent_y_pos - detected_material_y_pos - 9.0
+      max_safe_y_mov_dist_post_detection = (
+        adjacent_y_pos - detected_material_y_pos - self._channel_minimum_y_spacing
+      )
       move_target = detected_material_y_pos + min(
         post_detection_dist, max_safe_y_mov_dist_post_detection
       )
@@ -10946,7 +10963,7 @@ async def get_channels_y_positions(self) -> Dict[int, float]:
     elif 5.8 <= y_positions[-1] < 6:
       y_positions[-1] = 6.0
 
-    min_diff = 9.0
+    min_diff = self._channel_minimum_y_spacing
     for i in range(len(y_positions) - 2, -1, -1):
       if y_positions[i] - y_positions[i + 1] < min_diff:
         y_positions[i] = y_positions[i + 1] + min_diff
@@ -10985,17 +11002,25 @@ async def position_channels_in_y_direction(self, ys: Dict[int, float], make_spac
       use_channels = list(ys.keys())
       back_channel = min(use_channels)
       for channel_idx in range(back_channel, 0, -1):
-        if (channel_locations[channel_idx - 1] - channel_locations[channel_idx]) < 9:
-          channel_locations[channel_idx - 1] = channel_locations[channel_idx] + 9
+        if (
+          channel_locations[channel_idx - 1] - channel_locations[channel_idx]
+        ) < self._channel_minimum_y_spacing:
+          channel_locations[channel_idx - 1] = (
+            channel_locations[channel_idx] + self._channel_minimum_y_spacing
+          )
 
       # Similarly for the channels to the front of `front_channel`, make sure they are all
-      # spaced >=9mm apart. This time, we iterate from back (closest to `front_channel`)
-      # to the front (lh.backend.num_channels - 1), and put each channel >=9mm before the
-      # one behind it.
+      # spaced >= channel_minimum_y_spacing (usually 9mm) apart. This time, we iterate from
+      # back (closest to `front_channel`) to the front (lh.backend.num_channels - 1), and
+      # put each channel >= channel_minimum_y_spacing before the one behind it.
       front_channel = max(use_channels)
       for channel_idx in range(front_channel, self.num_channels - 1):
-        if (channel_locations[channel_idx] - channel_locations[channel_idx + 1]) < 9:
-          channel_locations[channel_idx + 1] = channel_locations[channel_idx] - 9
+        if (
+          channel_locations[channel_idx] - channel_locations[channel_idx + 1]
+        ) < self._channel_minimum_y_spacing:
+          channel_locations[channel_idx + 1] = (
+            channel_locations[channel_idx] - self._channel_minimum_y_spacing
+          )
 
     # Quick checks before movement.
     if channel_locations[0] > 650: