SpaceX Starship: Ship 40 Conducts Another Static Fire, Getting Closer to Flight 13

SpaceX is working to improve the launch cadence of the new reusable spacecraft, Starship. According to Gwynne Shotwell (President and COO of SpaceX), the breakthrough should occur this year, likely after Flight 15. The plans will, of course, depend on the results of future launches, making timelines uncertain, as the company aims to make the vehicle operational as soon as possible, both for the Artemis program and for the launch of third-generation Starlink satellites, the new AI1 satellites (first generation), and much more.

Recently, Starship performed a 60-second static fire ahead of the thirteenth flight test.

Currently, it is unclear when the thirteenth flight of Starship might take place. Past statements suggest scheduling within the end of July, with tests on Ship 40 proceeding rapidly while waiting for those of Super Heavy Booster 20. The company is also continuing its analysis of the data from Flight 12 in preparation for the upcoming launch.

At the end of June, a long-duration single-engine static fire was conducted on Ship 40. This test is expected to have provided interesting insights regarding the potential relight in space of one of the atmospheric Raptor 3 engines, a test planned during Flight 12 but not executed due to an issue with one of the Raptor 3 Vacuum (RVac) engines.

In the recent days, again at the testing site in Massey (near Starbase, Texas), Ship 40 ignited all six of its engines for a complete static fire lasting about a minute. If the data confirms that everything went as expected, SpaceX could move on to testing Super Heavy Booster 20 at Pad 2 and then proceed with assembling the two stages and eventually conduct a Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR) and a potential launch by the end of the month.

SpaceX has begun testing for Ship 41, which has been almost completely assembled. Currently, the unit should have passed cryogenic tests in preparation for the installation of the engines. Ship 42 is also being assembled at the company’s facilities, with the upper conical section joined to the lower payload section (both already have the heat shield mounted).

Potentially from Ship 43 (or subsequent ones), an upper stage and a lower stage will be loaded onto the transport barge You'll Thank Me Later (YTML) which will carry the hardware from the facilities in Texas to Florida.

SpaceX plans to start operations related to Starship from the new launch site in the coming months. The Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) launch pad is almost complete while construction is proceeding on the pad at Space Launch Complex 37 (SLC-37) where two towers, similar to Mechazilla, will be erected.