SpaceX rolled out Ship 40 for engine testing, however after finishing solely a single engine check and what seemed to be an abort, it was rolled again to Mega Bay 2. The complete check of all of Ship 40’s engines has but to be accomplished, although time stays as Booster 20 seems to nonetheless be weeks away from a 33-engine static hearth.
In the meantime, at Pad 2, SpaceX groups have improved the chopsticks’ touchdown rails and dampers, put in new gasoline strains alongside the tower, and presumably drilled new holes within the water-cooled deck plate.
Ship 40’s single-engine static hearth check
Ship 40 rolled out to Massey’s on June 23 for engine testing. This comes after spending about six weeks in Mega Bay 2 for preparations and ready for Massey’s to be prepared.
Ship 40 Rollout to Masseys (Credit score: Colleen Liedtke for NSF)
As soon as out at Masseys, SpaceX wasted no time getting the Ship prepared for testing, as on June 24, Ship 40 was loaded with propellant to the identical ranges as all of Ship 39’s checks. This load features a full tank of liquid oxygen (LOX) and a couple of ring’s price of liquid methane (LCH4). Ship 40 then both carried out an igniter check or aborted a static-fire try. With out additional affirmation from SpaceX, the precise circumstances stay unclear.
Then, on June 25, Ship 40 was loaded with propellants once more, however this time it was for a single-engine static hearth. For the single-engine static hearth, the LOX tank was loaded to about half, and the LCH4 tank to a degree just like that within the June 24 check. This check is a primary for Block 3 ships, because the final ship to carry out a single-engine static hearth was Ship 37 on July 31, 2025, on Pad 1.
Propellant loading began round 5:45 pm CDT, which made a potential T-0 of round 6:15 CDT. Throughout these checks, the flaps wiggle at round T-10 minutes, which was noticed at 6:05 CDT, indicating a 6:15 CDT T0 for a single-engine static hearth. Nonetheless, that point elapsed after a big LOX tank vent, and Ship 40 remained loaded with out detanking for an additional 20 minutes earlier than the single-engine static hearth occurred.
Full length single-engine static hearth check of Starship pic.twitter.com/nfR8PvHpze
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) June 26, 2026
The check marked the primary time SpaceX held that degree of propellant for an prolonged interval on Starship previous to an engine check, and, primarily based on the tank farm, the tanks weren’t being topped off. This may trigger the cryogenic propellants to heat up and boil off.
Prior to now, SpaceX has tried to simulate an in-space burn on the bottom by partially filling the tanks, then performing a big depressurization vent simply earlier than utilizing the header tanks to static hearth a single engine. This check seems comparable, as if the engineers have been trying to simulate the ship’s ascent to apogee, then performing a burn to enter orbit.
Ship 40’s rollback to Mega Bay 2. (Credit score: Colleen Liedtke for NSF)
Such a flight profile is safer than simply burning for orbit, and it permits groups to make sure the ship is “go” for orbit after finishing the preliminary ascent burn. This flight profile wouldn’t be used till a minimum of Flight 14, as SpaceX COO Gwynne Shotwell said that Flight 13 will likely be one other suborbital flight for Starship.
The following check after the single-engine static hearth was anticipated to be a full six-engine static hearth. Nonetheless, on June 26, Ship 40 rolled again to the manufacturing website. This was surprising, as SpaceX has to static hearth all six engines to correctly check them earlier than flying Ship 40 on an precise mission.
It’s at present unknown why Ship 40 was rolled again, however the six-engine static hearth will happen at a later date. Fortuitously, SpaceX nonetheless has time to get Ship 40 prepared, as Booster 20 is probably going nonetheless just a few weeks away from a 33-engine static hearth.
The chopsticks at Pad 2. (Credit score: Ceaser G for NSF)
Booster 20 and Pad 2 see new work and enhancements
Booster 20 remains to be in Mega Bay 1 after finishing its cryo-proof check marketing campaign in early June. Presently, it’s unknown what number of engines the booster has put in or how far alongside it’s in static-fire readiness.
Pad 2, alternatively, has seen plenty of work over the previous weeks since Flight 12. The chopsticks had their touchdown rails swapped for lighter ones, and the touchdown rail dampers have been eliminated and reinstalled with the brand new rails. Moreover, a number of bearing skates on the chopstick carriage have been eliminated after which reinstalled after some work was accomplished on them. The chopsticks have additionally had new doublers/reinforcements put in alongside the arms for added assist.
Pad 2’s launch mount. (Credit score: Ceaser G for NSF)
The launch mount itself might have new holes drilled into the water-cooled deck plate to extend water circulate in sure areas throughout launch. Lastly, the tower seems to be getting new cryogenic strains, which could possibly be for reclaiming LOX relatively than dumping it out via the tower vent.
The following anticipated milestones in SpaceX’s launch marketing campaign for Flight 13 will likely be Ship 40 rolling again out for its six-engine static hearth and Booster 20 rolling out for its 33-engine static hearth. Primarily based on present automobile statuses and previous timelines, it’s potential SpaceX may launch Ship 40 and Booster 20 on Flight 13 by late July, although this timeframe may simply slip into August.
(Lead picture: Ship 40’s single engine static hearth at Massey’s. Credit score Colleen Liedtke for NSF)
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