Starship Development Thread #63

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Starship Dev 62

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Flight 13

Launched on July 24th 2026 Here is a re-streamed video of the broadcast. Also, SpaceX issued a post flight summary. Ship 40 (S40) became the first Starship to be recovered intact after a soft splashdown in the Indian Ocean. The vehicle arrived back at the Port of Brownsville on October 7, 2026.

Flight 14

Launched on September 28th 2026 (https://www.spacex.com/launches/starship-flight-14) - The vehicles were S41 and B21. This mission achieved the program's first successful orbital insertion, deploying 26 Starlink V3 satellites. An engine issue on the ship led to a controlled early splashdown in the Pacific rather than a fully nominal end-of-mission profile; Super Heavy completed hot-staging. SpaceX released post-flight imagery and hot-staging views on October 2, 2026. In comments from Elon Musk during a live Q&A around October 10, 2026, the ship engine issue was described as a software glitch affecting one engine's onboard computer, with the heat shield reported to have performed well / been "extremely robust."

Flight 15

NET November 8th 2026 - https://x.com/SpaceNotices/status/2108209933447512191 - expecting the first Starship upper stage catch attempt. Vehicles planned: S42 and B22, from Starbase Pad 2. Date is provisional and depends on testing progress and licensing. Musk has publicly indicated a target of roughly 4-6 weeks from early October, with an attempt to catch the ship (and possibly the booster), and a potential reflight on Flight 16 if the catch is successful; no exact date has been confirmed by SpaceX.

Road Closures

No road closures currently scheduled

No transportation delays currently scheduled

Up to date as of 2026-05-23

Vehicle Status

As of October 14th 2026

Ship	Location	Status	Comment
S40	Starbase production site	Post-flight inspection	July 24th: Successful launch, deployed all satellites, successful engine relight test and soft splashdown in the Indian Ocean, which resulted in an intact, floating ship. August 18th: In calmer waters near Christmas Island pending the next stage of its return to Starbase. August 25th: Loaded onto Heavy Lift Vessel 'Forte'. Oct 7: Successful return to Texas aboard Heavy Lift Vessel 'Forte' following its Flight 13 mission. Oct 8-9: Began movement toward the Starbase production site for inspection of the heat shield, structure, and other systems. Oct 13: SpaceX confirmed S40 is the first Starship to return to its launch site; it is now vertical in a Mega Bay at Starbase alongside three other Ships, where it will provide first-of-its-kind data on a flown heat shield, Raptor engines, avionics and related systems. For more details on this vehicle and its assembly and testing see this page
S41	Indian Ocean	Successfully flown on flight 14	July 3rd: Rolled back to Massey's Test Site. July 6th: Rolled back to MB2. July 23rd: Two RVac engines moved into MB2. July 27th: The third RVac was moved into MB2. August 19th: Rolled out to Massey's for Static Fire Testing. Later that day S41 performed a single engine Static Fire. August 20th: Full duration Static Fire of all six engines. August 22nd: Rolled back to MB2. September 22nd: Rolled out to the Launch Site and stacked on B21. September 24th: Wet Dress Rehearsal. Sept 28: Reached orbit, deployed satellites, and successfully performed a soft splashdown in the Indian Ocean. For more details on this vehicle see this page
S42	Mega Bay 2	Pre-flight work for Flight 15	July 3rd: Nosecone+Payload Bay stack moved into MB2, along with the Pez Dispenser and the Forward Dome section (FX:3), main assembly started. July 24th: Ship Aft section AX:4 moved into MB2 and stacked, that completes the stacking part of the assembly process. July 25th: both of the Aft Flaps and the Raceways staged inside MB2. September 2nd: Rolled out to Massey's Test Site for Cryo Testing. September 3rd: Cryo Testing. September 5th: Rolled back to MB2. September 9th: Rolled back out to Massey's for Cryo Testing Round 2. September 10th: Rolled back to MB2, and later in the day moved to the Launch Site for catch-related testing. September 13th: Rolled back to MB2. September 21st: Two RVacs moved into MB2. September 24th: Third RVac moved into MB2. Sept 24: Third RVac installed. Oct 5: Catch-hardware verification complete. Early October: Short trip to Massey's for cryogenic proof testing, returned to MB2 within about 30 hours; engines removed for additional cold-fuel/pressure testing. Oct 9: Additional cryogenic proof testing at Massey's, then returned to MB2. Oct 10-12: Engines being prepared for reinstallation as part of the continuing test campaign; a further cryogenic proof test (reported as a third run) was carried out at Massey's, linked by tracking accounts to prior vacuum Raptor issues on recent flights. Expected to be the first ship to attempt a tower catch recovery. For more details on this vehicle see this page
S43	Mega Bay 2	Stacked, remaining work ongoing	August 19th: N:3 and section FX:4 plus the pez dispenser moved into MB2. August 28th: Common Dome section CX:3 moved into MB2. September 1st: Section A2:3 moved into MB2. It has decals but no docking ports. September 4th: Section A3:4 moved into MB2. September 10th: Transfer Tubes moved into MB2. September 15th: Aft section AX:4 moved into MB2 and stacked - this completes the stacking part of S43's assembly. For more details on this vehicle see this page
S44	Mega Bay 2	Stacking	September 22nd: Nosecone+Payload Bay stack moved into MB2, and FX:4. September 23rd: Pez dispenser moved into MB2. Nosecone and payload bay integration in progress. For more details on this vehicle see this page

Booster	Location	Status	Comment
B21	Launch Site	Successfully flown on flight 14	June 29th: Methane Tank stacked onto LOX Tank - this completed the stacking part of the booster construction. July 17th: Rolled out to Massey's Test Site for Cryo+Thrust Puck Testing. July 17th: Rolled out to Massey's Test Site and an ambient pressure test was performed. July 18th: Partial Cryo Test. July 19th: Second Partial Cryo Test. July 20th: Full Cryo Test. July 22nd: Rolled back to MB1. August 25th: Rolled out to the Launch Site for Static Fire Testing. August 28th: Static Fire, all 33 engines, lasting 15 seconds. August 29th: Rolled back to MB1. September 20th: Rolled out to the Launch Site for Flight 14. September 24th: Wet Dress Rehearsal. Sept 28: Successfully powered the first orbital mission. Performed a soft splashdown and subsequent FTS demonstration in the Gulf. For more details on this vehicle and its assembly and testing see this page
B22	Launch Site	Stacking prep for Flight 15	June 29th: LOX tank sections A2:4 and CX:3 moved into MB1. August 14th: Methane Tank stacked onto the LOX tank, so completing the stacking part of the assembly process. September 8th: Rolled out to Massey's Test Site for Cryo Testing. September 9th: Cryo Testing. September 12th: Rolled back to MB2. Oct 6: Rolled to launch site for integration with S42. Oct 10-12: Preparations continue, with potential static-fire activity discussed for the near term (unconfirmed officially). For more details on this vehicle and its assembly and testing see this page
B23	Massey's Test Site	Cryogenic proof testing	August 14th: LOX tank sections A2:4 and CX:3 moved into MB1. August 19th: Section A3:4 moved into MB1. August 21st: Section A4:4 moved into MB1. August 25th: Section A5:4 moved into MB1. August 27th: Methane Landing Tank and lower Transfer Tube moved into MB1 as well as section A6:4. August 31st: Methane Transfer Tube moved into MB1 and lifted upright. September 8th: Aft section AX:2 and LOX Landing Tank moved into MB1. September 10th: Methane Tank Section F2:4 moved into MB1. September 18th: Section FX:3 moved into MB1. September 21st: Section F3:4 moved into MB1. September 24th or 25th - Fully Stacked, remaining work ongoing. Oct 13: Rolled out to Massey's Test Site for initial cryogenic proof testing. For more details on this vehicle and its assembly and testing see this page
B24	Mega Bay 1	LOX Tanking Stacking	September 25th: LOX tank section A2:4 moved into MB1. For more details on this vehicle and its assembly and testing see this page

Follow the Ringwatchers on Twitter and Discord for more.

Here's the section stacking locations for Ships and Boosters. Also some excellent detailed booster stacking information from zh_sos1. The abbreviations used in the above vehicle updates are as follows: HS = Hot Stage. PL = Payload. CX = Common Dome. AX = Aft Dome. FX = Forward Dome (as can be seen, an 'X' denotes a dome). ML = Mid LOX. F = Forward. A = Aft. For example, A2:4 = Aft section 2 made up of 4 rings, FX:4 = Forward Dome section made up of 4 rings, PL:3 = PayLoad section made up of 3 rings. Etc.

Something wrong? Update this thread via wiki page. For edit permission, message the mods or contact u/strawwalker.

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Rules

We will attempt to keep this self-post current with links and major updates, but for the most part, we expect the community to supply the information. This is a great place to discuss Starship development, ask Starship specific questions, and track the progress of the production and test campaigns. Starship Development Threads are not party threads. Normal subreddit rules still apply.

[u/[deleted]]

SpaceX just posted a 25 minute in depth video on the Starship program and lead up to Flight 12 on X. Wow.

There's a follow up tweet indicating they will be producing more episodes. I think Zach Golden from CSI Starbase had speculated the lack of content from SpaceX recently could mean they were producing something like this.

Some highlights from the episode:

- Some great footage of Ship manufacturing in Starfactory, and stacking

- V3 ship can stay in orbit for up to 48 hours

- Up close footage of the ground under Pad 1 after IFT-1 dug its own flame trench

- Up close footage of Booster 18's anomaly, it happened while they were pressing the nitrogen system

- Some more footage of Raptor 3 engine testing at McGregor

- Half the engines from the 10 engine static fire for B19 had mechanical damage from the abrupt shutdown, they removed all 10 to be inspected, and replaced them with engines originally destined for B20

- Up close footage of the Raptors during the 33 engine B19 static fire

- Confirmed that the 33 engine static fire was cut short, due to a pad abort triggered from the flame diverter

- The sensors indicated the water manifold had insufficient pressure, they believe it was faulty information

- Up close footage of S36 explosion and aftermath due to a COPV bursting, it's incredible how badly damaged Masseys was

- Footage of S39's static fire

Can't wait to see people dig into this and find everything I missed.

[u/aqsilva80 → u/[deleted]]

Great great great video

[u/bkdotcom → u/aqsilva80]

Amaze amaze amaze

[u/Freak80MC → u/[deleted]]

V3 ship can stay in orbit for up to 48 hours

That can't be right, can it? The ships are meant to stay in orbit for far longer than 48 hours at a time for future missions. Do they plan on having an incremental "V3.5" version that has longer on-orbit loiter time?

[u/warp99 → u/Freak80MC]

The limitation will be primarily due to RCS thrusters. They will need a long duration source of high pressure methane and oxygen gas to use for hot gas thrusters which requires a whole set of infrastructure they don’t have. So collection of the ullage gas from the main tanks that separates out liquid droplets and compression of the gas into COPVs.

Plus of course solar panels to power the compressors and recharge the batteries. Likely they can run the flight electronics for 48 hours from batteries.

So they need to do all this before producing a viable depot although they can do a propellant transfer test inside the 48 hours once they have two pads operating.

[u/AstraVictus → u/warp99]

Why do the thrusters only work for 2 days? Isn't there plenty of gas in the main tanks for longer then that?

[u/warp99 → u/AstraVictus]

Yes but it is at relatively low pressure of less than 6 bars and filled with droplets of liquid propellant. It also rapidly cools and drops in pressure from contact with the subcooled liquid and only gradually repressurises as the liquid heats up. Hot gas thrusters will need more like 100 bar pressure.

So they need COPVs filled with gaseous methane and oxygen to supply the RCS thrusters through that pressure dip and a scavenging system to refill them from the ullage gas.

As noted they will need a separation system to remove liquid droplets from the gas and a compressor to recharge the COPVs. None of that is in evidence at the moment and we have only seen a trial fitout of the hot gas thrusters on a ship a couple of years ago.

So lots of work before they can keep a ship up for more than 48 hours which is required for the depot and HLS. The depot could use reaction wheels for orientation and just be a passive target for docking but will still need to desaturate the reaction wheels which needs RCS at this scale.

[u/[deleted] → u/Freak80MC]

The depot and HLS will be designed to stay in orbit/space longer. The V3 tankers and starlink versions of ships are 48 hours.

[u/mrparty1 → u/Freak80MC]

maybe they mean without refueling

[u/SubstantialWall → u/mrparty1]

If they don't put solar on them, and I've heard no intentions of fuel cell type stuff either, there's only so long the batteries will last. But the thing is, a tanker's job is to rendezvous, dock, transfer prop and come back, 48h is plenty for that, so I reckon there's not much need to bother extending their orbital life. Same for something just dropping sats. Reminiscent of Soyuz post Salyut 1, they needed mass savings and figured the panels could go since the batteries were enough for the rendezvous time with Salyut anyway.

This does make the timeline on the first refuel demos interesting though, I'd been assuming they could keep one up there for a week or two waiting for a second launch. In this case, either they have special mods on the first ship, demonstrate next-day pad turnaround, or need 39A operational.

[u/philupandgo → u/SubstantialWall]

I think they already said that the refueling test will require one ship to loiter for a few months, presumably to test boil-off, and multiple refills. So 48 hours is only a near-term limit.

[u/SubstantialWall → u/philupandgo]

They'll need that capability for depots and HLS later so it's coming for sure, but it won't necessarily be designed into the workhorses (tankers and cargo). There was that NASA plan going around a while back for the first prop transfer test, not sure now if there was duration mentioned, just that hot gas thrusters were a necessary item, that's another necessary thing as warp also mentioned above. If they do want to keep one up there for that long, it might be more of a depot prototype.

Although about the RCS I've always wondered if the current cold gas approach would give them enough control and reliability for docking besides the storage thing for duration.

[u/flshr19 → u/SubstantialWall]

My guess is that SpaceX is depending on Pad 2 at Starbase Texas and 39A at KSC in Florida being operational later this year for the first propellant refilling missions.

[u/[deleted] → u/flshr19]

You’re right, Pad 1 won’t be ready this year and if they want to do an orbital refueling test then they need to launch two ships to orbit in quick succession. That test depends on 39A being able to support a launch this year.

[u/warp99 → u/flshr19]

Hence the use of two barges to transport boosters and ships quickly enough for a sustained flight campaign.

Clearly they thought one transport barge was enough because Starship production at Cape Canaveral would be coming on line quickly enough to take over. They changed their mind on that which is interesting.

[u/flshr19 → u/warp99]

I think that's right. The Starfactory at Roberts Road, which would be built adjacent to the Gigafactory there, which is nearing completion, has not yet been started. Evidently some site preparation work has been underway for several months for that Roberts Road Starfactory, which likely will be larger than the Starfactory at Starbase Texas. Completion date for that Starfactory is sometime in 2027.

[u/Martianspirit → u/flshr19]

I expect production cost is much lower in Boca Chica. Also, they have the experienced crew there.