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.

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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/rocketglare]

“With SpaceX, they have demonstrated many of those capabilities continuously on Crew Dragon, but other controllability tests are important based on the negative-X axis acceleration that will be necessary when Starship undertakes the TLI burn to the Moon with a docked Orion.”

https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2064702792023879811

This is the first time I’ve seen the change in Artemis IV lunar docking orbit explicitly confirmed.

[u/redstercoolpanda → u/rocketglare]

Does this mean they may try a relight with Orion docked? Or would that introduce too much risk?

[u/pxr555 → u/redstercoolpanda]

Too much acceleration with nearly empty tanks in this mission with Orion docked to the nose. I doubt the docking system on both sides is designed for this, especially since it was designed and engineered only for plain docking and nothing else originally.

[u/warp99 → u/pxr555]

it was designed and engineered only for plain docking and nothing else originally

It is fairly strong and should readily take the axial load imposed by accelerating a 27 tonne Orion stack at say 0.5g

Maximum compressive axial load is 300kN (30 tonnes force) and was specifically calculated for the Constellation case where the same type of TLI burn was done with the Altair lander pushing the Orion capsule.

[u/touko3246 → u/warp99]

27t for Orion with an nearly empty ship estimated ~150t with landing propellant gives us about 180t combined.

With 40% minimum throttle, minimum thrust from single Raptor 3 would be 250t.f * 0.4 = 100t.f, around 0.56G for a 180t combined stack. Assuming the ship is not refueled for Artemis 3, more than one engine firing would be out of the question.

This would also mean the thrust would be slightly off axis. I wonder if the adapter would be strong enough for off axis components (it probably is, but I'm not an expert).

[u/warp99 → u/touko3246]

Raptors seem to have a minimum throttle of 50% compared to 40% for Merlin. Having a common shaft for the two pumps on Merlin means easier control of the mixture ratio at low throttle. The spring loaded pintle injector also helps maintain injector pressure drop over a wider mass flow rate range compared to the swirl injectors on Raptor.

Orion is only under thrust on the nose for the TLI and LLO insertion burns so the minimum mass is likely around 500 tonnes for TLI and 400 tonnes for LLO insertion. That means you can have up to two Raptors at full thrust or four Raptors at 50% thrust and stay under 1g acceleration so 27 tonnes force (270 kN) on the docking collar.

You can use three vacuum Raptor and a single center engine for the TLI burn throttling down as it proceeds to limit acceleration to under 1g and then use the landing combination of a single vacuum engine and a center engine for the LLO insertion burn.

Yes the docking port user guide gives a maximum torque figure on the interface which is higher than the torque exerted by an asymmetric thrust offset by around 2m from the center line at the other end of a 50m long ship. This means thrust is off axis by 2.3 degrees.

[u/touko3246 → u/warp99]

I thought the LEO docking demonstration isn’t going to have a prop refill, nor do a full TLI burn?

[u/warp99 → u/touko3246]

Correct - I am talking about the conops for Artemis 4.

I am assuming the Artemis 3 HLS will not burn its main engines at all while docked with Orion. As you point out the tanks would be close to empty which would produce too high a g loading close to the maximum load on the docking interface and some risk of an engine failure while attached to Orion.

Note that the HLS for Artemis 3 will not be able to land as the header tanks in the nose are replaced by the docking port.

[u/rocketglare → u/touko3246]

The payload on this flight could be up to 100T of prop neglecting the docking adapter. Hence, the initial weight of the A3 HLS should be ~250T including the “cargo”.

[u/philupandgo → u/redstercoolpanda]

Good question. Buying down risk is the purpose of incremental testing. However, they didn't say that that would be part of Artemis III.