SpaceX Starship page

FAQ

  1. When next launch? (Flight 10) Targeting August 26th, per SpaceX.
  2. When previous launch? (Flight 9) Starship flight 9 launched at about 23:36:29 UTC May 27.
  3. What was the result? Ship reached a suborbital path with a 189 km apogee. It lost attitude control during coast and tumbled during reentry, with loss of signal at about 59 km altitude." (Jonathan McDowell) - Booster experiences rapid unscheduled disassembly immediately after landing burn startup. (Golden, SpaceX 1, SpaceX 2)

Previous Flights

Click to expand
  • Flight 1: S24 and B7. First full stack launch, RUD before stage separation.
  • Flight 2: S25 and B9. Successful stage separation, booster RUD during boostback burn, ship RUD shortly prior to scheduled SECO.
  • Flight 3: S28 and B10. Booster performs a successful boostback burn, but experiences RUD during landing burn. Ship makes it past SECO, but loses attitude control and is destroyed on reentry.
  • Flight 4: S29 and B11. First successful booster water landing. Ship survives reentry despite burn-through on forward flap, and performs a successful water landing.
  • Flight 5: S30 and B12. First booster catch with chopsticks. Ship performs successful water landing.
  • Flight 6: S31 and B13. Booster offshore divert due to damage to catch tower during launch. Ship performs successful water landing.
  • Flight 7: S33 and B14-1. First V2 Ship launch. Harmonic oscillation on ship causes RUD before SECO. Booster is caught by chopsticks.
  • Flight 8: S34 and B15-1. Engine failure on ship causes RUD before SECO. Booster is caught by chopsticks.
  • Flight 9: S35 and B14-2. First booster reflight. Ship makes it past SECO, but loses attitude control and is destroyed on reentry. Booster RUD upon landing burn startup prior to planned splashdown.

Quick Links

Nerdle Cam | Lab Cam | Sapphire Cam | Sentinel Cam | Rover Cam | Rover 2.0 Cam | Rocket Ranch Cam | Plex Cam | NSF Starbase Live

Flight 10 launch thread | Starship Dev July | Starship Dev June | Starship Dev May | Flight 9 launch thread | Starship Dev April | Flight 8 launch thread | Starship Dev March

Official SpaceX Starship Update Video (2024-04-06)

Road closures, road delays, and beach closures

Vehicle Status

*As of 2025-08-22

Ship Location Status Comment
SN2 Rocket Garden Scrapped Aug 19th.
S20 Rocket Garden Pending scrapping?
Test Tank 16 Sanchez Resting Cryo tested four times between July and September. Sliding plates added to the catch points on Jan 27th. Moved to Sanchez Mar 15th.
S35 Indian Ocean Destroyed Parts spotted Sep 20th. Forward flap installation Dec 3rd. Nosecone stacked on payload bay Dec 11th. Stacked by Feb 7th. Cryo tested Mar 11th. Single-engine static fire Apr 30th, six-engine static fire May 1st. R-vac likely replaced May 6th. Static fired May 12th. Spin prime May 22nd. Rolled out and stacked May 25th. Launched May 27th. Ship lost attitude control shortly after SECO and broke up during reentry.
S36 Massey’s Destroyed Parts spotted in December. Stacking began Jan 30th. Moved to Megabay 2 Feb 12th. Stacking completed Mar 11th. Cryo tested Apr 27th. Single-engine static fire Jun 16th. RUD Jun 18th.
S37 Stacked on B16 Pending launch Parts spotted in December. Forward dome section moves to Megabay 2 Mar 24th. Cryo tested May 30th. Forward flaps installed Jul 20th. (ViX 1, ViX 2) Aft flaps installed Jul 23rd and Jul 24th. Single-engine static fire Jul 31st, six-engine static fire Aug 1st. R-vac swap on Aug 5th. Six-engine spin prime Aug 13th.
S38 Megabay 2 Pending engine install Parts spotted in December. Nosecone stacked on payload bay as of Mar 28th. Rolls to Massey’s Jul 28th. Cryo tested Jul 30th. Rolls back to Megabay 2 Aug 1st. Aft flap installed Aug 25th.
S39 Starfactory Assembly Parts spotted (Apr 9th). Forward flaps installed July 29th and 31st.
S40 Starfactory Assembly Parts spotted (Apr 10th).
S41 Starfactory Assembly Parts spotted (May 10th).
S42 Starfactory Assembly Parts spotted (Jul 4th).
S43 Starfactory Assembly Parts spotted (Jul 4th).
S44 Starfactory Assembly Parts spotted (Jul 4th).
S45 Starfactory Assembly
Booster Location Status Comment
B12 Megabay 1 Pending scrapping? Cryo x2, Static fire Jul 15th. Full stack cryo tests Sep 23rd and Oct 7th. FTS installed Oct 9th. Launched as IFT-5 on Oct 13, returned to launch site for successful chopstick catch. Moved to Megabay 1 Oct 15th.
B14 Gulf of Mexico Destroyed Stacked Apr 26th, Cryo tested Oct 4th and 5th. Static fired Dec 9th. FTS installed Jan 3rd. Wet dress rehearsal performed Jan 10th. Launched and landed Jan 16th. Static fired Apr 3rd. Stacked on launch mount May 13th. Destacked May 16th. Rolled back May 17th. Rolled out May 24th. Launched May 27th. RUD immediately after landing burn startup.
B15 Rocket Garden Resting Stacked from July to September. Methane tank cryo test Dec 27th, full cryo test Dec 28th. Static fired Feb 9th. Launched and landed Mar 6th.
B16 Pad 1 Pending launch Stacking completed by Dec 26th. Cryo tested Feb 28th. Static fired Jun 6th. FTS potentially installed Jun 18th. Hot staging adapter removed Jun 19th. FTS installed Aug 17th. Rolled out to launch site Aug 21st.
B17 Rocket Garden Pending engine install Parts spotted. First two sections moved to Megabay 1 Jan 4th. Fully stacked by Apr 7th. Cryo tested Apr 9th.
B18.1 / Test Tank 17 Massey’s Cryo testing Test article for Booster v3. Parts spotted Feb 24th, Apr 21. Cryo tested Jun 2nd and 3rd.
B18 Megabay 1 Stacking Parts spotted May 19th.
B19 Starfactory Stacking Parts spotted Aug 11th.

Resources

  • threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.worksOPMEnglish
    2·
    18 hours ago

    Starbase activities (2025-08-29):

    • Aug 28th cryo delivery tally. (ViX)
    • Quiet Friday.
    • Killip notes that on the booster V3 test tank, the grid fin actuation motors are located inside the methane tank rather than above it.

    McGregor:

    • R3.8 leaves the testing area after an 11 day test campaign. (Rhin0)
    • R3.35, the highest serial number yet, is delivered to the testing area. (Rhin0)
    • Rhin0 identifies several previously flown engines by their dent marks. (NSF, Rhin0)

    Florida:

  • threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.worksOPMEnglish
    2·
    18 hours ago

    Starbase activities (2025-08-28):

    • Aug 27th cryo delivery tally. (ViX)
    • Proposed plans for Starbase launch site expansion are released. Upgrades include sites for natural gas liquefaction and liquid methane generation, and a flame trench for Pad 1. (US Army Corps of Engineers, direct PDF link)

    McGregor:

    • R3.16 rolls back from the test area. (Rhin0)

    Flight 6:

    Flight 10:

    • Starship Gazer posts 4k launch video.
    • SpaceX post buoy video (and drone video?) of S37 landing burn.
    • Heatshield discolouration: “The red color is from some metallic test tiles that oxidized and the white is from insulation of areas where we deliberately removed tiles.” (Elon 1, Elon 2)
    • Heatshield tile attachment: “Worth noting that the heat shield tiles almost entirely stayed attached, so the latest upgrades are looking good!” (Elon)
    • Emphasis on “almost”: (mcrs987 1, mcrs987 2, Jodo42)
  • threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.worksOPMEnglish
    3·
    18 hours ago

    Starbase activities (2025-08-27):

    • Aug 26th post-launch cryo delivery tally. (ViX)
    • Build site: Booster V3 test tank is spotted in Starfactory. (Starship Gazer, Sorensen)
    • S38 aft flap 2 of 2 is installed. (ViX)

    Flight 10:

    • Jonathan McDowell calculates a delta-V estimate for the in-space raptor relight of approximately 22 m/s posigrade. (McDowell 1, McDowell 2)
    • mcrs987 posts a timelapse of the ship attitude graphic.
    • LabPadre post Rover 1 timelapse of B16 mushroom cloud.
    • SapphireCam view of liftoff. (ViX)
    • Shaun Gisler posts video of launch.
    • SpaceX post upskirt camera angle of liftoff.

    Future:

    • V3 launch NET end of 2025. V4 NET 2027. “Probably closer to 150m height and 7500 tons.” (Elon)
    • Ship catch NET Flight 13. (Dodd, Elon)
    • threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.worksOPMEnglish
      1·
      3 days ago

      posigrade

      According to the KSP forums, posigrade is relative to the velocity of the rocket, while prograde is relative to the rotation of the parent body. Since almost all rockets launch eastward, the two have (somewhat unfortunately) become synonymous.

      Interestingly, I can’t find a distinct antonym of posigrade. Prograde, retrograde, posigrade… negagrade?

  • threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.worksOPMEnglish
    3·
    5 days ago

    Starbase activities (2025-08-26):

    Flight 10:

    • Road is closed. (BocaRoad)
    • 16:03: Vessels Ashton T and Brian T are in position to support offshore operations. (Cornwell)
    • 17:00: The vessel Offshore Supplier is operating in the Indian Ocean at the planned splashdown site. (Cornwell)
    • 18:30: Liftoff! (SpaceX, NSF, D Wise, Gisler)
    • T+01:33, Raptor engine R-41 in position E8 (middle ring) shuts down prematurely. ((Timestamped video, engine layout from Rhin0)
    • T+02:43: Norminal MECO, hot staging, boostback burn. (SpaceX, NSF)
    • T+06:17: Booster landing burn seemed to go to plan. (SpaceX, NSF)
    • T+16:57: Payload door opens. (NSF)
    • T+19:05: Successful payload deploy of all eight Starlink simulators. (SpaceX, NSF)
    • T+37:54: Successful in-space raptor relight. (SpaceX, NSF)
    • Ship maintains attitude during reentry. (SpaceX, NSF 1, NSF 2)
    • T+46:59: Partial structural failure of something in the aft skirt. (NSF, Golden)
    • Minor damage to aft end of aft flaps. (NSF, Hansen)
    • T+1:00:03: Aft flaps are stress-tested. (NSF)
    • T+1:06:17: Norminal landing burn and on-target splashdown in the Indian Ocean. The windward side of the ship turned a toasty orange-brown colour. (SpaceX, NSF, Golden, Anderson)
    • Jonathan McDowell calculates (sub)orbital parameters: 192 km apogee, perigee somewhere between -2 to +10 km. (McDowell 1, McDowell 2)
  • threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.worksOPMEnglish
    3·
    6 days ago

    Starbase activities (2025-08-25):

    • Aug 24th cryo delivery tally. (ViX)
    • Cause of Aug 24th scrub: “Ground side liquid oxygen leak needs to be fixed.” (Elon)
    • Launch site: Overnight, workers replace the LOX hose on the ship quick disconnect. (NSF, LabPadre 1, LabPadre 2, Starship Gazer, ViX)
    • Build site: Overnight, a 3-ring barrel section rolls into Megabay 2, likely for a V3 Ship Test tank named S39.1 or TT18. (Knaggs)
    • An aft flap is lifted into Megabay 2, presumably for installation on S38. (ViX)

    Flight 10 launch attempt, take 2:

  • threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.worksOPMEnglish
    4·
    7 days ago

    Starbase activities (2025-08-24):

    Flight 10 launch attempt:

    • Rhin0 posts the known engines on B16 and S37.
    • 03:10, 03:27: Two B16 igniter tests. (ViX)
    • 06:35: Detonation suppression system is tested. (ViX)
    • 06:55: S37 igniter test. (ViX)
    • 07:31: S37 flaps are tested. (LabPadre, ViX)
    • 11:04: Road is closed. (TrackingTheSB)
    • 11:22: Booster and ship transport stands leaving the launch site. (TrackingTheSB)
    • 13:48: Helicopter on duty. (NSF)
    • 14:22: Chopsticks open. (LabPadre, TrackingTheSB)
    • 14:42: N628TS departs PIT for Brownsville. (ElonJet)
    • 15:20: Helicopter is on standby. (NSF)
    • 15:55:48: “Bonk” noise, cars to the pad, cars depart from the pad. (ViX 1, ViX 2)
    • 16:01, 16:55: Tank farm spools up. (TrackingTheSB, ViX)
    • 17:30: Tower venting. (ViX)
    • 17:39: Launch mount venting. (ViX)
    • 17:43: Go for propellant load. (SpaceX)
    • 17:54: Ship propellant loading underway. (SpaceX)
    • 18:00: Booster propellant loading underway. (SpaceX)
    • Propellant loading begins, then pauses at T-39:55. (NSF, ViX 1, ViX 2)
    • 18:13: Launch is scrubbed due to “an issue with ground systems”. (SpaceX)
    • 22:09: Workers are observed on the ship quick disconnect arm. (Golden)
    • SpaceX are currently targeting a 24-hour recycle, Aug 25th 18:30. (Starship Gazer)
  • threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.worksOPMEnglish
    5·
    18 days ago

    Starbase activities (2025-08-13):

    McGregor:

    • R3 #thirty-something heads towards the test area. (Rhin0)
    • R3 #29 leaves the testing area. (Rhin0, Swartz)
    • R3 #21 heads towards the testing area. (Rhin0)
    • New shielding is spotted on the Raptor 3 the valve assembly. (Rhin0)
  • threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.worksOPMEnglish
    5·
    16 days ago

    Starbase activities (2025-08-15):

    Flight 9:

    • The FAA have closed the Flight 9 mishap investigation. (NSF, FAA, archive)
    • SpaceX Flight 9 and Ship 36 report (archive).
    • Booster RUD on landing burn due to structural failure of the downcomer.
    • Ship S39 lost attitude control due to a leak in the methane autogenous pressurisation system. (mcrs987 diagram, photo from megagoose11 / Kevin Randolph)
    • The increased pressure in the nosecone due to the leak caused a subsequent attitude error, both of which precluded payload deployment.

    Ship 36:

    • Probable cause of the RUD was undetected damage to a composite overwrapped pressure vessel in the payload bay.
    • Upcoming flights will operate COPVs at a reduced pressure with additional inspections and testing, more stringent COPV acceptance criteria, additional non-destructive testing to detect internal damage, and external protective covers used during integration.

    Flight 10:

    I’ll likely be off-duty for the next few days.

  • threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.worksOPMEnglish
    5·
    29 days ago

    Starbase activities (2025-08-01):

    Flight-10:

    • “Tracking to launch Starship mid August.” (Elon)

    Note for Piefed users: Post pinning doesn’t seem to consistently federate from Lemmy to Piefed, but you can click “notify about replies” (on the original post, not this comment) to stay up to date with this thread.

  • threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.worksOPMEnglish
    5·
    17 days ago

    Starbase activities (2025-08-14):

    • Aug 13th cryo delivery tallies (pre-test and post-test). (ViX 1, ViX 2)
    • Build site: Overnight, S37 rolls back to Megabay 2 and is hooked up to the bridge crane. (NSF, LabPadre, ViX, Starship Gazer)
    • A vacuum raptor moves from Megabay 2 to Starfactory. (Rhin0)
    • A sea-level raptor and a vacuum raptor enter Megabay 2. (ViX 1, ViX 2)
    • Launch site: 2 cross-braced vaporisers are delivered. (ViX)
    • Ship static fire adapter is removed from the Pad 1 launch mount. (NSF, LabPadre, ViX, Starship Gazer)
    • The SpaceX LR11000 crane moves to Pad 2. (ViX)
    • At the site of the future air separation unit, the BG42 continuous flight auger drill is erected, and rebar cages are delivered. (ViX 1, ViX 2)
  • threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.worksOPMEnglish
    5·
    10 days ago

    Starbase activities addenda (2025-08-15):

    • Aug 15th cryo delivery tally. (ViX 1, ViX 2)
    • Timelapses of B18.1 / Test Tank 17 cryo testing at Massey’s. (NSF, ViX 1, ViX 2)
    • The BG42 continuous flight auger began drilling at the air separation site, concrete was poured, and a rebar cage was inserted. (ViX)
    • The Pad 1 ship quick disconnect arm retracted, the chopsticks were lowered, and the ship quick disconnect arm swung extended. (ViX)
    • The gas generators for the Pad 2 deluge system were tested. (ViX)

    Starbase activities (2025-08-16):

    Starbase activities (2025-08-17):

    • Aug 16th cryo delivery tally. (ViX)
    • Aug 16th addenda: B18.1 / Test Tank 17 performed another round of cryo testing at Massey’s. (ViX)
    • Build site: Overnight, Gigabay construction continues with the welding of rebar. (ViX)
    • A Raptor vacuum engine enters Starfactory. (ViX, Rhin0)
    • Raptor #580 is spotted heading towards S38. (ViX, Rhin0)
    • B16 flight termination system is installed. (NSF, LabPadre, ViX 1, ViX 2, Starship Gazer)

    Starbase activities (2025-08-18):

    • Aug 17th cryo delivery tally. (ViX)
    • Road delay is posted for Aug 18th from 14:00 to 16:00 for pump testing. (ViX)
    • Pump testing timelapse. Venting is visible from 14:00 to 18:30. (ViX)

    Starbase activities (2025-08-19):

    • Aug 18th cryo delivery tally. (ViX)
    • Launch site: Booster quick disconnect hood is actuated for the first time since the removal of the ship support infrastructure. (NSF, ViX)
    • Pile drilling for the air separation unit continues. (clwphoto1)
    • Road delay is posted for Aug 19th from 16:00 to 20:00 for pump testing. (ViX)
    • Annotated screenshot, timelapse, and photos of pump testing. (ViX 1, ViX 2, ViX 3, Sorensen, cnunez)
    • Road delays are posted for Aug 21st from 00:00 to 04:00 for Ringwall transport and B16 preflight transport. (ViX, Starship Gazer)
    • A new water tank is delivered for the Pad 2 deluge system. (LabPadre, ViX)
    • The gas generators for the Pad 2 deluge system are tested. (ViX, Golden)
    • Build site: Raptor 1 #59 and Raptor 2 #352 are on display in the SpaceX HQ windows. (Starship Gazer, Rhin0, cnunez)
    • SN2 is scrapped. (ViX 1, ViX 2)
    • Rhin0 identifies S38’s first raptor center engine as R1.59.

    Starbase activities (2025-08-20):

    • Aug 19th cryo and water delivery tally. (ViX 1, ViX 2)
    • Overnight, ground service equipment is tested at the Pad 2 bunker. (NSF, ViX, Starship Gazer)
    • Launch site: The water tank which was delivered the previous day is moved into position. (ViX)
    • Pad 1 booster quick disconnect testing continues. (ViX)

    Starbase activities (2025-08-21):

    Flight 10:

    McGregor:

    Florida activities:

    • Aug 18th: Two more cryogenic tanks inbound to KSC by barge, potentially destined for LC-39A. (Cornwell, NSF 1, NSF 2)
    • Aug 20th: The two cryo tanks which arrived earlier in the week move from Port Canaveral to LC-39A. (NSF 1, NSF 2)
  • threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.worksOPMEnglish
    4·
    27 days ago

    Starbase activities (2025-08-04):

    • Aug 3rd cryo delivery tally. (ViX)
    • Launch site: The LR11000 crane moves from Pad 1 to Pad 2. (ViX)
    • The ship static fire adapter moves from Pad 1 to Sanchez. (ViX)
    • The Pad 1 chopsticks open and lower. (ViX)
    • Removal of ship quick disconnect infrastructure from the Pad 1 launch mount continues. (Anderson)
    • Fifteen out of twenty hold-down clamps are reinstalled on the Pad 1 launch mount, but then removed. (ViX, rocketjunkie94)
    • Build site: Booster transport stand arrives. (efraser77 / NSF)

    Florida:

    • The FAA released the Draft Environmental Assessment for Starship launches for LC-39A. (Alexphysics13, FAA page, Executive summary (50-page PDF), Draft EIS (410-page PDF))
    • A cryo tank from Aritas is delivered in Port Canaveral. Could be destined for SpaceX, or for another launch company. (Cornwell)

    McGregor:

    • New highest serial number: RVAC R2.580 is spotted. (SpaceRhin0)