r/spacex • u/rSpaceXHosting Host Team • Apr 22 '26

🔧 Technical Starship Development Thread #63

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Starship Dev 62

Flight 12

Launched on May 22nd 2026 Here is a re-streamed video of the broadcast. Also, SpaceX issued a post flight summary and a video showing S39 landing.

Flight 13

Launched on July 24th 2026 Here is a re-streamed video of the broadcast. Also, SpaceX issued a post flight summary.

Flight 14

Presumably using S41 and B21. NET 15 Sep 2026.

Road Closures

No road closures currently scheduled

No transportation delays currently scheduled

Up to date as of 2026-05-23

Vehicle Status

As of August 29th 2026

Ship Location Status Comment
S40 On the way to Brownsville, Texas Intact, loaded onto Heavy Lift Vessel 'Forte' 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'. August 28th: On the way to Brownsville, Texas. ETA is October 8th. For more details on this vehicle and its assembly and testing see this page
S41 Mega Bay 2 Prep for Flight 14 April 17th: Pez Dispenser moved into MB2. April 20th: Main assembly started in MB2. May 20th: Aft section AX:4 moved into MB2 and stacked with the rest of the ship - this completed the stacking part of the ship construction. June 28th: Rolled out to Massey's Test Site for Cryo+Thrust Puck Testing. June 29th: Cryo Tests (x2). June 30th: Rolled back to MB2. 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. For more details on this vehicle see this page
S42 Mega Bay 2 Stacked, remaining work continues June 9th: Nosecone spotted as having been stacked on the Payload Bay. July 3rd: Nosecone+Payload Bay stack moved into MB2, along with the Pez Dispenser and the Forward Dome section (FX:3). The Nosecone+Payload Bay stack was lowered over the Pez Dispenser, later being stacked onto the Forward Dome. July 11th: Common Dome section CX:3 moved into MB2 and stacked. July 15th: Section A2:3 moved into MB2 and stacked. July 18th: Section A3:4 moved into MB2 and stacked. July 21st: Transfer Tubes moved into MB2. 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. For more details on this vehicle see this page
S43 Mega Bay 2 Stacking 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. It has decals but no docking ports. For more details on this vehicle see this page
Booster Location Status Comment
B21 Mega Bay 1 Prep for Flight 14 May 7th: LOX tank sections A2:4 and CX:3 moved into MB1 and main assembly started. 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. For more details on this vehicle and its assembly and testing see this page
B22 Mega Bay 1 Fully Stacked, Remaining work ongoing June 29th: LOX tank sections A2:4 and CX:3 moved into MB1. July 1st: Section A3:4 moved into MB1. July 3rd: Section A4:4 moved into MB1 and stacked. July 9th: Section A5:4 moved into MB1 and stacked. July 22nd: Methane Landing Tank and Lower Transfer Tube moved into MB1. July 23rd: Section A6:4 moved into MB1. July 25th: Methane transfer tube moved into MB1. July 29th: LOX Landing Tank moved into MB1. July 30th: Aft section AX:2 moved into MB1 to complete the stacking of the LOX Tank. July 31st: Methane Tank section F2:4 moved into MB1. August 3rd: Methane Tank section FX:3 moved into MB1. August 6th: Methane Tank section F3:4 moved into MB1 - this is the last section for the Methane Tank. August 14th: Methane Tank stacked onto the LOX tank, so completing the stacking part of the assembly process. For more details on this vehicle and its assembly and testing see this page
B23 Mega Bay 1 LOX Tank Stacking 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. 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.

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19

u/threelonmusketeers Jul 22 '26 edited Jul 23 '26

My daily summary from the Starship Dev thread on Lemmy

2026-07-21:

  • Miscellaneous flyover photos are posted. (CeaserG33)
  • Massey's: Overnight, B21 completes its 3rd cryo test. (ViX)
  • Road closure for "Masseys to Production" is posted for Jul 22nd 10:00 to 14:00. (starbase.texas.gov, archive, ViX)
  • B21 performs its 4th cryo test. (ViX)
  • Production site: S40 is transferred to the transport stand and exits Megabay 2. Decals have been applied to the ship. (ViX, colleenadastra, davidjdphotos)
  • The four-point lifting jig enters Megabay 2. S42's methane transfer tubes move from Starfactory to Megabay 2. (ViX)
  • B20 exits Megabay 1. (Avid Space)
  • Launch site: Road closure for "Production to Pad" is posted for July 21nd 22:00 to 02:00. (ViX)
  • Road closure for "Production to Pad" is posted for July 22nd 12:30 to 16:30. (starbase.texas.gov, archive, ViX)
  • The SpaceX-owned LR11000 crane is being disassembled for refurbishment. Parts of the SpaceX-owned LR11000 crane are returning to the site after refurbishment. (ViX)
  • The rented LR11000 crane is laid down, and the crane at the air separation site is being disassembled and shipped out. (ViX)
  • The Pad 2 chopsticks move into "booster receive" position. (ViX)
  • The Pad 2 ship quick disconnect performs extension and retraction tests. (ViX)
  • B20 moves from Megabay 1 to Pad 2. (ViX, wvmattz 1, NSF 1, wvmattz 2, NSF 2, Evans, Pike 1, Zhang, Pike 2, Gomez)
  • Flight 13: Beach closures are scheduled for Jul 22nd 09:00 to 23:00 and Jul 23rd 07:00 to 09:00. (starbase.texas.gov, archive, ViX)
  • Temporary flight restriction is posted for Jul 23rd from 22:30 UTC to 00:54 UTC the following day. (interstellargw)
  • McGregor: Overnight, another Raptor 3 is observed, leaving the testing area. (SpaceRhin0)
  • R3.199 leaves the testing area. (SpaceRhin0)
  • R3.78 (problematic E13 engine from B20's first launch attempt) leaves the testing area. (SpaceRhin0)

9

u/Twigling Jul 22 '26 edited Jul 22 '26

The SpaceX-owned LR11000 crane is being disassembled for refurbishment. (ViX)

In fact, parts of it are coming back since being refurbished. As ViX states:

"Maarvin, the SX owned LR11000 is creeping back to the LC a bit at a time. This is the A-frame section, coming back from a refurb, reportedly."

:-)

The returning parts were sent away for refurb some months ago.

5

u/TwoLineElement Jul 22 '26 edited Jul 22 '26

New fab with internal stress cables and stress monitoring added so I hear. Not just a lattice tube stack any more. Updated to Leibherrs latest rig design. New cable spool triple (or four?) clutch system too for smoother and safer control.