SpaceX tested the Starship's engines ahead of its planned first orbital flight
SpaceX conducted static fire tests on Ship 41—the upper stage of the Starship system—which is being prepared for the Flight 14 test mission. This flight is set to be Starship’s first trip into orbit, if everything goes according to plan, according to Space.com.
On the evening of August 19, at the Massey test site near the Starbase complex in South Texas, SpaceX conducted a single-engine test of Ship 41. One of the six Raptor 3 engines operated for approximately 15 seconds. The company stated that the test demonstrated the braking impulse needed for deorbiting, which they plan to use during future orbital missions.
On August 20, SpaceX conducted a full static fire test of all six engines on Ship 41. According to video footage from NASASpaceFlight.com, this test lasted approximately 60 seconds. Following the first static tests of Ship 41, Flight 14 could launch in early or mid-September. However, Ship 41 and its Super Heavy booster still need to undergo a series of pre-launch procedures before SpaceX deems them ready for launch.
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Flight 14 is set to be the third Starship launch in 2026 and the third mission using the updated V3 version of the rocket, which SpaceX unveiled in May. The company will likely not attempt to return Ship 41 to the launch pad; at the end of the flight, the spacecraft is expected to make a soft splashdown in the ocean. The same scenario is expected for Booster 21.
SpaceX has already successfully returned Super Heavy boosters to Starbase three times, where they were captured by the Mechazilla launch tower’s mechanical manipulators. The company has reused two of these boosters. However, the recovery of the Super Heavy V3 version has not yet been tested. The return and reuse of both stages are a key part of the Starship concept.
