Flight 12 vehicles readying for 2026 opener

on

SpaceX is rapidly advancing the assembly of Super Heavy Booster 19 at its Starbase facility, aiming to complete stacking by the end of December and minimize delays to the program’s next orbital flight test following the failure of Booster 18 last month.

With Ship 39 also at an advanced stage of preparation, both vehicles will next undergo a series of tests at Masseys ahead of a potential launch in the February to March timeframe.

The company has targeted rapid progress on Booster 19 to keep Starship Flight 12 — the debut of upgraded Block 3 vehicles — on track for early 2026.

Recent observations show significant milestones: after welding the liquid oxygen (LOX) tank to the engine section (including pre-installed landing tanks and transfer tube), teams added methane tank barrels and the forward dome with its integrated hot staging ring.

By December 20, all barrel sections were delivered and stacked, achieving this in just 25 days from November 25 — half the 42 days required for Booster 17, the final Version 1 booster.

Final stacking involves completing the upper section and performing two welds to join the halves, using internal bridge cranes and a ring stand (a key visible indicator of completion). With nine days left in December, SpaceX appears poised to meet its goal.

On Tuesday, December 23, a visible sign that the full stacking of the booster is just days away.

Once stacked, the booster will require additional outfitting before cryogenic proof testing at Massey’s Outpost, though the timeline for test readiness remains fluid.

Progress on Ship 39, the first Version 3 upper stage and planned partner for Booster 19 on Flight 12, continues inside Mega Bay 2.
Fully stacked since November, the vehicle recently saw a swap of its composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs), with several units staged outside and crane activity observed. This follows enhancements introduced after a COPV failure caused Ship 36’s destruction in June.

While unconfirmed, the timing raises questions given the location of Booster 18’s LOX tank rupture near COPV storage in the chines, though SpaceX described the anomaly only as occurring during a gas system test.

The COPV exchange suggests more internal work than anticipated at this stage. Ship 39 awaits cryogenic proof testing on the thrust simulator stand at Massey’s, which applies simulated Raptor engine loads. Post-testing, it will return to the bay for Raptor engine installation ahead of the first Version 3 static fire campaign.

Upgrades at Massey’s ship static fire area include installation of a new truss structure, potentially for improved vehicle access during engine tests.

SpaceX is validating the redesigned Version 3 engine section through test tanks, with S39.1 — the sole Version 3 ship test article to date — recently completing its role.
The tank underwent three cryogenic-loaded tests on the ship thrust simulator stand earlier this month. Last week, teams removed it from the stand and returned the stand to the Sanchez site.

It was unclear if further testing is planned for S39.1 or if its campaign is complete, freeing resources for Ship 39’s upcoming tests. However, on Monday night, the tank rolled back down Highway 4, marking the end of its testing.

These parallel efforts highlight SpaceX’s aggressive iteration on Starship’s Block 3 design, featuring enhanced performance and reusability features critical for future missions.

As far as the launch date for this first flight of Block 3, sources point to March as the most likely viable timeframe. This launch will mark numerous firsts, from the vehicle, its Raptor 3 engines, and the first use of the upgraded Pad 2 architecture that will be mirrored at Pad 1, along with 39A and SLC-37 on the East Coast.

Merry Christmas from the entire NSF team!

 

The post Flight 12 vehicles readying for 2026 opener appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.



Comments

Post a Comment