Luilly🚀

Starlink-equipped buoys provided real-time video streaming in the Indian Ocean during Starship's twelfth flight test

Starship flip and landing burn at the end of its twelfth flight test

SpaceX has just released a massive new list of changes in Starship V3, which is now scheduled to launch on May 19th: Super Heavy V3 Changes Grid Fin Redesign: • Reduced from 4 fins to 3 • Each fin is now: 50% larger, stronger, repositioned for better catching/lifting • Lowered on booster to reduce heat exposure during hot staging • Fin hardware moved inside fuel tank for protection Integrated Hot Stage: • Removes the old disposable interstage shield • Booster dome now directly exposed to upper-stage engine ignition • Tank pressure + steel shielding protect structure • Interstage actuators retract after separation for protection New Fuel Transfer System: • Massive redesign of fuel transfer tube • Roughly the size of a Falcon 9 first stage • Allows: simultaneous startup of all 33 Raptors, faster and more reliable flip maneuvers Engine Bay / Thermal Protection Changes: • Engine shrouds removed entirely • New shielding added between engines • Propulsion + avionics more tightly integrated • CO₂ fire suppression system removed • Simpler and lighter aft section Propellant Loading Improvements: • Moved from 1 quick disconnect to 2 separate systems • Adds redundancy • Reduces complexity of pad interfaces Starship V3 Changes Completely Redesigned Propulsion System: • Clean-sheet redesign • Supports: new Raptor startup method, larger propellant volume and improved reaction control system • Reduces trapped/leaked propellant risk Aft Section Simplification: • Fluid + electrical systems rerouted • Engine shrouds deleted • Large aft cavity removed Flap Actuation Upgrade: • Changed from: 2 actuators per flap to 1 actuator with 3 motors • Improves:, redundancy, mass efficiency, cost Faster Starlink Deployment: • Upgraded PEZ dispenser • Faster satellite deployment speeds Long-Duration Spaceflight Capability: • New systems added for: long orbital coasts, orbital refueling, cryogenic fluid management, vacuum, insulated header systems and high-voltage cryogenic recirculation Ship-to-Ship Docking + Refueling: • Added 4 docking drogues • Added propellant transfer connections • Directly supports in-space refueling architecture Avionics Upgrades Massive Electrical System Upgrade: • ~60 custom avionics units • Batteries/inverters/high-voltage systems integrated together • ~9 MW peak power capability Better Navigation + Redundancy: • New multi-sensor navigation system • Designed for precision autonomous flight Propellant Monitoring in Space: • New RF sensors measure propellant levels in microgravity • Important for orbital refueling missions Camera + Connectivity Upgrades: • ~50 onboard camera views • 480 Mbps Starlink connectivity onboard • Low-latency redundant communications Raptor 3 Engine Changes Higher Thrust: • Sea-level Raptors: • Increased from: 230 tf → 250 tf 507k lbf → 551k lbf Vacuum Raptors: Increased from: 258 tf → 275 tf 568k lbf → 606k lbf Lower Mass: • Sea-level engine mass reduced: 1630 kg → 1525 kg Simpler Design: • Sensors/controllers integrated into engine body • Removes need for engine shrouds • New ignition system for all variants • Huge Vehicle-Level Weight Savings • ~1 ton saved per engine across vehicle systems Launch Pad 2 Upgrades (Starbase) Faster Propellant Loading: • Larger propellant farm • More pumps • Faster fueling operations Chopstick Improvements: • Shorter arms for faster movement • Switched from hydraulic → electromechanical actuators • Better reliability + redundancy Stronger Quick Disconnect Arm: • Reinforced and redesigned • Swings farther away during launch Launch Mount Redesign: • Better load handling • Improved launch protection • Improved throwback reliability New Flame Diverter System: • Bidirectional flame diverter • Designed to eliminate ablation/refurbishment after launch Hardened Propellant Systems: • Methane and oxygen systems separated • Valves/filters moved into protected bunker • Improves safety and reliability SpaceX: "Together, these new elements are designed to enable a step-change in Starship capabilities and aim to unlock the vehicle’s core functions, including full and rapid reuse, in-space propellant transfer, deployment of Starlink satellites and orbital data centers, and the ability to send people and cargo to the Moon and Mars." This is going to be an epic flight! 🚀

Starship’s twelfth flight test will debut the next generation Starship and Super Heavy vehicles, powered by the next evolution of the Raptor engine and launching from a newly designed pad at Starbase. The launch is targeted as early as Tuesday, May 19 → spacex.com/launches/stars…

Launch rehearsal complete. During a flight-like countdown, more than 5,000 metric tonnes (11+ million pounds) of propellant were loaded on the fully stacked Starship and Super Heavy V3 vehicles for the first time

Full duration and full thrust 33-engine static fire with Super Heavy V3

Assuming $15 B for Starship is true ($3B from 2025). It's helpful context to remember that the EU fined Google $10 B+ in 2025 alone - more than 3x the annual cost of building a multi-planetary rocket and manufacturing city. Said another way... The EU siphoned 3 years worth of technological progress to pay for bureaucrats salaries and pet projects. I don't even want to know what this looks like when we start tallying up all the rest of the waste. Clearly there is nuance to these figures, but the overarching point stands. x.com/i/trending/205…

Three years since the first flight of Starship, the next generation is here. New ship. New booster. New engines. New pad and new test site. SpaceX engineers are working to solve one of the most difficult engineering challenges in history: developing a fully, rapidly reusable rocket

Elon Musk gives an inside tour of SpaceX's Starbase factory — where Starship, the largest flying object ever made, comes to life

Getting closer to Starship launch! 🚀

Initial Super Heavy V3 and Starbase Pad 2 activation campaign complete, wrapping up several days of testing that loaded cryogenic fuel and oxidizer on a V3 vehicle for the first time. While the 10-engine static fire ended early due to a ground-side issue, we saw successful startup on all installed Raptor 3 engines. Next up: preparing the booster for a 33-engine static fire

Over the coming days, we’ll conduct a series of tests to activate Pad 2 at Starbase, exercise new propellant loading operations, and operate a vehicle with new Raptor 3 engines installed for the first time

Booster 19's grid fins have been tested!

Ship 39 cryoproof operations complete, the first campaign with a next generation Starship V3. Across several days, engineers tested the vehicle’s redesigned propellant system and its structural strength, including squeeze tests to mimic the forces of future ship catches

New white heat shield tiles are being installed on the leeward side of a nose cone in Starfactory tonight. 3/6/26

The notice we've all been anticipating. Beach closure on March 9th or March 10th/11th between 08:00 and 20:00 all 3 days.

🚨LAUNCH SITE EXPANSION: SpaceX is performing the largest expansion in its Starship launch site history. At the same time, Pad 2 is made ready for Flight 12, and Pad 1 is being updated. Parallel execution enables SpaceX to be faster than anyone else. 🔥 📸@Jordanguidry6 🚁@redlineheli

Took a boat trip down the Rio Grande today for an up-close view of Ship 39. She's looking amazing! Massive thanks to @AnthonyFGomez and Rocket Ranch for the awesome tour. @NASASpaceflight

Ship 39 from the Rio Grande