SpaceX
SpaceX test-fires Falcon 9 Block 5 booster for upgraded rocket’s fifth launch
After a couple of weeks of mysterious delays, SpaceX is once again back in the saddle for its next orbital mission and has successfully completed Falcon 9’s routine prelaunch wet dress rehearsal and static fire. This rocket will launch Telstar 19V’s (launched in July) sister communications satellite Telstar 18V to a high-energy transfer orbit at 11:28 PM EDT, September 8 (03:28 UTC, September 9).
SpaceX’s static fire testing – conducted once in Texas with just the first stage and once at the launch site with the upper stage attached – is very nearly identical to a real launch, save for the fact that the rocket is not allowed to actually lift off from the pad, and only ignites its main engines for a handful of seconds.
Static fire test of Falcon 9 complete—targeting September 8 launch of Telstar 18 VANTAGE from Pad 40 in Florida.
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) September 5, 2018
Almost entirely unique to SpaceX in the launch industry, Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy are perhaps the only operational (orbital-class) rockets in the world to still conduct routine test fires of integrated segments, including both boosters, upper stages, and even Dragon spacecraft thrusters (both Crew and Cargo variants). Other launch providers like ULA, Arianespace, and Roscosmos will typically test engines individually, but that testing is often not even routine – spot checks more than anything systematic.
In fact, SpaceX’s system of hardware testing as extraordinarily extensive. Aside from test firing integrated boosters and upper stages, SpaceX doubles down on that testing both at the launch site and in Texas. Prior to integrated testing, essentially all rocket engines (sea-level Merlin 1Ds, vacuum Merlin 1Ds, SuperDraco thrusters, Draco thrusters, and Falcon’s cold gas maneuvering thrusters) are hot-fire (or cold-fire, in the case of the cold gas thrusters) tested in Texas after completing assembly in Hawthorne.
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- The second Block 5 booster, B1047, debuted at LC-40 on July 21. (Tom Cross)
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- Falcon 9 B1049 arrived at the launch pad just hours after the successful launch of Telkom-4, August 7. This rocket will launch Telstar 18V before landing on drone ship Of Course I Still Love You. (Tom Cross)
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- The first Block 5 Falcon 9 lifts off on May 4, 2018. (Tom Cross)
After that, the individual rocket engines and thrusters are shipped back to Hawthorne, integrated into their Dragon, Falcon upper stage, or Falcon booster parent rocket, and then shipped back to Texas once more for integrated test-fires, shipped to their launch site, and test-fired yet again (in the case of Falcon 9 and Heavy, not Dragon). This extraordinarily systematic testing apparatus is without a doubt unique to SpaceX, with the only closest comparison being found in small launch startup Rocket Lab, which is also extensively vertically integrated, including in-house tests of all engines prior to shipment.
Much like modern aircraft (particularly airliners) routinely test all critical systems prior to takeoff, particularly a full-thrust engine check with brakes applied, SpaceX and Rocket Lab are explicitly attempting to replicate in spaceflight the sort of practices that have helped to make air travel perhaps the safest and most reliable method of transportation ever created by humans.
@SpaceXFleet My roommate (@Kraken_Brad) just sent me this from Fishlips. #OCISLY movin out! pic.twitter.com/QE0ObV9i79
— Stephen Marr (@spacecoast_stve) September 4, 2018
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Elon Musk
Elon Musk gives nod to SpaceX’s massive, previously impossible feat
It was the booster’s 30th flight, a scenario that seemed impossible before SpaceX became a dominant force in spaceflight.
Elon Musk gave a nod to one of SpaceX’s most underrated feats today. Following the successful launch of the Transporter-15 mission, SpaceX seamlessly landed another Falcon 9 booster on a droneship in the middle of the ocean.
It was the booster’s 30th flight, a scenario that seemed impossible before SpaceX became a dominant force in spaceflight.
Elon Musk celebrates a veteran Falcon 9 booster’s feat
SpaceX completed another major milestone for its Smallsat Rideshare program on Friday, successfully launching and deploying 140 spacecraft aboard a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base. The mission, known as Transporter-15, lifted off two days later than planned after a scrub attributed to a ground systems issue, according to SpaceFlight Now. SpaceX confirmed that all payloads designed to separate from the rocket were deployed as planned.
The Falcon 9 used for this flight was booster B1071, one of SpaceX’s most heavily flown rockets. With its 30th mission completed, it becomes the second booster in SpaceX’s fleet to reach that milestone. B1071’s manifest includes five National Reconnaissance Office missions, NASA’s SWOT satellite, and several previous rideshare deployments, among others. Elon Musk celebrated the milestone on X, writing “30 flights of the same rocket!” in his post.
Skeptics once dismissed reusability as unfeasible
While rocket landings are routine for SpaceX today, that was not always the case. Industry veterans previously questioned whether reusable rockets could ever achieve meaningful cost savings or operational reliability, often citing the Space Shuttle’s partial reusability as evidence of failure.
-->In 2016, Orbital ATK’s Ben Goldberg argued during a panel that even if rockets could be reusable, they do not make a lot of sense. He took issue with Elon Musk’s claims at the time, Ars Technica reported, particularly when the SpaceX founder stated that fuel costs account for just a fraction of launch costs.
Goldberg noted that at most, studies showed only a 30% cost reduction for low-Earth orbit missions by using a reusable rocket. “You’re not going to get 100-fold. These numbers aren’t going to change by an order of magnitude. They’re just not. That’s the state of where we are today,” he said.
Former NASA official Dan Dumbacher, who oversaw the Space Launch System, expressed similar doubts in 2014, implying that if NASA couldn’t make full reusability viable, private firms like SpaceX faced steep odds.
Elon Musk
SpaceX’s Starship program is already bouncing back from Booster 18 fiasco
Just over a week since Booster 18 met its untimely end, SpaceX is now busy stacking Booster 19, and at a very rapid pace, too.
SpaceX is already bouncing back from the fiasco that it experienced during Starship Booster 18’s initial tests earlier this month.
Just over a week since Booster 18 met its untimely end, SpaceX is now busy stacking Booster 19, and at a very rapid pace, too.
Starship V3 Booster 19 is rising
As per Starbase watchers on X, SpaceX rolled out the fourth aft section of Booster 19 to Starbase’s MegaBay this weekend, stacking it to reach 15 rings tall with just a few sections remaining. This marks the fastest booster assembly to date at four sections in five days. This is quite impressive, and it bodes well for SpaceX’s Starship V3 program, which is expected to be a notable step up from the V2 program, which was retired after a flawless Flight 11.
Starship watcher TankWatchers noted the tempo on X, stating, “During the night the A4 section of Booster 19 rolled out to the MegaBay. With 4 sections in just 5 days, this is shaping up to be the fastest booster stack ever.” Fellow Starbase watcher TestFlight echoed the same sentiments. “Booster 19 is now 15 rings tall, with 3 aft sections remaining!” the space enthusiast wrote.
Aggressive targets despite Booster 18 fiasco
SpaceX’s V3 program encountered a speed bump earlier this month when Booster 18, just one day after rolling out into the factory, experienced a major anomaly during gas system pressure testing at SpaceX’s Massey facility in Starbase, Texas. While no propellant was loaded, no engines were installed, and no one was injured in the incident, the unexpected end of Booster 18 sparked speculation that the Starship V3 program could face delays.
-->Despite the Booster 18 fiasco, however, SpaceX announced that “Starship’s twelfth flight test remains targeted for the first quarter of 2026.” Elon Musk shared a similar timeline on X earlier this year, with the CEO stating that “ V3 is a massive upgrade from the current V2 and should be through production and testing by end of year, with heavy flight activity next year.”
Considering that Booster 19 seems to be moving through its production phases quickly, perhaps SpaceX’s Q1 2026 target for Flight 12 might indeed be more than feasible.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk shares SpaceX’s directive that destroys a prevalent media narrative
Musk’s comments followed Starlink’s initiatives for people affected by severe flooding in Indonesia and Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka.
Elon Musk recently shared SpaceX’s standing policy to offer free Starlink service during natural disasters worldwide, highlighting the company’s commitment to pursue aid over profit during times of need.
Musk’s comments followed Starlink’s initiatives for people affected by severe flooding in Indonesia and Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka.
Starlink activates free service in Indonesia and Sri Lanka
Starlink recently announced free service for those impacted by severe flooding in Indonesia’s Sumatra region, partnering with the government to deploy terminals rapidly to the hardest-hit areas. The offer extends to new and existing customers through December, restoring connectivity in zones where traditional networks have failed due to infrastructure damage.
Musk quoted the post on X, writing, “SpaceX standard policy is to make Starlink free whenever there is a natural disaster somewhere in the world. It would not be right to profit from misfortune.”
Starlink extended the same relief to Sri Lanka amid Cyclone Ditwah, coordinating with local authorities for additional support. The cyclone battered the island nation with heavy rains and winds, disrupting communications for thousands. Free access also lasts until year-end, emphasizing Starlink’s role in bridging gaps during crises.
-->“For those affected by the severe flooding in Indonesia and Sri Lanka in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah, Starlink is providing free service to new and existing customers through the end of December 2025. We’re also working with the Indonesian government to rapidly deploy terminals and restore connectivity to the hardest-hit areas on Sumatra, as well as with the Sri Lankan government to provide additional assistance,” Starlink wrote in a post on its official website.
Musk’s companies routinely provide aid
Musk’s firms have a track record of providing critical support in crises, often without fanfare, challenging portrayals of him as a comic book villain intent on enriching himself on the backs of a suffering populace. In January 2024 alone, Tesla opened Superchargers for free in Japan’s Hokuriku region after a magnitude 7.6 earthquake killed at least 55 and injured hundreds.
Similar efforts include Starlink deployments for the 2023 Maui wildfires, 2024 Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, and floods in Texas, where the service was used to help facilitate emergency coordination. These actions, which total millions in waived fees and logistics, demonstrate a proactive ethos among Musk’s companies, with Musk noting in past interviews that such aid stems from engineering solutions over optics.
The initiatives also provide a direct rebuttal of Musk’s characterization on mainstream media, which tends to lean negatively. This has become much more notable in recent years as Musk adopted more conservative policies. These negative sentiments came to a head earlier this year when Tesla stores, vehicles, and even some owners, were attacked during waves of anti-Tesla protests.
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