News
SpaceX returns five-flight Falcon 9 booster to port as next reuse milestone nears
SpaceX, for the second time ever, has successfully recovered a Falcon 9 booster after five orbital-class launches and landings and could be just a week or so away from its next record-breaking rocket reuse.
On the morning of August 10th, after a night spent awaiting entry, tugboats carefully guided drone ship Of Course I Still Love You (OCISLY) and Falcon 9 booster B1051 to SpaceX’s Port Canaveral berths. Just three days prior, the booster completed its fifth launch and landing, sending 57 Starlink satellites and two commercial spacecraft on their way to orbit and ending an unusual six weeks of delays suffered by the Starlink-9 mission.
With Starlink-9 – SpaceX’s 13th launch of the year – now safely behind the company, work can proceed in earnest on a handful of upcoming launches.
Two days prior to B1051’s arrival in Port Canaveral, recovery ships GO Ms. Tree and GO Ms. Chief completed a safe return to port with both of Falcon 9’s Starlink-9 payload fairing halves, fished out of the Atlantic Ocean after an unsuccessful catch attempt. While disappointing that SpaceX was unable to complete back-to-back catches after the same ships nailed their first simultaneous fairing catch on July 21st, the Starlink-9 fairing should still be reusable. With any luck, SpaceX will be able to replicate some of that unprecedented success with its next several launches.
Of the two additional launches SpaceX has planned later this month, both are noteworthy. Scheduled no earlier than (NET) mid-August, SpaceX’s 10th Starlink v1.0 launch – the 11th overall – is likely up next according to well-sourced launch photographer Ben Cooper. If completed without issue, SpaceX will be ~70% of the way to a 14-launch milestone said by COO and President Gwynne Shotwell to mark the point at which the company can begin rolling out Starlink internet services for a broader public beta test.
Constellation milestones aside, NextSpaceflight.com says that SpaceX has assigned Falcon 9 booster B1049 to Starlink-9. That particular vehicle became the first orbital-class liquid rocket booster in history to launch and land five times after orbital-class missions when it helped placed the Starlink V1 L7 payload in orbit on June 4th.
If B1049 flies again in mid-August, the booster will become the first to cross the six-launch milestone just 70-80 days after it became the first to hit the five-landing mark. While impressive, that turnaround would only be the sixth or seventh fastest in SpaceX’s history of booster reuse. Still, given that the B1049’s sixth launch would be a pathfinder mission for Falcon 9 Block 5 reusability, it would be a major bode of confidence in the design if SpaceX were able to consecutively break two booster reuse records with the same Falcon 9 – and do so less than three months apart.
After Starlink-10 and on the heels of months of largely coronavirus-related delays, SpaceX’s next mission is believed to be SAOCOM 1B – an Earth observation radar satellite built by Argentinian space agency CONAE. Originally scheduled to launch as early as March 30th, things did not go exactly according to plan. While there’s still a significant chance the mission will slip further into 2020, SAOCOM 1B and several unrelated rideshare payloads are currently scheduled to launch NET late August. The mission will be Falcon 9 booster B1059’s fourth launch and could also happen just 70-80 days after its third flight.
Meanwhile, B1051’s safe return to port and B1049’s imminent sixth launch debut suggests that the former booster could be ready for its own sixth launch as early as October, potentially leaving enough time for one or both of the rockets to squeeze in a seventh-flight milestone before the year is out.
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Elon Musk
SpaceX issues statement on Starship V3 Booster 18 anomaly
The incident unfolded during gas-system pressure testing at the company’s Massey facility in Starbase, Texas.
SpaceX has issued an initial statement about Starship Booster 18’s anomaly early Friday. The incident unfolded during gas-system pressure testing at the company’s Massey facility in Starbase, Texas.
SpaceX’s initial comment
As per SpaceX in a post on its official account on social media platform X, Booster 18 was undergoing gas system pressure tests when the anomaly happened. Despite the nature of the incident, the company emphasized that no propellant was loaded, no engines were installed, and personnel were kept at a safe distance from the booster, resulting in zero injuries.
“Booster 18 suffered an anomaly during gas system pressure testing that we were conducting in advance of structural proof testing. No propellant was on the vehicle, and engines were not yet installed. The teams need time to investigate before we are confident of the cause. No one was injured as we maintain a safe distance for personnel during this type of testing. The site remains clear and we are working plans to safely reenter the site,” SpaceX wrote in its post on X.
Incident and aftermath
Livestream footage from LabPadre showed Booster 18’s lower half crumpling around the liquid oxygen tank area at approximately 4:04 a.m. CT. Subsequent images posted by on-site observers revealed extensive deformation across the booster’s lower structure. Needless to say, spaceflight observers have noted that Booster 18 would likely be a complete loss due to its anomaly.
Booster 18 had rolled out only a day earlier and was one of the first vehicles in the Starship V3 program. The V3 series incorporates structural reinforcements and reliability upgrades intended to prepare Starship for rapid-reuse testing and eventual tower-catch operations. Elon Musk has been optimistic about Starship V3, previously noting on X that the spacecraft might be able to complete initial missions to Mars.
Investor's Corner
Tesla analyst maintains $500 PT, says FSD drives better than humans now
The team also met with Tesla leaders for more than an hour to discuss autonomy, chip development, and upcoming deployment plans.
Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) received fresh support from Piper Sandler this week after analysts toured the Fremont Factory and tested the company’s latest Full Self-Driving software. The firm reaffirmed its $500 price target, stating that FSD V14 delivered a notably smooth robotaxi demonstration and may already perform at levels comparable to, if not better than, average human drivers.
The team also met with Tesla leaders for more than an hour to discuss autonomy, chip development, and upcoming deployment plans.
Analysts highlight autonomy progress
During more than 75 minutes of focused discussions, analysts reportedly focused on FSD v14’s updates. Piper Sandler’s team pointed to meaningful strides in perception, object handling, and overall ride smoothness during the robotaxi demo.
The visit also included discussions on updates to Tesla’s in-house chip initiatives, its Optimus program, and the growth of the company’s battery storage business. Analysts noted that Tesla continues refining cost structures and capital expenditure expectations, which are key elements in future margin recovery, as noted in a Yahoo Finance report.
Analyst Alexander Potter noted that “we think FSD is a truly impressive product that is (probably) already better at driving than the average American.” This conclusion was strengthened by what he described as a “flawless robotaxi ride to the hotel.”
Street targets diverge on TSLA
While Piper Sandler stands by its $500 target, it is not the highest estimate on the Street. Wedbush, for one, has a $600 per share price target for TSLA stock.
Other institutions have also weighed in on TSLA stock as of late. HSBC reiterated a Reduce rating with a $131 target, citing a gap between earnings fundamentals and the company’s market value. By contrast, TD Cowen maintained a Buy rating and a $509 target, pointing to strong autonomous driving demonstrations in Austin and the pace of software-driven improvements.
Stifel analysts also lifted their price target for Tesla to $508 per share over the company’s ongoing robotaxi and FSD programs.
Elon Musk
SpaceX Starship Version 3 booster crumples in early testing
Photos of the incident’s aftermath suggest that Booster 18 will likely be retired.
SpaceX’s new Starship first-stage booster, Booster 18, suffered major damage early Friday during its first round of testing in Starbase, Texas, just one day after rolling out of the factory.
Based on videos of the incident, the lower section of the rocket booster appeared to crumple during a pressurization test. Photos of the incident’s aftermath suggest that Booster 18 will likely be retired.
Booster test failure
SpaceX began structural and propellant-system verification tests on Booster 18 Thursday night at the Massey’s Test Site, only a few miles from Starbase’s production facilities, as noted in an Ars Technica report. At 4:04 a.m. CT on Friday, a livestream from LabPadre Space captured the booster’s lower half experiencing a sudden destructive event around its liquid oxygen tank section. Post-incident images, shared on X by @StarshipGazer, showed notable deformation in the booster’s lower structure.
Neither SpaceX nor Elon Musk had commented as of Friday morning, but the vehicle’s condition suggests it is likely a complete loss. This is quite unfortunate, as Booster 18 is already part of the Starship V3 program, which includes design fixes and upgrades intended to improve reliability. While SpaceX maintains a rather rapid Starship production line in Starbase, Booster 18 was generally expected to validate the improvements implemented in the V3 program.
Tight deadlines
SpaceX needs Starship boosters and upper stages to begin demonstrating rapid reuse, tower catches, and early operational Starlink missions over the next two years. More critically, NASA’s Artemis program depends on an on-orbit refueling test in the second half of 2026, a requirement for the vehicle’s expected crewed lunar landing around 2028.
While SpaceX is known for diagnosing failures quickly and returning to testing at unmatched speed, losing the newest-generation booster at the very start of its campaign highlights the immense challenge involved in scaling Starship into a reliable, high-cadence launch system. SpaceX, however, is known for getting things done quickly, so it would not be a surprise if the company manages to figure out what happened to Booster 18 in the near future.
SpaceX issues statement on Starship V3 Booster 18 anomaly
Tesla analyst maintains $500 PT, says FSD drives better than humans now
