Space
SpaceX is already preparing for operational astronaut missions
While the world’s attention is focused on the return of orbital human spaceflight from US soil after a nearly decade long absence with the upcoming May 27th Crew Dragon Demo-2 mission, SpaceX is simultaneously preparing for the first Crew Dragon operational mission certified by NASA, dubbed Crew-1, slated to occur later this year.
On Friday, April 24th, SpaceX treated its Twitter followers to some rare imagery of static fire testing completed at the company’s development facility in McGregor, Texas. The company spotlighted a fresh-from-the-factory Falcon 9 booster and Falcon 9 second stage Merlin Vaccum (MVac) engine intended for the Crew-1 mission. Crew-1, the follow-up mission to May’s Demo-2 mission and SpaceX’s first operational human spaceflight mission for NASA, will propel a crew of three NASA astronauts and one JAXA astronaut in a Crew Dragon capsule to the International Space Station.
SpaceX also provided its followers with a view of the pristine second stage MVac engine of the Crew-1 mission before it was sent to Texas for testing. The one-hundredth production MVac engine is seen inside of SpaceX’s manufacturing facility located in Hawthorne, CA before being prepared for shipment. The second stage MVac engine is the only piece of Falcon 9 hardware that SpaceX does not actively recover and reuse, unlike the first-stage booster and protective payload fairing nosecone.
Part of the process
A static fire test is a typical occurrence before shipping the booster and second stage to Florida for payload integration and launch. The static fire process involves holding down the booster and igniting the engines to run for a full-duration firing. A similar test is also performed on with the second stage MVac engine. These test-fires are performed at the Mcgregor facility to proof the vehicle and check for any inconsistencies or off-nominal test readings that may occur before shipping to the vehicle to the launch site. Following the test-fire, the entire vehicle is inspected, cleaned, and prepared for shipment.
A test-fire in Mcgregor is not the last time the engines will be put through the paces before launch. Typically a week or so before the scheduled launch date, the Falcon 9 booster is transported to the launch pad. There, the booster is fully fueled with propellant while securely held to the launch mount. All nine Merlin-1D engines are once again ignited briefly (anywhere between 6 – 12 seconds) to test the propellant load process and collect engine-firing measurements such as temperature and pressure.
Certification before operation
Although the Crew-1 mission is tentatively on the books for later this year, SpaceX and the Crew Dragon capsule have yet to achieve NASA certification to begin operational missions to and from the International Space Station. The second orbital demonstration flight of the Crew Dragon capsule (Demo-2) will serve as the final end-to-end test of SpaceX’s crew transportation system.
However, SpaceX still faces a few obstacles before achieving a full go-ahead by NASA for the launch of Demo-2. As reported by SpaceNews.com NASA’s Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP) met via teleconference on Thursday, April 23rd for a routine quarterly briefing. In that meeting, it was briefly discussed that there are still a few “technical items” that remain to be cleared by NASA before the launch of the Demo-2 mission.
Although not specified in the briefing – and likely to be followed up on during “part 2” of the ASAP meeting to be held in early May – those items likely refer to wrapping up the joint investigation of a recent in-flight engine failure of a Falcon 9 Merlin-1D engine and one more qualifying drop-test of the Crew Dragon Mark 3 parachutes. SpaceX, however, shows no plans letting formalities stop the preparation to support future astronaut missions.
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Elon Musk
Starbase after dark: Musk’s latest photo captures a Spaceport on the brink of history
SpaceX’s Starbase city in Boca Chica, Texas is rapidly transforming the southern tip of the Lone Star State into one of the most ambitious launch complexes in history.
A striking nighttime photograph of SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas, shared recently by Elon Musk on X, offers a dramatic glimpse of an operation that is rapidly transforming the southern tip of the Lone Star State into one of the most ambitious launch complexes in history.
The most immediately visible change in the photo is the presence of two fully erected Starship launch towers dominating the coastal skyline. The second orbital launch pad, known as Pad B, now features its fully erected tower, OLIT-3, which stands approximately 474 feet tall and incorporates an integrated water-cooled flame trench designed to minimize damage and reduce turnaround time between launches. The dual-tower silhouette against the night sky signals a decisive shift from experimental testing facility to high-cadence launch operations.
Grok Image concept of Elon Musk’s latest Starbase photo via X
Back at Starbase, Pad 2 is approaching hardware completion, with upgraded chopstick arms, a new chilldown vent system, and all 20 hold-down arms now fitted with protective doors to shield them from the intense exhaust of up to 33 Raptor 3 engines, according to a deeper dive by NASASpaceFlight.
SpaceX has also received approval to nearly double the footprint of the Starbase launch site, with groundwork already underway to add LNG liquefaction plants, expanded propellant storage, and additional ground support infrastructure.
The photo also carries a milestone civic dimension. Starbase officially became a Texas city in May 2025 after a community vote, with SpaceX employees elected as mayor and commissioners of the newly incorporated municipality. That legal status streamlines launch approvals and gives SpaceX direct control over local infrastructure decisions.
The FAA has approved an increase in launches from Starbase in Texas from five to twenty-five per year, clearing the runway for the kind of flight frequency needed to fulfill Starship’s ultimate mission of ferrying cargo and crew to the Moon, servicing the Department of Defense, deploying next-generation Starlink satellites, and eventually establishing Elon Musk’s long sought after goal of a self-sustaining human presence on Mars.
Seen from above in the dark, Starbase looks less like a test site and more like a spaceport.
News
Starlink gets its latest airline adoptee for stable and reliable internet access
The company said it plans to “rapidly integrate Starlink into its fleet,” and that the first Starlink-equipped aircraft will enter service this Summer.
SpaceX’s Starlink, the satellite internet program launched by Elon Musk’s company, has gotten its latest airline adoptee, offering stable and reliable internet to passengers.
Southwest Airlines announced on Wednesday that it would enable Starlink on its aircraft, a new strategy that will expand to more than 300 planes by the end of the year.
The company said it plans to “rapidly integrate Starlink into its fleet,” and that the first Starlink-equipped aircraft will enter service this Summer.
Tony Roach, Executive Vice President, Chief Customer and Brand Officer for the airline, said:
“Free WiFi has been a huge hit with our Rapid Rewards Members, and we know our Customers expect seamless connectivity across all their devices when they travel. Starlink delivers that at-home experience in the air, giving Customers the ability to stream their favorite shows from any platform, watch live sports, download music, play games, work, and connect with loved ones from takeoff to landing.”
Southwest also said that this is just one of the latest upgrades it is making to provide a more well-rounded experience to its aircraft. In addition to Starlink, it is updating cabin designs, offering more legroom, and installing in-seat power to all passengers.
Southwest became one of several airlines to cross over to Starlink, as reviews for the internet provider have raved about reliability and speed. Over the past year, Hawaiian Airlines, United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, airBaltic, Air France, JSX, Emirates, British Airways, and others have all decided to install Starlink on their planes.
This has been a major move away from unpredictable and commonly unreliable WiFi offerings on planes. Starlink has been more reliable and has provided more stable connections for those using their travel time for leisure or business.
Jason Fritch, VP of Starlink Enterprise Sales at SpaceX, said:
“We’re thrilled to deliver a connectivity experience to Southwest Airlines and its Customers that really is similar, if not better, than what you can experience in your own home. Starlink is the future of connected travel, making every journey faster, smoother, and infinitely more enjoyable.”
Starlink recently crossed a massive milestone of over 10 million subscribers.
Despite many recent rumors and various reports, Elon Musk confirmed today that SpaceX is not developing a phone based on Starlink, not once, but twice.
Today’s report from Reuters cited people familiar with the matter and stated internal discussions have seen SpaceX executives mulling the idea of building a mobile device that would connect directly to the Starlink satellite constellation.
Musk did state in late January that SpaceX developing a phone was “not out of the question at some point.” However, He also said it would have to be a major difference from current phones, and would be optimized “purely for running max performance/watt neural nets.”
Not out of the question at some point. It would be a very different device than current phones. Optimized purely for running max performance/watt neural nets.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 30, 2026
While Musk said it was not out of the question “at some point,” that does not mean it is currently a project SpaceX is working on. The CEO reaffirmed this point twice on X this afternoon.
Musk said, “Reuters lies relentlessly,” in one post. In the next, he explicitly stated, “We are not developing a phone.”
Reuters lies relentlessly
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 5, 2026
We are not developing a phone
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 5, 2026
Musk has basically always maintained that SpaceX has too many things going on, denying that a phone would be in the realm of upcoming projects. There are too many things in the works for Musk’s space exploration company, most notably the recent merger with xAI.
SpaceX officially acquires xAI, merging rockets with AI expertise
A Starlink phone would be an excellent idea, especially considering that SpaceX operates 9,500 satellites, serving over 9 million users worldwide. 650 of those satellites are dedicated to the company’s direct-to-device initiative, which provides cellular coverage on a global scale.
Nevertheless, there is the potential that the Starlink phone eventually become a project SpaceX works on. However, it is not currently in the scope of what the company needs to develop, so things are more focused on that as of right now.
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