NEWS — Super Heavy Booster RSS

SpaceX has begun Starbase Pad 2 testing, marking a major step forward in the development of the Starship launch system. The campaign will activate the new launch pad, test propellant loading systems, and operate Super Heavy Booster 19 equipped with Raptor 3 engines for the first time. These tests are essential preparations for the upcoming Starship Flight 12, which will debut the next-generation Block 3 version of the rocket and bring SpaceX closer to its goal of fully reusable space transportation.

SpaceX Booster 19 prelaunch testing is underway as SpaceX prepares its next Block 3 Super Heavy booster for a potential flight in early to mid-March 2026. Booster 19 will support the debut of the Starship Version 3 architecture, featuring new Raptor 3 engines and design improvements. Prelaunch testing — including cryogenic measurements and static firings — is crucial for validating performance ahead of a major test flight, likely part of the Starship Flight 12 campaign.

We’ve received approval to develop Space Launch Complex-37 (SLC-37) for Starship operations at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Construction has started. With three launch pads in Florida, Starship will be ready to support America’s national security and Artemis goals as the world’s premiere spaceport continues to evolve to enable airport-like operations. We’d like to thank the Department of the Air Force ( @usairforce ), 45th Space Force ( @SLDelta45 ), and U.S. Fish and Wildlife ( @USFWS ) for their effort on the environmental review

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.

Booster 18, the first Super Heavy V3, is beginning prelaunch testing. The first operations will test the booster's redesigned propellant systems and its structural strength