Starship S38 with Full "Crunch Wrap" Heat Shield Installed on Pad! Firing in Hours for Flight 11…

Preparations for Flight 11 have now reached their final steps, with S-38 being moved into position for its static fire tests. This milestone not only sets the stage for the next launch, but it also promises to break the turnaround record. During this move, S-38 revealed some exciting upgrades to its protective armor, a sign of continued improvements in durability and safety. At the same time, an additional upgrade to the Starship V3 design was revealed, based on details observed in the newly rolled aft section. These refinements point to SpaceX's steady progress in perfecting the next generation of Starship. Meanwhile, NASA's Artemis II astronauts have been assigned a new set of exciting tasks that will play an important role in preparing for humanity's return to the Moon. Their work adds another layer of significance to this period, as both programs advance side by side toward history-making missions. Let's explore all of these developments in today's episode of Great SpaceX. We are now entering the second half of September, and this is clearly the time for SpaceX to ramp up and complete the final preparations for Flight 11. The pace at Starbase has been relentless, with each move bringing the program closer to the next major milestone. After B-15 completed its testing campaign and returned to the production site, SpaceX immediately set its focus on the ship. The ship test system was installed, adjustments were made to the launch pad, and preparations advanced quickly. With everything ready, it was time to establish the rollout schedule. At first, SpaceX planned to move between 10pm on September 16th and 2am Central on September 17th. However, the timing was later adjusted to between midnight and four in the morning on the 17th. Supporting equipment was also moved into place right on schedule. The ship lifting jig arrived at Mega Bay 2 late on the 16th, followed shortly by the transport stand. Hours later, S-38, the final version 2 ship, rolled to Pad 1, where the chopsticks system awaited. By the morning of the 16th, S-38 was lifted onto the test stand ready for its final trial campaign before flight. The static fire test window has been set, with road closures scheduled from 10 in the morning to 9 in the evening on the 18th of September from 7 to 4pm on September 19th. And from 7 in the morning to 4 in the afternoon on September 19th, both schedules are marked as primary, which suggests SpaceX may conduct two phases of testing. One will likely be a single-engine static fire designed to validate an in-space engine relight, a key operation needed for future missions involving orbital refilling and long-duration voyages. The second will likely be a full six-engine static fire test, the ship's static fire, to test the ship's power, flexibility, and landing control systems. These tests are critical, especially given the lessons learned from the anomalies seen in flights 7, 8, and 9. If everything goes smoothly, S-38's static fire campaign will be completed by September 19th or the 20th. The ship would then return to the production site for inspection, payload integration, and installation of the FTS. Meanwhile, the launch pad will undergo its own preparation cycle, with the ship test system removed and the cladding installed. At that point, B-15 will be rolled back out, fully equipped with its hot staging ring and flight termination system, likely sometime between the 22nd and the 28th. This timeline keeps the possibility of a late-September launch alive, though comments from Bill Gerstenmaier suggest flight 11 may slip into early October. Even if the schedule shifts, the timing still offers an exciting prospect. If SpaceX can launch before the 3rd, it will break the current turnaround record of 37 days between flight 5 and 6. Achieving this would not only demonstrate rapid progress, but also highlight the momentum gained from flight 10's success. As for the vehicle itself, flight 11 will not differ dramatically from flight 10, but it does carry important upgrades. The most critical improvements center on the heat shield. In previous flights, metallic tiles were not installed in all areas, and gaps contributed to oxidation problems. For this mission, the heat shield has been fully outfitted with tiles to provide a more complete and reliable system. Additionally, SpaceX has implemented a new crunch wrap technique to secure the tiles and fill the gaps between them, preventing heat and oxidizer leakage. During its rollout, S-38 displayed a remarkable new look. Its armor appeared smooth and unified, with far fewer mismatched patches than before. Only a small portion of the nosecone still lacked tiles, which may have been intentional for testing or may be completed later. Overall, the durability and connection between tiles appeared stronger than ever, raising confidence in the system's ability to withstand the brutal heat of re-entry. Many observers now consider S-38 to have the most advanced and reliable heat shield ever assembled on a Starship. Of course, real validation will only come in flight. Flight 11 is a critical mission because it represents two opposing milestones. It is the final test of the V2 design, laying the groundwork for the transition to V3. At the same time, it must achieve success in order to maintain confidence, demonstrate progress, and keep the program's momentum intact during this pivotal period. The outcome will have a major influence on the schedule and goals of future flights. Now, all eyes turn to the Static Fire campaign. This final test will decide whether Flight 11 can move forward on schedule and potentially claim a new record for turnaround speed. Are you ready for this intense next step? Reply with FIRE IT UP in the comments down below to show your excitement. Then, like the video and subscribe to the channel so you can continue following SpaceX's journey toward building the future of space exploration. SpaceX is not only preparing for the upcoming Flight 11, but it's also steadily revealing upgrades for the next generation of Starship. Following the appearance of two unusual tank sections inside Starfactory, with one already moved to Megabay, yet another new section has now been rolled out. This latest piece appears to be an aft section of a ship. During transport, it was carried upside down, which exposed the skirt, where the engine mounting ring is located. The section was later hooked by a crane and taken to the Sanchez site, suggesting that it may be scrapped. However, before that happens, it has already revealed a number of important details about future upgrades. The most striking feature is the presence of clear openings in the dome section. These are believed to be mounting points for the Raptor vacuum engines. If confirmed, this would indicate that the engines are now being installed directly into the liquid oxygen tank. This approach mirrors the way SpaceX previously integrated the grid fins directly into the methane tank, streamlining the design. The reasoning behind this change has not yet been explained by SpaceX, but the likely goal is to maximize efficiency and reliability. By mounting the engines directly to the tank, the design eliminates long propellant pipes that normally carry fuel from the tanks to the engines. These pipes are sensitive components, vulnerable to leaks or pressure problems that can cause flight failures. Removing them simplifies the system and reduces risk, while also improving performance by relying on tank pressure more directly to feed the engines. With the rollout of this aft section, it's increasingly clear that the production of the SV3 aft segment is complete. This raises the possibility that stacking for S39, the very first Starship V3, could begin soon. When that moment arrives, we will finally get a comprehensive look at V3, which Musk has described as a complete redesign compared to the earlier V1 and 2 models. The future of Starship is unfolding quickly, and the details of this new section offer a preview of the revolutionary steps SpaceX is preparing to take. So let's wait and see. As we look ahead to these milestones, attention also turns to NASA's Artemis program, which is preparing for its own historic leap with Artemis 2. While the mission's primary objective is to send astronauts on a journey around the moon as a rehearsal for Artemis 3, the first lunar landing attempt, the crew of Artemis 2, will also carry out an extensive list of new responsibilities. These tasks are designed not only to test the Orion spacecraft and mission profile, but also to gather crucial data that will shape the future of human space flight beyond Earth's orbit. According to NASA, Artemis 2 astronauts will effectively become biomedical test subjects. For the first time in over half a century, NASA will be collecting in-flight data on human health in deep space. Similar to the hundreds of physiological tests already conducted on the ISS, these new studies will expand our knowledge of how the human body responds to the challenges of microgravity, isolation, and radiation outside of low Earth orbit. The data will focus on areas such as sleep, stress, cardiovascular health, nutrition, immunity, and radiation exposure. Health monitoring will rely on familiar medical standards, including blood, urine, and saliva samples collected before and after the mission. These samples will help NASA evaluate changes across every stage of the mission, from training to flight to recovery. The unique environment of Orion will make the data especially valuable, as the spacecraft is small, the distance from Earth is vast, and the astronauts will operate on a rigorous schedule. Sleep will be a particular area of study. Each astronaut will wear a wrist sensor throughout the mission to track movement and sleep patterns. By comparing these results with pre- and post-mission evaluations, NASA hopes to better understand how deep space conditions affect rest, alertness, and the crew's ability to work together under pressure. Research on radiation will also play a central role. While the ISS orbits within Earth's protective magnetic field, Artemis 2 will travel far beyond it, exposing astronauts to higher levels of radiation. Orion is equipped with 5,600 passive and six active sensors inside the cabin, while each astronaut will also carry a personal dosimeter. These instruments will record long-term exposure, as well as sudden bursts from solar storms. Should a radiation spike occur, astronauts can build a temporary shield inside Orion using the heat shield and water canisters to absorb harmful particles. Beyond these studies, additional research will investigate immune system function and even chip-based biological testing. The results could directly influence how NASA designs missions to the Moon and eventually to Mars, where crews will spend weeks or months in similarly harsh environments. Time is now a critical factor. Artemis 2 is targeting a launch window between February and April of next year, leaving only a few months for NASA to finalize preparations. Alongside readying the rockets, spacecraft, and launch facilities, the agency must also ensure all of these biomedical studies are fully integrated into the mission plan. Artemis 2 will be far more than a test flight. It'll be a vital experiment in understanding how humans can survive and thrive as we prepare to return to the Moon and one day set sail for Mars. In any case, folks, this has been Kevin with GreatSpaceX. Don't forget to like the video and subscribe if you haven't already to stay up to date with yours truly on the latest milestones in SpaceX's journey. Thank you so much for watching, and always remember, curiosity, imagination, and inspiration will follow you so long as you keep looking up.