SpaceX Ready to Test Starship S39 in Days after…! New NASA Leader Appointment Confirmed!

We finally received some official updates, everyone. Intensive testing of Starship V3 is set to begin soon following the completion of work on other hardware at the Massie facility. In other major news, after a long period of anticipation, Jared Isacman has been officially appointed as NASA's administrator. Meanwhile, NASA has reported a loss of contact with a Mars orbiter. Let's explore all these developments in today's episode of Great Space X. For our top story today, in recent weeks, we have been witnessing an extraordinary pace in SpaceX's vehicle stacking operations. The speed at which new hardware is coming together has been nothing short of remarkable. And all signs indicate that ship 39, also known as S39, has now completed its production phase. This raises an important question that many observers have been asking. If S39 is finished, why has it not entered testing yet? The answer lies at the Massie test site where SpaceX has been heavily focused on a series of test tank campaigns. These test tanks are specialized prototypes designed to validate individual upgrades and structural changes planned for the new Starship V3 configuration. Rather than rushing the flight vehicle directly into testing, SpaceX has chosen to methodically verify each improvement in isolation. This approach helps reduce risk and ensures that the final vehicle benefits from fully validated systems. However, all indications suggest that this phase is now coming to an end and that the path is finally clear for S39 to begin its own test campaign. On the evening of December 16th and continuing into the morning of the 17th, SpaceX conducted its 11th test using test tank 17 inside the test cage at Massie. This marked a significant milestone in the test tank program. Then at noon on the 17th, observers noted that test tank 39.1 was lifted away from the test stand. This movement strongly suggests that active testing with these prototypes has concluded. With the test tanks no longer occupying the facility, they will likely be transported back to the production site for further evaluation or storage. More importantly, this clears up valuable space at Massie for the arrival of S39 and the start of its official testing campaign. S39 itself appears to be fully prepared for this next phase. The meabay doors are currently open, which typically signals a high level of readiness. The heat shield system is clearly visible, further confirming that the vehicle has completed major assembly steps. The rollout of S39 will require an official road closure and that schedule is expected to be announced soon. Once S39 arrives at Massie, most of the subsequent testing will proceed without the need for additional road closures. The testing sequence for S39 will begin with a structural pressure test. This step is designed to confirm the integrity of the vehicle under simulated load conditions. Once engineers are satisfied with these results, SpaceX will proceed with a cryogenic test. During this phase, the tanks will be loaded with cryogenic propellants to verify the performance of the fuel tanks, plumbing, and associated systems under operational conditions. After completing cryogenic testing, S39 will return to Meabay 2 for one of the most anticipated milestones of the entire campaign, engine installation. This will mark the first time that Raptor 3 engines are installed on an official Starship prototype. The installation was originally expected to happen several weeks earlier, but issues encountered with B18 caused delays across the schedule. As a result, anticipation surrounding the engine installation on S39 has only continued to build. Once the engines are installed, S39 will return to Massie yet again for a static fire test. This test will represent the first public demonstration of Starship B3 powered by Raptor 3 engines. All necessary ground systems are already in place, including the SQD system, which has been installed at Massie since November. A successful static fire will effectively confirm that the testing campaign has achieved its core objectives. Following this milestone, S39 will return to Meabay 2 for final preparations ahead of flight. At the same time, work on B19 is also accelerating. In a previous update, the aft section of B19 was moved into Mega Bay 1. On the evening of the 16th, SpaceX continued this progress by transporting section F24, which is the upper portion of the methane tank into Mega Bay 1 as well. This section will eventually connect directly to the forward section that includes the hot staging ring and grid fence. The arrival of the lifting jig that supports the hot staging ring at noon on December 17th further confirms that SpaceX is preparing to integrate the forward section. This strongly suggests that the forward section itself will arrive in the coming days. Once the forward section is mated with the F24 section, the assembly process will pause while the remaining methane tank sections are stacked. The forward section will then be installed last to complete the full stacking of B19. Based on the current pace, it's reasonable to expect this process to be completed by the end of the month. If everything proceeds smoothly, B19 will also make its way to Massie for cryogenic testing in early January of 2026. This timing is likely planned to follow the completion of S39's cryogenic tests. Staggering these operations allows SpaceX to maximize efficiency and avoid conflicts at the test site. Engine installation on B19 is expected to occur during the second week of January of 2026 with a static fire test potentially taking place in the third week of the month. If the schedule continues to accelerate, both S39 and B19 could be ready for flight as early as late January or early February. All this points to one clear conclusion. The debut of Starship V3 is approaching rapidly and the recent quiet period at Starbase is about to end. Intense testing and a renewed launch cadence are just around the corner. So, are you ready to see Starship return to full speed? Let me know by responding begin now in the comments section down below. If you enjoyed this update, please like the video and subscribe to the channel to continue following SpaceX's development journey. Before we wrap up this part of the update, we'd like to share a milestone of our own. The channel has officially reached 190,000 subscribers, a milestone made possible entirely by your continued support. We hope you'll stay with us as we push toward the next goal of 200,000 in the near future. Your encouragement drives our team to keep raising the bar as we follow this journey alongside SpaceX. And so for that, we thank you so much. And while our channel reaches a new chapter, so does NASA. The agency now has a permanent administrator. On December 17th, the US Senate confirmed Jared Isacman as NASA administrator by a 67-30 vote, bringing an end to more than a year of intram leadership and uncertainty. Isaacman's confirmation was widely expected. During his Senate hearing, he outlined a clear vision for NASA's future that earned strong bipartisan support. Lawmakers cited his understanding of NASA's mission and the challenges facing US space leadership as key reasons for approval. Reaction across the space sector was largely positive. Senator Tim Shehy praised the confirmation, expressing confidence that Isacman would help secure American leadership in the global space race. Acting administrator Shawn Duffy congratulated Isacman and emphasized the importance of returning humans to the moon and staying ahead of China. Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp highlighted Isaacman's rare combination of commercial leadership and spaceflight experience, calling it a strong foundation for guiding NASA forward. At 42, Isaacman brings an unconventional background to the role. He's the founder and CEO of Shift 4, a major payments company and a billionaire private astronaut. He has commanded two SpaceX missions under the Polaris program, including Inspiration 4, the first all civilian orbital mission, and Polaris Dawn, which featured the first civilian spacew walk. His nomination faced setbacks earlier this year, but momentum returned after a November Politico report, which revealed Project Athena, a 62page document outlining his ideas for a leaner, more agile NASA. Shortly afterward, he was formally renominated, clearing the way for confirmation. Isaacman now takes charge at a pivotal moment. NASA faces tight budgets, major moon and Mars ambitions, and rising international competition, particularly from China. Internally, the agency must also address slow decision-making, aging infrastructure, and organizational inertia. Some lawmakers have raised concerns about Isaacman's ties to SpaceX and Elon Musk, but those objections did not prevent confirmation. Across much of the space community, his commercial mindset and flight experience are seen as strengths. With expectations running high, Isaacman's tenure will be watched closely. His leadership will help define how NASA returns to the moon, prepares for Mars, and positions itself within an increasingly competitive global space environment. And as that broader future takes shape, NASA is also dealing with an unexpected challenge much closer to home. The agency is investigating an unusual issue with its maven Mars Orbiter, a critical spacecraft that relays data between Earth and missions on the Martian surface. The trouble began on the 6th of December during a routine communications blackout when Maven passed behind Mars and temporarily lost contact with NASA's deep space network. That loss was expected, but what wasn't expected was what followed. When Maven should have reappeared, the signal never returned. In a December 9th update, NASA confirmed that teams were actively investigating the anomaly. More insight came on the 15th after engineers recovered a fragment of tracking data recorded during the event. That data indicated Maven was rotating unexpectedly and that the frequency shift of its signal suggested a possible change in its orbit. Together, these signs raised concerns about the spacecraft's orientation and overall stability. Launched back in 2013, Maven was designed to study Mars's atmosphere and understand how the planet lost much of it over time, transforming Mars from a potentially habitable world into the cold, dry planet we see today. Although its primary mission lasted just one year, Maven far exceeded expectations. It has continued collecting valuable atmospheric data and has become a critical communications relay for NASA's Curiosity and Perseverance rovers. Despite the issue, NASA emphasized that Mars' surface operations will continue. Communications support remains available through other orbiters, including Mars's Reconnaissance Orbiter, Mars Odyssey, issa's Mars Express, and the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter. Mission teams have already adjusted planning to route data through these spacecraft for the coming weeks. While the investigation continues, the incident serves as a reminder that even longived, well understood spacecraft can encounter unexpected challenges. How NASA stabilizes Maven and what the data ultimately reveals will be closely watched as Mars's exploration moves forward. And with that, folks, this has been Kevin with Great SpaceX. 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.