SpaceX’s Genius Upgrades on Starship Super Heavy Grid-fins actually Stunned Everyone!

Grit fins are one of the most important upgrades coming to the Starship Super Heavy booster in V3. First revealed more than half a year ago, the new design is now appearing on a real booster as testing and operations move forward. Many of the basic improvements have already been discussed, but during the recent rollout of B-19, the first V3 Super Heavy, observers noticed something new. Hidden within the design is another major upgrade that had not been clearly revealed before. So what exactly is this change? Why did SpaceX add it and what role could it play in the future of Starship landings and recovery? Let's find out on today's episode of Great SpaceX. The rollout of B-19 for its upcoming static fire test is drawing significant attention. Naturally, when people hear static fire, they immediately think about the engines. Recently, the Raptor 3 engines have attracted particular interest, especially since not all of them appear to be installed yet. But there is another change on B-19 that many people have missed. Compared with its earlier rollout for the cryogenic test, B-19 now has three grit fins installed. These were likely added after the vehicle returned from Massey. Once the booster arrived back at the launch site, SpaceX also tested the grit fins before preparing for the static fire. On the afternoon of March 8th, the SpaceX team conducted rotation tests on the fins. Their movement appeared stable, though slightly stiff, possibly intentional to help maintain control of such a large and heavy vehicle during flight. However, another detail stands out. From new viewing angles, the three grit fins are not completely identical. In particular, they appear to have different thicknesses. As many people already know, SpaceX reduced the number of grit fins from 4 to 3 when transitioning to V3. The company explained that this change would allow the booster to perform an active flip maneuver during landing while still maintaining sufficient control. Another major upgrade is the integration of catching points directly into the grit fins. These attachment points are located on two symmetrical fins, meaning the center fin does not include one. Because of this, the two fins with catching points appear noticeably thicker. The added thickness likely increases their strength, allowing them to handle the enormous forces involved when the Super Heavy booster is caught by the launch tower's chopsticks. There are two moments when these structures experience the most stress. The first occurs when the booster is lifted or lowered by the chopsticks on the orbital launch mount. At that stage, Super Heavy carries only its dry mass, around 200 tons. The second moment is far more demanding. During landing, the booster still contains several tens of tons of fuel reserved for the landing burn and retains significant kinetic energy. When the catching points and grit fins make contact with the chops, that remaining motion creates powerful forces that must be absorbed by the structure. At the same time, the landing requires extremely precise coordination. The booster and tower must align within fractions of a second for a successful catch, placing additional stress on the catching points and the grit fins that support them. This likely explains why the two fins with catching points are thicker. Their reinforced structure helps them withstand these forces. Importantly, this design supports long-term operations. More durable grit fins would allow boosters to fly more often without frequent replacements. In the future, Starship operations are expected to increase dramatically. SpaceX has even discussed the possibility of Super Heavy boosters flying again within hours. At that kind of flight rate, even small components must be designed for high durability and reliability. In contrast, the center grit fin, without a catching point, appears thinner. Since it does not experience the same structural loads, it can be optimized primarily for aerodynamic control. A lighter design reduces mass and may also improve responsiveness during flight. Reducing mass has always been one of SpaceX's major goals for Starship. Every reduction in weight helps improve performance and efficiency. A lighter center fin may also contribute to the booster's ability to perform controlled active flips during landing. While some might argue that reducing mass could weaken control authority, the three fins together should still provide more than enough aerodynamic control. These details build on the broader grit fin upgrades introduced in V3. Compared with earlier versions, the new grit fins are about 50% larger, according to SpaceX. Their increased size should provide stronger aerodynamic control and braking during descent. Their shape has also changed. Instead of sharp outer corners, the fins now feature rounded edges, likely reducing aerodynamic stress during high-speed flight. The fins are also mounted lower on the booster, farther from the hot staging ring. This placement helps shield them from the intense energy released by the upper stage engines during stage separation. Interestingly, the grit fins also appear to be mounted directly into the methane tank dome. This configuration may allow them to benefit from structural support from the tank itself, creating a more integrated design. When SpaceX first introduced the new grit fins, the company also noted that these changes support landing at higher angles of attack. That capability could further improve the booster's ability to slow down and control its descent. Taken together, larger size, new shapes, improved placement, and the variation in thickness, these upgrades could significantly enhance the Super Heavy Booster's landing performance. What do you think about these changes? Are there other details about this upgrade that stand out to you? Share your thoughts in the comments and stay tuned as we continue to follow the development of Starship. So what lies ahead for the V3 grit fin upgrade? Their first role comes during ascent. While the engines guide the rocket's trajectory, the grit fins help stabilize and fine-tune the vehicle's path as it climbs through the atmosphere. The next challenge follows stage separation when SpaceX must rotate or flip the booster to begin its return toward the launch site. Performing this maneuver efficiently helps save fuel. In earlier versions, SpaceX tried to assist the flip by modifying the hot staging ring. One side was sealed so that when the upper stage engines fired, the thrust would push the booster slightly to one side, helping it rotate. However, the hot staging design has changed in V3, making that method no longer possible. Instead, SpaceX appears to be using a different solution. By reducing the number of grit fins from four to three, the booster now has a slight aerodynamic imbalance that may help initiate the active flip more naturally. Next comes the landing phase. SpaceX is targeting a higher angle of attack profile, meaning the booster descends at a steeper orientation relative to the airflow. This increases aerodynamic drag, allowing the atmosphere to slow the booster more effectively and reducing the fuel needed for braking. It may also help the booster travel farther during its return by taking advantage of body lift generated by the vehicle's shape. Here, the three-fin configuration plays an important role. Together, the fins guide the booster through the atmosphere, adjusting its orientation and maintaining a controlled path toward the landing point. In the final stage of descent, the grit fins become especially important. Their larger size and stronger structure allow them to work with the engines to slow the booster and steer it with high precision during the final approach. These steps will occur on every future flight, even if the booster lands in the ocean. Each landing sequence provides valuable data that moves SpaceX closer to catching the booster with the launch tower. When the booster eventually returns to landings using the Mechazilla arms, the role of the grit fins will become even more critical. The alignment between the booster and the tower must be extremely precise. If upcoming flights proceed smoothly, booster catches could return sooner than many expect. In my view, if Flight 12 goes well, SpaceX might attempt another catch as early as Flight 13. It's been quite some time since the last successful booster catch, the most recent attempt, occurring during Flight 8 in March of 2025, meaning more than a year has passed since we last saw the Mechazilla arms try to catch a returning Super Heavy. Resuming those catches will be an important milestone. It would help build confidence for the next major goal, which is catching the Starship upper stage and achieving full reusability. According to Musk, an attempt to catch the ship will only happen after SpaceX completes two perfect soft landings in the ocean. With an average launch rate of about one flight every two months, a ship catch attempt might be possible as early as Flight 14, potentially around August. So the question now is simple, are we ready for that next step? Beyond landings, SpaceX's upgrades are aimed at several major goals this year. The first step will be demonstrating the V3 upgrades during the upcoming Flight 12. This mission is expected to showcase many of the improvements, including the redesigned grid fins. To focus on testing these changes, the booster will likely not attempt a landing at Starbase during this flight. After that, SpaceX will aim for an even bigger milestone, placing Starship into orbit. Reaching orbit is a basic requirement for any rocket hoping to play a major role in the launch industry. Once achieved, Starship could deploy satellites or complete a full orbit around Earth before returning to Starbase. The next objective is the two-stage landing system discussed earlier, where both the Super Heavy booster and the ship are recovered. Successfully mastering this process will be a key step toward full reusability. Once these capabilities are demonstrated, SpaceX plans to move into what may be the most transformative phase of the program, orbital refueling. This system would allow Starship to refill its tanks in space, enabling missions far beyond low Earth orbit. Starship needs this capability because of its enormous size. Much of its fuel is used simply to escape Earth's gravity and pass through the atmosphere. If orbital refueling succeeds, the vehicle's scale and power will fully reveal their potential, setting Starship apart from other launch systems. SpaceX is expected to focus heavily on these goals throughout 2026 and into early 2027. The timeline is important because the company aims to have Starship ready to support the Artemis 3 mission planned for mid-2027, followed by crewed landing missions around 2028. In these milestones, the ship will naturally receive much of the attention since it is the spacecraft that reaches orbit, refuels, and carries missions deeper into space. However, none of these goals can be achieved without the power of the super-heavy booster. It's the force that lifts Starship off Earth and begins every mission, and in that context, components like the grid bins may seem small, but they represent the careful engineering and precise control required to operate such a powerful launch system. It's clear that as we move deeper into the V3 era, more and more upgrades to Starship are coming into view. The super-heavy booster appears to have received the largest number of changes. Even though its role may not be as central as the ship's for some future missions, it remains a critical part of the system. We have already explored several upgrades to the grid bins, including changes to their number, size, shape, and placement on the booster. Now, with new viewing angles and closer observations, another subtle detail has emerged. The thickness of the grid bins appears to vary, suggesting that SpaceX has carefully tailored each one for its specific role. This small detail highlights the unique approach the company is taking as it refines Starship for operations in this new phase of development. Personally, the most exciting goal remains the landing of the booster using the Mechazilla arms. This method is a key step toward achieving full reusability, which has always been one of SpaceX's main ambitions for Starship. Of course, the real question is whether these upgrades will perform as intended. The answer will only come through future tests and upcoming flights. So, what are you expecting from this upgrade? Let me know in the comments section down below. Otherwise, folks, that brings us to the end of today's episode. Thank you so much for tuning in. As always, this has been Kevin from GreatSpaceX. Until next time, keep looking up!