SpaceX Found Problems after B19’s tests, No Static Fire until…! New Glenn on Pad to Launch…

Is it about to happen? That is the question on everyone's lips as we look at the bustling activity down at Starbase this week. We have all been staring at these livestreams for so long that I'm pretty sure some of us have started naming the individual seagulls hanging out near the launch pad. It seems we might have to wait a little bit longer for those earth-shaking static fire tests to truly begin in earnest. Specifically, there appear to be some lingering gremlins haunting either the massive B-19 or the sophisticated and notoriously temperamental plumbing of Pad 2. Meanwhile, over at the Cape, a new giant has finally entered the arena as New Glenn has arrived at the pad to prepare for its own long-awaited moment of glory, and high above us, the Cygnus spacecraft has successfully made its delivery to the International Space Station. Let's find out the details behind these stories on today's episode of Great SpaceX. SpaceX certainly made an impressive first impression this week with both S-39 and B-19 shortly after they rolled out to their respective test platforms. For those of us who spend our weekends watching grainier-than-usual livestreams of rocket hardware, the expectation was clear. We were looking for a powerful engine activation. We want to see those Raptor engines scream and turn the Texas sky into a vibrant orange sunset. But as is often the case in the world of high-stakes aerospace engineering, the universe and the hardware had other plans. It's a bit like when you spend all afternoon getting the backyard grill ready. You have the steaks seasoned, the guests are hungry, and then you realize you're out of propane. Let's talk about the heavy hitter first, B-19. As we previously noted, after the initial cryogenic and spin prime tests, SpaceX rolled an unusually high number of fuel trucks down the path. Now, a few trucks are normal, as rockets are essentially giant thirsty metal soda cans, but the sheer volume of logistics arriving at the pad raised quite a few eyebrows. It looked less like a refueling mission and more like a parade. This suggested that SpaceX was gearing up for something much more involved than a simple pressure check. Suspicions of a major test were confirmed early on the 13th when two detonation suppression system tests were conducted. As daylight began to illuminate the Texas coastline, the ramps were closed, the area was cleared, and that familiar white mist of the tank farm began to swirl around the base of the booster. Fuel was loaded into the mass of tanks, and for a few tense moments, it looked like we were going to see a full ignition. And indeed, a spark appeared. But it wasn't the roaring firestorm we were hoping for. Instead, a small spark flared up briefly and then went out. This was a dedicated igniter test. While it might not look like much on camera, it signifies that SpaceX successfully passed the spin prime step of delivering fuel to the engine's turbopumps and was testing the match that lights the whole candle. It's essentially the rocket equivalent of clicking your stove burner and hearing that click before the blue flame actually catches. Checking the igniter system is absolutely crucial. You can think of the igniter as the world's most expensive and temperamental spark plug. Its stability is vital for SpaceX to activate the 33 engines in the correct sequence. If one engine lights too early or too late, the resulting torque could literally tear the booster off the mount. During an actual flight, the igniter is even more vital. The engines have to be switched on and off several times for the boostback burn and the final landing burn. If the igniters aren't 100% reliable, the engine can't restart, and the booster becomes a very expensive and very fast moving lawn dart. We saw this in previous flights where engines failed to relight after stage separation, leading to some spectacular but unplanned ocean splashes. SpaceX has clearly been working on upgrades here and this test was the prelude to the big show. However, after the igniter test was completed and the B-19 was de-tanked, something unexpected happened. Just a few hours later, the booster transport stand was seen creeping toward the platform. In the Starbase community, that transport stand is basically the Grim Reaper. It usually stays far away to avoid getting toasted during a test, so when it starts moving toward a rocket that hasn't fired yet, everyone gets a little nervous. It only appears when the work is done or if something has gone wrong, and since the static fire objective wasn't met, the appearance of the stand signals a likely rollback. It's the aerospace version of your car being towed away right after you thought you fixed the alternator. The question is, where the problem is coming from this time? It's highly likely the issue lies with the Pad 2 again. Before B-19 even arrived, Pad 2 was undergoing non-stop venting and water deluge testing. Why test the plumbing so much? Well, both the fuel and water systems are operating at unprecedented power levels now. It's possible a leak or a valve failure occurred under the high pressure of the dual tests, and SpaceX decided it was too risky to proceed with a hot fire until the ground hardware was adjusted. SpaceX has a history of pad-related delays. Remember when the first Starship launch basically turned the launch pad into a rain of concrete? They are understandably trying to avoid a sequel to that particular disaster. Alternatively, the problem could be with the rocket itself. This was the first time these specific engines were paired together on a flight-ready booster. If you look closely at the aft section of B-19, the protective covers aren't fully installed yet, which is a bit like driving your car down the highway with the hood missing. During those massive water deluge tests, where water is sprayed with enough force to strip paint, it's possible that moisture got into sensitive electronics or valves causing a malfunction. It turns out that even the most advanced rockets in human history can still be defeated by a little bit of poorly-aimed garden hose water. SpaceX will need to fix these issues before the next attempt, but the outlook isn't too grim. The road closure schedule for April 14th remains in place as the primary date, with the 15th as a backup. This suggests that whatever broke, SpaceX thinks they can fix with a quick wrench turn and get right back to business. While things were getting complicated at the launch site over at the other end of Starbase, S-39 was being a bit of a teacher's pet. On the afternoon of April 13th, the Massey's facility was once again engulfed in thick venting as fuel was loaded into the ship's tanks. We could clearly see that the frost was forming on the leeward side of the vehicle, which is a beautiful sight that looks like the rocket is wearing a fuzzy white sweater. The test effort appeared to be a total success, further demonstrating the reliability of the Starship V3 design and the testing infrastructure at Massey's. This part of the hardware seems very ready for the next aggressive phase of testing. Are you still on edge of your seat for the V3 debut? Respond with I'M WAITING in the comments to show your support, and while you're there, hit that like button and subscribe to keep following the journey towards Flight 12. While SpaceX is making strides in Texas, their rival, Blue Origin, is certainly not to be outdone. After years of waiting and more than a few memes about the rocket being a myth, the massive New Glenn rocket has finally made the journey to the SLC-36 launch pad. New Glenn was moved horizontally and then lifted into its majestic vertical position. Even Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos couldn't resist the hype, posting an image of the rocket on the pad to his ex-account. But the real internet breaking moment came when Musk responded with a brief and surprisingly civil, looks good. In the world of billionaire rivalries, those two words are doing a lot of heavy lifting. To some, it's a genuine compliment between peers who both know how hard it is to build a giant metal tube that doesn't explode. To others, it sounds a bit like a veteran athlete telling a rookie their uniform looks nice right before the first game starts. It's a rare and interesting bit of communication between the two men, who usually communicate through cryptic memes or patent lawsuits. Even Jared Isaacman, acting with a nod toward his deep ties to NASA and the private space sector, tweeted that it is going to be a great month for big rockets. He isn't wrong. With the SLS, Starship, and New Glenn all in the news, we are truly in a new golden age where the sky is getting very crowded. Interestingly, Blue Origin has confirmed that they will conduct a hot fire test for this mission. This was a bit of a surprise as some predicted they might skip it since this is a refurbished booster. However, the reason seems to be the engines. While the booster itself is a veteran, the BE-4 engines are brand new. Blue Origin's Dave Limp clarified this, stating, With our first refurbished booster, we elected to replace all seven engines and test out a few upgrades, including a thermal protection system on one of the engine nozzles. We plan to use the engines we flew for NG-2 on future flights. This means Blue Origin isn't quite at the level of rapid reusability seen with the Falcon 9 yet as they are still swapping engines between flights, but they are being understandably cautious for their third ever mission. This also creates a fascinating scenario. Starship and New Glenn could end up performing hot fire tests on the very same day. New Glenn's launch is currently penciled in for April 16th, which means they must hot fire on the 14th or 15th to stay on schedule. They will be activating all seven BE-4 engines simultaneously, producing about 1,750 tons of thrust. That's a lot of power, but it still pales in comparison to the 7,500 plus tons of a Starship liftoff. Do you think New Glenn will actually hit that April 16th deadline, or is Jeff going to have to update his status to, it's complicated? Let me know with a yes or no in the comments section down below. Finally, let's look up to the stars for a successful mission update. After its flawless launch atop a Falcon 9, Northrop Grumman's CRS-24 Cygnus XL, affectionately named the SS Stephen R. Nagel, has arrived at its destination. The capture was a textbook operation, which is impressive considering they are trying to catch a moving object while both are traveling at 17,500 miles per hour. The Canadarm2 robotic arm grappled the spacecraft at 1.20 p.m. Eastern on April 13th. NASA astronaut Chris Williams radioed down to Mission Control to welcome the ship aboard the ISS. This XL variant of the Cygnus is a massive help to the crew, carrying 11,000 pounds of cargo. While we love the scientific gear, you have to imagine the astronauts are most excited about the fresh food. Imagine being stuck on a station for six months and finally seeing a fresh apple or a decent bag of coffee arrive. This shipment includes some truly sci-fi research, such as a quantum science module to hunt for dark matter, equipment for therapeutic stem cell production to help treat cancer, and a gut microbiome study to see how space affects our internal health. There's also a new receiver to help protect GPS and radar systems by predicting space weather. Because this is the XL version, it has double the volume of the original Cygnus. Once it is unloaded, it'll stay attached until October, at which point it'll be filled with the station's trash and sent to burn up in the atmosphere. It's the world's most expensive and spectacular garbage disposal. That brings us to the end of today's episode. We are standing on the edge of a massive week for the aerospace industry. For the aerospace industry, whether it's sparks in Texas, hot fires in Florida, or quantum science in orbit, the future is looking bright. Thank you so much for tuning in and supporting the channel. As always, this has been Kevin from GreatSpaceX. Until next time, keep your eyes on the horizon and keep looking up. Since both SpaceX and Blue Origin are pushing for major tests this week, do you think the potential for a same-day hotfire between Starship and New Glenn would be the ultimate moment for the private space industry? Or is the suspense of these constant delays just part of the fun of being a space fan? Let me know. You have the steaks seasoned, the guests are hungry, and then you realize you're out of propane. And if you need your propane needs met, please go down to Strickland Propane, where we make sure that you taste the meat, not the heat. I'm Hank, I'm just kidding.