SpaceX just Did Something Impossible on Flight 13 Booster! Double Static Fire Tests Ready…

Let's freeze. Or, this week, SpaceX moved one step closer to its next major mission, and there were plenty of interesting developments along the way. From B-20's icy endurance test, to the possibility of two major static fires before the month is over, to astronauts sheltering inside a Dragon spacecraft while repairs were attempted on the ISS, and even the surprising end of NASA's MAVEN mission around Mars, there has been no shortage of space news. So let's dive into all of it on today's episode of Great SpaceX. June has officially arrived, and for SpaceX, that means testing season is back. The company has now shifted its attention fully toward Flight 13, the next major Starship mission. The groundwork actually began weeks ago. Ship 40 completed its cryogenic testing campaign back in May. That milestone cleared the way for attention to turn toward B-20, the massive first stage booster assigned to the upcoming flight. On the morning of June 5th, B-20 rolled out to the Massey's test site. As soon as it arrived, preparations began. Later that same afternoon, observers noticed venting activity from both the tank farm and the booster itself. At first glance, it appeared testing was already underway. However, this initial activity was likely a structural stress test rather than a full cryogenic loading operation. Think of it as SpaceX giving the booster a physical exam before letting it run a marathon. The real action arrived the following day. On June 6th, SpaceX conducted what appeared to be the first full cryogenic test attempt. This time, venting became much more intense. Frost began forming across the vehicle. And that usually means one thing. Extremely cold propellant is flowing into the tanks. Unlike previous tests, however, SpaceX seemed less concerned about setting full fueling speed records. Instead of racing to fill the tanks as quickly as possible, the company took a slower and more deliberate approach. Fuel loading stretched across nearly two hours. The tanks remained full for far longer than usual. In fact, the booster continued holding cryogenic propellant for roughly three additional hours before detanking began. That is significant. Very significant. Normally, Starship vehicles do not need to hold fully loaded cryogenic propellant for such extended periods during testing. The fact that SpaceX intentionally kept the tanks full suggests they were evaluating something beyond simple loading procedures. They were likely studying how the tanks behave during long-duration storage. That includes monitoring structural performance. It includes checking for leaks. And it includes measuring how effectively the vehicle handles extreme thermal conditions over time. If the booster performs well under those circumstances, it provides a valuable confidence. It provides valuable confidence for future missions. After all, a rocket that can comfortably hold super-cold fuel for several hours on Earth is a good starting point for a vehicle that may someday need to manage propellant for much longer periods in space. And that brings us to one of the biggest long-term goals in the entire Starship program – orbital refueling. Eventually, Starship will need to transfer propellant between spacecraft while orbiting Earth. That capability is essential for lunar missions. It's essential for Mars missions. And it's essential for unlocking Starship's full payload capacity. The challenge is that storing cryogenic methane and liquid oxygen in space is incredibly difficult. Space is cold, but it's also filled with sunlight. Fuel can boil away. Temperatures can fluctuate dramatically. Managing those conditions for extended periods is a major engineering challenge. While B-20 is obviously not going to orbit, testing long-duration propellant storage on ground still provides useful data. Every successful test helps engineers better understand how these massive tanks behave. And every lesson learned now reduces risk later. In other words, while everyone gets excited about launches, some of the most important work happens long before a rocket ever leaves the ground. Not exactly the most glamorous part of aerospace, but then again, neither is debugging software at 3 in the morning. Yet somehow civilization keeps depending on both. The testing campaign continued on June 7, and things got even more interesting. Around mid-afternoon, observers noticed signs that another cryogenic test was beginning. Initially, propellant loading appeared partial. The tanks only reached a fraction of their full capacity. Then, venting subsided. The frost began disappearing, and it looked as though the test had been aborted. Naturally, speculation began almost immediately, because no group analyzes frost patterns with greater enthusiasm than Starship watchers. Fortunately, whatever issue occurred was resolved quickly. Less than an hour later, activity resumed. This time, fuel loading proceeded much more aggressively. The liquid methane tank appeared to fill exceptionally fast. In fact, observers estimated loading times of roughly 20 minutes. That is remarkably quick, faster than many previous attempts. Unlike the previous day's test, this operation seemed focused specifically on loading speed. The fuel did not remain in the tanks for hours afterward. Instead, detanking began much sooner. Even so, the test appeared successful. And that is ultimately what matters. Each completed test moves B-20 one step closer to launch readiness. If no additional cryogenic testing is required, B-20 will soon return to megabit. Once there, engineers will perform inspections and evaluate the data gathered during recent operations. Afterward, comes one of the most important phases, engine installation. Only after the rafters are installed can SpaceX begin preparing for static fire testing. Assuming everything proceeds smoothly, there is a realistic possibility that B-20 could perform its static fire later this month. And that is where things become especially exciting. Because B-20 may not be the only vehicle firing engines soon. S-40 is already progressing through its own preparations. Engine deliveries have continued arriving at Megabay 2. Recent transport operations suggest the ship now possesses a full complement of engines. That means S-40 could be ready for its own static fire campaign in the near future. And since B-20 and S-40 follow separate testing paths for much of the process, SpaceX may be able to conduct both static fires within the same month. We have seen similar scheduling before. Back in April, the company successfully conducted major testing campaigns involving both S-39 and B-19. Now history may repeat itself. If it happens, June could become one of the busiest Starship testing months of the year. Two major static fires would represent a substantial acceleration in Flight 13 preparations. More importantly, they would strengthen the possibility of a launch sometime during the first half of July. That timeline remains optimistic, but it's no longer unrealistic. The hardware is moving, the testing is progressing, and momentum is clearly building. So, are you expecting two static fires this month? If so, you might be feeling pretty optimistic right now. And honestly, SpaceX has given fans plenty of reasons to be excited. Because while Flight 13 remains weeks away, the pieces are gradually falling into place. The company is no longer talking about future preparations. It's actively carrying them out. Meanwhile, hundreds of kilometers above Earth, another spacecraft was playing an important role. And that spacecraft was Dragon. On June 5th, NASA directed astronauts aboard the ISS to temporarily shelter inside a docked Dragon spacecraft. The reason was a familiar problem, another air leak. And once again, the issue originated from a section of the Russian segment of the station. Specifically, the leak involved the PRK transfer tunnel connected to the Zvezda service module. This area has experienced leak related concerns for years. Russian specialists have repeatedly monitored and repaired it. For a while, those efforts appeared successful. Then the problem returned. As a precaution, NASA instructed crew members associated with Crew 12, along with astronaut Chris Williams, to move into Dragon while repair work took place. According to NASA representative Bethany Stevens, out of an abundance of caution, NASA has directed all four of the agency's SpaceX Crew 12 members and NASA astronaut Chris Williams to assume an elevated safety posture in the Dragon spacecraft while the repair is underway. Fortunately, the situation never escalated into an emergency. Russian specialists eventually paused their repair operations. Further analysis was required, and NASA allowed astronauts to return to normal station activities. Still, the event serves as another reminder of the station's age. Construction began in 1998, continuous human occupation began yet despite its age, the ISS continues delivering valuable scientific research. Current plans call for operations through at least 2030, possibly longer. Until commercial replacements become available, Dragon remains one of the most important safety systems supporting the station. Its presence provides a reliable lifeboat whenever unexpected situations arise, and as this latest incident demonstrated, that capability remains incredibly valuable. Finally, we turn our attention much farther away. All the way to Mars. NASA recently confirmed the end of the MAVEN mission. Officially known as Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution, MAVEN spent nearly 12 years studying the red planet. Then, in December, the spacecraft suddenly fell silent. Engineers attempted repeated communications. Nothing worked. The spacecraft never responded. After months of effort, NASA formally concluded the mission. Yet MAVEN's story remains an extraordinary success. The spacecraft transformed our understanding of Martian history. Before MAVEN, scientists knew Mars once possessed a thicker atmosphere. They knew ancient Mars may have supported liquid water. What remained unclear was exactly how the planet changed so dramatically. MAVEN helped answer that question. Its data showed that solar wind gradually stripped away much of Mars' atmosphere over billions of years. Without that atmospheric protection, the planet cooled, water disappeared, and Mars became the cold desert world we know today. The findings revealed that much of this transformation occurred between 4.2 and 3.7 billion years ago. Remarkably, that period overlaps with the era when life was beginning to emerge on That makes MAVEN's discoveries especially important. They help scientists understand not only Mars, but planetary evolution in general, and perhaps even the conditions necessary for life itself. As for MAVEN's final resting place, it will remain orbiting Mars for decades. Eventually, gravitational effects and atmospheric drag will pull it downward. One day, it will enter the Martian atmosphere and burn up. Until then, it joins a growing collection of silent explorers scattered across the red planet. Some rest on the surface. Others remain in orbit. Together, they represent humanity's ongoing effort to understand another world. And each mission, successful or otherwise, brings us a little closer to the day humans finally set foot there themselves. So while SpaceX continues freezing giant boosters in Texas, astronauts continue safeguarding operations aboard the ISS, and aging spacecraft quietly complete their journeys around Mars, the broader story remains the same. Humanity keeps pushing forward. Flight 13 is approaching. Dragon continues proving its value, and MAVEN leaves behind a scientific legacy that will influence Mars research for years to come. Not a bad week for spaceflight, and if current testing progress continues, the next few weeks could be even more exciting. 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, and until next time, keep looking up!