SpaceX Did Something Impossible with Starship Booster 19 Test on Pad-2! Ready to Light up…

Wanna know what's today's highlights? First, we're gonna examine the first test of the V3 Super Heavy Booster at SpaceX's new launch pad, where an impressive record has just been set. Is the vehicle already preparing for a static fire? More on that in a little bit. Next, we'll cover Firefly's latest launch attempt, which was scrubbed again before liftoff. And finally, SpaceX's Falcon 9 has delivered a heavy payload for NASA, marking another milestone this year. So let's get started on today's episode of Great SpaceX to find out more on today's topics. It's somewhat disappointing that we still have not seen the new Raptor 3 engines come to life. After the opportunity on the 9th passed without action, the 10th also did not bring the moment many people were waiting for. Still, SpaceX found a way to keep the momentum going. On March 10th, the company repeated a test similar to one conducted at Massey earlier in the month. This time, it carried out a fuel loading test with the B-19 tanks. During the test, the booster was filled completely with liquid oxygen, while the methane tank was only partially loaded, reaching roughly 15% of its capacity. In other words, this was not a full cryogenic test, yet even without fully loading both propellants, the test revealed something impressive. A look at the timelapse footage shows that the fueling process began at around 11.06 in the morning. By approximately 11.36 or 11.37, the liquid oxygen level had already reached its maximum. That means SpaceX filled the liquid oxygen tank in roughly 30 minutes. That speed appears to be a new record. During the previous 11 Starship flights, the fueling process typically took around 40 to 45 minutes. In the earliest launches, it sometimes took more than an hour. Reducing that time to about 30 minutes represents a major improvement. Faster fueling directly shortens the launch countdown. Over time, it could also play an important role in increasing launch frequency and improving turnaround between flights. What makes the achievement even more notable is that it occurred with the V3 design. In this new configuration, both stages of the Starship system carry larger propellant tanks. The Super Heavy booster is expected to hold up to 3,650 tons of propellant, around 400 tons more than the roughly 3,250 tons carried by V1 and V2 boosters. In other words, SpaceX is loading more fuel than ever, but doing it faster. But what enabled this improvement? One major factor is the new launch pad. Much of the attention around the new pad has focused on its stronger launch structure and its long-term durability. However, this test suggests that its fueling systems have also been significantly upgraded. From the earliest stages of construction, SpaceX appears to have focused heavily on the tank farm and pipeline network. Older storage tanks were removed and replaced with new ones along with upgraded pumping systems. Once the pad's main structure was completed, new quick disconnect systems were installed. The booster quick disconnect hardware was mounted directly next to the pad, supported by the gantry structure. Multiple layers of protective shielding were added as well. From the outside, the most obvious improvement is the stronger protective housing, but the real upgrades may be inside, where redesigned pipelines, connectors, and pump systems likely allow fuel to flow much more quickly. Together with the new tank farm, these improvements appear to have created a far more powerful fueling system. This is another example of how SpaceX continues refining its launch infrastructure. The company is not just building new pads, it's also upgrading the performance of each facility. Pad 1 and LC-39A are expected to follow similar upgrade paths. And the same transformation will likely occur at SLC-37 in the future. In the long run, SpaceX will not only operate more launch pads, but those pads themselves will be capable of supporting an extremely high launch tempo. Beyond the speed record, the recent tests likely served another purpose as well, evaluating the structural stress on the vehicle. As Starship moves into the V3 era, SpaceX seems to be placing greater emphasis on these intermediate tests before major milestones. By carefully checking the vehicle step by step, engineers can identify potential issues early and prevent them from becoming larger problems later. After completing earlier cryogenic testing and now this fueling test, B19 appears to be demonstrating stronger reliability compared with B18. And that reliability is important because the main objective of this rollout remains the upcoming static fire test. Even though this booster does not yet carry all 33 Raptor 3 engines, the 10 engines currently installed should still produce an impressive display of power and mark the beginning of the V3 era. After missed opportunities on the 9th and the 10th, it now appears that March 11th will also pass without a static fire. Instead, the latest road closure schedule points to March 12th as the primary test date, with the 13th as a backup. SpaceX may be using March 11th to carefully review the results of the fueling test and complete additional checks on the engines and propellant systems before proceeding. If the static fire test succeeds, B19 could still roll back to the launch site this weekend. If SpaceX decides to conduct a full 33 engine test afterward, the booster might return for that test as early as the third week of the month. In that scenario, B19 could potentially be ready for launch in early April. However, if no further engine tests are required, the vehicle might even be prepared for launch by the end of March. Attention will then shift to S39, which is already inside MB2 undergoing testing, and its six engines could appear this weekend or early next week. If everything proceeds smoothly, S39 may travel to the Massey test site in the third week of the month for its own static fire campaign. The systems at Massey have also been upgraded, which could allow fueling operations there to reach speeds similar to those seen with B19. If development continues at this pace, the launch window estimated by Musk and Shotwell sometime between early and mid-April still appears achievable. That means the coming weeks could feature several major Starship tests in rapid succession. So the question is simple, are you ready to see that pace unfold? Let me know with a 100% in the comment section if you're ready and don't forget to like the video and subscribe to the channel to continue following SpaceX's development journey. Next up, let's look at the latest update on Firefly's Alpha Flight 7. The mission was originally scheduled to launch on the 27th of February, however, the timeline quickly shifted, first moving into early March and then slipping again due to strong upper-level winds. Once the weather improved, Firefly selected March 9th or the 10th as the next possible launch dates. On the 9th, preparations moved forward, but before liftoff, a technical issue forced the team to stop the countdown. According to Firefly, the delay was related to In an update posted on X on the 9th, the company explained, Out of an abundance of caution, Firefly made the decision to stand down on today's Alpha Flight 7 test flight to investigate a sensor reading that was out of range. Once verification is complete, the team will work with SL-Delta 30 to confirm our next available launch date. Stay tuned for more information. After further inspection, Firefly reported that testing showed the sensors were functioning normally. With the issue apparently resolved, the team moved toward another launch opportunity, targeting 5.50pm Pacific on March 10th. But did the rocket finally lift off? No. During the March 10th attempt, the team encountered another issue, this time during the fuel loading process. Firefly later shared another update on X explaining the situation, We are standing down for today's Alpha Flight 7 launch attempt after the team saw some off-nominal readings during fluid loading. We continue to be intentionally cautious with a focus on quality and reliability leading up to this test flight. We will work with the SL-Delta 30 to determine the next available window. More to come soon. Compared with the earlier sensor concern, this issue may require more time to resolve, meaning the launch could slip further. That means nearly half a month has passed since the original launch date, yet the rocket still has not yet left the ground. Even so, these delays highlight an important reality of spaceflight, safety must always come first. This mission is particularly important for Firefly. Alpha Flight 7 represents the company's return to flight after more than a year. Their previous mission, Flight 6, ended in failure last April. Firefly had hoped to launch Flight 7 before the end of last year, but a failed static fire attempt in September forced additional delays. The situation serves as a reminder of a well-known truth in the industry, space exploration is never easy. Sometimes that reality can be easy to forget, especially when watching the pace at which SpaceX now operates. But SpaceX's level of speed and experience is still unusual compared with most of the industry. For Firefly, the focus now is on solving these problems and successfully returning Alpha to flight. The coming days should reveal when the company is ready to try again. Now let's turn to the latest Falcon 9 mission and the payload it carried into space. SpaceX launched the mission at 12.19 a.m. Eastern on the 10th from Florida. On board was the Echo Star 25 communications satellite, a spacecraft weighing about 15,000 pounds or roughly 6.8 tons. During the flight, Falcon 9's upper stage carried Echo Star 25 toward a geosynchronous transfer orbit. About 35 minutes after liftoff, the satellite separated from the rocket as planned. From there, Echo Star 25 will continue its journey on its own. The spacecraft will maneuver into geostationary orbit about 22,236 miles or 35,786 kilometers above Earth. Once it completes system checks, the satellite will begin transmitting television signals for customers of Dish Network, which operates under Colorado-based Echo Star. Echo Star 25 is designed as a direct broadcast satellite capable of delivering television services across North America. The spacecraft was built on the Maxar 1300 satellite platform and manufactured at Maxar's facilities in Palo Alto and San Jose, California. The mission, again, demonstrated the capability of the Falcon 9 rocket. After years of refinement and hundreds of launches, Falcon 9 has become one of the most reliable and versatile launch vehicles in operation today. As usual, SpaceX completed the mission with another successful booster recovery. The Falcon 9 first stage used for this launch, B1085, returned to Earth about nine minutes after liftoff, landing on the drone ship a shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic. This marked the 14th launch and landing for this booster. The flight also marked another major milestone for SpaceX this year. It was the company's 30th Falcon 9 launch of the year, maintaining an average launch interval of roughly 2.3 days. That pace is already remarkable. However, if SpaceX plans to break new launch records this year, the company may need to move even faster. Still, it's only March. Many months remain, and SpaceX has plenty of opportunities to push its launch cadence even further. The question now is what new milestones the company will achieve after reaching its 30 launch mark. In any case, 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!