SpaceX just Made History after 1st Starfall Reentry Capsule Launch Demo! S40's Fire test in Hours…

Re-entry capsules. It's a market that's becoming increasingly exciting. And now, SpaceX is officially entering the competition with its first Starfall demonstration mission. So, what's special about it? Meanwhile, back at Starbase, S40 has finally rolled out for a static fire test. The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is also making headlines as it arrives at the Kennedy Space Center. And over in Europe, Ariane 6 has just launched the heaviest payload of its career. Let's dive into all that in today's episode of Great SpaceX. We're all familiar with SpaceX through programs such as Starship, Falcon 9, Dragon, and Starlink. A lineup that by itself demonstrates the remarkable diversity and reach of the world's leading aerospace company. But SpaceX clearly isn't finished expanding. The company is now entering the growing market for orbital cargo capsules and re-entry vehicles, opening the door to an entirely new business sector. When discussing this market, one company immediately comes to mind. Varda Space Industries. Varda has become well-known for launching re-entry capsules aboard Falcon 9 rideshare missions, carrying specialized payloads such as pharmaceuticals and advanced materials into orbit. The objective is to take advantage of microgravity conditions to manufacture products that would be difficult or, in some cases, impossible to create on Earth, before returning them safely for analysis and commercial use. And now, SpaceX wants a share of that market. The company's new entry is called Starfall. Everything began at 6.52 a.m. Eastern on the 23rd of June when Starfall launched aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from SLC-40. Payload deployment was later confirmed as successful, although at the time of this update, the capsule has yet to complete its landing sequence. According to available information, the planned recovery zone is located approximately 800 miles west of California. This is only the first Starfall demonstration mission, so SpaceX is understandably focused on validating controlled flight operations, guidance systems, and re-entry performance. The flight is also one of two Starfall missions for which SpaceX has requested authorization from the FAA. Starfall itself is designed as a cargo transportation platform capable of carrying payloads into low Earth orbit and beyond aboard Falcon Heavy rockets. Unlike Dragon, however, Starfall is not intended to transport astronauts. Instead, it's designed to support scientific instruments, manufacturing payloads, pharmaceutical production, and other applications that require materials to spend time in orbit before being safely returned to Earth. Its arrival immediately creates competition for Vardo, and one of Starfall's most obvious advantages appears to be its size. The vehicle measures approximately 3.1 meters in diameter and 0.75 meters in height, giving it the appearance of a large disc-shaped capsule. By comparison, Vardo's capsule measures roughly 0.9 meters wide and 0.74 meters high, meaning Starfall is approximately three times larger in diameter. The size advantage translates directly into payload capability. While Vardo's capsule weighs around 300 kilos and carries only a few dozen kilos of payload, Starfall has a mass of roughly 2,100 kilograms and can carry up to 1,000 kilos of cargo. If the system performs as intended, it could dramatically increase the scale and efficiency of orbital research and manufacturing missions. According to documents submitted to the FAA, Starfall consists of two primary sections that separate after reentry. The upper section houses the payload compartment and attitude control systems, while the lower section contains a carbon fiber heat shield. That shield also integrates compressed gas systems responsible for attitude control maneuvers, precision reentry guidance, heat shield separation, and parachute deployment. SpaceX initially plans to use Starfall for suborbital missions, although longer-duration missions in low-Earth orbit are also part of the company's long-term vision. One interesting limitation is that Starfall currently lacks its own propulsion system, meaning the vehicle cannot independently perform a deorbit burn. FAA documentation does not clearly explain how deorbit operations are handled, but it's likely that Falcon 9's second stage places the demonstration vehicle onto its return trajectory. SpaceX has also emphasized safety in the event of a failure. According to FAA filings, the capsule uses non-hazardous nitrogen gas for attitude control and contains no liquid propellants or hazardous substances. While all pressurized systems are vented before splashdown to prevent propellant release into the ocean. That is an important detail because it demonstrates an effort to minimize environmental impact even during off-nominal scenarios. Overall, Starfall represents another major expansion of SpaceX's portfolio. Now let's head back to Starbase because things are finally beginning to move again. It has now been more than a month since Flight 12 and for several weeks, activity appeared unusually quiet. You could almost call it a Starship Ice Age, if you will. Alright, anyways. Behind the scenes, however, an enormous amount of work has been taking place. B-20 completed cryogenic testing, while S-40 finished its own cryogenic test campaign back in early May, even before Flight 12 occurred. That gave SpaceX plenty of time to inspect the vehicle and complete engine installation, causing anticipation around S-40's next move to steadily build over the following weeks. Now that movement has finally arrived, following a series of minor delays. S-40 rolled out sometime between 10pm on the 23rd and 2 in the morning on the 24th. Earlier that same day, a static fire stand arrived at Megabay 2, effectively confirming that a rollout was imminent. Right on schedule, S-40 has rolled out of Megabay 2 and is heading to Massey's test site, where testing can begin with little public notice since operations there do not require road closures. The test is especially important following Flight 12, when one vacuum rafter failed shortly after stage separation, and onboard footage appeared to show smoke near the affected engine, suggesting a possible issue within the upper propulsion system. As a result, SpaceX will be closely examining any potential failure points and addressing identified risks before flight, as reliability remains a top priority. If everything proceeds smoothly, Flight 13 could launch as early as July. Of course, B-20 must be ready as well. After completing cryogenic testing earlier this month, the booster is expected to undergo its own static fire campaign, likely in early July following weeks of pad 2 upgrades and validation work. If testing stays on schedule, a July Flight 13 remains very much within reach. What do you think? Will Flight 13 launch in July? Let me know with a F13 July below in the comments and don't forget to like and subscribe to follow the latest developments in SpaceX's Starship program. Next, let's discuss one of NASA's most important upcoming science missions, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. On June 21, NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope arrived at Kennedy Space Center, marking the start of final testing ahead of its planned launch later this summer. The observatory was transported from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center aboard NASA's Pegasus barge, making Kennedy its final stop before launch. Once operational, Roman will join renowned observatories including the Hubble Space Telescope, James Webb Space Telescope, Chandra X-ray Observatory, and Spitzer Space Telescope. NASA is currently targeting an August 30 launch, several weeks earlier than originally planned. Before launch, the roughly 18,000-pound or 8,200-kilogram telescope will undergo final processing and testing inside Kennedy's Upgraded Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, where teams are completing decontamination and cleaning room preparations. Launching aboard a Falcon Heavy, Roman will travel to the Sun-Earth L2 point about 1 million miles or 1.6 million kilometers beyond Earth. From there, the observatory will begin a mission expected to last at least five years, with the potential for a longer operational lifetime if fuel reserves and hardware conditions allow. The observatory features a 2.4-meter primary mirror, a powerful 300-megapixel camera, and an advanced coronagraph instrument. According to NASA, Roman will investigate some of astronomy's biggest mysteries, including dark energy and the accelerating expansion of the universe. Scientists expect the mission to discover billions of galaxies, hundreds of thousands of exoplanets, hundreds of black holes, and an enormous volume of scientific data that researchers around the world will study for decades. We'll be watching closely to see what discoveries Roman makes once it begins operations. Finally, let's head over to Europe, because Ariane 6 has just completed a record-breaking mission of its own. At 8.21 a.m. Eastern on the 17th of June, Ariane 6 lifted off from the Guiana Space Center, carrying 36 Amazon Leo broadband satellites and setting a new payload record for the rocket. Although the exact payload mass was not disclosed, estimates based on previous missions suggest the satellites weighed roughly 20,800 kilograms or 45,900 pounds, making it the heaviest payload ever launched by an Ariane vehicle. Amazon Leo, formerly known as Project Kuiper, is Amazon's planned broadband megaconstellation which will eventually include more than 3,200 satellites and require over 80 launches across multiple launch providers. This was the 14th Amazon Leo mission overall, including the two prototype satellites launched in 2023 and the third mission flown aboard Ariane 6. It also surpassed the rocket's previous Kuiper launches, which each carried 32 satellites. The mission marked Ariane 6's 8th flight since its debut in July of 2024, after several years of delays. Since then, every mission has been successful, although engineers continue refining elements of the solid rocket booster system. Compared with other new heavy lift vehicles, such as New Glenn and Vulcan Centaur, Ariane 6 has delivered a strong start and remains Europe's most important launch vehicle. As its flight rate continues to increase, it'll be interesting to see what Europe's newest flagship rocket achieves next. And 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!