Starship V3 Inches Closer to Launch as SpaceX Clears Critical Booster Test

SpaceX is once again ramping up activity at its Boca Chica, Texas, launch site, with engineers pushing hard toward the first flight of Starship V3 — the company’s next-generation mega-rocket iteration. The upgraded Super Heavy booster, designated for the upcoming test mission, has just cleared a major milestone: successful cryogenic proof testing. This crucial test simulates the extreme temperatures of liquid oxygen and methane propellants, ensuring the booster’s tanks can withstand the rigors of flight without structural failure.

The significance of this achievement cannot be overstated. The previous Super Heavy booster met a dramatic end during a similar test, rupturing under pressure and exploding in a fiery spectacle. This time, however, the upgraded design appears to have passed the challenge unscathed, moving SpaceX one step closer to its next high-stakes launch attempt.

According to sources familiar with the program, the Starship V3 — also referred to internally as “Block 3” — represents a substantial evolution over its predecessor. While Starship V2 saw five launches in 2024, the first three ended in failure before the final two flights achieved their primary objectives. Those successes gave SpaceX the confidence to move forward with the V3 design, which promises improved performance, greater payload capacity, and enhanced reusability features.

If all remaining pre-flight checks proceed without issue, SpaceX could attempt the first V3 launch as early as late March. This would mark a rapid turnaround for the program, underscoring the company’s aggressive development cadence and iterative engineering philosophy.

Blue Origin Reignites Debate Over New Glenn’s Upper Stage Reusability

Meanwhile, across the industry, Blue Origin is stirring the pot on a long-running engineering debate: should the upper stage of its New Glenn rocket be reusable? The question has lingered for over a decade, dating back to the rocket’s initial conceptual phases. While the New Glenn’s first stage is designed for full reusability — landing vertically after launch — the fate of the upper stage, powered by two BE-3U engines, has remained uncertain.

Now, Blue Origin appears to be leaning back toward reusability. The company recently posted a job listing for a Director of Reusable Upper Stage Development, signaling renewed interest in making the upper stage recoverable. The posting states that the role will “support the execution of a lean engineering initiative to incrementally develop a reusable upper stage,” hinting at a phased approach rather than an all-or-nothing design shift.

This move reignites a debate that has economic, technical, and strategic implications. Estimates suggest that each New Glenn upper stage currently costs Blue Origin more than $50 million to manufacture. Recovering and refurbishing these stages could dramatically reduce launch costs, but it also introduces complexity, mass penalties, and potential reliability trade-offs.

The decision will likely hinge on whether the cost savings from reuse outweigh the engineering challenges and performance hits. For now, the job listing suggests Blue Origin is at least exploring the possibility in earnest.

Upcoming Launches: A Busy Week Ahead

The launch calendar is packed with activity from SpaceX’s Falcon 9 fleet:

• February 12: Falcon 9 | Crew-12 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | 10:15 UTC
  A crew rotation mission to the International Space Station, carrying astronauts from multiple space agencies.

• February 14: Falcon 9 | Starlink 17-13 | Vandenberg Space Force Base, California | 22:00 UTC
  Another batch of Starlink satellites heading to low Earth orbit to expand SpaceX’s global internet constellation.

• February 16: Falcon 9 | Starlink 6-103 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | 05:00 UTC
  Continuing the rapid deployment of broadband satellites from the East Coast.

These launches underscore the operational tempo SpaceX has achieved, balancing crewed missions, satellite deployments, and test flights of next-generation vehicles.

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Starship is about to fly again and the internet is watching 👀

SpaceX just proved its new booster can handle the cold — literally ❄️

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Starship V3 could launch before March ends — hold onto your helmets 🎩

Falcon 9 is launching three times in one week — SpaceX doesn’t sleep 🌙

The future of space is being built in Texas and Florida right now 🇺🇸

Cryogenic proof test passed — no more boom this time 💥➡️✅

Reusable upper stage could save Blue Origin millions per flight 💰

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SpaceX’s rapid iteration is changing how rockets are built and flown 🔄

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