Ship 35 (S35) is the third Block 2 Starship second stage prototype, located at the Indian Ocean. It was flown with Booster 14 (B14) on Starship Flight Test 9.[1]
During a long duration static fire test on May 1st, 2025, S35 appeared to suffer a notable engine malfunction, which may have been intentionally done to replicate the Flight 7 and 8 ship failures on the ground to fix the issue, though this is unconfirmed and is just speculation. [2]
This vehicle was intended to be the second ship to return to the launch site and be caught had the flights of S33 and S34 went nominally and had the latter succeeded in the first catch attempt.[3] However, due to the poor performance of S33 and S34 during Starship Flight Test 7 and Starship Flight Test 8 respectively, and their failure to get to reach SECO and splashdown, it tried to attempt a splashdown instead.
S35 features two new holes in its nosecone, and it is the first ship to be stacked with a scaled back thermal protection system (TPS) on its side, similar to that first tested on Ship 31 (S31) on Starship Flight Test 6.
It has likely received even more reinforcements, fixes and modifications based on flight data obtained from the failure of its 2 predecessors in order to fix the inherent flaws of the Block 2 ships.
On 27 May 2025, S35 was launched on top of B14, it became the first Block 2 to achieve an orbit insertion. However, it couldn't deploy the planned Starlink simulators, and lost attitude control likely due to a leak, ending in an uncontrolled reentry.
Upgrades[]
At Massey’s test site, structural catch pins and new reinforcements around them have been discovered on S35.
History[]
On the 6th of June 2023, Ship 35's Nosecone was spotted for the first time outside Tent 3 however only the upper portion was spotted and it was scrapped only 9 days later on the 15th of June 2023. This was the only part of the V1 S35 that was ever observed. See The Nosecone Exodus for more details.
S35's V2 nosecone was spotted at the end of October 2024 and had received both its forward flaps by December 3, 2024 and its payload bay was rolled out ahead of stacking on the 7th of December 2024, followed by its Nosecone on the 10th, which was shortly stacked and then rolled back into Starfactory the next day. S35's Nosecone payload bay stack was moved into Mega Bay 2 on the 26th of December 2024 to resume stacking, which was completed between the 31st of January to 3rd of February 2025 in a total of 52-55 days.
On the 10th of March 2025, S35 was rolled out to the Massey Outpost for cryogenic proof testing, which was completed on March 11th and 12th. A third cryo-proof test was also completed on the 12th prior to rollback on the 13th. S35 rolled back out to Masseys for engine testing on the 28th of April, where it aborted a static fire on the 29th and completed a successful single engine static fire on the 30th, followed by a long duration static fire attempt on May 1st, which was aborted after a notable engine anomaly. [4] In the days following the static fire anomaly, an RVac was spotted being delivered to the build site, possibly to replace a damaged engine.
On the 10th of May 2025, S35 once again rolled out to the Massey Outpost, following repairs and an engine replacement after the May 1st static fire anomaly. Of note, its heat shield appeared fully completed compared to the last time it rolled out. 2 days later, on May 12th, a successful 6-engine long duration (60 second) static fire test was completed, with this test likely being the final one S35 completed ahead of Flight 9, and it's now preparing for roll-back ahead of the flight.
Timeline[]
- 6 June 2023: NC38 (V1 S35 NC) leaves Tent 3
- 15 June 2023: NC38 (V1 S35 NC) is scrapped.
- 3 Dec 2024: S35 NC spotted with both forward flaps installed (not first time NC being spotted - NC was first spotted around late October 2024?)
- 7 Dec 2024: S35 PL:3 moved into HB
- 10 Dec 2024: S35 PL:3 moved into HB
- 10 Dec 2024: S35 NC stacked on PL:3 creating N:3
- 11 Dec 2024: S35 N:3 moved into star factory
- 26 Dec 2024: S35 PEZ dispenser moved into MB2
- 26 Dec 2024: S35 N:3 moved into MB2
- 2 Jan 2025: Pez installation stand moved out of MB2, confirming S35's PEZ dispenser is installed in N:3
- 9 Jan 2025: S35 N:3 Stacked on FX:4 creating N:7
- 17 Jan 2025: S35 CX:3 moved into MB2
- 17-20 Jan: S35 N:7 Stacked on CX:3 creating N:10
- 23 Jan: S35 A2:3 moved into MB2
- 28 Jan: S35 A3:4 moved into MB2 and fully-populated transfer tube jig lifted into the turntable
- 31 Jan: S35 AX:4 moved into MB2
- 31 Jan - 3 Feb: S35 N:17 stacked on AX:4 completing stacking for S35
- 9 Mar: S35 lifted onto thrust simulator
- 10 Mar: S35 rolled to Massey's outpost
- 11 Mar: S35 Full Cryo
- 12 Mar: S35 Full Cryo
- 12 Mar: S35 Full Cryo
- 13 Mar: S35 moved to MB2
- 8 April: Aft flap installed on S35
- 28 Apr: S35 lifted onto static fire stand
- 29 Apr: S35 aborted static fire #1
- 30 Apr: S35 single engine static fire
- 1 May: S35 long duration static fire attempt
- 2 May: S35 rolled back from Massey's Outpost to MB2
- 10 May: S35 rolled to Massey's outpost
- 11 May: S35 aborted static fire #2
- 12 May: S35 64 second long duration static fire with all engines
- 21 May: S35 rolled to Massey's Outpost (4th time)
- 23 May: S35 returned to build site
- 24-25 May: S35 loaded with 8 starlink simulators in MB2
Testing Campaign[]
Overview, without full stack tests:
| Date | Test type | Outcome | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 March 2025 | Cryogenic proof test | Success | Ship 35 conducted a cryogenic proof test with both tanks partially loaded |
| 12 March 2025 | Cryogenic proof test | Success | Ship 35 conducted a cryogenic proof test, both tanks were fully loaded |
| 12 March 2025 | Cryogenic proof test | Success | Ship 35 conducted a cryogenic proof test, the LOX tank was partially and the CH4 tank fully loaded |
| 29 April 2025 | Static Fire test | Aborted | Ship 35 was loaded with cryogenic propellants but detanked without a static fire |
| 30 April 2025 | Static Fire test | Success | Ship 35 completed a single engine static fire |
| 1 May 2025 | Static Fire test | Aborted | Ship 35 underwent a 30 second static fire, which ended with a possible engine anomaly [5] |
| 11 May 2025 | Static Fire test | Aborted | Ship 35 likely attemped a static fire but it was aborted just as the deluge activated |
| 12 May 2025 | Static Fire test | Success | Ship 35 completed a long duration 64 second static fire with all engines, the longest so far of any ship |
| 22 May 2025 | Spin Prime | Aborted | Ship 35 was loaded with some propplants and then detanked |
| 22 May 2025 | Spin Prime | Success | Ship 35 successfully completed a spin prime |
10 March 2025 - Roll out to Massey’s[]
Timeline according to LabPadre discord:
- 22:24 S35 lifted onto the ship puck shucker ahead of proof testing
- 01:00 S35 entered HWY 4
- 03:00 S35 arrived at Massey’s
Ship 35 rolling to Massey's for cryo tests
11 March 2025 - Cryogenic proof test #1[]
Timeline according to LabPadre discord:
- 13:49 Tank farm activity at Massey's test site
- 16:05 Both tanks started to get frosty
12 March 2025 - Cryogenic proof test #2 and #3[]
A time laps of the second cryo test can be found here.[6] Timeline according to LabPadre discord:
- 11:52 CH4 tank getting frosty
- 12:04 LOX tank getting frosty
- 12:47 CH4 tank appears full
- 13:00 LOX tank appears full
- 15:02 Detanking started
- 16:10 CH4 tank nearly empty
- 16:35 LOX tank nearly empty
- 20:06 Third cryo proof test underway
13 March 2025 - Roll back[]
For this roll back, a traffic delay notice was issued from 12:00-16:00 CT.[7] Timeline according to LabPadre discord:
- 11:29 Moving towards the exit of Massey's test site
- 12:12 Entered hwy 4
- 14:25 Moved into mega bay 2
29 April 2025 - Roll out #2[]
Ship 35 was rolled out for a long duration static fire.
29 April 2025 - Static fire attempt[]
S35 was filled with propellant, however, it was detanked before it could ignite it's engines.
30 April 2025 - Static fire[]
S35 did a single engine Static fire (this was demonstrating an in-space burn according to a tweet from SpaceX).
01 May 2025 - Possible Static fire anomaly[]
Ship 35 carried out a 30 second static fire (it's unknown if a 60 second static fire was intended), which ended after what some think was an engine anomaly - however this too is uncertain.
02 May 2025 - Roll back[]
S35 during roll back. c Starship Gazer
SpaceX rolled back S35 from Massey's test site to mega bay 2. A close up picture from Starship Gazer confirms that the black areas along the edge of the heat shield are some kind of felt rather than paint.[8] Timeline according to LabPadre discord:
- 11:27 Roll back started
- 14:53 Moved into mega bay 2
10 May 2025 - Roll out #3[]
Ship 35 was rolled out for another long duration static fire following the May 1 static fire anomaly.
11 May 2025 - Static Fire attempt[]
SpaceX likely attempted a static fire, which was aborted.
12 May 2025 - Long duration static fire[]
SpaceX completed a static fire that was long duration, 64 seconds in total, of all 6 engines. This makes it the longest static fire so far of a ship on the ground, surpassing S34's previously held record of a 57 second static fire.
13 May 2025 - Roll Back #2[]
Ship 35 has been rolled back to Mega Bay 2 after a successful long duration static fire for final inspections
Gallery[]
.jpg "NC38 (S35).jpg (295 KB)")
References[]
- ↑ https://fixupx.com/spacex/status/1907876664274473132
- ↑ https://www.facebook.com/SpaceXFP/videos/1027460515511935/
- ↑ https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1859036912348262787
- ↑ https://www.facebook.com/SpaceXFP/videos/1027460515511935/
- ↑ https://www.facebook.com/SpaceXFP/videos/1027460515511935/
- ↑ VixXi, LabPadre: https://x.com/VickiCocks15/status/1900633289586507916
- ↑ https://discordapp.com/channels/577909263012462594/732227281006755922/1349783289447321692
- ↑ Picture: StarshipGazer (02 May 2025): https://x.com/StarshipGazer/status/1918440465017319516 Text: Redstone (02 May 2025): https://discord.com/channels/577909263012462594/732227281006755922/1368001216738492437