Ship 36 (S36) is the fourth Block 2 Starship second stage prototype, which is currently at the Massey Outpost, undergoing engine testing. Stacking commenced on January 30th 2025, with S36 being the first vehicle to undergo Payload Bay and Nosecone stacking inside Starfactory, which was previously done in High Bay and was completed on March 12th, 2025 in a total of 41 days.
Furthermore S36 is the first Ship to be built with catch hardware (rather than having it retrofitted either non-structurally such as in the case of S33/34 or structurally on S35) and notably S36's sections (other than its Nosecone) have been stacked largely untiled, potentially indicating that S36 will feature a new heatshield design however given the lack of re-entry data gathered on Starship flights 7-9 this may no longer be the case.
Ship 36 might feature enhanced reaction control systems, which failed to control Ship 35’s attitude during coast phase and led to disintegration during planned re-entry. Despite the failures that prevented Starlink satellite simulator deployments & single engine relight, it proved that the mitigations for harmonic response and loose engine joints issues was solved in Flight 9 and these mitigations will be implemented in this new ship.
After Flight 9, S36 will probably do another suborbital flight profile like its predecessors. The recent flight gives a shadow of Ship V1 development program where Flight 3 failed to achieve nominal relight and re-entry, disintegrated during re-entry. Ship 36 will perhaps be the first fully successful ship to do payload deployment, raptor relight, re-entry and splashdown in Indian Ocean, repeating ship V1 development pattern.
History[]
The current Ship 36 was first spotted on the 25th of September 2024 with its LOX Header Tank. However Ship 33's Nosecone was previously assigned to S36 prior to re-ordering of the ship line up for Block 2s to start with S33 rather than 36. However S36 also had a third (Block 1) Nosecone assigned to it scrapped on the 7th of June 2023 as part of the The Nosecone Exodus.
S36 began receiving tiles on the 15th of December 2024 and both its forward flaps were installed by January 19th 2025. Stacking commenced inside Starfactory of S36's Payload Bay and Nosecone sections on the 30th of January 2025. The Payload Bay + Nosecone Stack was then moved into Mega Bay 2 for pez dispenser installation and to continue stacking on the 12th of February 2025. On the 18th of February, FX:4 was moved into Mega Bay 2. Ship 36's common dome section(CX:3) was stacked with S36 N:7 on the 24th-25th of February 2025, creating N:10.
S36 in Mega Bay 2 with TPS tiles installed. c Starship Gazer 26 Apr 2025
Stacking of S36, was completed on March 12th, 2025 in a total of 41 days. As of 26 April 2025, most of the TPS tiles have been installed. Significant gap filler could be observed between all tiles, covering the secondary ablative material.[1] As noted by Redstone on LabPadre discord, "noteworthy is the addition of tapered edge tiles along the whole length of the vehicle, instead of just a handful towards the FWD end like on Ship 34"[2].
Timeline[]
- 6 June 2023: NC39 (Original V1 Nosecone for S36) leaves Tent 3.
- 7 June 2023: NC39 (Original V1 Nosecone for S36) is scrapped.
- 6 Jan 2024: NC42 (New Block 2 Nosecone for S36) base/aft half spotted in Starfactory phase 4.
- 13 May 2024: Block 2 left forward flap delivered to Starbase presumably for S36
- 14 July 2024: Signage confirms that NC42 has been re-assigned to S33
- 25 September 2024: LOX Header Tank spotted likely for S36. This is the first component of the new Block 2 S36 to be spotted
- 15 December 2024: First tiles spotted installed on S36
- 5 Jan 2025: S36 NC spotted with forward flap aero covers
- 19 Jan: S36 NC now has both forward flaps
- 30 Jan: S36 NC spotted stacked on PL:3, creating N:3.
- 7 Feb: S36 PEZ moved into MB2
- 12 Feb: S36 N:3 moved into MB2 from SFC and lifted on top of its PEZ dispenser
- 18 Feb: S36 FX:4 moved into MB2
- 24-25 Feb: S36 N:7 stacked upon CX:3 creating N:10
- 27 Feb: S36 A2:3 moved into MB2, then, N:10 stacked upon A2:3 creating N:13
- 4 Mar: S36 A3:4 moved into MB2 and stacked creating N:17
- 6 Mar: S36 transfer tubes installed in S36
- 11 Mar: S36 AX:4 moved into MB2
- 12 Mar: S36 N:17 stacked on AX:4 completing S36 stacking in 41 days
- 18 Mar: S36 lifted off the turntable and placed on the centre back workstand
- 26 Apr: S36 lifted onto thrust simulator
- 26 Apr: S36 moved to Massey Outpost
- 27 Apr: S36 Full Cryo
- 28 Apr: S36 rolled back to build site
- 29 May: S36 first aft flap installed
- 4 June: S36 second aft flap installed
- 15 Jun: S36 rolled to Massey’s after being lifted on static fire stand
- 16 Jun: Single engine SF
Testing Campaign[]
Overview, without full stack tests:
| Date | Test type | Outcome | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27 April 2025 | Cryogenic proof test | Success | Ship 36 conducted a full cryogenic proof test of both tanks with at least two cycles through tanking, holding and detanking |
| 16 June 2025 | Static fire test | Success | Ship 36 conducted a successfuly single engine static fire test |
| NET 17 June 2025 | Static fire test | TBD | Ship 36 will conduct a 6 engines Static fire test |
27 April 2025 - Cryogenic proof[]
Ship 36 during cryo test on April 27 c NASASpaceflight
S36 made a cryogenic proof test
[Add timeline, and more information if possible]
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ Starship Gazer (26 April 2025): https://x.com/StarshipGazer/status/1916042042519572604
- ↑ Redstone on LabPadre discord (26 April 2025): https://discord.com/channels/577909263012462594/732227281006755922/1365603770972639242