Overview

• SpaceX completed a successful six-engine static fire test of Ship 35 on May 12, a critical step toward its ninth Starship test flight.
• The flight, scheduled for May 21 pending FAA launch approval, will mark the first reuse of a Super Heavy booster in the Starship program.
• Ship 35 incorporates significant upgrades, including redesigned flaps and an improved heat shield, to address issues from previous test failures.
• The mission aims to validate rapid reusability and operational reliability, crucial for NASA's Artemis lunar program and future Mars missions.
• Final preparations, including mock payload loading and system checkouts, are underway as SpaceX awaits formal regulatory clearance.