Ship 42 wraps chopsticks tests, Flight 14 moves to NET Sept. 22

Date:
Mon, 14 Sep 2026 17:25:17 +0000

Description:
SpaceX has completed multi-day catch-related testing with unflown Ship 42 at Pad 2, then rolled The post Ship 42 wraps chopsticks tests, Flight 14 moves
to NET Sept. 22 appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com .

FULL STORY ======================================================================

SpaceX has completed multi-day catch-related testing with unflown Ship 42 at Pad 2, then rolled the vehicle back to the production site for engine installation ahead of Masseys static fire testing.

Flight 14 is now no earlier than September 22 in planning documentation, although SpaceX has not set an official target. That mission is not planned
as a catch attempt, but a clean return for the Flight 14 vehicles could open the door to catches on Flight 15. With Flight 14 hardware already through pre-flight testing, SpaceX has turned more of its Starbase attention to the next pair of vehicles: Ship 42 and Booster 22.

Ship 42 completed two cryogenic tests at Masseys amid Booster 22s own campaign, then returned to the production site before rolling back to Masseys on September 9 for one more cryo test. During these tests, SpaceX loads the vehicle with liquid nitrogen and liquid oxygen to simulate flight-like
thermal conditions and pressures.

On the cryo stand, a thrust simulator also induces loads in the aft section
as flight Raptor engines would when lit, verifying structural integrity under realistic temperatures and pressures.

Booster 22 left the production site on September 8 and joined Ship 42 at Masseys. After a series of cryogenic proof tests, the booster rolled back to Mega Bay 1 on September 12 to prepare for engine installation ahead of static fire testing at Pad 2. Booster 22 (Flight 15) is rolling out to Masseys for its initial round of cryogenic tests. @NASASpaceflight pic.twitter.com/UsDdNbjUHI

Ceaser G (@CeaserG33) September 8, 2026



Ship 42 then made an unusual trip to the launch site well before it is ready to fly. On September 11, it was rolled into the chopsticks and lifted into what appeared to be a simulated catch position at the top of the Pad 2 tower.

Ship 42 is Flight 15 hardware, not the ship assigned to Flight 14, and it still lacked flight engines, pointing to a structural and interface test campaign.

In the hours that followed, the chopsticks pins and arms were worked against the vehicle, the chopsticks rotated west, and the ship was lowered to meet
the quick disconnect arm.

Several small adjustments were then made to the ships position and the ship quick disconnect (SQD) plate to better align with the ships SQD port. Today's Starship Ship 42 testing gave as a unique opportunity, as the
@NASASpaceflight Starbase Live cameras captured the covers on the Ship Quick Disconnect plate being closed, as the arm moved away at the conclusion of
that part of testing. https://t.co/1bbXAEmS9g pic.twitter.com/TAqbTJDyw9

Elisar Priel (@ENNEPS) September 12, 2026



The likeliest purpose was to practice reconnecting the SQD arm to a caught ship so leftover propellant can be drained and the vehicle safed before it is moved away from the pad.

See Also SpaceX Starship Program L2 SpaceX Section NSF Store Click here to Join L2

After the SQD testing, the ship was raised back to the top of the tower and rotated back and forth. SpaceX kept it there for an extended period, perhaps to confirm the chopsticks could hold a ship if needed after a catch.

The rotations themselves were also notable. The sticks open widely to give a ship a larger target during catch, but last-minute corrections may still be required, and the ability to translate a caught vehicle provides margin if
the ship is off-target.

Flight 8 offered a reminder of why that range of motion matters. After the chopsticks closed on Booster 15, the booster was swung to the north side of the pad for reasons that remain unclear.

Moving a vehicle already in the sticks is clearly treated as a necessity,
even if that earlier example was a booster rather than a ship.

Once this testing was complete, Ship 42 was placed back on its stand and rolled to the production site Saturday night into Sunday morning to resume preflight operations, including engine installation. It will then return to Masseys for a static fire. The hum of the SPMTs, as Ship 42 heads back to the barn. The https://t.co/ddJvjEJLn1 pic.twitter.com/DAuaRMB0xc

NSF NASASpaceflight.com (@NASASpaceflight) September 13, 2026



Both Booster 22 and Ship 42 remain at least multiple weeks from flight readiness. Flight 14 is still next, now NET September 22, and it is not planned as a catch attempt.

If that mission goes well, Flight 15 could come on a much shorter cadence, possibly within a month, and could put the chopsticks work seen with Ship 42 into operational use.

Featured Image: Credit: Colleen Leidke for NSF.



The post Ship 42 wraps chopsticks tests, Flight 14 moves to NET Sept. 22 appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com .



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Link to news story: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2026/09/ship-42-chopsticks-tests-flight-14-net /


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