**Summary**
SpaceX’s Ship 40 is the second Block 3 Starship prototype. After a rapid 114‑day build, it passed flawless back‑to‑back cryogenic proof tests at the Massie site in early May 2026. The vehicle stands >50 m tall, has a dry mass of ~100 t (≈1,700 t fully fueled), and features the latest hexagonal heat‑shield tiles, with some deliberately removed to inspect attachment pins and seals.
Block 3 introduces purpose‑built catch points and reinforced nose‑cone structures designed from the outset to be grabbed by Mechazilla’s “chopsticks,” eliminating the need for landing legs. It also flies Raptor 3 engines, which add ~40 t of payload capacity and enable smoother, more precise landings.
Because the heat shield still has unfinished areas, Ship 40 is slated for a high‑energy suborbital flight (≈6.5–7 km/s) on Starship Flight 13 rather than a full orbital re‑entry. This profile reduces plasma exposure and heat load, raising the probability of a successful mid‑air catch. Booster 20, the paired Super Heavy, is nearing completion but still awaiting cryogenic testing; it is expected to perform a standard boost‑back and splashdown, leaving Ship 40 to attempt the historic first tower catch.
If successful, Flight 13 would mark SpaceX’s first mid‑air recovery of a Starship, a major milestone toward rapid, reusable spaceflight.
1. Ship 40 is the second prototype of the Block 3 Starship.
2. The stacking of Ship 40 took 114 days to complete.
3. Ship 40 stands over 50 metres tall.
4. Its dry mass is approximately 100 tons.
5. When fully fueled, Ship 40 exceeds 1,700 tons.
6. Ship 40 is designed to be caught mid‑air by Mechazilla’s chopsticks instead of splashing down in the ocean.
7. Ship 40 rolled out from Mega Bay to the Tam Massie outpost on May 2 2026 for cryogenic testing.
8. By that date, its heat shield was nearly complete, having been finished in mid‑April.
9. SpaceX conducted two back‑to‑back cryogenic proof tests on Ship 40 within a 48‑hour window as part of a 5‑day test campaign.
10. During the first cryo test on May 3, LOX and methane tanks were pressurized to high pressure and the aft flaps were actuated.
11. The second cryo test on May 4 resulted in no leaks, no structural deformation, and no anomalies.
12. Ship 40 returned to the production site on May 6.
13. Several heat‑shield tiles were deliberately omitted on the leeward side to expose attachment pins and inspection markings (SG1, BG1, BG2).
14. The missing tiles were removed intentionally to inspect the pin‑mounting system and crimp‑wrap seals after cryogenic pressure testing.
15. Ship 40 flies the latest generation of Block 3 hexagonal tiles, the most refined heat shield ever produced for the program.
16. Ship 40 is currently in the factory receiving Raptor 3 engines.
17. SpaceX intends to fly Ship 40 on Starship flight 13.
18. Elon Musk stated that a Starship tower catch is likely to occur on flight 13‑15, depending on V3 flight performance.
19. Flight 12 will be the first flight of a Starship version 3 vehicle; SpaceX will avoid attempting a tower catch on this mission due to risk.
20. SpaceX plans to use Ship 39 for a controlled splashdown; if successful, Ship 40 will be lined up for the first mid‑air catch.
21. Post‑splashdown explosions of Starship are caused by residual liquid methane and oxygen mixing after re‑entry, which can ignite from heat or sparks.
22. SpaceX treats these post‑splashdown explosions as expected outcomes during the test phase, aiming to gather data up to a successful soft splashdown.
23. After catching the Super Heavy booster on flight 5 (Oct 2024), Musk hoped to catch a Starship upper stage early 2025, but setbacks delayed the timeline.
24. Block 3 includes purpose‑built catch points positioned lower on the vehicle to align precisely with Mechazilla’s arms.
25. The nose cone of Block 3 Starship has internal reinforcement around forward‑flap attachments and dedicated lifting catch points.
26. Block 3 is the first Starship version built with full catch capability integrated from the start, unlike earlier experimental blocks.
27. Raptor 3 engines feature internalized secondary flow paths and regenerative cooling for hot‑section components, allowing operation without heavy engine heat shields.
28. Switching from Raptor 2 to Raptor 3 is expected to add roughly 40 tons of payload capacity, raising reusable performance to about 100 tons.
29. For flight 13, SpaceX will likely fly Ship 40 on a high‑energy suborbital trajectory (6.5‑7.0 km/s) rather than a full orbital one due to unfinished heat‑shield areas.
30. The suborbital profile reduces plasma exposure and total heat load by 30‑40 % compared to orbital re‑entry.
31. Expected flight sequence: landing flip (90° rotation), ignition of three or four Raptor 3 engines to kill velocity, hover between Mechazilla’s arms, and capture via reinforced hard points and catch pins.
32. Mechazilla’s chopsticks use hydraulic systems with real‑time laser sensors and cameras to make dynamic adjustments for any wobble during capture.
33. After a successful catch, Ship 40 will be held vertically, lowered onto a transport stand, and rolled back to Mega Bay for inspection.
34. Booster 20, the paired Super Heavy for flight 13, is in the final stages of stacking inside Mega Bay 1, with the large methane downcomer installed in early May.
35. Booster 20 has not yet undergone cryogenic proof testing and has not rolled out to the pad, but remains on track for flight 13.
36. One likely flight‑13 scenario: Booster 20 performs a standard hot‑staging boost‑back burn and controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean, after which Ship 40 attempts the first mid‑air catch.