Topic: Interesting stuff about SpaceX Starship (hate the name)

[Nemesis]

New Glenn has a date:

Projected To Launch Mon • Sep 29th, 2025

This specific launch was scheduled over a year ago (maybe more).  I wouldn't bet on it launching on time or even this year given its history.

[Nemesis]

IFT 10 revised to:  Sun • Aug 24th, 2025 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM EDT

Revised Mon • Aug 25th, 2025 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM EDT

Ground control issues.  No details.  Guessing something connected with changing to static fire the 2nd stage and then changing it back.  Maybe needed more purging.
Update:  They had a methane leak on the ground systems and replaced a hose over night.
Weather too bad for the launch. 

Revised Tue • Aug 26th, 2025  7:30 PM - 8:30 PM EDT

[Nemesis]

IFT 10 Success.  There was a explosion in the engine bay which didn't stop the landing.  The rear flaps both had burn throughs but continued to operate.  Simulated starlinks were deployed though one appeared to hit the door (or door frame).  The booster also did its simulated landing.

[Nemesis]

IFT 11 currently set for Launch December, 2025

I'm guessing that is just a place holder and will be brought forward unless 1/ they are anticipating regulatory issues (most likely if they are planning orbital and bringing it down in the Gulf of Mexico) 2/ They aren't planning to use their remaining block 2 craft and will go with block 3 requiring them to finish the 2nd launch mount and fully validate it. 

Interesting whichever path they follow.

[Nemesis]

IFT 11 is going to reuse booster 15 with Starship 38.


Falcon 9 has had the 30th flight for one booster.  They have also now launched and landed Falcon 9s over 500 times. 

[Nemesis]

New Glenn has a date:

Projected To Launch Mon • Sep 29th, 2025

This specific launch was scheduled over a year ago (maybe more).  I wouldn't bet on it launching on time or even this year given its history.

Delayed to December, based on past such delays I wouldn't expect it to launch this year.

[Nemesis]

IFT 11 currently set for Launch December, 2025

I'm guessing that is just a place holder and will be brought forward unless 1/ they are anticipating regulatory issues (most likely if they are planning orbital and bringing it down in the Gulf of Mexico) 2/ They aren't planning to use their remaining block 2 craft and will go with block 3 requiring them to finish the 2nd launch mount and fully validate it. 

Interesting whichever path they follow.

They have done the booster 15 (flown previously) static fire.  Starship 38 static fire still to be done.  Expectation now is October (barring the unforeseen).  I don't expect them to do a catch on booster 15 but I hope they do. 

Block 3 launches for IFT 12 (suborbital) and IFT 13 hopefully a return to Starbase (and maybe a catch) for Starship won't happen till next year as they need to finish pad B.  Refurbishing pad A for Block 3 launches will presumably begin soon after IFT 12 is completed.  Soon being maybe within weeks (or given the SpaceX pace maybe days).

EDIT
Starship 38 has had its static fire.  Typically if nothing went wrong this would mean a launch within 2 weeks.  Hopefully this is typical.

EDIT 2
IFT 11 Mon • Oct 6th, 2025  7:15 PM - 8:15 PM EDT

As expected that Dec date has been brought forward (the date of New Glenn has not also as expected) right on target.

EDIT 3
Mon • Oct 13th, 2025  7:15 PM - 8:15 PM EDT

EDIT 4

Success.

[Nemesis]

B.O. has moved the New Glenn EscaPADE launch up to October so maybe they will prove me wrong and launch again this year. 

Edit

Backed out to November now. 

Edit 2

Flight 2 - Sun • Nov 9th, 2025

The static fire has occurred so MAYBE it will happen on the current schedule.

Edit 3

Fri • Nov 7th, 2025  2:51 PM - 4:50 PM EST

Edit  Another change

Sun • Nov 9th, 2025  2:45 PM - 4:44 PM EST

[Nemesis]

B.O. has moved the New Glenn EscaPADE launch up to October so maybe they will prove me wrong and launch again this year. 

Edit

Backed out to November now. 

Edit 2

Flight 2 - Sun • Nov 9th, 2025

The static fire has occurred so MAYBE it will happen on the current schedule.

Edit 3

Fri • Nov 7th, 2025  2:51 PM - 4:50 PM EST

Edit  Another change

Sun • Nov 9th, 2025  2:45 PM - 4:44 PM EST

Finally flew.  Seems to have been a 100% success.  Now projecting a January 3rd flight.  It is to carry the Blue Moon Pathfinder which is an undersized prototype of their proposed manned lander for Artemis. 

[Nemesis]

Blue Origin now has Project Jarvis.  Makes me wonder if he sees himself as a real life Tony Stark (Stark = Iron Man and Jarvis is his AI that he uses for designing and operating his armour).  He must REALLY hate that people call Musk the real life Tony Stark.

So what IS Bezos Jarvis? It is a attempt to build a fully reusable 2nd stage to the New Glenn rocket, I don't know if they are eliminating the planned fairings.  Like Starship it is stainless steel.  They have a test tank very like the early Starship tanks.  How do you think Cape Canaveral will appreciate Bezos blowing up test tanks on their property?  SpaceX blew up theirs on their own test site not NASA grounds.  New Glenn is about 75 feet shorter than Starship and only 7 meters diameter vs 9 meters for Starship. 

New Glenn is planned to fly with the expendable 2nd stage until "the mid 2020s" when Jarvis will replace it.  There are also comments that without a reusable 2nd they won't be able to launch at a profit but will lose money every launch.  It also seems to reduce the planned cargo from 50 tons to 38 tons.  This puts it squarely in the F9/FH market and far less than the Starship at 150 tons. 

Functionally this is Bezos endorsing Starship.

Project Jarvis is still lacking in any further information.