Booster 19 Full 33-Engine Install Complete — Dual Static Fire Flows Imminent Ahead of IFT-12

As of April 9, 2026, SpaceX has completed installation of all 33 Raptor 3 engines on Super Heavy Booster 19 at Starbase, Boca Chica, Texas — the key hardware prerequisite for the full-duration 33-engine static fire that is the final major gating milestone before Starship IFT-12. According to reporting by NASASpaceflight.com, SpaceX was simultaneously preparing dual static fire campaigns: Booster 19 at the Orbital Launch Mount (Pad 2) for its full-complement test, and Ship 39 (the first V3 Starship upper stage) at the Massey test site for its own six-Raptor 2 Vacuum static fire. The back-to-back static fires of both vehicle stages within days of each other would represent rapid parallel test cadence and, if both pass, would clear the path for full vehicle stacking and IFT-12 rollout targeting early-to-mid May 2026. SpaceX also continued refinements to Pad 2 infrastructure and the deluge system to support the more powerful Raptor 3 engines. With all hardware in place, industry observers focused attention on weather windows and any FAA documentation requirements before the static fire could proceed.