Ship 39 (V3 Starship) Completes First-Ever 6-Engine Raptor 3 Static Fire at Starbase

On Wednesday, April 15, 2026, SpaceX successfully conducted the inaugural static fire test of Ship 39 — the first full V3 configuration Starship upper stage — at the Massey's Suborbital Test Stand at Starbase, Boca Chica, Texas. All six Raptor 3 engines (two sea-level and four vacuum-optimized) fired simultaneously for a full 60-second duration test, validating the V3 upper stage propulsion system under flight-representative conditions. Ship 39's successful static fire was the penultimate hardware milestone before IFT-12, with only the companion Booster 19 full-duration static fire remaining on the critical path. The 60-second V3 upper stage test is notable because it is the first time the new Raptor 3 engine variant — offering increased chamber pressure, simplified design, and higher thrust per engine — has been validated at full duration on the actual flight vehicle. Following the test, SpaceX engineers confirmed Ship 39 was in good health and ready for stacking with Booster 19 once the booster completes its own full-duration static fire. IFT-12 targeting May 2026 appears firmly on track.