SpaceX Moves Fast: Booster Static Fire Completed Just Days After Starship Flight 9
SpaceX has wasted no time prepping for Starship Flight 10, successfully conducting a static fire of the Super Heavy booster barely a week after Flight 9. Local media captured footage of the event, which lasted about six seconds and appeared to go smoothly. 
Elon Musk confirmed the test was part of preparations for the next Starship launch.
This marks a potentially rapid shift in momentum for the Starship program, which saw a slowdown in 2025 after repeated setbacks. Flight 9 followed a nearly three-month gap after Flight 8, and while it made it to orbit, it couldn’t complete its atmospheric reentry due to tank pressurization issues. That failure meant SpaceX couldn’t test its new heatshield tiles or the tower catch mechanism-both crucial for making Starship reusable and cost-effective.
Despite the upper stage’s struggles, the Super Heavy booster performed impressively on Flight 9. It executed a controlled stage separation and reentered at a steeper angle, hitting nearly all of its targets except for a backup engine test and soft ocean splashdown. Importantly, Flight 9 marked the first time SpaceX reused a Super Heavy booster.
Following the static fire of Booster 16, speculation is mounting that the firm may be eyeing a faster turnaround for Flight 10. While a second-stage Starship has been spotted at the test site, it’s still unclear if it’s the one slated to fly next. Regardless, with Booster 16 tested and ready, eyes are now on SpaceX to see if Flight 10 takes off sooner than expected.
One thing is clear: SpaceX is charging ahead, determined to overcome past hurdles and prove Starship’s full capabilities.