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Today, July 31, SpaceX achieved a significant milestone in its Starship program by completing a single-engine static fire test of Starship 37 at its Starbase facility in Texas. This test marks the first time a Starship upper-stage prototype has been tested on the newly modified orbital launch mount (OLM), known as Pad 1, following extensive repairs and upgrades after a previous test incident.

The static fire, which involved igniting one of Starship 37’s Raptor engines while the vehicle remained anchored to the launch pad, was part of a series of pre-flight tests aimed at validating the vehicle’s systems ahead of its anticipated 10th flight test, scheduled for early August. The test was conducted to simulate an in-space burn, a critical procedure for future missions that require engine reignition in orbit.

SpaceX’s official statement on X highlighted the event, stating, “Starship single-engine static fire demonstrating an in-space burn complete on Pad 1 at Starbase.” The company shared a series of images and a video capturing the intense moment, showing the engine’s fiery exhaust and the surrounding launch infrastructure enveloped in a cloud of steam and smoke due to the water deluge system designed to protect the pad.

Starship single-engine static fire demonstrating an in-space burn complete on Pad 1 at Starbase pic.twitter.com/oLjKnAb6dg

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) July 31, 2025

This test comes just over a month after Starship 36, the previous prototype, experienced a catastrophic failure during a static fire test at the Massey Outpost test site on June 18, 2025. That incident, which involved an explosion during propellant loading, resulted in significant damage to the test site. The rapid reconstruction of the launch facilities and the decision to conduct tests on Pad 1 reflect SpaceX’s commitment to maintaining a brisk development pace.

The modification of Pad 1 to accommodate Starship testing involved innovative engineering solutions, including the installation of a ship transport stand and the adaptation of the booster quick disconnect (BQD) system to handle the upper-stage prototype. These changes were necessary because the original static fire stand at Massey Outpost was severely damaged and remains under repair.

SpaceX’s resilience and rapid response to setbacks have highlighted the company’s ability to recover quickly from apparent setbacks. The successful static fire of Starship 37 is a crucial step towards the 10th flight test, which is expected to provide valuable data for the ongoing development of the Starship system.

The vehicle, part of SpaceX’s ambitious plan to make humanity multiplanetary, is designed to be fully reusable and capable of carrying heavy payloads to orbit, the Moon, and eventually Mars.

As SpaceX continues to push the boundaries of space technology, the company’s progress is being watched closely by stakeholders, including NASA, which has contracted SpaceX for future lunar missions under the Artemis program.

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