What SpaceX just did with Starship Evolution shocked the entire industry... #34

What SpaceX just did with Starship Evolution shocked the entire industry... #34
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#spacex #space #greatspacex #starship #spacexstarship
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What SpaceX just did with Starship Evolution shocked the entire industry... #34
What an exciting development!
After much anticipation, the first components of Starship V3 have finally made their debut—bringing with them a host of significant upgrades aimed at advancing SpaceX’s future missions.
But what exactly are these upgrades? How will the transition to this new version impact the future roadmap of Starship? And what steps should SpaceX take to ensure a smooth evolution into this next phase?
Let’s explore all of that and more in today’s episode of Great SpaceX.
What SpaceX just did with Starship Evolution shocked the entire industry... #34
The transition to Starship V2 earlier this year marked a significant milestone in the evolution of the Starship program. Featuring a larger structure, redesigned flaps, an upgraded heat shield, and various internal improvements, this version was expected to push the vehicle’s performance to the next level. However, despite all the anticipation, the effectiveness of those V2 upgrades has yet to be fully demonstrated in flight. The space community continues to wait eagerly for concrete results.
But that might not be the only major development for Starship in 2025. In fact, another pivotal leap forward—something many anticipated would take years—is now on the horizon. The long-rumored V3 version is no longer a distant concept. Excitement intensified last month when Elon Musk confirmed the progress with a direct statement: “We are honing in on the V3 Starship design.”
What SpaceX just did with Starship Evolution shocked the entire industry... #34
Just days after Musk’s announcement, an image emerged showing a partial view of the V3 LOX header tank inside Starfactory. While the photo didn’t reveal the full structure, the new design cues hinted at several upgrades, including what appeared to be increased capacity and revised structural details.
Now, in a more recent image, we finally have a complete view of the V3 LOX header tank. Before diving into the technical details, it's important to confirm why we know this tank belongs to a V3 prototype. Attached to the tank is a label identifying it as "S39"—corresponding to the Ship intended for the 13th Starship flight. But the real confirmation comes from a small, hard-to-spot piece of text next to the note: “V3 LOX Cone.” That label leaves no doubt—S39 will be the first true V3 prototype.
Visually, the tank’s increased size is evident, which suggests greater propellant capacity—an essential improvement for extended missions or more demanding payloads. The tank’s fuel line outlet is still angled, maintaining compatibility with Starship’s side-mounted internal routing.