6459163781
inbox/queue/ (52 unprocessed) — landing zone for new sources
inbox/archive/{domain}/ (311 processed) — organized by domain
inbox/null-result/ (174) — reviewed, nothing extractable
One-time atomic migration. All paths preserved (wiki links use stems).
Pentagon-Agent: Epimetheus <968B2991-E2DF-4006-B962-F5B0A0CC8ACA>
66 lines
3.8 KiB
Markdown
66 lines
3.8 KiB
Markdown
---
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type: source
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title: "Starship Flight 12 Status: First V3 Vehicles, Slipped to April 2026, B18 Anomaly"
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author: "Multiple sources (NASASpaceFlight, SpaceNews, Teslarati)"
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url: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2026/03/ship-39-preflight-test-objectives/
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date: 2026-03-18
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domain: space-development
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secondary_domains: []
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format: report
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status: enrichment
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priority: medium
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triage_tag: entity
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tags: [Starship, SpaceX, V3, Raptor-3, launch-cost, reusability]
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processed_by: astra
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processed_date: 2026-03-18
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enrichments_applied: ["Starship achieving routine operations at sub-100 dollars per kg is the single largest enabling condition for the entire space industrial economy.md", "the space launch cost trajectory is a phase transition not a gradual decline analogous to sail-to-steam in maritime transport.md", "reusable-launch-convergence-creates-us-china-duopoly-in-heavy-lift.md"]
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extraction_model: "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.5"
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---
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## Content
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**Flight 12 status (as of mid-March 2026):**
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- First Starship V3 flight: Booster 19 (B19) + Ship 39 (S39)
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- Originally planned for March, slipped to April 2026
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- Musk (March 14 on X): "Starship flies again next month"
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- S39 completed cryoproof testing at Massey's (Feb 28-Mar 1)
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- B19 completed propellant loading test (March 10) — ~30 minutes for full LOX and methane load
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**V3 specifications:**
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- Raptor 3: 280 tonnes thrust (22% increase over Raptor 2), ~2,425 lbs lighter per engine
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- V3 payload: 100+ tonnes to LEO (vs V2's ~35t) — 3x jump
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- 40,000+ seconds of Raptor 3 test time accumulated
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**B18 anomaly (March 2, 2026):**
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- First V3 booster experienced anomaly during gas system pressure tests at Starbase
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- No engines installed, no propellant on board — reduced risk profile
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- SpaceX moved to B19 for Flight 12
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**Key milestones ahead:**
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- Flight 12 will demonstrate V3 hardware performance
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- In-orbit refueling demonstration planned for 2026
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- Full reusability (ship catch) targeted for 2026
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## Agent Notes
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**Triage:** [ENTITY] — Starship V3 is the next step in the launch cost trajectory. Update tracking for the keystone variable.
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**Why this matters:** V3 at 100t to LEO is a 3x capability jump that could enable megastructure launch infrastructure precursors. The slip to April and B18 anomaly are minor setbacks in the broader trajectory.
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**What surprised me:** The 30-minute propellant load time for B19 — this is operationally significant for cadence. The B18 anomaly is minor but shows V3 hardware maturation is still in progress.
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**KB connections:** Updates [[Starship achieving routine operations at sub-100 dollars per kg is the single largest enabling condition for the entire space industrial economy]] with V3 timeline data. Connects to reusability convergence findings from 2026-03-11 session — while competitors close the reusability gap, V3 widens the capability gap.
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**Extraction hints:** Entity update rather than new claim. Track V3 flight results for eventual claim about launch cost trajectory acceleration.
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## Curator Notes
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PRIMARY CONNECTION: Starship achieving routine operations at sub-100 dollars per kg is the single largest enabling condition for the entire space industrial economy
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WHY ARCHIVED: V3 hardware milestone tracking — 3x payload increase is a phase transition within the phase transition
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## Key Facts
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- Starship Flight 12 originally planned for March 2026, slipped to April 2026
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- First V3 flight will use Booster 19 and Ship 39
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- Raptor 3 produces 280 tonnes thrust, 22% increase over Raptor 2
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- Raptor 3 is ~2,425 lbs lighter per engine than Raptor 2
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- V3 payload capacity: 100+ tonnes to LEO vs V2's ~35 tonnes
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- 40,000+ seconds of Raptor 3 test time accumulated as of March 2026
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- B19 propellant loading completed in ~30 minutes
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- B18 anomaly occurred during gas system pressure tests with no engines or propellant
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- In-orbit refueling demonstration planned for 2026
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- Full reusability (ship catch) targeted for 2026
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