SpaceX Revealed Raptor 3’s Insane Testing for Starship V3 Ascent Burn! Big Changes are Coming

SpaceX is closing in on one of the most transformative upgrades in Starship’s history—and the latest Raptor 3 test has just given us our most in-depth look yet at what the future holds. With Starship V3’s debut approaching, Europe advancing its Argonaut lunar lander, and Blue Origin preparing a history-making New Shepard mission, the spaceflight world is brimming with major developments.

Today’s deep dive covers everything you need to know—from the stunning Raptor 3 test footage to Europe’s push toward a lunar foothold, to Blue Origin’s groundbreaking step toward accessible spaceflight.

Let’s get into it.

Raptor 3: SpaceX’s Most Revealing Test Yet

The lingering disappointment from the B18 incident left many fans wondering when Raptor 3 would finally appear at the production site. Without that setback, we might already be looking at flight-ready engines. Still, progress is accelerating. Super Heavy Booster S39 is preparing for transport, and once it completes cryogenic testing, it will receive its engine installation—marking a major leap toward Starship V3.

SpaceX Revealed Raptor 3’s Insane Testing for Starship V3 Ascent Burn

To support these upcoming milestones, SpaceX has begun releasing more information about the Raptor 3 development program, and their most recent update has taken the space community by storm.

A 6 Minute 40 Second Look at the Future

SpaceX officially released a 6 minute, 40 second test video from their McGregor facility, offering the most detailed public look ever at a next-generation Raptor engine in operation.

The video showcases:

Ignition sequence
Extended high-power burn
Dynamic gimbal movement
Clean engine shutdown
Multiple viewpoints, from close-up combustion chamber shots to distant wide angles

Although SpaceX hasn’t confirmed every detail, the test appears to involve a single Raptor 3 engine undergoing an extended validation run. The attached update confirmed the purpose:
“Validation testing on a Raptor 3 performing a Starship V3 ascent burn.”

This single sentence reveals the core of what SpaceX is trying to achieve.

Why the Ascent Phase Matters for Raptor 3

The ascent phase is the most demanding part of any Starship mission. During liftoff:

Super Heavy’s 33 Raptor engines must fire at full throttle
The booster must power through the densest part of Earth’s atmosphere
Starship’s sea-level Raptors later take over after stage separation
All engines must remain stable through maximum mechanical, thermal, and acoustic stress

This is the phase where everything is pushed to the limit.

Starship V1 and V2 were not designed to reach orbit. Starship V3 is.
That means the engines must burn longer, cleaner, and more reliably than ever before.

SpaceX Revealed Raptor 3’s Insane Testing for Starship V3

A nearly 7-minute test burn on the stand is a major sign that SpaceX is closing in on this goal. For comparison:

Super Heavy’s ascent lasts 6–8 minutes
Only ~2.5 minutes are spent at maximum thrust
A real ascent includes variables that no test stand can fully replicate:
- hot staging dynamics
- engine-to-engine exhaust interaction
- intense vibrations
- rapidly changing atmospheric forces

Even so, Raptor 3’s test performance is extraordinarily promising.

Gimbal Testing: The Heart of Starship’s Guidance System

One detail stood out in the test footage:
The Raptor 3 gimbaling aggressively while firing.

The center engines on Super Heavy and Starship are responsible not only for thrust but also for directional control. This requires:

High-precision gimbal movement
Stable combustion through extreme angles
Rapid response to flight corrections

The test footage suggests SpaceX is pushing the gimbal system far beyond typical flight conditions to validate its resilience.

Next Major Tests: Restarts, Stress Loads & Extreme Maneuvers

Before Raptor 3 is flight-ready, SpaceX will conduct several critical campaigns:

1. Multiple Restart Testing

Super Heavy’s center engines experience multiple on-off cycles:

Liftoff → Shutdown
Boostback burn → Shutdown
Landing burn → Shutdown

Starship has even more restarts during:

Orbit insertion
Payload deployment
Controlled re-entry procedures

Restart reliability is one of the hardest challenges in rocket engine design—and essential for V3.

2. Structural & Thermal Stress Testing

During real flight:

33 engines firing together generate massive thermal buildup
Exhaust plumes interact and interfere
Vibrations compound into structural load
The engine bay experiences extreme heating

This can’t be fully simulated on a stand—hence the need for integrated static fires.

3. Full-Scale 33-Engine Static Fire

When Raptor 3 hits the orbital launch mount in full force, Super Heavy will produce over 9,000 tons of thrust—the most powerful firing in aerospace history.

This will be the moment the world realizes how much V3 has advanced.

Timeline: When We’ll See Raptor 3 on a Real Vehicle

Hardware progress is moving quickly:

S39 (Super Heavy Booster)

Production: Complete
Cryogenic tests: Starting soon
Engine installation: Expected shortly after testing
First static fire: Possible before year’s end

B19 (Next Booster After S39)

Currently in stacking phase
Cryogenic tests: Early next year
Raptor 3 installation: Mid-January estimate
33-engine static fire: Late January possible

The cascade of V3 milestones will begin within weeks.
If you’re excited for the arrival of Raptor 3, now is the time to pay attention.

Europe’s Big Leap: The Argonaut Lunar Lander Moves Forward

While SpaceX pushes Starship closer to orbit, Europe is making a bold move of its own—one that may redefine its position in global lunar exploration.

Europe Enters the Lunar Lander Race

With the U.S., China, Russia, India, and Japan already operating or developing lunar landers, Europe has long wanted its own dedicated vehicle. Now, after years of planning, the project is officially underway.

The European Space Agency has selected its industrial partners to develop the continent’s first lunar lander:
Argonaut.

Who Is Building Argonaut?

The lead contractor is Thales Alenia Space (Italy), supported by teams in:

France
United Kingdom
Germany (OHB System AG)
Norway (Nammo, responsible for propulsion)

The design pulls together decades of European experience with ISS modules, scientific spacecraft, and advanced propulsion systems.

Argonaut: A New Lunar Logistics Workhorse

Key specifications:

6 meters tall
4.5 meters in diameter
~10,000 kg launch mass
Initial cargo capacity: 1,500 kg
Landing precision: ~250 meters

Future upgrades aim for:

Higher payload masses
Near-pinpoint landing accuracy
Expanded mission profiles

Designed as a versatile lunar logistics lander, Argonaut will deliver:

Tools
Scientific instruments
Surface infrastructure
Cargo for NASA’s Artemis program
Support equipment for long-term lunar operations

Timeline for Argonaut

2030: First mission aboard Ariane 64
2031: First operational logistics flight
Late 2030s: Regular European cargo delivery to the Moon

This marks Europe’s transition from a contributor to a direct operator of lunar surface missions.

Blue Origin’s New Shepard NS-37: A Historic Passenger Joins the Crew

Blue Origin is preparing for another suborbital mission, New Shepard NS-37, and the newly announced crew includes a trailblazing astronaut.

Meet the Crew of NS-37

The passengers include:

Mckella Ventouse
Joey Hyde
Hans Kernixman
Neil Milch
Adonis Peruis
Jason Stansel

But the standout member is Mckella Ventouse, who will become:

The First Wheelchair User to Travel Into Space

After suffering a spinal cord injury in a mountain biking accident, Ventouse has continued to pursue adventure and exploration—and Blue Origin has confirmed she has passed all necessary medical and safety evaluations.

Her flight represents:

A major milestone in accessible human spaceflight
A powerful message of resilience and possibility
A tangible expansion of who can participate in commercial space missions

As NS-37 approaches, all eyes will be on this historic achievement.

Final Thoughts: A New Era of Spaceflight Is Accelerating

With Raptor 3 nearing flight readiness, Europe entering the lunar lander arena, and Blue Origin breaking accessibility barriers, the pace of progress in space exploration has never been faster.

SpaceX’s Raptor 3 test is more than just a preview—it’s a sign that Starship V3 is almost ready to rewrite the rules of space travel.

Europe’s Argonaut proves that the Moon will soon be an international destination.

And Blue Origin’s NS-37 reminds us that space is becoming more inclusive than ever.

The next chapter of human spaceflight is unfolding right now—and we are watching history in the making.

FAQs

1. What is Raptor 3 and how is it different from previous Raptor engines?

Raptor 3 is SpaceX’s next-generation methane-fueled rocket engine, featuring higher thrust, improved reliability, simpler design, and better performance during long-duration burns compared to Raptor 1 and Raptor 2.

2. Why is the latest Raptor 3 test important?

The test simulated a Starship V3 ascent burn, showing the engine can operate at full power for several minutes—critical for reaching orbit.

3. How long did the Raptor 3 test burn last?

The recently released McGregor test burn lasted 6 minutes and 40 seconds, one of the longest publicly shared Raptor tests ever.

4. What makes the ascent phase so demanding for Starship?

The ascent phase requires maximum engine power to fight gravity and atmospheric drag, making it the segment with the highest thermal, mechanical, and structural stress.

5. When will Raptor 3 be installed on a flight vehicle?

If current progress continues, Raptor 3 engines could be installed on Super Heavy Booster S39 in the second half of this month.

6. When will the first Raptor 3 static fire occur?

A static fire test for S39 with Raptor 3 engines could take place before the end of the year, depending on successful cryogenic testing.

7. What is Starship V3 and how is it different from previous versions?

Starship V3 is the first full-scale version designed for orbital missions, featuring more powerful engines, stronger thermal protection, and improved structural components.

8. What are integrated static fires and why do they matter?

Integrated static fires test all 33 Raptor engines firing together on a real Super Heavy booster. These tests reveal how engines behave under combined heat, vibration, and exhaust interactions.

9. What is the Argonaut lunar lander?

Argonaut is Europe’s first dedicated lunar lander—a logistics vehicle designed to deliver cargo, instruments, and supplies to the Moon as part of ESA’s long-term exploration plans.

10. Who is building the Argonaut lander?

A European consortium led by Thales Alenia Space (Italy), with teams from France, the UK, Germany (OHB), and Norway (Nammo), is developing the lander.

11. When will Argonaut launch?

The first Argonaut mission is scheduled for 2030 aboard an Ariane 64 rocket, with the first operational mission expected in 2031.

12. How much cargo can the Argonaut lander deliver to the Moon?

The initial version will deliver up to 1,500 kg of payload to the lunar surface, with later versions expected to carry more.

13. What is Blue Origin’s NS-37 mission?

NS-37 is the next crewed suborbital flight of Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket, carrying a diverse group of passengers into space.

14. Who is Mckella Ventouse and why is her flight historic?

Mckella Ventouse will become the first wheelchair user to fly into space, marking a breakthrough moment for accessibility and inclusive spaceflight.

15. How does Blue Origin ensure passenger safety for special-needs astronauts?

Passengers undergo detailed medical evaluations, tailored safety planning, and specialized training to ensure they can safely complete the mission.

16. What does all of this mean for the future of space exploration?

These milestones—from Raptor 3 testing to Europe’s lunar progress and inclusive private spaceflight—signal a new era where space exploration becomes more powerful, international, and accessible.