SpaceX has transported the Ship 41 spacecraft to the Pad 2 launch site at Starbase. The vehicle is currently being prepared for integration with the Booster 21 rocket to conduct the upcoming Flight 14 mission.
A notable feature of Ship 41 is the inclusion of two heat shield tiles that were previously flown on Ship 40 during the Flight 13 mission. Following that flight, Ship 40 spent nearly a month in the Indian Ocean before being recovered by the vessel Forte.
The two reused tiles are positioned on the aft section of the spacecraft near the flaps. While the full heat shield consists of approximately 20 000 tiles, this test marks the first official instance of reusing thermal protection elements for the Starship program.
The launch of Flight 14 is scheduled for no earlier than September 28, pending the receipt of necessary regulatory approvals. If successful, the mission will aim to reach an orbital trajectory and deploy Starlink V3 satellites before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.
