Booster 21 Completes Full-Duration Static Fire Ahead ofStarship Flight 14

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More recent FAA CADENA/COMPASS air-traffic planning information lists September 15, 2026, as the current NET planning date for Flight 14. That date remains an airspace-planning target rather than an official launch announcement from SpaceX and is subject to change as preparations continue.

With Booster 21’s 33-engine static fire now complete and Ship 41 having already finished its major engine testing, Flight 14 appears to be entering the final phase of preparations.

One of the next major visible milestones is expected to be the return of Booster 21 to the production site for inspection. If all goes well the booster will roll back to the launch site where Ship 41 will follow to be stacked on Pad 2 ahead of final launch preparations. SpaceX took another major step toward Starship Flight 14 on Friday, August 28, 2026, with a full-duration static fire of Super Heavy Booster 21 at Pad 2 in Starbase, Texas.

The test took place at approximately 1:10 p.m. CDT, with Booster 21 firing all 33 of its Raptor engines for roughly 15 seconds. The firing produced a massive plume of exhaust and steam across the launch complexas the booster remained secured to the launch mount.

SpaceX later confirmed the test was a full-duration33-engine static fire, marking one of the final major propulsion milestones for the booster ahead of Flight 14.

Booster 21 rolled from the Starbase production site to Pad 2on August 25 following several weeks of preparation. The vehicle had previously completed a series of cryogenic proof tests at Massey’s Test Site in July before its Raptor 3 engines were installed and preparations began for flight qualification testing.

The Booster 21 static fire follows a completed test campaign for Ship 41, the Starship upper stage assigned to Flight 14. Ship 41 first performed a single-engine firing intended to demonstrate a deorbit-burn profile, followed by a full-duration 60-second static fire of all six Raptor engines at Massey’s.

With major engine testing now complete for both Ship 41 and Booster 21, attention is expected to shift toward final vehicle inspections, Flight Termination System work, regulatory preparations, and eventually stacking the two vehicles at Pad 2.

FAA Airspace Restrictions and Launch Timing

An FAA Temporary Flight Restriction, TFR 6/7111, is currently active around the Brownsville and Starbase launch-site area. The FAA lists the restriction as a hazard TFR running from August 24 through September5, 2026.

The restriction extends from the surface to approximately 10,000feet and is intended to support ongoing activity at the Starbase launch site.

The current TFR should not, however, be interpreted as the launch restriction for Flight 14. TFR 6/7111 is associated with the on going testing campaign, and as of early August 29, a dedicated Flight 14 launch TFR, launch NOTAM, and associated maritime restrictions had not yet appeared in the publicly tracked regulatory information.

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