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SpaceX Loads 11 Million Pounds of Propellant on Fully Stacked Starship V3
The company has for the first time loaded 11 million pounds, or 5,000 metric tonnes, of propellant onto a fully stacked Starship V3 vehicle. The propellant loading marks a significant step in ground operations for the vehicle. The company has indicated that such rehearsals bring an actual launch closer.
May 11, 7:45 PM·1m read1 source
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SpaceX has loaded 11 million pounds of propellant onto a fully stacked Starship V3 for the first time. The total amount loaded equals 5,000 metric tonnes. The propellant loading occurred as part of preparations for the vehicle's next test flight. Such propellant loading tests are a standard part of the countdown rehearsal process.
They allow teams to verify propellant flow, tanking procedures, and ground systems performance without igniting the engines.
The company stated that rehearsing with a fully fueled vehicle indicates an actual launch is approaching. The milestone represents the heaviest propellant load yet achieved on a single Starship V3 stack. No launch date has been announced. Previous test flights have provided data that the company has used to modify vehicle hardware, software, and ground infrastructure ahead of this propellant loading operation.
