Latest Developments

SpaceX is approximately four weeks from its most significant Starship milestone yet — the first flight of the upgraded “V3” vehicle on the program’s 12th integrated test flight, a leap in capability that could reshape the cadence of Artemis and other deep-space programs. On the operational side, the company notched its 30th mission of 2026 with the overnight launch of the 15,000-pound EchoStar 25 direct-broadcast satellite to geosynchronous transfer orbit, its first GTO flight of the year. Meanwhile, with 11,463 Starlink satellites launched to date — 9,924 currently in orbit and 9,913 actively working — Falcon 9 remains on pace for another record-setting annual launch cadence, anchoring eight of this week’s worldwide missions alone. Adding a financial dimension to an already busy week, reports have emerged that SpaceX is exploring an early Nasdaq-100 listing, a move that would mark a pivotal shift in the company’s traditionally private corporate structure.

Space Safety

The Starlink conjunction and reentry threat picture shows manageable but continued risk from orbital debris interactions. A single MODERATE-risk event has been identified involving STARLINK-32678 and the KSLV-II R/B on Mar 13, 2026 at 15:18 UTC, with a maximum collision probability of 0.1833 and minimum range of 19 meters—the closest approach in the current dataset. Additionally, three Starlink satellites are forecast for reentry within the next 72 hours, all with standard 1440-minute uncertainty windows centered over the Pacific and Indian Ocean regions.

Detailed Coverage

NASA Inspector General Flags Gaps in Moon Lander Risk Management

NASA’s Office of Inspector General has published an assessment raising substantive concerns about the agency’s handling of risk aboard the SpaceX Starship Human Landing System and Blue Origin’s Blue Moon lander. While acknowledging that NASA is actively working to “mitigate and prevent hazards,” the report identified gaps in the agency’s testing posture and, critically, in crew survival analyses — particularly scenarios involving catastrophic but non-fatal events during lunar descent or ascent.

The findings arrive at a sensitive moment, with Artemis III crewed lunar landing planning already under schedule pressure. The OIG stopped short of recommending program cancellation but called for more rigorous pre-flight analyses and clearer contingency protocols. For Starship specifically, the report underscores the challenge of certifying an unproven architecture for crewed lunar surface operations, and satellite trackers and mission planners alike will be watching whether NASA responds with formal corrective action plans ahead of the next Artemis program milestones.

Read the full story: Spaceflight Now

Starship V3: SpaceX’s Most Powerful Rocket Ever Is ~4 Weeks From Flight 12

Elon Musk confirmed this week that SpaceX is roughly four weeks away from launching Starship’s 12th integrated test flight — and for the first time, it will fly the upgraded “V3” configuration. The new variant incorporates increased thrust across both the Super Heavy booster and the Ship upper stage, pushing Starship beyond any rocket ever flown in terms of raw liftoff thrust. If the timeline holds, the launch would occur in early-to-mid April 2026, with Starbase in Boca Chica serving as the departure point.

Flight 12 carries enormous programmatic weight: SpaceX must demonstrate continued reliability in booster catch operations, Ship reentry, and propellant systems that feed NASA’s HLS contract and the company’s own Starlink V3 mass-to-orbit ambitions. Observers tracking vehicle movements at Starbase have already noted stacking activity consistent with Musk’s stated timeline, lending credibility to the four-week window.

Read the full story: Space.com

SpaceX Completes Mission 30 of 2026 With EchoStar 25 GTO Launch

A Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 12:19 a.m. EDT on March 10, delivering the EchoStar 25 direct-broadcast satellite to geosynchronous transfer orbit. The 15,000-pound spacecraft is the largest and most commercially significant payload SpaceX has flown so far in 2026, and it marks the company’s first GTO mission of the calendar year — a reminder that Falcon 9’s manifest extends well beyond Starlink replenishment flights.

The booster executed a successful landing following the mission, continuing SpaceX’s near-flawless recovery record. EchoStar 25 will eventually settle into geostationary orbit where it will deliver direct-to-home television services across North America. Reaching 30 missions before mid-March keeps SpaceX on a trajectory that could see annual launch totals push well past the 2025 record, with Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy together forming the backbone of global commercial launch infrastructure.

Read the full story: Space.com

Falcon 9 Set to Dominate Eight-Launch Global Week

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 is slated to anchor yet another packed global launch schedule this week, accounting for the majority of the eight worldwide missions on the manifest. The cadence reflects a structural reality in the current launch market: no other vehicle approaches Falcon 9’s combination of reliability, reusability, and sheer flight rate, leaving competitors scrambling to carve out niche roles in the heavy-lift and small-sat segments.

For satellite trackers, the week offers multiple opportunities to observe fresh Starlink shells entering orbit and maneuvering into their operational planes, as well as the EchoStar 25 spacecraft making its slow climb toward GEO. NASASpaceFlight’s full preview outlines specific launch windows and payload details for each mission.

Read the full story: NASASpaceFlight

Starbase After Dark: Aerial Photos Reveal Boca Chica’s Rapid Transformation

Elon Musk shared a sweeping nighttime aerial photograph of Starbase this week, offering a rare top-down view of how dramatically SpaceX’s Boca Chica facility has evolved into a fully operational spaceport. The image reveals the scale of the launch and integration infrastructure — including the Mechazilla catch tower, multiple high-bay structures, and support facilities — bathed in industrial lighting against the dark Gulf Coast shoreline.

Starbase officially incorporated as a Texas city earlier this year, giving SpaceX greater local governance authority over the site and streamlining operational logistics. With Flight 12 potentially weeks away, the photographs serve as a tangible reminder of how quickly the company is scaling its launch infrastructure — infrastructure that will ultimately need to support the cadence required for Starlink V3 mass deployments and eventual Mars cargo missions.

Read the full story: Teslarati

SpaceX Explores Nasdaq-100 Entry in Potential Historic Market Shift

In what would represent one of the most consequential financial moves in the company’s history, SpaceX is reportedly weighing a listing on the Nasdaq and pursuing early inclusion in the Nasdaq-100 index. The company has long maintained a private structure, relying on secondary-market share sales and equity rounds to provide liquidity for employees and investors without subjecting itself to public-market scrutiny or quarterly earnings pressure.

An early index inclusion, rather than a traditional IPO, would be an unconventional route that could provide immediate benchmark-driven demand for SpaceX shares from index funds and ETFs upon listing. Analysts note that SpaceX’s valuation — last pegged in the range of $350 billion — would make it one of the largest Nasdaq-100 components at entry. The move would also dramatically increase public financial transparency around Starlink’s revenue trajectory and Starship development costs, data points the industry has long sought.

Read the full story: Teslarati

Constellation Status

The Starlink constellation remained unchanged since the last check, with 11,463 satellites launched to date, 9,924 currently in orbit, 9,913 actively working, and 1,539 having decayed from orbit.

• Total Launched: 11463
• Total On Orbit: 9924
• Total Working: 9913

Track Starlink satellites in real-time: Track Starlink