The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and SpaceX have concluded a critical series of wind tunnel tests on a scale model of the Super Heavy Version 3 rocket booster, gathering aerodynamic data that will inform flight software and structural load parameters for upcoming lunar missions. The agency formally announced the completion of the late 2025 testing at the Ames Research Center in California on July 31, 2026.

Detailed in a July 31 press release, the testing utilized a 1.2% scale model of the Super Heavy booster to simulate the extreme aerodynamic forces encountered during atmospheric re-entry. The resulting data is a prerequisite for the Starship Human Landing System (HLS), which will serve as the test article for the Artemis III demonstration mission in 2027 and a subsequent crewed lunar landing targeted for 2028.

Aerodynamic testing and structural updates

The evaluations took place in the Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel at NASA Ames, subjecting the 1.2% scale model to a wide range of airspeeds. Engineers blasted the model with air ranging from Mach 0.2 to Mach 1.4 in the transonic wind tunnel, and from Mach 1.55 to Mach 2.5 in the supersonic wind tunnel.

The testing focused on the updated Super Heavy Version 3 architecture. The first-stage booster is powered by 33 Raptor 3 rocket engines and features a revised aerodynamic control system. SpaceX has reduced the number of gridfins on the booster from four to three, while increasing the size of each remaining gridfin by 50%.

Jayanta Panda, Unsteady Aerodynamics Subject Matter Expert at NASA Ames Research Center, explained the dual focus of the evaluations.

“When a rocket, or an airplane, flies through air at high speed, it’s subjected to steady aerodynamic forces and moments, and unsteady aerodynamic forces and moments. An example of a steady aerodynamic force would be when air smoothly flows over the surface of the rocket as it ascends. An unsteady aerodynamic force would be air ‘buffeting,’ or hitting, certain areas the rocket at less predictable times and potentially causing vibrations.”

The data collected directly influences the vehicle’s operational safety and reusability. Manish Mehta, Discipline Lead Engineer for the HLS Plume and Aero Environments team at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, stated that the steady force data helps predict atmospheric reactions during re-entry, allowing flight software to effectively guide the rocket. The unsteady pressure data provides engineers with an understanding of the re-entry environment, which serves as a primary input for software that analyzes structural loads on the booster.

Artemis III mission evolution

The wind tunnel results arrive as NASA and SpaceX refine the operational profile for the Starship HLS. On July 15, 2026, NASA outlined that Artemis III will function as a low Earth orbit demonstration mission. During this flight, SpaceX will utilize a test article based on the Starship Version 3 architecture to practice rendezvous and docking procedures with the Orion spacecraft.

Flight testing of the physical hardware is also underway. According to reporting by Aviation Week, SpaceX launched Starship Flight 13 on July 24, 2026. The suborbital test flight of the Starship Version 3 vehicle successfully completed a controlled reentry and splashdown in the Indian Ocean.

NASA is leveraging decades of aerodynamic research to accelerate the Starship HLS certification process. Mehta noted that the agency is utilizing its broad experience base from conducting wind tunnel tests for the Space Shuttle, the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, and the Orion spacecraft to efficiently analyze the Super Heavy Version 3 data. He added that similar testing at the Ames Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel previously resulted in adding strakes to the SLS for Artemis II.

AirPro News analysis

We view the completion of these wind tunnel tests as a necessary step in validating the Starship Version 3 architecture for human spaceflight. The shift to a three-gridfin design on the Super Heavy booster represents a significant aerodynamic departure from earlier iterations, making empirical data from the Ames Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel essential for safe booster recovery and reuse.

Furthermore, NASA’s recent decision to pivot Artemis III to a low Earth orbit demonstration mission underscores the technical hurdles remaining before a crewed lunar landing can occur in 2028. By testing the Starship HLS in Earth orbit first, NASA and SpaceX are mitigating risk and allowing time for the flight software and structural load models to be validated by both wind tunnel data and real-world flight tests like Starship Flight 13. While the 2028 lunar landing target remains highly compressed, the alignment of ground-based aerodynamic testing with concurrent orbital flight tests demonstrates a maturing development pipeline for the HLS program.

Sources: NASA Press Release

Starfighters Space, Inc. (NYSE American: FJET) announced the next development phase of its “Wind Tunnel in the Sky” airborne testing platform on July 28, 2026, offering aerospace developers up to 10 minutes of sustained Mach 2+ exposure per flight.

In a press release, the company detailed how the modular, underwing platform addresses a critical bottleneck in hypersonic and advanced aerospace testing infrastructure. By utilizing its fleet of Lockheed F-104 Starfighter aircraft operating from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Kennedy Space Center in Florida and the Midland Air and Space Port in Texas, Starfighters Space aims to provide real-world atmospheric testing conditions that traditional ground-based facilities cannot replicate.

Overcoming ground-based testing limitations

Ground-based wind tunnels typically offer test windows measured only in seconds. The Starfighters Space platform extends this capability significantly, providing up to 10 minutes of high-speed data collection during a standard 45-minute mission profile.

The airborne system exposes test hardware to a combination of dynamic pressure, temperature variations, vibration, and acceleration in actual flight conditions.

“While ground wind tunnels remain essential for aerospace research and development, airborne testing can expose hardware to combinations of weather variation, vibration, acceleration, dynamic pressure, temperature and operational conditions that cannot always be fully reproduced in a fixed facility,” said Tim Franta, CEO of Starfighters Space.

Building on recent flight-test milestones

The advancement of the Mach 2 testing platform follows recent subsonic and supersonic Test-Flights conducted by the company. These earlier flights supported the development of the STARLAUNCH 1 demonstrator vehicle.

The expansion of testing capabilities aligns with broader industry requirements for specialized infrastructure. Franta stated that as the demand for hypersonic systems grows, the limited access to existing test facilities increases the need for commercial flight-test alternatives.

Alongside its operational updates, Starfighters Space announced a corporate governance change on July 24, 2026, selecting CBIZ CPAs P.C. as its independent registered public accounting firm.

AirPro News analysis

The commercialization of supersonic flight-testing platforms represents a necessary shift in aerospace development. As military and commercial programs push toward hypersonic regimes, the backlog at government and institutional wind tunnels has become a recognized program risk. By leveraging the proven Mach 2 capabilities of the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, we see Starfighters Space positioning itself to absorb overflow demand from developers who require sustained high-speed data collection without the lead times associated with fixed ground facilities. The 10-minute sustained test window is particularly valuable for thermal and structural validation, which often cannot be adequately modeled in the brief seconds provided by traditional blow-down wind tunnels.

Sources: Starfighters Space, Inc.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced a proposed rule on July 28, 2026, that would allow the agency to waive requirements from 13 federal environmental and natural resource laws to accelerate commercial space licensing.

The initiative, announced in Washington, D.C., by U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford, aims to remove regulatory bottlenecks for launch providers amid a surge in commercial space operations. The proposal follows an August 2025 executive order directing the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to streamline space regulations and cites a 2025 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that criticized the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) as a tool used to slow infrastructure projects.

Surging launch volumes and regulatory bottlenecks

The commercial space sector is experiencing unprecedented growth driven primarily by private companies. According to the FAA press release, the agency authorized a record 204 commercial space operations in Fiscal Year 2025. The agency projects 214 operations for 2026 and anticipates 507 annual operations by 2036, totaling an estimated 4,288 operations over the next decade.

Current regulatory frameworks have struggled to keep pace with this expansion. Data from industry platform SpaceNexus, cited in reporting by Reuters, indicates that securing approval for a new operator or vehicle license can take up to 36 months under the existing structure. The pressure on regulators is expected to intensify, with Bedford noting in May 2026 that SpaceX alone aims to reach 10,000 launches annually within five years.

Proposed environmental waivers and administration goals

The proposed rule would grant the FAA authority to bypass specific requirements under 13 federal laws, including NEPA, the Endangered Species Act, and the Clean Air Act, for certain commercial space licenses and permits. The agency stated that the waivers are designed to eliminate duplicative environmental reviews while maintaining necessary protections for public health, safety, and national security. The proposal is open for a 30-day public comment period.

Duffy framed the initiative as a necessary step for national competitiveness and reducing costs for the commercial space sector.

“America won the first Space Race, and we can do it again, but only if we get government red tape out of the way. That’s why President Trump has charged USDOT with unlocking the final frontier and re-establishing the United States’ dominance in space,” Duffy said in the FAA statement.

Bedford echoed the need for modernization, stating that the agency must do everything safely possible to support the sector. He warned that the FAA will not keep pace with rapid industry growth without strengthening and streamlining its regulatory approach.

AirPro News analysis

We view this proposed rule as a direct response to the widening gap between commercial space ambitions and federal regulatory capacity. The FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation has been under immense pressure to process launch licenses faster, particularly as mega-constellation deployments and frequent reusable rocket operations become routine. By leveraging the 2025 Supreme Court ruling on NEPA, the USDOT is attempting to establish a legal shield against environmental litigation that has historically delayed launch site expansions. However, waiving requirements under the Endangered Species Act and Clean Air Act will likely draw intense scrutiny from environmental groups, setting up a potential clash between the administration’s mandate for space dominance and local ecological preservation efforts around major spaceports.

Sources: Federal Aviation Administration