# Ship 35

> SpaceX Starship spacecraft

**Wikidata**: [Q133198280](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q133198280)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starship_Ship_35)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/ship-35

## Summary
Ship 35 (S35) is a SpaceX Starship spacecraft that was destroyed during its first orbital flight test on May 27–28, 2025. Operated by SpaceX, it was part of the reusable Starship class designed for lunar, planetary, and satellite missions. The vehicle failed due to aerodynamic forces during re-entry, marking a critical test in the development of the Starship program.

## Key Facts
- **Serial Number**: 35 (S35)
- **Operator**: SpaceX
- **First Flight**: May 27, 2025 (Starship Flight Test 9)
- **Launch Vehicle**: Super Heavy (Booster 16)
- **Launch Site**: Orbital Launch Pad 1
- **Cause of Destruction**: Aerodynamic forces during re-entry (May 28, 2025)
- **Preceded By**: Ship 34
- **Followed By**: Ship 36
- **Manufacturer**: SpaceX
- **Country of Origin**: United States

## FAQs
### Q: What happened to Ship 35 during its first flight?
A: Ship 35 was destroyed on May 28, 2025, due to aerodynamic forces during atmospheric re-entry after launching on Starship Flight Test 9.

### Q: What was the purpose of Ship 35’s mission?
A: The mission aimed to test orbital flight capabilities, re-entry survival, and recovery procedures for the Starship spacecraft.

### Q: Did Ship 35 achieve any milestones?
A: Ship 35 became the first Starship prototype to reach space, though it did not complete its intended orbital trajectory.

## Why It Matters
Ship 35 played a pivotal role in advancing SpaceX’s Starship program, despite its destruction. As the first Starship to reach space, it provided critical data on orbital launch, re-entry dynamics, and thermal protection systems. Its failure highlighted technical challenges in aerodynamic stability and heat shield performance, informing design improvements for subsequent prototypes. The mission contributed to SpaceX’s iterative development approach, accelerating progress toward reusable spacecraft capable of lunar and Mars missions. This test underscored the program’s emphasis on rapid prototyping and learning through failure, a cornerstone of SpaceX’s innovation strategy.

## Notable For
- First Starship prototype to reach space (May 27, 2025).
- Tested new heat shield tile designs for re-entry survivability.
- Provided critical aerodynamic and thermal data despite mission failure.
- Demonstrated SpaceX’s rapid iteration process, with Ship 36 already under development post-loss.

## Body
### Development Context
Ship 35 was part of SpaceX’s Starship program, a fully reusable spacecraft system designed for long-duration missions. Built at SpaceX’s facility in Boca Chica, Texas, it incorporated iterative improvements from prior prototypes, including enhanced heat shield tiles and engine thrust vectoring refinements.

### Flight Test 9
- **Launch**: May 27, 2025, at 00:23 UTC from Orbital Launch Pad 1.
- **Payload**: None disclosed; primary focus was spacecraft performance.
- **Launch Vehicle**: Super Heavy Booster 16, which successfully landed post-launch.
- **Mission Objective**: Achieve orbit, test re-entry, and attempt recovery.

### Mission Outcome
Ship 35 reached space but experienced a structural failure during re-entry. Aerodynamic forces caused a breach in the spacecraft’s forward dome, leading to complete destruction over the Gulf of Mexico. The failure occurred approximately 24 hours after launch, at 00:23 UTC on May 28, 2025.

### Legacy
Despite the loss, Ship 35’s flight validated several subsystems, including orbital-class Raptor engines and stage separation mechanisms. Data from the mission directly informed adjustments to Ship 36’s design, including reinforced thermal protection and aerodynamic stability enhancements.

## Schema Markup
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