SpaceX Launches 408-Foot Starship V3, Deploying 22 Satellites Before Indian Ocean Splashdown
Updated
Updated · Scientific American · May 26
SpaceX Launches 408-Foot Starship V3, Deploying 22 Satellites Before Indian Ocean Splashdown
8 articles · Updated · Scientific American · May 26
Starship V3 completed its first test flight Friday, releasing 20 dummy Starlink satellites and two operational inspection satellites before a targeted splashdown in the Indian Ocean about 47 minutes after liftoff.
The 12th Starship test also marked the rocket’s first flight in seven months, showing booster separation, in-space operations and landing maneuvers despite one of 33 booster engines and one of six ship engines failing to perform as expected.
The 408-foot vehicle—rated at about 18 million pounds of thrust—was not recovered; the booster splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico minutes after separation as planned.
NASA is counting on Starship for Artemis III in 2027 and a possible lunar landing as soon as 2028, even as watchdogs have warned SpaceX may struggle to deliver the system on time after earlier explosion-plagued tests.
The largely successful V3 demonstration strengthens SpaceX’s case for using Starship as a reusable heavy-lift workhorse capable of carrying up to 100 metric tons for Starlink expansion and future space-based data centers.
With auditors revealing major safety flaws, can Starship realistically land astronauts on the Moon by 2028?
Starship's design is called too tall for the Moon. How will SpaceX prevent its lunar lander from toppling over?
As SpaceX prepares its IPO, can it solve the billion-dollar orbital refueling puzzle crucial for its success?
Starship V3 Flight 12: Technical Breakthroughs, Anomalies, and the Road to SpaceX’s 2026 IPO
Overview
The Starship V3 Flight 12 mission, launched on May 22, 2026, marked a major milestone for SpaceX by introducing a redesigned rocket stack with third-generation Raptor engines. These new engines offer increased thrust and a simpler design, supporting the vehicle’s ambitious performance goals. The V3 booster was also upgraded for faster takeoffs and easier catches by the launch tower, though this flight did not attempt a booster catch. The mission successfully demonstrated the new architecture and upper stage reentry, proving key innovations and setting the stage for future deep-space missions and higher launch rates.