SpaceX is set to test an upgraded Starship. It could soon take astronauts to the moon

SpaceX is set to conduct its 12th test flight of the Starship spacecraft, the largest and most powerful rocket ever built, from its launch facility in Boca Chica, Texas, as early as Thursday. This mission will test an upgraded version of Starship and its Super Heavy booster, featuring enhanced engines, new fins for re-entry steering, and an improved propulsion system. The test follows two successful Starship missions in 2025 and a prior history of mishaps during earlier flights. The upgraded Starship is critical for NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the moon by 2028. NASA has selected SpaceX’s Starship and Blue Origin’s Blue Moon lander to transport crews to the lunar surface. Following the successful Artemis II mission, which orbited the moon with four astronauts in 2026, Artemis III will focus on testing rendezvous and docking capabilities between the Orion spacecraft and a lunar lander in Earth orbit. Blue Origin has paused its suborbital space tourism division to accelerate development of its lunar lander, while SpaceX continues refining Starship at its Texas facility. NASA is also constructing an additional launch facility for Starship at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, expanding infrastructure to support future missions. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman has set ambitious targets, with Artemis III targeting a 2027 launch and Artemis IV aiming for a 2028 lunar landing. The success of Starship’s upcoming test flight will be a key milestone in ensuring the lander’s readiness for these missions. Engineers and technicians are working to validate the vehicle’s orbital capabilities, a prerequisite for docking with Orion and proceeding with crewed lunar landings.