SpaceX just fired up its 33-engine Starship 'V3' Super Heavy rocket booster. When could it fly?

SpaceX successfully conducted a full 33-engine static-fire test of its Starship Super Heavy V3 booster in Texas on May 7, marking progress toward a targeted May 15 orbital test flight. The upcoming Flight 12 will be the first for the upgraded V3 booster, following delays caused by a November pressure-test failure of the original Flight 12 Super Heavy." "article": "SpaceX completed a critical milestone for its Starship program on May 7, performing a full-duration static-fire test of the Super Heavy V3 booster at its Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas. The test involved all 33 Raptor engines firing simultaneously for 14 seconds while the booster remained anchored to the launch pad. This was the first successful full-thrust static fire for a V3 Super Heavy, following earlier partial tests in March and April that ended prematurely due to ground equipment issues. The upcoming Flight 12, now targeting May 15, will be the first orbital test for the upgraded V3 booster. This mission follows a lengthy delay caused by the destruction of the original Flight 12 Super Heavy during a November 2024 pressure test. The Starship upper stage (Ship) assigned to Flight 12 already completed its own static-fire test in April, successfully igniting all six Raptor engines. Starship remains the world’s most powerful rocket, standing over 400 feet tall and capable of carrying more than 100 tons to low Earth orbit. The vehicle is central to SpaceX’s plans for lunar and Martian colonization and has been selected by NASA for its Artemis program. A Starship-derived lunar lander will be used in the Artemis 3 mission, tentatively scheduled for late 2027, though the flight will remain in Earth orbit to test rendezvous and docking operations. Flight 12 will be a suborbital test, meaning additional milestones must be met before Starship can attempt crewed lunar missions. These include integrating life-support systems and other mission-critical components. The program has already completed 11 suborbital test flights since April 2023, with the most recent occurring in October 2025. SpaceX’s progress on Starship is closely watched, given its role in both commercial spaceflight and NASA’s Artemis lunar exploration efforts. The successful static fire brings the company one step closer to its next major test, with the May 15 launch window pending final preparations and regulatory approvals.