SpaceX Starship Flight 12: Don't miss these stunning photos from the launch of the most powerful Starship yet

SpaceX executed its 12th Starship test flight on May 22, lifting off at 6:30 p.m. EDT from Starbase in South Texas. The newest Starship variant, standing 408 feet tall, featured upgrades including a faster satellite deployment system, 39 Raptor engines across both stages, and a reusable hot stage ring. The flight reached suborbital space before both the Super Heavy booster and Ship upper stage completed splashdowns, mirroring previous mission profiles but with a more advanced vehicle. This launch is critical for SpaceX’s bid to land astronauts on the moon for NASA’s Artemis 4 mission, targeting late 2028. The company is competing with Blue Origin for Artemis contracts, including a potential role in Artemis 3, where NASA may test lunar landing systems in Earth orbit. Blue Origin’s Blue Moon lander remains unflown, with its first prototype launch planned for later this year. Starship’s success hinges on demonstrating orbital flight, fuel transfer, and astronaut life-support capabilities. NASA recently shifted Artemis 3 to an Earth-orbit rendezvous, potentially involving either SpaceX’s Starship or Blue Origin’s lander. The agency’s decision could hinge on which company meets milestones first, though Blue Origin’s untested hardware poses a risk. The test flight highlighted Starship’s growing complexity, with three grid fins for reentry control and structural improvements. While the mission ended as expected, SpaceX must prove reliability for crewed missions. The company’s progress directly impacts its chances of securing NASA’s lunar contracts, with Artemis 4 remaining the primary focus for Starship’s human-rated development.