SpaceX to launch newly upgraded Starship V3 megarocket

SpaceX plans to launch its newly upgraded Starship V3 megarocket, the largest rocket ever built, from its Starbase facility in South Texas on May 21. The uncrewed test flight, the 12th for Starship, will begin at 6:30 p.m. EDT with a 90-minute launch window. The rocket, standing 408 feet tall, features 33 redesigned Raptor engines and will test upgraded flight control flaps, a dynamic banking maneuver, and deploy 22 Starlink satellite simulators. The primary goal is to demonstrate the redesigned vehicle’s performance, including full and rapid reusability, as part of SpaceX’s development for NASA’s Artemis missions to the moon. The booster will ascend, separate from the second stage (Starship), and perform boostback and landing burns in the Gulf of Mexico, though it will not attempt a return to the launch site. Starship will then light its engines to enter a sub-orbital path, conducting tests before splashing down in the Indian Ocean. The flight marks a critical step for SpaceX, as Starship is expected to serve as the primary vehicle for NASA’s Artemis III mission in 2028, which aims to return humans to the moon. The test flight incorporates learnings from years of development, with significant redesigns to improve performance and reliability. NASA’s Artemis III mission will also involve connecting the Orion crew capsule with Starship and Blue Origin’s Blue Moon lander, though Blue Moon has yet to conduct its first test flight. SpaceX’s Starship program remains a cornerstone for future lunar missions, with this test flight serving as a pivotal milestone in its development timeline.